Chemical properties of peat used in balneology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szajdak, L.; Hładoń, T.

2009-04-01

The physiological activity of peats is observed in human peat-bath therapy and in the promotion of growth in some plants. Balneological peat as an ecologically clean and natural substance is perceived as being more 'human friendly' than synthetic compounds. Poland has a long tradition of using balneological peat for therapeutic purposes. Balneological peat reveals a physical effect by altering temperature and biochemical effects through biologically active substances. It is mainly used for the treatment of rheumatic diseases that are quite common in Poland. Peat represents natural product. Physico-chemical properties of peat in particular surface-active, sorption and ion exchanges, defining their biological function, depend mainly on the chemical composition and molecular structure of humic substances representing the major constituent of organic soil (peat). The carbon of organic matter of peats is composed of 10 to 20% carbohydrates, primarily of microbial origin; 20% nitrogen-containing constituents, such as amino acids and amino sugars; 10 to 20% aliphatic fatty acids, alkanes, etc.; with the rest of carbon being aromatic. For balneology peat should be highly decomposed (preferably H8), natural and clean. The content of humic acids should exceed 20% of dry weight, ash content will be less than 15 15% of dry weight, sulphur content less than 0.3% of dry weight and the amount of water more than 85%. It will not contain harmful bacteria and heavy metals. Humic substances (HS) of peat are known to be macromolecular polydisperse biphyllic systems including both hydrophobic domains (saturated hydrocarbon chains, aromatic structural units) and hydrophilic functional groups, i. e having amphiphilic character. Amphiphilic properties of FA are responsible for their solubility, viscosity, conformation, surfactant-like character and a variety of physicochemical properties of considerable biologically practical significance. The chemical composition of peats depends significantly on the genesis of peatlands and the depth of sampling. The chemical properties of peat fulvic acids (FA) have some genetic peculiarities due to the specific conditions of the process of humification of peat-forming plants in mires. The process of humification in mires takes place in the top-forming layer under amphibious moisture conditions. Substances of microbial origin are water-soluble and can participate in the formation of peat FA to a little extent. So a main source of structural units for the peat HA and FA is suggested to be organic constituents of peat forming plants of various botanical composition. The content of aromatic units in peat FA was shown to depend on the content of lignin in peat-forming plants and also of the aromatization of polysaccharides mainly due to the transformation of cellulose. FA characterized lower than humic acids molecular weight (1000-30,000). FA's are composed of a series of highly oxidized aromatic rings with a large number of side chains. Building blocks are benzene carboxylic acids and phenolic acids. These are held together by hydrogen bonding van der Waals' forces and ionic bonding. FA contains larger concentrations of nitrogen. This fraction also contains a great deal of polysaccharide materials, as well as low molecular fatty acids and cytoplasmic constituents of microorganisms. These compounds are linear, flexible colloids at low concentrations, and spherical colloids at high solution concentrations and low pH values. A more adequate knowledge of the chemical structure of humic materials will assist us in better understanding the physiological effects and also the function of these macromolecules on the health that these materials are know to exert. This improved knowledge provides us better information on chemical structure of humic substances from peats, which are responsible for pharmacotherapeutic, pharmacokinetic and biopharmaceutical effect. This structure of FA creates proper conditions for uptake of nutrient as well as bioavailability of biologically active substances. The solubilization in water by humic materials of organic substances which are otherwise water-insoluble is a matter of considerable interest to chemist deals with the problem of the function of organic matter. There has been considerable evidence that humic substances can "complex" with several biologically active substances and so modify their physiological activity. It has been noteworthy that FA can "fix" high-molecular weight water-insoluble organic compounds and make them water-soluble. FA may so act as a vehicle for the mobilization, transport and immobilization of such substances in physiological conditions. Analysis of HA and FA carried out by several analytical methods revealed that there were no chemical interaction among biologically active substances but that latter was firmly adsorbed, possible by hydrogen-bonding, on the FA surfaces. Amino acids account for the majority of organic N fraction in humic substances. Most of the amino acids in organic matter occur in bound form in the humino-peptides fraction. These amino acids are commonly bound to the central core of FA. These humino-peptides fraction of FA mediate in respiration and act as hydrogen acceptors, thus affecting oxidation-reaction reactions. Thus, what is needed at this time is more fundamental research in order to solve practical pharmacological, pharmacokinetic and biopharmaceutical problem of great significance for human health.

Transitionality in addiction: A "temporal continuum" hypotheses involving the aberrant motivation, the hedonic dysregulation, and the aberrant learning.

PubMed

Patrono, Enrico; Gasbarri, Antonella; Tomaz, Carlos; Nishijo, Hisao

2016-08-01

Addiction is a chronic compulsion and relapsing disorder. It involves several brain areas and circuits, which encode vary functions such as reward, motivation, and memory. Drug addiction is defined as a "pathological pattern of use of a substance", characterized by the loss of control on drug-taking-related behaviors, the pursuance of those behaviors even in the presence of negative consequences, and a strong motivated activity to assume substances. Three different theories guide experimental research on drug addiction. Each of these theories consider singles features, such as an aberrant motivation, a hedonic dysregulation, and an aberrant habit learning as the main actor to explain the entire process of the addictive behaviors. The major goal of this study is to present a new hypotheses of transitionality from a controlled use to abuse of addictive substances trough the overview of the three different theories, considering all the single features of each single theory together on the same "temporal continuum" from use to abuse of addictive substances. Recently, it has been suggested that common neural systems may be activated by natural and pharmacological stimuli, raising the hypotheses that binge-eating disorders could be considered as addictive behaviors. The second goal of this study is to present evidences in order to highlight a possible psycho-bio-physiological superimposition between drug and "food addiction". Finally, interesting questions are brought up starting from last findings about a theoretical/psycho-bio-physiological superimposition between drug and "food addiction" and their possibly same transitionality along the same "temporal continuum" from use to abuse of addictive substances in order to investigate new therapeutic strategies based on new therapeutic strategies based on the individual moments characterizing the transition from the voluntary intake of substances to the maladaptive addictive behavior. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

NO, nitrotyrosine, and cyclic GMP in signal transduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanafy, K. A.; Krumenacker, J. S.; Murad, F.

2001-01-01

Over the past 25 years, the role of nitric oxide (NO) in biology has evolved from being recognized as an environmental pollutant to an endogenously produced substance involved in cell communication and signal transduction. NO is produced by a family of enzymes called nitric oxide synthases (NOSs), which can be stimulated by a variety of factors that mediate responses to various stimuli. NO can initiate its biological effects through activation of the heterodimeric enzyme, soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), or through several other chemical reactions. Activation of sGC results in the production of 3',5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), an intracellular second messenger signaling molecule, which can subsequently mediate such diverse physiological events such as vasodilatation and immunomodulation. Chemically reactive NO can affect physiological changes through modifications to cellular proteins, one of which is tyrosine nitration. The demonstration that NO is involved in so many biological pathways indicates the importance of this endogenously produced substance, and suggests that there is much more to be discovered about its role in biology in years to come.

The perspective effects of various seed coating substances on rice seed variety Khao DAWK Mali 105 storability I: the case study of physiological properties.

PubMed

Thobunluepop, P; Pawelzik, E; Vearasilp, S

2008-10-01

This study aimed to evaluate the perspective changes of several physiological performances of rice seeds cv. KDML 105 which were coated with various seed coating substances [chemical fungicide, captan (CA) and biological coating polymers; chitosan-lignosulphonate polymer (CL) and eugenol incorporated into chitosan-lignosulphonate polymer (E + CL)] during storage (12 months). CA significantly increased seed moisture content and seed water activity through out the storage period. The qualities and viability of the seeds were seriously declined by this treatment. Moreover, CA inhibited the shoot and root development, seedling dry weight accumulation, delayed the seed germination and seedling growth rate. CA treated seeds were susceptible to stress conditions that declined the seed germination potential under cold, high moisture and temperature stress conditions. Nevertheless, CL and E + CL coating polymer could maintain seed storability, which significantly improved seed germination and seedling performances. These improvements were attributed to maintain the nutritive reserve and dehydrogenase activity in seeds. Moreover, the biological seed treatment stimulated the embryo growth and so speeding up the seedling emergence when compared untreated seeds.

[Study on material basis of essential oil from Yin Teng Gu Bi Kang prescription on activating blood circulation].

PubMed

Wang, Yuan-Qing; Yan, Jian-Ye; Gong, Li-Min; Luo, Kun; Li, Shun-Xiang; Yang, Yan-Tao; Xie, Yu

2014-08-01

To explore the component difference of the serum containing essential oil from Yin Teng Gu Bi Kang prescription in pathologic and physiologic rat models, and to reveal the material basis of its efficacy of activating blood circulation. The essential oils were obtained by CO2 supercritical fluid extraction and the ingredients of the essential oils in vitro and in vivo (under physiological and pathological status) were analyzed by GC-MS to compare differences of the essential oil under physiological and pathological status in rats. 32 components were identified with the main components of Z-ligustilide (39.23%) and d-limonene (21.7%) in the essential oil. In vivo analysis on the essential oil indicated that 16 components were identified, 7 existed originally in essential oil and 9 were metabolites under physiological status; while 22 components were identified, 10 existed originally in essential oil and 12 were metabolites under pathological status (acute blood stasis). There were 7 common prototypes and 8 common metabolites under different physiological status. The absorption and metabolism of essential oils were affected by blood stasis and the compounds migrating to blood may be the effective substance in activating blood circulation.

Physiological correlates of neurobehavioral disinhibition that relate to drug use and risky sexual behavior in adolescents with prenatal substance exposure.

PubMed

Conradt, Elisabeth; Lagasse, Linda L; Shankaran, Seetha; Bada, Henrietta; Bauer, Charles R; Whitaker, Toni M; Hammond, Jane A; Lester, Barry M

2014-01-01

Physiological correlates of behavioral and emotional problems, substance use onset and initiation of risky sexual behavior have not been studied in adolescents with prenatal drug exposure. We studied the concordance between baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) at age 3 and baseline cortisol levels at age 11. We hypothesized that children who showed concordance between RSA and cortisol would have lower neurobehavioral disinhibition scores which would in turn predict age of substance use onset and first sexual intercourse. The sample included 860 children aged 16 years participating in the Maternal Lifestyle Study, a multisite longitudinal study of children with prenatal exposure to cocaine and other substances. Structural equation modeling was used to test pathways between prenatal substance exposure, early adversity, baseline RSA, baseline cortisol, neurobehavioral disinhibition, drug use, and sexual behavior outcomes. Concordance was studied by examining separate male and female models in which there were statistically significant interactions between baseline RSA and cortisol. Prenatal substance exposure was operationalized as the number of substances to which the child was exposed. An adversity score was computed based on caregiver postnatal substance use, depression and psychological distress, number of caregiver changes, socioeconomic and poverty status, quality of the home environment, and child history of protective service involvement, abuse and neglect. RSA and cortisol were measured during a baseline period prior to the beginning of a task. Neurobehavioral disinhibition, based on composite scores of behavioral dysregulation and executive dysfunction, substance use and sexual behavior were derived from questionnaires and cognitive tests administered to the child. Findings were sex specific. In females, those with discordance between RSA and cortisol (high RSA and low cortisol or low RSA and high cortisol) had the most executive dysfunction which, in turn, predicted earlier initiation of alcohol by age 16. Among boys, there also existed a significant baseline RSA by baseline cortisol interaction. Boys with low baseline RSA and high baseline cortisol had the highest levels of behavioral dysregulation. This increase in behavioral dysregulation was in turn related to initiation of alcohol use by age 16 and lower age of first sexual intercourse. We found sex-specific pathways to the initiation of alcohol use and risky sexual behavior through the combined activity of parasympathetic and neuroendocrine functioning. The study of multiple physiological systems may suggest new pathways to the study of age of onset of substance use and engagement in risky sexual behavior in adolescents. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Physiological Correlates of Neurobehavioral Disinhibition that Relate to Drug Use and Risky Sexual Behavior in Adolescents with Prenatal Substance Exposure

PubMed Central

Conradt, Elisabeth; Lagasse, Linda L.; Shankaran, Seetha; Bada, Henrietta; Bauer, Charles R.; Whitaker, Toni M.; Hammond, Jane A.; Lester, Barry M.

2015-01-01

Physiological correlates of behavioral and emotional problems, substance use onset and initiation of risky sexual behavior have not been studied in adolescents with prenatal drug exposure. We studied the concordance between baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) at age 3 and baseline Cortisol levels at age 11. We hypothesized that children who showed concordance between RSA and Cortisol would have lower neurobehavioral disinhibition scores which would in turn predict age of substance use onset and first sexual intercourse. The sample included 860 children aged 16 years participating in the Maternal Lifestyle Study, a multisite longitudinal study of children with prenatal exposure to cocaine and other substances. Structural equation modeling was used to test pathways between prenatal substance exposure, early adversity, baseline RSA, baseline Cortisol, neurobehavioral disinhibition, drug use, and sexual behavior outcomes. Concordance was studied by examining separate male and female models in which there were statistically significant interactions between baseline RSA and Cortisol. Prenatal substance exposure was operationalized as the number of substances to which the child was exposed. An adversity score was computed based on caregiver postnatal substance use, depression and psychological distress, number of caregiver changes, socioeconomic and poverty status, quality of the home environment, and child history of protective service involvement, abuse and neglect. RSA and Cortisol were measured during a baseline period prior to the beginning of a task. Neurobehavioral disinhibition, based on composite scores of behavioral dysregulation and executive dysfunction, substance use and sexual behavior were derived from questionnaires and cognitive tests administered to the child. Findings were sex specific. In females, those with discordance between RSA and Cortisol (high RSA and low Cortisol or low RSA and high Cortisol) had the most executive dysfunction which, in turn, predicted earlier initiation of alcohol by age 16. Among boys, there also existed a significant baseline RSA by baseline Cortisol interaction. Boys with low baseline RSA and high baseline Cortisol had the highest levels of behavioral dysregulation. This increase in behavioral dysregulation was in turn related to initiation of alcohol use by age 16 and lower age of first sexual intercourse. We found sex-specific pathways to the initiation of alcohol use and risky sexual behavior through the combined activity of parasympathetic and neuroendocrine functioning. The study of multiple physiological systems may suggest new pathways to the study of age of onset of substance use and engagement in risky sexual behavior in adolescents. PMID:25033835

Eliciting affect via immersive virtual reality: a tool for adolescent risk reduction.

PubMed

Hadley, Wendy; Houck, Christopher D; Barker, David H; Garcia, Abbe Marrs; Spitalnick, Josh S; Curtis, Virginia; Roye, Scott; Brown, Larry K

2014-04-01

A virtual reality environment (VRE) was designed to expose participants to substance use and sexual risk-taking cues to examine the utility of VR in eliciting adolescent physiological arousal. 42 adolescents (55% male) with a mean age of 14.54 years (SD = 1.13) participated. Physiological arousal was examined through heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and self-reported somatic arousal. A within-subject design (neutral VRE, VR party, and neutral VRE) was utilized to examine changes in arousal. The VR party demonstrated an increase in physiological arousal relative to a neutral VRE. Examination of individual segments of the party (e.g., orientation, substance use, and sexual risk) demonstrated that HR was significantly elevated across all segments, whereas only the orientation and sexual risk segments demonstrated significant impact on RSA. This study provides preliminary evidence that VREs can be used to generate physiological arousal in response to substance use and sexual risk cues.

Renal Clearance: Using an Interactive Activity to Visualize a Tricky Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, Kerry

2016-01-01

Renal clearance, the volume of blood cleared of a substance in a particular time period, is commonly recognized as one of the most difficult concepts in physiology. This difficulty may in part reflect the quantitative nature of renal clearance since many life sciences majors perceive that mathematics is irrelevant to their discipline. Students may…

Anti-Angiogenic Action of Neutral Endopeptidase

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-11-30

side of hydrophobic amino acids and inactivates a variety of physiologically active peptides, including atrial natriuretic factor, substance P ...follows. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Angiogenesis, Cell surface peptidase , Neutral endopeptidase, Basic fibroblast growth factor, Prostate cancer Proteolysis 16...patients with prostate cancer. Cell-surface peptidases are the guardians of the cell against small stimulatory peptides, functioning to control growth

Natural products and biological activity of the pharmacologically active cauliflower mushroom Sparassis crispa.

PubMed

Kimura, Takashi

2013-01-01

Sparassis crispa, also known as cauliflower mushroom, is an edible mushroom with medicinal properties. Its cultivation became popular in Japan about 10 years ago, a phenomenon that has been attributed not only to the quality of its taste, but also to its potential for therapeutic applications. Herein, I present a comprehensive summary of the pharmacological activities and mechanisms of action of its bioactive components, such as beta-glucan, and other physiologically active substances. In particular, the immunomodulatory mechanisms of the beta-glucan components are presented herein in detail.

Streptomyces alboflavus RPS and its novel and high algicidal activity against harmful algal bloom species Phaeocystis globosa.

PubMed

Zhang, Bangzhou; Cai, Guanjing; Wang, Haitao; Li, Dong; Yang, Xujun; An, Xinli; Zheng, Xiaowei; Tian, Yun; Zheng, Wei; Zheng, Tianling

2014-01-01

Phaeocystis globosa blooms have frequently occurred along coastal waters and exerted serious impacts on ecological environments by releasing toxic hemolytic substances, forming nuisance foam, and causing oxygen depletion. An actinomycete strain RPS with high algicidal activity against P. globosa was isolated and identified as Streptomyces alboflavus, based on morphology, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. RPS lysed 95% of P. globosa within 48 h by releasing an extracellular active substance into the growth medium. The activity of RPS supernatant was sensitive to temperature at and above 50 °C and insensitive to pH from 3 to 11. The molecular weight of the active substance was between 100 Da and 1000 Da, and approximately 90% of it was extracted by ethyl acetate. It was presumed that the active component efficiently inhibited the movement of P. globosa, caused the flagella to fall off the algae, and finally lysed the algal cells. RPS showed a wide target range against harmful algae. S. alboflavus RPS with high algicidal activity and such novel features of temperature and pH sensitivity, low molecular weight, algicidal process, and target range possesses great potential in the biological control of P. globosa blooms.

Streptomyces alboflavus RPS and Its Novel and High Algicidal Activity against Harmful Algal Bloom Species Phaeocystis globosa

PubMed Central

Wang, Haitao; Li, Dong; Yang, Xujun; An, Xinli; Zheng, Xiaowei; Tian, Yun; Zheng, Wei; Zheng, Tianling

2014-01-01

Phaeocystis globosa blooms have frequently occurred along coastal waters and exerted serious impacts on ecological environments by releasing toxic hemolytic substances, forming nuisance foam, and causing oxygen depletion. An actinomycete strain RPS with high algicidal activity against P. globosa was isolated and identified as Streptomyces alboflavus, based on morphology, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. RPS lysed 95% of P. globosa within 48 h by releasing an extracellular active substance into the growth medium. The activity of RPS supernatant was sensitive to temperature at and above 50°C and insensitive to pH from 3 to 11. The molecular weight of the active substance was between 100 Da and 1000 Da, and approximately 90% of it was extracted by ethyl acetate. It was presumed that the active component efficiently inhibited the movement of P. globosa, caused the flagella to fall off the algae, and finally lysed the algal cells. RPS showed a wide target range against harmful algae. S. alboflavus RPS with high algicidal activity and such novel features of temperature and pH sensitivity, low molecular weight, algicidal process, and target range possesses great potential in the biological control of P. globosa blooms. PMID:24675867

New Perspectives in the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) II: Albumin Suppresses Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Activity in Human

PubMed Central

Fagyas, Miklós; Úri, Katalin; Siket, Ivetta M.; Fülöp, Gábor Á.; Csató, Viktória; Daragó, Andrea; Boczán, Judit; Bányai, Emese; Szentkirályi, István Elek; Maros, Tamás Miklós; Szerafin, Tamás; Édes, István; Papp, Zoltán; Tóth, Attila

2014-01-01

About 8% of the adult population is taking angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors to treat cardiovascular disease including hypertension, myocardial infarction and heart failure. These drugs decrease mortality by up to one-fifth in these patients. We and others have reported previously that endogenous inhibitory substances suppress serum ACE activity, in vivo, similarly to the ACE inhibitor drugs. Here we have made an effort to identify this endogenous ACE inhibitor substance. ACE was crosslinked with interacting proteins in human sera. The crosslinked products were immunoprecipitated and subjected to Western blot. One of the crosslinked products was recognized by both anti-ACE and anti-HSA (human serum albumin) antibodies. Direct ACE-HSA interaction was confirmed by binding assays using purified ACE and HSA. HSA inhibited human purified (circulating) and human recombinant ACE with potencies (IC50) of 5.7±0.7 and 9.5±1.1 mg/mL, respectively. Effects of HSA on the tissue bound native ACE were tested on human saphenous vein samples. Angiotensin I evoked vasoconstriction was inhibited by HSA in this vascular tissue (maximal force with HSA: 6.14±1.34 mN, without HSA: 13.54±2.63 mN), while HSA was without effects on angiotensin II mediated constrictions (maximal force with HSA: 18.73±2.17 mN, without HSA: 19.22±3.50 mN). The main finding of this study is that HSA was identified as a potent physiological inhibitor of the ACE. The enzymatic activity of ACE appears to be almost completely suppressed by HSA when it is present in its physiological concentration. These data suggest that angiotensin I conversion is limited by low physiological ACE activities, in vivo. PMID:24691203

Flavonoid synthesis in buckwheat ( Fagopyrum esculentum Moench ) sprout grown under pseudo-microgravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomita-Yokotani, Kaori; Iwasawa, Hiroko; Hiraishi, Kanae; Sato, Seigo; Miyagawa, Teruo; Hashimoto, Hirofumi; Yamashita, Masamichi

Habitation in outer space is one of our challenges. We are studying space agriculture to provide foods and oxygen for space habitats. However, careful assessment should be made on the effects of exotic environment on the endogenous production of biologically active substances in plants, which will be cultivated in space. We found that production of functional substances is affected by gravity in broccoli sprout (Brassica coleracea var. italica). The production of sulforaphane (4-methylsulfinybutyl isothiocyanate), in broccoli was slightly affected by gravity. Buckwheat is also known to produce several species of flavonoids, which act as an antioxidant, and enhance immunity of human. Such production of physiologically active substances, those agricultural species are accepted as good food materials. Buckwheat sprouts were cultivated for 4 days under the 3D-clinorotation. The amount of flavonoids, such as orientin, isoorientin, isovitexin, vitexin, rutin, produced by this treatment showed significant differences compared to those in the ground control. We examined effects of the gravity to the flavonoid synthesis pathways.

Recent advances in researches on physiologically active substances in holothurians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takashi, Hirata; Nobuhiro, Zaima; Kyoko, Yamashita; Ryoko, Noguchi; Xue, Changhu; Tatsuya, Sugawara

2005-07-01

In this report, we reviewed recent literature on physiologically active substances from sea cucumbers (SCs) and their activities together with results obtained from our study. Preventive properties against lipid metabolism were reported in rats using a whole SC preparation with no particular constituent specified. Administration of the preparation lowered serum and hepatic cholesterol levels and improved the HDL/LDL ratio. These functions may be attributed to the stimulatory effect of the extract on the secretion of cholesterol in feces. Novel fucosylated chondroitin sulfates (FCSs) from Ludwigothurea grisea significantly induced fibroblast growth factor 2-dependent angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HU-VECs). The proangiogenetic activity seemed attributable to the action of the sulfated fucose branches on the polysaccharide. SCs contain mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) that are capable of absorbing UV. A biogenetic precursor of MAAs was first reported in SCs. The anti-proliferative effects of a branched chain fatty acid from a sea cucumber on prostate cancer cells was reported with the activity of 5-lipoxygenase. Glycosphingolipid constituents in SCs have been systematically analyzed over the past ten years. The results showed that the gangliosides in several SCs differed from those of mammals in that a sialic acid of SC gangliosides directly binded to glucose of cerebroside. Neuritogenic activity of the glycosphingolipids was demonstrated in vitro experiments and may lead to the development of therapeutic products for neurological disorders. Our study also showed that sphingoid bases, the hydrolyzed products of glycosphingolipids from SCs, induced significant apoptosis in several tumor cell lines.

Effectiveness of Quality of Life Therapy Aimed at Improving Sexual Self-Efficacy and Marital Satisfaction in Addict Couples of Treatment Period

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nooripour, Roghieh; Bass, Christopher K.; Apsche, Jack

2013-01-01

Those who are addicted to substances face increased psychological emotional, social and economic problems which can potentially have negative impacts on marital satisfaction and sexual self-esteem and efficacy. Routine activities are often displaced by the need to satisfy the physiological urges. Within a marital union, this along with other…

Physiological effects of indomethacin and celecobix: an S-transform laser Doppler flowmetry signal analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assous, S.; Humeau, A.; Tartas, M.; Abraham, P.; L'Huillier, J. P.

2005-05-01

Conventional signal processing typically involves frequency selective techniques which are highly inadequate for nonstationary signals. In this paper, we present an approach to perform time-frequency selective processing of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) signals using the S-transform. The approach is motivated by the excellent localization, in both time and frequency, afforded by the wavelet basis functions. Suitably chosen Gaussian wavelet functions are used to characterize the subspace of signals that have a given localized time-frequency support, thus enabling a time-frequency partitioning of signals. In this paper, the goal is to study the influence of various pharmacological substances taken by the oral way (celecobix (Celebrex®), indomethacin (Indocid®) and placebo) on the physiological activity behaviour. The results show that no statistical differences are observed in the energy computed from the time-frequency representation of LDF signals, for the myogenic, neurogenic and endothelial related metabolic activities between Celebrex and placebo, and Indocid and placebo. The work therefore proves that these drugs do not affect these physiological activities. For future physiological studies, there will therefore be no need to exclude patients having taken cyclo-oxygenase 1 inhibitions.

Near-Infrared Fluorescent Nanoprobes for Revealing the Role of Dopamine in Drug Addiction.

PubMed

Feng, Peijian; Chen, Yulei; Zhang, Lei; Qian, Cheng-Gen; Xiao, Xuanzhong; Han, Xu; Shen, Qun-Dong

2018-02-07

Brain imaging techniques enable visualizing the activity of central nervous system without invasive neurosurgery. Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter. Its fluctuation in brain leads to a wide range of diseases and disorders, like drug addiction, depression, and Parkinson's disease. We designed near-infrared fluorescence dopamine-responsive nanoprobes (DRNs) for brain activity imaging during drug abuse and addiction process. On the basis of light-induced electron transfer between DRNs and dopamine and molecular wire effect of the DRNs, we can track the dynamical change of the neurotransmitter level in the physiological environment and the releasing of the neurotransmitter in living dopaminergic neurons in response to nicotine stimulation. The functional near-infrared fluorescence imaging can dynamically track the dopamine level in the mice midbrain under normal or drug-activated condition and evaluate the long-term effect of addictive substances to the brain. This strategy has the potential for studying neural activity under physiological condition.

Eliciting Affect via Immersive Virtual Reality: A Tool for Adolescent Risk Reduction

PubMed Central

Houck, Christopher D.; Barker, David H.; Garcia, Abbe Marrs; Spitalnick, Josh S.; Curtis, Virginia; Roye, Scott; Brown, Larry K.

2014-01-01

Objective A virtual reality environment (VRE) was designed to expose participants to substance use and sexual risk-taking cues to examine the utility of VR in eliciting adolescent physiological arousal. Methods 42 adolescents (55% male) with a mean age of 14.54 years (SD = 1.13) participated. Physiological arousal was examined through heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and self-reported somatic arousal. A within-subject design (neutral VRE, VR party, and neutral VRE) was utilized to examine changes in arousal. Results The VR party demonstrated an increase in physiological arousal relative to a neutral VRE. Examination of individual segments of the party (e.g., orientation, substance use, and sexual risk) demonstrated that HR was significantly elevated across all segments, whereas only the orientation and sexual risk segments demonstrated significant impact on RSA. Conclusions This study provides preliminary evidence that VREs can be used to generate physiological arousal in response to substance use and sexual risk cues. PMID:24365699

Nerve cell-mimicking liposomes as biosensor for botulinum neurotoxin complete physiological activity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weingart, Oliver G., E-mail: Oliver.Weingart@hest.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT) are the most toxic substances known, and their neurotoxic properties and paralysing effects are exploited for medical treatment of a wide spectrum of disorders. To accurately quantify the potency of a pharmaceutical BoNT preparation, its physiological key activities (binding to membrane receptor, translocation, and proteolytic degradation of SNARE proteins) need to be determined. To date, this was only possible using animal models, or, to a limited extent, cell-based assays. We here report a novel in vitro system for BoNT/B analysis, based on nerve-cell mimicking liposomes presenting motoneuronal membrane receptors required for BoNT binding. Following triggered membrane translocationmore » of the toxin's Light Chain, the endopeptidase activity can be quantitatively monitored employing a FRET-based reporter assay within the functionalized liposomes. We were able to detect BoNT/B physiological activity at picomolar concentrations in short time, opening the possibility for future replacement of animal experimentation in pharmaceutical BoNT testing. - Highlights: • A cell-free in vitro system was used to measure BoNT/B physiological function. • The system relies on nerve-cell mimicking liposomes as a novel detection system. • A FRET-based reporter assay is used as final readout of the test system. • BoNT/B physiological activity was detected at picogram quantities in short time. • The method opens the possibility to replace animal experimentation in BoNT testing.« less

In Vitro Characterization of Psychoactive Substances at Rat, Mouse, and Human Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 1.

PubMed

Simmler, Linda D; Buchy, Danièle; Chaboz, Sylvie; Hoener, Marius C; Liechti, Matthias E

2016-04-01

Trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) has been implicated in the behavioral effects of amphetamine-type stimulant drugs in rodents. TAAR1 has also been suggested as a target for novel medications to treat psychostimulant addiction. We previously reported that binding affinities at TAAR1 can differ between structural analogs of psychostimulants, and species differences have been observed. In this study, we complement our previous findings with additional substances and the determination of functional activation potencies. In summary, we present here pharmacological in vitro profiles of 101 psychoactive substances at human, rat, and mouse TAAR1. p-Tyramine, β-phenylethylamine, and tryptamine were included as endogenous comparator compounds. Functional cAMP measurements and radioligand displacement assays were conducted with human embryonic kidney 293 cells that expressed human, rat, or mouse TAAR1. Most amphetamines, phenethylamine, and aminoindanes exhibited potentially physiologically relevant rat and mouse TAAR1 activation (EC50 < 5 µM) and showed full or partial (Emax < 80%) agonist properties. Cathinone derivatives, including mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, exhibited weak (EC50 = 5-10 µM) to negligible (EC50 > 10 µM) binding properties at TAAR1. Pipradrols, including methylphenidate, exhibited no affinity for TAAR1. We found considerable species differences in activity at TAAR1 among the highly active ligands, with a rank order of rat > mouse > human. This characterization provides information about the pharmacological profile of psychoactive substances. The species differences emphasize the relevance of clinical studies to translationally complement rodent studies on the role of TAAR1 activity for psychoactive substances. Copyright © 2016 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Adolescent Substance Use & Psychopathology: Interactive Effects of Cortisol Reactivity and Emotion Regulation

PubMed Central

Turpyn, Caitlin C.; Hansen, Amysue; Jacangelo, Juliana; Chaplin, Tara M.

2015-01-01

How are emotional processes associated with the increased rates of substance use and psychological disorders commonly observed during adolescence? An index of emotion-related physiological arousal—cortisol reactivity—and subjective emotion regulation have both been independently linked to substance use and psychological difficulties among youth. The current study (N = 134 adolescents) sought to elucidate the interactive effects of cortisol reactivity following a stressful parent–child interaction task and self-reported emotion regulation ability on adolescents’ substance use and externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. Results revealed that adolescents with low levels of cortisol reactivity and high emotion regulation difficulties were more likely to use substances, and also had the highest parent-reported symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder. With respect to internalizing symptoms, high emotion-related physiological reactivity coupled with high emotion regulation difficulties were associated with higher self-reported major depression symptoms among youth. Findings reveal that different profiles of HPA axis arousal and emotion regulation are associated with substance use and symptoms of psychopathology among adolescents. PMID:27330232

Novel psychoactive substances: overdose of 3-fluorophenmetrazine (3-FPM) and etizolam in a 33-year-old man.

PubMed

Benesch, Matthew G K; Iqbal, Sahar J

2018-06-08

Though illegal in the UK, in many countries novel psychoactive substances are quasi-legal synthetic compounds that are widely available online under the guise of research chemicals. These substances are relatively cheap and are often undetectable in standard drug screens. Nearly 200 such compounds are introduced yearly, and little is usually known about their metabolism or physiological effects. Consequently, managing patients in overdose situations on largely unknown substances usually involves supportive care, however anticipating and managing atypical side effects are challenging in the absence of knowledge of these compounds. In this report, we discuss our encounter with a 33-year-old unconscious man presenting with coingestion of a novel stimulant 3-fluorophenmetrazine with a rarely used benzodiazepine etizolam. This patient developed seizure-like activity and delayed widespread T-wave inversions, both of which ultimately resolved without sequelae. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Emotion dysregulation, anticipatory cortisol, and substance use in urban adolescents.

PubMed

Kliewer, Wendy; Riley, Tennisha; Zaharakis, Nikola; Borre, Alicia; Drazdowski, Tess K; Jäggi, Lena

2016-09-01

Anticipatory cortisol is associated with risk for substance use in adolescents. The present study extended prior literature by testing a model linking family emotional climate, emotion dysregulation, anticipatory cortisol, and substance use. Participants were 229 adolescents ( M = 11.94 years, SD = 1.55; 41% male; 92% African American) enrolled in a 4-wave study of stressors, physiological stress responses, and substance use. Caregivers completed measures of family emotional climate at baseline and adolescents' emotion dysregulation one and two years later; adolescents reported on their substance use at baseline and three years later at Wave 4. Adolescents completed a stress task at Wave 4; saliva samples taken immediately prior to the task were analyzed for cortisol. Longitudinal path models revealed that a negative emotional climate at home was associated with elevated emotion dysregulation at subsequent waves for all youth. Emotional dysregulation was prospectively associated with blunted anticipatory cortisol, which in turn was associated with elevated substance use, controlling for baseline substance use and age. However, these associations only were observed for females. This study suggests that helping girls in particular manage their emotional responses to stress more effectively may impact their physiological responses and reduce risk for substance use.

Humic Substances: Determining Potential Molecular Regulatory Processes in Plants

PubMed Central

Shah, Zahid Hussain; Rehman, Hafiz M.; Akhtar, Tasneem; Alsamadany, Hameed; Hamooh, Bahget T.; Mujtaba, Tahir; Daur, Ihsanullah; Al Zahrani, Yahya; Alzahrani, Hind A. S.; Ali, Shawkat; Yang, Seung H.; Chung, Gyuhwa

2018-01-01

Humic substances (HSs) have considerable effects on soil fertility and crop productivity owing to their unique physiochemical and biochemical properties, and play a vital role in establishing biotic and abiotic interactions within the plant rhizosphere. A comprehensive understanding of the mode of action and tissue distribution of HS is, however, required, as this knowledge could be useful for devising advanced rhizospheric management practices. These substances trigger various molecular processes in plant cells, and can strengthen the plant’s tolerance to various kinds of abiotic stresses. HS manifest their effects in cells through genetic, post-transcriptional, and post-translational modifications of signaling entities that trigger different molecular, biochemical, and physiological processes. Understanding of such fundamental mechanisms will provide a better perspective for defining the cues and signaling crosstalk of HS that mediate various metabolic and hormonal networks operating in plant systems. Various regulatory activities and distribution strategies of HS have been discussed in this review. PMID:29593751

Impacts of the removal of shrubs on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of Syntrichia caninervis Mitt: in a temperate desert

PubMed Central

Yin, Ben-feng; Zhang, Yuan-ming; Lou, An-ru

2017-01-01

Moss crusts play important roles in biological soil crusts biomass and soil surface stabilization. However, because of increasingly intensive human activities, especially grazing, the growth and survival of shrubs are seriously threatened. This study aimed to test whether the presence of shrubs affects the physiological state of the bryophyte Syntrichia caninervis Mitt. in this desert ecosystem. We simulated animal-grazed shrubs at three levels in the Gurbantunggut Desert and compared these simulations to exposed areas, measuring the indicators of growth and stress tolerance exhibited by bryophytes. The results showed that the removal of shrubs significantly decreased chlorophyll fluorescence activity and soluble protein content in S. caninervis, especially under the total shrub removal treatment. The ratio between the total removal of shrubs and other treatments in antioxidative enzymes and in osmotic adjustment substances of S. caninervis exhibited two types of responses. With the exception of malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), the variables examined fitted as downward parabolic then upward parabolic temporal dynamics. The removal of shrubs is harmful to the survival of S.caninervis. In resource-constrained conditions, SOD is an important antioxidant enzyme that of peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and osmotic adjustment substances, for S. caninervis survival. PMID:28374741

Impacts of the removal of shrubs on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of Syntrichia caninervis Mitt: in a temperate desert.

PubMed

Yin, Ben-Feng; Zhang, Yuan-Ming; Lou, An-Ru

2017-04-04

Moss crusts play important roles in biological soil crusts biomass and soil surface stabilization. However, because of increasingly intensive human activities, especially grazing, the growth and survival of shrubs are seriously threatened. This study aimed to test whether the presence of shrubs affects the physiological state of the bryophyte Syntrichia caninervis Mitt. in this desert ecosystem. We simulated animal-grazed shrubs at three levels in the Gurbantunggut Desert and compared these simulations to exposed areas, measuring the indicators of growth and stress tolerance exhibited by bryophytes. The results showed that the removal of shrubs significantly decreased chlorophyll fluorescence activity and soluble protein content in S. caninervis, especially under the total shrub removal treatment. The ratio between the total removal of shrubs and other treatments in antioxidative enzymes and in osmotic adjustment substances of S. caninervis exhibited two types of responses. With the exception of malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), the variables examined fitted as downward parabolic then upward parabolic temporal dynamics. The removal of shrubs is harmful to the survival of S.caninervis. In resource-constrained conditions, SOD is an important antioxidant enzyme that of peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and osmotic adjustment substances, for S. caninervis survival.

Impacts of the removal of shrubs on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of Syntrichia caninervis Mitt: in a temperate desert

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Ben-Feng; Zhang, Yuan-Ming; Lou, An-Ru

2017-04-01

Moss crusts play important roles in biological soil crusts biomass and soil surface stabilization. However, because of increasingly intensive human activities, especially grazing, the growth and survival of shrubs are seriously threatened. This study aimed to test whether the presence of shrubs affects the physiological state of the bryophyte Syntrichia caninervis Mitt. in this desert ecosystem. We simulated animal-grazed shrubs at three levels in the Gurbantunggut Desert and compared these simulations to exposed areas, measuring the indicators of growth and stress tolerance exhibited by bryophytes. The results showed that the removal of shrubs significantly decreased chlorophyll fluorescence activity and soluble protein content in S. caninervis, especially under the total shrub removal treatment. The ratio between the total removal of shrubs and other treatments in antioxidative enzymes and in osmotic adjustment substances of S. caninervis exhibited two types of responses. With the exception of malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), the variables examined fitted as downward parabolic then upward parabolic temporal dynamics. The removal of shrubs is harmful to the survival of S.caninervis. In resource-constrained conditions, SOD is an important antioxidant enzyme that of peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and osmotic adjustment substances, for S. caninervis survival.

Determinants of physiological and perceived physiological stress reactivity in children and adolescents.

PubMed

Evans, Brittany E; Greaves-Lord, Kirstin; Euser, Anja S; Tulen, Joke H M; Franken, Ingmar H A; Huizink, Anja C

2013-01-01

Abnormal physiological stress reactivity is increasingly investigated as a vulnerability marker for various physical and psychological health problems. However, studies are inconsistent in taking into account potential covariates that may influence the developing stress system. We systematically tested determinants (individual, developmental, environmental and substance use-related) of physiological and perceived physiological stress reactivity. We also examined the relation between physiological and perceived physiological stress reactivity. In a stratified sample of 363 children (7-12 years) and 344 adolescents (13-20 years) from the general population, we examined cortisol, heart rate, respiratory sinus arrhythmia and perceived physiological stress reactivity to a psychosocial stress procedure. Using multivariate linear regression models, we found that individual, developmental, environmental and substance use-related factors were related to each of the stress response indices. These determinant factors were different for each of the stress reactivity indices, and different in children versus adolescents. Perceived physiological stress reactivity predicted cortisol reactivity in adolescents only. All other relations between perceived physiological and physiological stress reactivity were not significant. As physiological stress variables are often examined as vulnerability markers for the development of health problems, we maintain that it is essential that future studies take into consideration factors that may account for found relations. Our study provides an overview and indication of which variables should be considered in the investigation of the relation between physiological stress indices and illness.

Male accessory gland substances from Aedes albopictus affect the locomotor activity of Aedes aegypti females

PubMed Central

Lima-Camara, Tamara Nunes; Codeço, Claudia Torres; Honório, Nildimar Alves; Bruno, Rafaela Vieira; Peixoto, Alexandre Afranio; Lounibos, Leon Philip

2013-01-01

Dengue is one of the world’s most important mosquito-borne diseases and is usually transmitted by one of two vector species: Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus . These two diurnal mosquitoes are frequently found coexisting in similar habitats, enabling interactions between adults, such as cross-mating. The objective of this study was to assess cross-mating between Ae. aegypti females and Ae. albopictus males under artificial conditions and evaluate the locomotor activity of Ae. aegypti virgin females injected with male accessory gland (MAG) homogenates to infer the physiological and behavioural responses to interspecific mating. After seven days of exposure, 3.3-16% of Ae. aegypti females mated with Ae. albopictus males. Virgin Ae. aegypti females injected with conspecific and heterospecific MAGs showed a general decrease in locomotor activity compared to controls and were refractory to mating with conspecific males. The reduction in diurnal locomotor activity induced by injections of conspecific or heterospecific MAGs is consistent with regulation of female reproductive activities by male substances, which are capable of sterilising female Ae. aegypti through satyrisation by Ae. albopictus . PMID:24473799

[Royal jelly: component efficiency, analysis, and standardisation].

PubMed

Oršolić, Nada

2013-09-01

Royal jelly is a viscous substance secreted by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of worker honeybees (Apis mellifera) that contains a considerable amount of proteins, free amino acids, lipids, vitamins, sugars, and bioactive substances such as 10-hydroxy-trans-2-decenoic acid, antibacterial protein, and 350-kDa protein. These properties make it an attractive ingredient in various types of healthy foods. This article brings a brief review of the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of certain disorders that can be remedied by royal jelly, based on a selection of in vivo and in vitro studies. It also describes current understanding of the mechanisms and beneficial effects by which royal jelly helps to combat aging-related complications. Royal jelly has been reported to exhibit beneficial physiological and pharmacological effects in mammals, including vasodilative and hypotensive activities, antihypercholesterolemic activity, and antitumor activity. As its composition varies significantly (for both fresh and dehydrated samples), the article brings a few recommendations for defining new quality standards.

Novel insights into the algicidal bacterium DH77-1 killing the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense.

PubMed

Yang, Xiaoru; Li, Xinyi; Zhou, Yanyan; Zheng, Wei; Yu, Changping; Zheng, Tianling

2014-06-01

Algicidal bacteria may play a major role in controlling harmful algal blooms (HABs) dynamics. Bacterium DH77-1 was isolated with high algicidal activity against the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense and identified as Joostella sp. DH77-1. The results showed that DH77-1 exhibited algicidal activity through indirect attack, which excreted active substance into the filtrate. It had a relatively wide host range and the active substance of DH77-1 was relatively stable since temperature, pH and storage condition had no obvious effect on the algicidal activity. The algicidal compound from bacterium DH77-1 was isolated based on activity-guided bioassay and the molecular weight was determined to be 125.88 by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer, however further identification via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra is ongoing. The physiological responses of algal cells after exposure to the DH77-1 algicidal substances were as follows: the antioxidant system of A. tamarense responded positively in self-defense; total protein content decreased significantly as did the photosynthetic pigment content; superoxide dismutase, peroxidase enzyme and malondialdehyde content increased extraordinarily and algal cell nucleic acid leaked seriously ultimately inducing cell death. Furthermore, DH77-1 is the first record of a Joostella sp. bacterium being algicidal to the harmful dinoflagellate A. tamarense, and the bacterial culture and the active compounds might be potentially used as a bio-agent for controlling harmful algal blooms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continuing fascination of exploration in natural substances from microorganisms.

PubMed

Takahashi, Yoko

2017-01-01

In the search for novel organic compounds, I think it is of paramount importance not to overlook the pursuit of microorganism diversity and the abilities those microorganisms hold as a resource. In commemoration of Professor Satoshi Ōmura's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, I will briefly describe the microorganism that produces avermectin and then discuss how innovating isolation methods and pioneering isolation sources have opened the door to numerous new microorganism resources. Furthermore, as exploratory research of substances views the world from many different angles-from biological activity to a compound's physiochemical properties-it is possible to discover a novel compound from a well-known microorganism. Based on this, I will discuss the future prospects of exploratory research.

Biochemistry of fish stomach chitinase.

PubMed

Ikeda, Mana; Kakizaki, Hiromi; Matsumiya, Masahiro

2017-11-01

Fish are reported to exhibit chitinase activity in the stomach. Analyses of fish stomach chitinases have shown that these enzymes have the physiological function of degrading chitinous substances ingested as diets. Osteichthyes, a group that includes most of the fishes, have several chitinases in their stomachs. From a phylogenetic analysis of the chitinases of vertebrates, these particular molecules were classified into a fish-specific group and have different substrate specificities, suggesting that they can degrade ingested chitinous substances efficiently. On the other hand, it has been suggested that coelacanth (Sarcopterygii) and shark (Chondrichthyes) have a single chitinase enzyme in their stomachs, which shows multiple functions. This review focuses on recent research on the biochemistry of fish stomach chitinases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sialorphin, a natural inhibitor of rat membrane-bound neutral endopeptidase that displays analgesic activity

PubMed Central

Rougeot, Catherine; Messaoudi, Michaël; Hermitte, Véronique; Rigault, Anne Gaëlle; Blisnick, Thierry; Dugave, Christophe; Desor, Didier; Rougeon, François

2003-01-01

Sialorphin is an exocrine and endocrine signaling mediator, which has been identified by a genomic approach. It is synthesized predominantly in the submandibular gland and prostate of adult rats in response to androgen steroids and is released locally and systemically in response to stress. We now demonstrate that the cell surface molecule to which sialorphin binds in vivo in the rat kidney is the membrane-anchored neutral endopeptidase (neprilysin; NEP, EC 3.4.24.11). NEP plays an important role in nervous and peripheral tissues, as it turns off several peptide-signaling events at the cell surface. We show that sialorphin prevents spinal and renal NEP from breaking down its two physiologically relevant substrates, substance P and Met-enkephalin in vitro. Sialorphin inhibited the breakdown of substance P with an IC50 of 0.4–1 μM and behaved as a competitive inhibitor. In vivo, i.v. sialorphin elicited potent antinociceptive responses in two behavioral rat models of injury-induced acute and tonic pain, the pin-pain test and formalin test. The analgesia induced by 100–200 μg/kg doses of sialorphin required the activation of μ- and δ-opioid receptors, consistent with the involvement of endogenous opioid receptors in enkephalinergic transmission. We conclude that sialorphin protects endogenous enkephalins released after nociceptive stimuli by inhibiting NEP in vivo. Sialorphin is a natural systemically active regulator of NEP activity. Furthermore, our study provides evidence that it is a physiological modulator of pain perception after injury and might be the progenitor of a new class of therapeutic molecules. PMID:12835417

Sialorphin, a natural inhibitor of rat membrane-bound neutral endopeptidase that displays analgesic activity.

PubMed

Rougeot, Catherine; Messaoudi, Michaël; Hermitte, Véronique; Rigault, Anne Gaëlle; Blisnick, Thierry; Dugave, Christophe; Desor, Didier; Rougeon, François

2003-07-08

Sialorphin is an exocrine and endocrine signaling mediator, which has been identified by a genomic approach. It is synthesized predominantly in the submandibular gland and prostate of adult rats in response to androgen steroids and is released locally and systemically in response to stress. We now demonstrate that the cell surface molecule to which sialorphin binds in vivo in the rat kidney is the membrane-anchored neutral endopeptidase (neprilysin; NEP, EC 3.4.24.11). NEP plays an important role in nervous and peripheral tissues, as it turns off several peptide-signaling events at the cell surface. We show that sialorphin prevents spinal and renal NEP from breaking down its two physiologically relevant substrates, substance P and Met-enkephalin in vitro. Sialorphin inhibited the breakdown of substance P with an IC50 of 0.4-1 microM and behaved as a competitive inhibitor. In vivo, i.v. sialorphin elicited potent antinociceptive responses in two behavioral rat models of injury-induced acute and tonic pain, the pin-pain test and formalin test. The analgesia induced by 100-200 mcicrog/kg doses of sialorphin required the activation of mu- and delta-opioid receptors, consistent with the involvement of endogenous opioid receptors in enkephalinergic transmission. We conclude that sialorphin protects endogenous enkephalins released after nociceptive stimuli by inhibiting NEP in vivo. Sialorphin is a natural systemically active regulator of NEP activity. Furthermore, our study provides evidence that it is a physiological modulator of pain perception after injury and might be the progenitor of a new class of therapeutic molecules.

Effects of Essential Oil from Hinoki Cypress, Chamaecyparis obtusa, on Physiology and Behavior of Flies

PubMed Central

Min, Kyung-Jin

2015-01-01

Phytoncides, which are volatile substances emitted from plants for protection against plant pathogens and insects, are known to have insecticidal, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities. In contrast to their negative effects on microorganisms and insects, phytoncides have been shown to have beneficial effects on human health. Essential oil from Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) is mostly used in commercial products such as air purifiers. However, the physiological/behavioral impact of essential oil from C. obtusa on insects is not established. In this study, we tested the effects of essential oil extracted from C. obtusa on the physiologies and behaviors of Drosophila melanogaster and Musca domestica. Exposure to essential oil from C. obtusa decreased the lifespan, fecundity, locomotive activity, and developmental success rate of D. melanogaster. In addition, both fruit flies and house flies showed strong repellent behavioral responses to the essential oil, with duration times of about 5 hours at 70 μg/ml. These results suggest that essential oil from C. obtusa can be used as a ‘human-friendly’ alternative insect repellent. PMID:26624577

Determinants of Physiological and Perceived Physiological Stress Reactivity in Children and Adolescents

PubMed Central

Evans, Brittany E.; Greaves-Lord, Kirstin; Euser, Anja S.; Tulen, Joke H. M.; Franken, Ingmar H. A.; Huizink, Anja C.

2013-01-01

Aims Abnormal physiological stress reactivity is increasingly investigated as a vulnerability marker for various physical and psychological health problems. However, studies are inconsistent in taking into account potential covariates that may influence the developing stress system. We systematically tested determinants (individual, developmental, environmental and substance use-related) of physiological and perceived physiological stress reactivity. We also examined the relation between physiological and perceived physiological stress reactivity. Method In a stratified sample of 363 children (7–12 years) and 344 adolescents (13–20 years) from the general population, we examined cortisol, heart rate, respiratory sinus arrhythmia and perceived physiological stress reactivity to a psychosocial stress procedure. Results Using multivariate linear regression models, we found that individual, developmental, environmental and substance use-related factors were related to each of the stress response indices. These determinant factors were different for each of the stress reactivity indices, and different in children versus adolescents. Perceived physiological stress reactivity predicted cortisol reactivity in adolescents only. All other relations between perceived physiological and physiological stress reactivity were not significant. Conclusions As physiological stress variables are often examined as vulnerability markers for the development of health problems, we maintain that it is essential that future studies take into consideration factors that may account for found relations. Our study provides an overview and indication of which variables should be considered in the investigation of the relation between physiological stress indices and illness. PMID:23620785

Mechanisms of neurokinin A- and substance P-induced contractions in rat detrusor smooth muscle in vitro.

PubMed

Quinn, Teresa; Collins, Colm; Baird, Alan W

2004-09-01

To investigate the mechanisms of neurokinin A- and substance P-induced contractions of rat urinary bladder smooth muscle, and to compare them with those of the muscarinic agonist carbachol. Rat urinary bladder strips were suspended under 1 g of tension in a physiological buffer at 37 degrees C, gassed with 95% O(2)/5% CO(2). Mechanical activity was recorded isometrically during exposure to neurokinin A and substance P. Both agents produced concentration-dependent contractions of smooth muscle strips which were unaffected by tetrodotoxin (1 micro mol/L), peptidase inhibitors (captopril, thiorphan and bestatin; 1 micro mol/L each) or piroxicam (10 micro mol/L). The rank order of potency of agonists was neurokinin A > substance P > carbachol. Contractile responses to neurokinin A and substance P, like the contractile responses to carbachol, were abolished in a nominally Ca(2+)-free medium and significantly reduced by nifedipine (1 micro mol/L). SKF-96365 (60 micro mol/L), an inhibitor of receptor-mediated Ca(2+) entry, abolished the nifedipine-resistant response to substance P and carbachol, and significantly attenuated the response to neurokinin A. Depleting intracellular Ca(2+) stores with thapsigargin (1 micro mol/L) significantly attenuated neurokinin A-induced contractions but had no effect on substance P- or carbachol- induced contractions. The Rho-kinase inhibitor, Y-27632 (10 micro mol/L), significantly reduced both phasic and tonic components of the contractile responses to neurokinin A, substance P and carbachol. The contractile responses induced by tachykinins in rat urinary bladder smooth muscle strips involve a direct action on smooth muscle and are not modulated by peptidases or prostanoids. Neurokinin A and substance P, like carbachol-induced contractions, depend on extracellular Ca(2+) influx largely through voltage-operated and partly through receptor-operated Ca(2+) channels. Intracellular Ca(2+) release contributes to the contractile response to neurokinin A but appears to have no involvement in substance P- and carbachol-induced contractions. Rho-kinase activation contributes to contractions induced by substance P, neurokinin A and carbachol.

[The role of endocannabinoid system in physiological and pathological processes in the eye].

PubMed

Nadolska, Krystyna; Goś, Roman

2008-01-01

Plant of Cannabis sativa/ marihuana except for its psychotropic effects possesses a range of pharmacological properties, that has been utilized for medical purposes over a period of millenia. Investigations concerning biochemical mechanism of action of the main and most active pharmacological compound of Cannabis sativa, cannabinoid 9-THC, contributed to the discovery of cannabinoid receptors both in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral tissues, that mediated actions of this substance. The discovery made possible identification of a new, endogenous signaling system reffered to as the endocannabinoid system. Besides cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, the system includes it's endogenic ligands (endocannabinoids) and compounds that participate in their biosynthesis and inactivation. Structure and functioning of the endocannabinoid system is conservative in all vertebrates. It's activation with plant, synthetic and endogenous cannabinoids has an influence on multiple physiological and pathological processes within the eye.

Evaluation of Natural Products for Algicidal Properties

PubMed Central

Safferman, Robert S.; Morris, Mary-Ellen

1962-01-01

A procedure for the screening of antialgal substances has been described and evaluated with specific reference to microbial products. Data on the extracellular materials of 545 actinomycete and fungal isolates showed a wide distribution of agents having algicidal activities. Of these culture filtrates, 20.4% apparently had selective antagonistic effects against particular algal groups. A more comprehensive examination revealed that metabolic products from two actinomycete cultures exhibited properties that warrant further studies on their chemical and physiological characteristics. PMID:14495975

Public perceptions of behavioral and substance addictions.

PubMed

Lang, Brent; Rosenberg, Harold

2017-02-01

Most of the research on public perceptions of people with addictive disorders has focused on alcohol and illicit drugs, rather than addiction to behavioral activities. To expand the range of addictive behaviors and types of perceptions studied, we designed the present study to assess the lay public's definitions of and willingness to affiliate with people described as addicted to 1 of 2 specific behaviors (i.e., pornography or gambling) or 1 of 3 specific substances (i.e., alcohol, marijuana, or heroin). A nationwide convenience sample (N = 612) of American adults completed online questionnaires during the summer of 2015. Participants rated heroin as more addictive than the other drugs and behaviors and, despite differences among the conditions, were generally unwilling to affiliate with an individual addicted to any of the 2 behaviors or 3 substances. When asked to rate different potential indications of addiction, participants endorsed behavioral signs of impaired control and physiological and psychological dependence as more indicative of all 5 types of addiction than desire to use the substance or engage in the addictive behavior. Despite recent efforts to increase public knowledge about addictive disorders, members of the public continue to endorse some attitudes indicative of stigmatization toward people with selected substance and behavioral addictions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Computer-aided discovery of biological activity spectra for anti-aging and anti-cancer olive oil oleuropeins.

PubMed

Corominas-Faja, Bruna; Santangelo, Elvira; Cuyàs, Elisabet; Micol, Vicente; Joven, Jorge; Ariza, Xavier; Segura-Carretero, Antonio; García, Jordi; Menendez, Javier A

2014-09-01

Aging is associated with common conditions, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer's disease. The type of multi-targeted pharmacological approach necessary to address a complex multifaceted disease such as aging might take advantage of pleiotropic natural polyphenols affecting a wide variety of biological processes. We have recently postulated that the secoiridoids oleuropein aglycone (OA) and decarboxymethyl oleuropein aglycone (DOA), two complex polyphenols present in health-promoting extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), might constitute a new family of plant-produced gerosuppressant agents. This paper describes an analysis of the biological activity spectra (BAS) of OA and DOA using PASS (Prediction of Activity Spectra for Substances) software. PASS can predict thousands of biological activities, as the BAS of a compound is an intrinsic property that is largely dependent on the compound's structure and reflects pharmacological effects, physiological and biochemical mechanisms of action, and specific toxicities. Using Pharmaexpert, a tool that analyzes the PASS-predicted BAS of substances based on thousands of "mechanism-effect" and "effect-mechanism" relationships, we illuminate hypothesis-generating pharmacological effects, mechanisms of action, and targets that might underlie the anti-aging/anti-cancer activities of the gerosuppressant EVOO oleuropeins.

Abnormal reward functioning across substance use disorders and major depressive disorder: Considering reward as a transdiagnostic mechanism.

PubMed

Baskin-Sommers, Arielle R; Foti, Dan

2015-11-01

A common criticism of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) is that its criteria are based more on behavioral descriptions than on underlying biological mechanisms. Increasingly, calls have intensified for a more biologically-based approach to conceptualizing, studying, and treating psychological disorders, as exemplified by the Research Domain Criteria Project (RDoC). Among the most well-studied neurobiological mechanisms is reward processing. Moreover, individual differences in reward sensitivity are related to risk for substance abuse and depression. The current review synthesizes the available preclinical, electrophysiological, and neuroimaging literature on reward processing from a transdiagnostic, multidimensional perspective. Findings are organized with respect to key reward constructs within the Positive Valence Systems domain of the RDoC matrix, including initial responsiveness to reward (physiological 'liking'), approach motivation (physiological 'wanting'), and reward learning/habit formation. In the current review, we (a) describe the neural basis of reward, (b) elucidate differences in reward activity in substance abuse and depression, and (c) suggest a framework for integrating these disparate literatures and discuss the utility of shifting focus from diagnosis to process for understanding liability and co-morbidity. Ultimately, we believe that an integrative focus on abnormal reward functioning across the full continuum of clinically heterogeneous samples, rather than within circumscribed diagnostic categories, might actually help to refine the phenotypes and improve the prediction of onset and recovery of these disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolution of crop production under a pseudo-space environment using model plants, Lotus japonicus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomita-Yokotani, Kaori; Motohashi, Kyohei; Omi, Naomi; Sato, Seigo; Aoki, Toshio; Hashimoto, Hirofumi; Yamashita, Masamichi

Habitation in outer space is one of our challenges. We have been studying space agriculture and/or spacecraft agriculture to provide food and oxygen for the habitation area in the space environment. However, careful investigation should be made concerning the results of exotic environmental effects on the endogenous production of biologically active substances in indi-vidual cultivated plants in a space environment. We have already reported that the production of functional substances in cultivated plants as crops are affected by gravity. The amounts of the main physiological substances in these plants grown under terrestrial control were different from that grown in a pseudo-microgravity. These results suggested that the nutrition would be changed in the plants/crops grown in the space environment when human beings eat in space. This estimation required us to investigate each of the useful components produced by each plant grown in the space environment. These estimations involved several study fields, includ-ing nutrition, plant physiology, etc. On the other hand, the analysis of model plant genomes has recently been remarkably advanced. Lotus japonicus, a leguminous plant, is also one of the model plant. The leguminosae is a large family in the plant vegetable kingdom and almost the entire genome sequence of Lotus japonicus has been determined. Nitrogen fixation would be possible even in a space environment. We are trying to determine the best conditions and evolution for crop production using the model plants.

Harmane and harmalan are bioactive components of classical clonidine-displacing substance.

PubMed

Parker, Christine A; Anderson, Neil J; Robinson, Emma S J; Price, Rhiannon; Tyacke, Robin J; Husbands, Stephen M; Dillon, Michael P; Eglen, Richard M; Hudson, Alan L; Nutt, David J; Crump, Matthew P; Crosby, John

2004-12-28

Elucidation of the structure of the endogenous ligand(s) for imidazoline binding sites, clonidine-displacing substance (CDS), has been a major goal for many years. Crude CDS from bovine lung was purified by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. Electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR) analysis revealed the presence of L-tryptophan and 1-carboxy-1-methyltetrahydro-beta-carboline in the active CDS extract. Competition radioligand binding studies, however, failed to show displacement of specific [(3)H]clonidine binding to rat brain membranes for either compound. Further purification of the bovine lung extract allowed the isolation of the beta-carbolines harmane and harmalan as confirmed by ESMS, (1)H NMR, and comparison with synthetic standards. Both compounds exhibited a high (nanomolar) affinity for both type 1 and type 2 imidazoline binding sites, and the synthetic standards were shown to coelute with the active classical CDS extracts. We therefore propose that the beta-carbolines harmane and harmalan represent active components of classical CDS. The identification of these compounds will allow us to establish clear physiological roles for CDS.

Functional characterization of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Abcg2a (Bcrp) transporter.

PubMed

Zaja, Roko; Popović, Marta; Lončar, Jovica; Smital, Tvrtko

2016-12-01

ABCG2 (BCRP - breast cancer resistance protein) belongs to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily. It plays an important role in the disposition and elimination of xeno- and endobiotics and/or their metabolites in mammals. Likewise, the protective role of ABC transporters, including Abcg2, has been reported for aquatic organisms. In our previous study we have cloned the full gene sequence of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Abcg2a and showed its high expression in liver and primary hepatocytes. Based on those insights, the main goal of this study was to perform a detailed functional characterization of trout Abcg2a using insect ovary cells (Spodoptera frugiperda, Sf9) as a heterologous expression system. Membrane vesicles preparations from Sf9 cells were used for the ATPase assay determinations and basic biochemical properties of fish Abcg2a versus human ABCG2 have been compared. A series of 39 physiologically and/or environmentally relevant substances was then tested on interaction with trout Abcg2a and human ABCG2. Correlation analysis reveals highly similar pattern of activation and inhibition. Significant activation of trout Abcg2a ATPase was observed for prazosin, doxorubicine, sildenafil, furosemid, propranolol, fenofibrate and pheophorbide. Pesticides showed either a weak activation (malathione) or strong (endosulfan) to weak (chlorpyrifos, fenoxycarb, DDE) inhibition of trout Abcg2a ATPase while the highest activation was obtained for benzo(a)pyrene, curcumine and testosterone. In conclusion, data from this study offer the first characterization of fish Abcg2a, reveal potent interactors among physiologically or environmentally relevant substances and point to similarities regarding strengths and interactor preferences between human ABCG2 and fish Abcg2a. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cell-autonomous regulation of Mu-opioid receptor recycling by substance P.

PubMed

Bowman, Shanna L; Soohoo, Amanda L; Shiwarski, Daniel J; Schulz, Stefan; Pradhan, Amynah A; Puthenveedu, Manojkumar A

2015-03-24

How neurons coordinate and reprogram multiple neurotransmitter signals is an area of broad interest. Here, we show that substance P (SP), a neuropeptide associated with inflammatory pain, reprograms opioid receptor recycling and signaling. SP, through activation of the neurokinin 1 (NK1R) receptor, increases the post-endocytic recycling of the mu-opioid receptor (MOR) in trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons in an agonist-selective manner. SP-mediated protein kinase C (PKC) activation is both required and sufficient for increasing recycling of exogenous and endogenous MOR in TG neurons. The target of this cross-regulation is MOR itself, given that mutation of either of two PKC phosphorylation sites on MOR abolishes the SP-induced increase in recycling and resensitization. Furthermore, SP enhances the resensitization of fentanyl-induced, but not morphine-induced, antinociception in mice. Our results define a physiological pathway that cross-regulates opioid receptor recycling via direct modification of MOR and suggest a mode of homeostatic interaction between the pain and analgesic systems.

Cell-Autonomous Regulation of Mu-Opioid Receptor Recycling by Substance P

PubMed Central

Bowman, Shanna L.; Soohoo, Amanda L.; Shiwarski, Daniel J.; Schulz, Stefan; Pradhan, Amynah A.; Puthenveedu, Manojkumar A.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY How neurons coordinate and reprogram multiple neurotransmitter signals is an area of broad interest. Here, we show that substance P (SP), a neuropep-tide associated with inflammatory pain, reprograms opioid receptor recycling and signaling. SP, through activation of the neurokinin 1 (NK1R) receptor, increases the post-endocytic recycling of the muopioid receptor (MOR) in trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons in an agonist-selective manner. SP-mediated protein kinase C (PKC) activation is both required and sufficient for increasing recycling of exogenous and endogenous MOR in TG neurons. The target of this cross-regulation is MOR itself, given that mutation of either of two PKC phosphorylation sites on MOR abolishes the SP-induced increase in recycling and resensitization. Furthermore, SP enhances the resensitization of fentanyl-induced, but not morphine-induced, antinociception in mice. Our results define a physiological pathway that cross-regulates opioid receptor recycling via direct modification of MOR and suggest a mode of homeo-static interaction between the pain and analgesic systems. PMID:25801029

Molecular catchers for pharmacologically active substances in wastewaters, a theoretical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salazar Valencia, P. J.; Pérez Merchancano, S. T.; Paredes, H.; Bolívar Marinez, L. E.

2016-08-01

A basic and pressing need in the treatment of residual waste waters for urban and rural centers is the removal of pharmacological active residues from them, these resides are originated in a wide array of domestic, agricultural and industrial sources and can't be removed in the residual waters treatment plants by conventional methods, the result is the incorporation of them into the ecosystem altering the physiology and behavior of living organisms. Among the most active pharmacological substances found in very high concentration in residual waters is paracetamol, an analgesic of very wide excessive use due to its ease of access and low cost [1]. No pharmacological substance is entirely absorbed by the human organism and therefore a wide family of molecular residues is excreted by the urinary tract. In this work we have used the AM1 (Austin Model 1), PM3 (Parametric Method 3) and ZINDO/CI semiempirical methods, from the NDO (Neglect Differential Overlap) family [2] to study and observe the structural, electronic and optical characteristics of paracetamol while immersed in different basic and acidic aqueous environments, either alone or interacting with lignosulphonates. We have previously found that lignosulphonates, a lignin derivatives of wide industrial applications, can be engineered as a binding and flocculant agent and acts as molecular catchers therefore showing the potential to be used as a mean to filter and eliminate molecular residues from the residual waters [3].

Social Competition in Rats: Cell Proliferation and Behavior

PubMed Central

Hoshaw, Brian A.; Evans, Jennifer C.; Mueller, Bridget; Valentino, Rita J.; Lucki, Irwin

2007-01-01

Behavioral and physiological changes were studied following prolonged exposure to social competition in pairs of non food-deprived rats competing daily for a limited supply of graham cracker crumbs. Stable dominant-subordinate relationships developed in most pairs, as measured by feeding time, which were maintained over a 5–6-week study period. In other behavioral tests, subordinates demonstrated a decreased latency to immobility in the forced swim test compared with dominants, but no difference in locomotor activity. Subordinates had increased bladder size, decreased adrenal gland size, and a 35% reduction of hippocampus cell proliferation compared with the dominant member. Therefore, prolonged social competition, based on restricted access to palatable substances, produced hierarchies among individuals that were associated with differences in behavior, physiology and hippocampal cell proliferation. PMID:17045347

Neuropeptide Y, B-type natriuretic peptide, substance P and peptide YY are novel substrates of fibroblast activation protein-α.

PubMed

Keane, Fiona M; Nadvi, Naveed A; Yao, Tsun-Wen; Gorrell, Mark D

2011-04-01

Fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP) is a cell surface-expressed and soluble enzyme of the prolyl oligopeptidase family, which includes dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4). FAP is not generally expressed in normal adult tissues, but is found at high levels in activated myofibroblasts and hepatic stellate cells in fibrosis and in stromal fibroblasts of epithelial tumours. FAP possesses a rare catalytic activity, hydrolysis of the post-proline bond two or more residues from the N-terminus of target substrates. α(2)-antiplasmin is an important physiological substrate of FAP endopeptidase activity. This study reports the first natural substrates of FAP dipeptidyl peptidase activity. Neuropeptide Y, B-type natriuretic peptide, substance P and peptide YY were the most efficiently hydrolysed substrates and the first hormone substrates of FAP to be identified. In addition, FAP slowly hydrolysed other hormone peptides, such as the incretins glucagon-like peptide-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide, which are efficient DPP4 substrates. FAP showed negligible or no hydrolysis of eight chemokines that are readily hydrolysed by DPP4. This novel identification of FAP substrates furthers our understanding of this unique protease by indicating potential roles in cardiac function and neurobiology. © 2011 The Authors Journal compilation © 2011 FEBS.

Some intrinsic neurons of the guinea-pig heart contain substance P.

PubMed

Bałuk, P; Gabella, G

1989-10-09

Whole-mount preparations of the posterior wall of the atria of the guinea pig heart containing intrinsic ganglion cells and nerve plexuses were stained for substance P-like immunoreactivity by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. Substance P-like nerve fibres are present as pericellular baskets around most, but not all, of the neuronal cell bodies, and are also found in the connecting nerve bundles, as perivascular nerve plexuses and in the myocardium and pericardium. The majority of ganglion cell bodies are negative for substance P, as reported previously, but we describe for the first time, a small subpopulation of intrinsic neuronal cell bodies which show immunoreactivity for substance P. Therefore, not all cardiac substance P nerves are extrinsic afferent fibres. At present, the physiological role of intrinsic substance P neurones is not clear.

Drought coping strategies in cotton: increased crop per drop.

PubMed

Ullah, Abid; Sun, Heng; Yang, Xiyan; Zhang, Xianlong

2017-03-01

The growth and yield of many crops, including cotton, are affected by water deficit. Cotton has evolved drought specific as well as general morpho-physiological, biochemical and molecular responses to drought stress, which are discussed in this review. The key physiological responses against drought stress in cotton, including stomata closing, root development, cellular adaptations, photosynthesis, abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) production and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, have been identified by researchers. Drought stress induces the expression of stress-related transcription factors and genes, such as ROS scavenging, ABA or mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signalling genes, which activate various drought-related pathways to induce tolerance in the plant. It is crucial to elucidate and induce drought-tolerant traits via quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis, transgenic approaches and exogenous application of substances. The current review article highlights the natural as well as engineered drought tolerance strategies in cotton. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Ava[L-Pro9,N-MeLeu10] substance P(7-11) (GR 73632) and Sar9, Met(O2)11 increase distention-induced peristalsis through activation of neurokinin-1 receptors on smooth muscle and interstitial cells of cajal.

PubMed

Nieuwmeyer, Florentine; Ye, Jing; Huizinga, Jan D

2006-04-01

Substance P is generally considered an excitatory neurotransmitter related to gut motor activity, although an inhibitory influence of neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor activation on peristalsis has also been reported. With an optimized in vitro method to assess distention-induced peristalsis, our aim was to clarify the effect of NK1 receptor activation on peristaltic activity and to reveal the mechanisms by which NK1 activation alters peristalsis. Distention of the small intestine of the mouse and guinea pig induced periodic occurrence of rhythmic waves of propagating rings of circular muscle contraction, associated with slow waves and superimposed action potentials, that propelled intestinal contents aborally. Activation of NK1 receptors by Ava[l-Pro(9),N-MeLeu10] substance P(7-11) (GR 73632) and Sar(9), Met(O(2))(11) on smooth muscle cells resulted in prolongation of the activity periods and increased action potential generation occurring superimposed on the intestinal slow wave activity. Activation of NK1 receptors on interstitial cells of Cajal resulted in an increase in slow wave frequency. Slow wave amplitude increased, likely by increased cell-to-cell coupling. The NK1 antagonist (S)-1-(2-[3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-(3-isopropoxyphenylacetyl)piperidin-3-yl]ethyl)-4-phenyl-1-azoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane chloride (SR 140333) induced a decrease in the slow wave frequency and duration of the activity periods evoked by distention, which makes it likely that NK1 receptor activation plays a role in the normal physiological distention-induced generation of peristaltic motor patterns. In summary, NK1 receptors play a role in normal development of peristalsis and NK1 receptor activation markedly increases propulsive peristaltic contractile activity.

Physiological Effects of Trace Elements and Chemicals in Water

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varma, M. M.; And Others

1976-01-01

The physiological effects on humans and animals of trace amounts of organic and unorganic pollutants in natural and waste waters are examined. The sensitivity of particular organs and species is emphasized. Substances reviewed include mercury, arsenic, cadmium, lead, chromium, fluorides, nitrates and organics, including polychlounated biphenyls.…

Substance P relaxes rat bronchial smooth muscle via epithelial prostanoid synthesis.

PubMed

Bodelsson, M; Blomquist, S; Caverius, K; Törnebrandt, K

1999-01-01

Substance P is present in bronchial nerve fibres. The physiological actions of substance P are mediated via tachykinin NK(1) receptors. Immunochemical studies have demonstrated tachykinin NK(1) receptors in the rat airway epithelium. To elucidate how epithelial tachykinin NK(1) receptors affect smooth muscle response to substance P. Contractile response of isolated rat bronchial trunk with or without epithelium was recorded. In intact segments precontracted by 5-hydroxytryptamine, relaxation was induced by substance P and the nitric oxide donor, sodium nitroprusside. Removal of the epithelium abolished relaxation induced by substance P but did not affect relaxation induced by sodium nitroprusside. The cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, but not the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, L-N(G)-monomethylarginine, reduced the relaxation in response to substance P. Epithelial tachykinin NK(1) receptors mediate substance-P-induced relaxation of rat bronchial smooth muscle via release of prostanoids but not nitric oxide.

Oxidative Stress Mediates Physiological Costs of Begging in Magpie (Pica pica) Nestlings

PubMed Central

Moreno-Rueda, Gregorio; Redondo, Tomás; Trenzado, Cristina E.; Sanz, Ana; Zúñiga, Jesús M.

2012-01-01

Background Theoretical models predict that a cost is necessary to guarantee honesty in begging displays given by offspring to solicit food from their parents. There is evidence for begging costs in the form of a reduced growth rate and immunocompetence. Moreover, begging implies vigorous physical activity and attentiveness, which should increase metabolism and thus the releasing of pro-oxidant substances. Consequently, we predict that soliciting offspring incur a cost in terms of oxidative stress, and growth rate and immune response (processes that generate pro-oxidants substances) are reduced in order to maintain oxidative balance. Methodology/Principal Findings We test whether magpie (Pica pica) nestlings incur a cost in terms of oxidative stress when experimentally forced to beg intensively, and whether oxidative balance is maintained by reducing growth rate and immune response. Our results show that begging provokes oxidative stress, and that nestlings begging for longer bouts reduce growth and immune response, thereby maintaining their oxidative status. Conclusions/Significance These findings help explaining the physiological link between begging and its associated growth and immunocompetence costs, which seems to be mediated by oxidative stress. Our study is a unique example of the complex relationships between the intensity of a communicative display (begging), oxidative stress, and life-history traits directly linked to viability. PMID:22808144

Cannabis: old medicine with new promise for neurological disorders.

PubMed

Carter, Gregory T; Weydt, Patrick

2002-03-01

Marijuana is a complex substance containing over 60 different forms of cannabinoids, the active ingredients. Cannabinoids are now known to have the capacity for neuromodulation, via direct, receptor-based mechanisms at numerous levels within the nervous system. These have therapeutic properties that may be applicable to the treatment of neurological disorders; including anti-oxidative, neuroprotective, analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions; immunomodulation, modulation of glial cells and tumor growth regulation. This article reviews the emerging research on the physiological mechanisms of endogenous and exogenous cannabinoids in the context of neurological disease.

Intersections between cardiac physiology, emotion regulation and interpersonal warmth in preschoolers: Implications for drug abuse prevention from translational neuroscience

PubMed Central

Clark, Caron A. C.; Skowron, Elizabeth A.; Giuliano, Ryan J.; Fisher, Philip A.

2016-01-01

Background Early childhood is characterized by dramatic gains in emotion regulation skills that support social adjustment and mental health. Understanding the physiological substrates of healthy emotion regulation may offer new directions for altering trajectories towards initiation and escalation of substance abuse. Here, we describe the intersections between parasympathetic and sympathetic tone, emotion regulation and prosocial behavior in a high-risk sample of preschoolers. Method Fifty-two 3 – 6 year old children completed an assessment of attention regulation in response to affective stimuli. Cardiac respiratory sinus arrhythmia, an index of parasympathetic tone, and pre-ejection period, a marker of sympathetic activation, were recorded at rest and while children engaged in social interactions with their mothers and an unfamiliar research assistant. Mothers reported on children’s emotional reactivity and prosocial behavior. Results Controlling for age and psychosocial risk, higher parasympathetic tone predicted better attention regulation in response to angry emotion and higher levels of prosocial behavior, whereas a reciprocal pattern of higher parasympathetic tone and lower sympathetic arousal predicted better attention in response to positive emotion and lower emotional reactivity. Children exposed to fewer risk factors and higher levels of maternal warmth were more able to sustain a high level of parasympathetic tone during interaction episodes. Conclusions Findings suggest that autonomic measures represent biomarkers for socio-emotional competence in young children. They also point to the importance of early experiences in the establishment of physiological regulation and the promise of family-based intervention to promote healthy emotion regulation and prevent substance dependence in high-risk populations. PMID:27306733

Do Glucose and Caffeine Nasal Sprays Influence Exercise or Cognitive Performance?

PubMed

De Pauw, Kevin; Roelands, Bart; Van Cutsem, Jeroen; Decroix, Lieselot; Valente, Angelica; Taehee, Kim; Lettan, Robert B; Carrillo, Andres E; Meeusen, Romain

2017-10-01

Nasal spray (NAS) containing caffeine (CAF) or glucose (GLUC) activates sensory(motor) cortices. To investigate the influence of CAF or GLUC NAS on exercise and cognitive performance. Eleven male subjects (age 22 ± 2 y) performed a maximal cycle test and 2 familiarization and 3 experimental trials. Each trial included a 30-s Wingate test and a 30-min time-trial (TT) performance test interspersed by 15 min of rest. Before and after each exercise test a Stroop task was conducted. Placebo NAS with or without CAF or GLUC was provided before each exercise session and at each completed 25% of the TT. Exercise-performance, physiological, and cognitive measures were obtained. Magnitude-based inferences determined the likelihood that NAS solutions would be beneficial, trivial, or negative to exercise-performance measures based on the smallest worthwhile effect. Physiological and cognitive measures were analyzed using (non)parametric tests (P < .05). GLUC NAS substantially increased the average power output during the TT (very likely beneficial: 98%). No further worthwhile exercise-performance enhancements were found for both substances. In addition, no significant differences in physiological and cognitive measures were observed. In line with mouth rinsing, GLUC was shown to substantially enhance endurance performance, probably due to the activation of the olfactory pathway and/or extra-oral sweet-taste receptors. GLUC NAS enhances endurance performance, which indicates a novel administration route. The higher activity in sensory brain cortices probably elicited the ergogenic effect. However, no further physiological and cognitive changes occurred, indicating that higher doses of substrates might be required.

Muramyl peptides in mammalian tissues and their effects at the cellular level.

PubMed

Karnovsky, M L

1986-10-01

Muramyl peptides (MPs), presumably breakdown products of bacterial cell walls, have been found in the brain, liver, and kidney of the rat. They exert multiple physiological effects on higher animals as immunoadjuvants, activators of macrophages, pyrogens, antitumor agents, inducers of contractility of smooth muscle, and promoters of slow-wave sleep, as well as nonspecific protectors of animals against infection. Structure-function relationships of these substances have been extensively studied, especially with respect to somnogenicity. In the role an intact muramyl ring is required, and the 1,6-anhydro form is active. The presence of free carboxyls or amides on the glutamyl and diaminopimelyl entities have important effects. The stereochemistry is crucial: the alanine adjacent to the N-acetylmuramyl entity must be L, and the glutamate must be D. Studies were carried out with murine macrophages to establish mechanisms of action of these glycopeptides. There are two populations of binding sites for MPs on those cells. When compounds of different structure are compared, binding ability correlates with pyrogenic and somnogenic activity. Serotonin competes with these agents for binding sites. Binding of that substance induces at least one macrophage response characteristic of the binding of MP.

Physiological inhibitory effect of ocs in arachidonic acid-rich Parietochloris incisa (trebouxiophyceae, chlorophyta)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jian-Guo; Zhang, Cheng-Wu; Cohen, Zvi; Richmond, Amos

2002-09-01

Parietochloris incisa is an arachidonic acid-rich snow green alga. The main physiological profiles, such as ash free dry weight (AFDW), chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein and total fatty acids (TFA), in this alga exposed to old culture supernatant (OCS) at the decline phase or its crude ethyl acetate extracts (CEAE) were investigated by using tubular photobioreactors of different diameters. Results showed that both OCS and CEAE had strong inhibitory effect on the above physiological parameters. The longer the culture was exposed to OCS and the more CEAE were added into the algal culture, the more the above physiological properties were inhibited. Arachidonic acid (AA), the dominant component of fatty acids in this alga, was also seriously inhibited with respect to total TFA, AFDW of cell mass, or culture volume, due to a probable reduction of enzymes activities catalyzing chain elongation from C18; 1ω9 to AA. These results incontestably evidenced that some CEAE dissolving substances existing in OCS. like auto-inhibitors, inhibited P. incisa growth through feedback. Hence, any efficient removal of auto-inhibitors from algal culture to decrease their bioactivity could be good for maximal production of desired products like AA.

Are endogenous cardenolides controlled by atrial natriuretic peptide.

PubMed

Brar, Kanwarjeet S; Gao, Yonglin; El-Mallakh, Rif S

2016-07-01

Endogenous cardenolides are digoxin-like substances and ouabain-like substances that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension and mood disorders in clinical and pre-clinical studies. Regulatory signals for endogenous cardenolides are still unknown. These endogenous compounds are believed to be produced by the adrenal gland in the periphery and the hypothalamus in the central nervous system, and constitute part of an hormonal axis that may regulate the catalytic activity of the α subunit of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. A review of literature suggests that there is great overlap in physiological environments that are associated with either elevations or reductions in the levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and endogenous cardenolides. This suggests that these two factors may share a common regulatory signal or perhaps that ANP may be involved in the regulation of endogenous cardenolides. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Saponins from sea cucumber and their biological activities.

PubMed

Zhao, Yingcai; Xue, Changhu; Zhang, Tiantian; Wang, YuMing

2018-06-22

Sea cucumbers, belonging to the phylum Echinodermata, have been valued for centuries as a nutritious and functional food with various bioactivities. Sea cucumbers can produce highly active substances, notably saponins, the main secondary metabolites, which are the basis of their chemical defense. The saponins are mostly triterpene glycosides with triterpenes or steroid in aglycone, which possess multiple biological properties including anti-tumor, hypolipidemic activity, improvement of nonalcoholic fatty liver, inhibition of fat accumulation, anti-hyperuricemia, promotion of bone marrow hematopoiesis, anti-hypertension, etc. Sea cucumber saponins have received attention due to their rich sources, low toxicity, high efficiency, and few side effects. This review summarizes current research on the structure and activities of sea cucumber saponins based on the physiological and pharmacological activities from source, experimental models, efficacy and mechanisms, which may provide a valuable reference for the development of sea cucumber saponins.

Hydrolysis of substance P in the presence of the osteosarcoma cell line SaOS-2: release of free amino acids.

PubMed

Cavazza, Antonella; Marini, Mario; Roda, L Giorgio; Tarantino, Umberto; Valenti, Angela

2011-12-01

The possible hydrolysis of substance P (Arg-Pro-Lys-Pro-Gln-Gln-Phe-Phe-Gly-Leu-Met) in presence of the osteoblastic cell line SaOS-2 was measured by capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass detection. The results obtained indicate that a very rapid disappearance of the intact undecapeptide was associated to a slower appearance of seven of its eight component amino acids. These results can be interpreted as indicating that an extremely fast hydrolysis of substance P by endopeptidases, which released peptidic by-products, was followed by a noticeably slower secondary degradation which released free amino acids. In decreasing quantitative importance, these phenomena appear to originate by the hydrolysis of the Pro(4)-Gln(5) bond, followed by C-terminal sequential degradation of the Arg(1)-Pro(4) tetrapeptide; by the hydrolysis of or Phe(7)-Phe(8) bond (or, possibly, of Gln(6)-Phe(7)) leading to release of free Phe and Gln; by hydrolysis of the Gly(9)-Leu(10) bond with subsequent release of Met and Leu. Results obtained appear to be compatible with the expression by SaOS-2 cells of enzymes already known to catalyze substance P hydrolysis, together with an apparent low efficiency of aminopeptidases. Because of the activity of C-terminal fragments on NK1 receptors, the delay between primary hydrolysis of substance P and secondary hydrolysis of its peptidic fragments indicated by the data shown implies a possible persistence of substance P physiological effects even after degradation of the intact peptide.

AmTAR2: Functional characterization of a honeybee tyramine receptor stimulating adenylyl cyclase activity.

PubMed

Reim, Tina; Balfanz, Sabine; Baumann, Arnd; Blenau, Wolfgang; Thamm, Markus; Scheiner, Ricarda

2017-01-01

The biogenic monoamines norepinephrine and epinephrine regulate important physiological functions in vertebrates. Insects such as honeybees do not synthesize these neuroactive substances. Instead, they employ octopamine and tyramine for comparable physiological functions. These biogenic amines activate specific guanine nucleotide-binding (G) protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Based on pharmacological data obtained on heterologously expressed receptors, α- and β-adrenergic-like octopamine receptors are better activated by octopamine than by tyramine. Conversely, GPCRs forming the type 1 tyramine receptor clade (synonymous to octopamine/tyramine receptors) are better activated by tyramine than by octopamine. More recently, receptors were characterized which are almost exclusively activated by tyramine, thus forming an independent type 2 tyramine receptor clade. Functionally, type 1 tyramine receptors inhibit adenylyl cyclase activity, leading to a decrease in intracellular cAMP concentration ([cAMP] i ). Type 2 tyramine receptors can mediate Ca 2+ signals or both Ca 2+ signals and effects on [cAMP] i . We here provide evidence that the honeybee tyramine receptor 2 (AmTAR2), when heterologously expressed in flpTM cells, exclusively causes an increase in [cAMP] i . The receptor displays a pronounced preference for tyramine over octopamine. Its activity can be blocked by a series of established antagonists, of which mianserin and yohimbine are most efficient. The functional characterization of two tyramine receptors from the honeybee, AmTAR1 (previously named AmTYR1) and AmTAR2, which respond to tyramine by changing cAMP levels in opposite direction, is an important step towards understanding the actions of tyramine in honeybee behavior and physiology, particularly in comparison to the effects of octopamine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

**1**5N-NMR INVESTIGATION OF HYDROXYLAMINE DERIVATIZED HUMIC SUBSTANCES.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thorn, Kevin A.; Arterburn, Jeffrey B.; Mikita, Michael A.

1986-01-01

Humic substances are the most abundant naturally occurring refactory organic compounds in soils and water. They have a broad range of physical, chemical and physiological properties. In soils, humic substances contribute to the cation exchange capacity, help maintain the physical structure, and play a role in plant growth and nutrition. In aquatic systems, humic substances serve to regulate the levels of inorganic constituents, yield trihalomethanes upon chlorination, and transport or concentrate organic and inorganic pollutants. The oxygen containing functional groups of humic and fulvic acids are believed to play a key role in the chemical properties of humic substances. This study was undertaken to gain additional information on the specific types of oxygen functionalities in humic substances. Since the analysis of hydroxyl moieties had been earlier established, we focused our attention on the analysis of ketone and aldehyde functional groups in humic substances.

Physiological Response of Orchids to Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) Infestation.

PubMed

Kmiec, K; Kot, I; Golan, K; Górska-Drabik, E; Lagowska, B; Rubinowska, K; Michalek, W

2016-12-01

The harmfulness of mealybugs resulting from sucking plant sap, secreting honeydew, and transmitting plant viruses can give them the status of serious pests. This study documents the influence of Pseudococcus maritimus (Ehrhorn) and Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni Tozzetti) infestation on alterations in selected physiological parameters of Phalaenopsis x hybridum 'Innocence'. The condition of the cytoplasmic membranes was expressed as the value of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. We have determined changes in the activities of catalase and guaiacol peroxidase and measured the following chlorophyll fluorescence parameters: maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), effective quantum yield (Y), photochemical quenching (qP), and nonphotochemical quenching (qN). The strongest physiological response of orchids was recorded in the initial period of mealybugs infestation. Prolonged insect feeding suppressed lipid peroxidation, peroxidase and catalase activity, as well as photosynthesis photochemistry. The pattern of changes was dependent on mealybug species. This indicated the complexity of the processes responsible for plant tolerance. Data generated in this study have provided a better understanding of the impact of two mealybug species infestation on Phalaenopsis and should be useful in developing pest management strategies. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mechanisms and functional implications of motoneuron adaptations to increased physical activity.

PubMed

MacDonell, Christopher; Gardiner, Phillip

2018-06-01

Motoneurons demonstrate adaptations in their physiological properties to alterations in chronic activity levels. The most consistent change that appears to result from endurance-type exercise training is the reduced excitatory current required to initiate and maintain rhythmic firing. While the precise mechanisms through which these neurons adapt to activity are currently unknown, evidence exists that adaptation may involve alterations in the expression of genes that code for membrane receptors which can influence the responses of neurons to transmitters during activation. The influence of these adaptations may also extend to the resting condition, where ambient levels of neuroactive substances may influence ion conductances at rest, and thus result in the activation or inhibition of specific ion conductances that underlie the measurements of increased excitability that have been reported for motoneurons in the anesthetised state. We have applied motoneuron excitability and muscle unit contractile changes with endurance training to a mathematical computerised model of motor unit recruitment (Heckman and Binder, 1991). The results from the modelling exercise demonstrate increased task efficiency at relative levels of effort during a submaximal contraction. The physiological impact that nerve and muscle adaptations have on the neuromuscular system during standardized tasks seem to fit with reported changes in motor unit behaviour in trained human subjects.

Illegal drug impersonators: the synthetic drug abuse boom.

PubMed

Falkowski, Carol

2011-10-01

The Internet has opened the door to marketers of products that contain substances that when ingested mimic the effects of illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and LSD. This article traces the history of synthetic drugs, describes some of the newest substances on the market and their physiologic and psychological effects, and discusses efforts aimed at curbing their sale and use.

Isolation of Endotoxin Eliminating Lactic Acid Bacteria and a Property of Endotoxin Eliminating Protein.

PubMed

Kondo, Ayaka; Asami, Kyoko; Suda, Yoshihito; Shimoyamada, Makoto; Kanauchi, Makoto

2016-06-01

Recently, many scholars have reported lactic acid bacteria (LAB) functions, such as anticancer activity and anti-inflammatory activity for intestines. To decrease inflammatory substances such as endotoxins, LAB consumed safely with meals were isolated from food and food ingredients. First, LAB were isolated as 168 strains of bacillus LAB (49 strain) and coccus LAB (119 strains) from food ingredients and fermented foods such as rice, rice bran, malt, grains, miso soy paste, and some pickles. Their LAB (168 strains) were cultivated in medium containing endotoxin from Escherichia coli O18 LPS at 15 and 30 °C for 64 h to identify endotoxin-eliminating LAB. Consequently, the AK-23 strain was screened as an endotoxin-eliminating LAB strain. The strain decreased endotoxin in YP medium without sugar at 30 °C for 64 h until 9% of endotoxin. The strain was identified as Pediococcus pentosaceus according to morphological characteristics such as its cell shape, physiological characteristics related to its fermentation type, assimilation of sugars, pH tolerance, optimum growth temperature, and molecular biological characteristics as its homology to 16S rRNA. To investigate the location of the endotoxin-eliminating substance, 4 fractions were separated from AK-23 cells as extracellular, cell wall digestion, cytoplasm, and cell membrane fractions. The endotoxin-decreasing substance, located on a cell wall, was identified as a 217 kDa protein. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Substrate-protecting antiproteolytic agents for the prevention of pathological degradation of connective tissues. A review.

PubMed

Robert, A-M

2012-02-01

Connective tissues play an important role in the physiological functions of the organism. The integrity of the macromolecular components of these tissues, also called extracellular matrix, is necessary for their functional efficiency. A number of proteinases present in the organism, and the activity of which increases with age and with several pathologies, specifically degrade the components of the extracellular matrix. For a long time, tentatives for the protection of the matrix-components against degradation were made with low molecular weight inhibitors, not very efficient in vivo and not devoid of inconveniencies. We initiated a different approach for the preservation of the macromolecules of the extracellular matrix against proteolytic degradation with substances which exert an intense antiproteolytic activity not only in vitro, but also in vivo. The particularity of these substances is the fact that they do not act on the enzymes, but combine with the macromolecules. This is the type of combination of substances with the macromolecules of the matrix that prevents their degradation by the proteinases. Because of this affinity of such antiproteolytic agents not for the enzymes but for the substrates, we called them "substrate protectors" (Robert et al., 1979). The aim of the present review is to summarise the essential of our experiments which led to the description of substrate protectors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Athlete Biological Passport: How to Personalize Anti-Doping Testing across an Athlete's Career?

PubMed

Robinson, Neil; Sottas, Pierre-Edouard; Schumacher, Yorck Olaf

2017-01-01

For decades, drug testing has been the main instrument at the disposal of anti-doping authorities. The availability in the 1980s of substances identical to those produced by the human body, including the "big 3" (erythropoietin, testosterone, and growth hormone), necessitated a new paradigm in anti-doping. The athlete biological passport (ABP) is a new paradigm, complementary to traditional drug testing, based on the personalized monitoring of doping biomarkers. Athletes who abuse doping substances do so to trigger physiological changes that provide performance enhancement. The ABP aims to detect these changes through its 3 hematological, steroidal, and endocrine modules. Any deviation of a biomarker from what is expected in a healthy physiological condition can be attributable to doping or a medical condition, which, interestingly, is also the criterion used to define a banned substance. Recent advances in proteomics and metabolomics offer immense opportunities to enhance the ABP. The ABP shares multiple aspects with the present customization of health care and personalized medicine. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Recent advancements in liposomes targeting strategies to cross blood-brain barrier (BBB) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Agrawal, Mukta; Ajazuddin; Tripathi, Dulal K; Saraf, Swarnlata; Saraf, Shailendra; Antimisiaris, Sophia G; Mourtas, Spyridon; Hammarlund-Udenaes, Margareta; Alexander, Amit

2017-08-28

In this modern era, with the help of various advanced technologies, medical science has overcome most of the health-related issues successfully. Though, some diseases still remain unresolved due to various physiological barriers. One such condition is Alzheimer; a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive memory impairment, behavioral abnormalities, mood swing and disturbed routine activities of the person suffering from. It is well known to all that the brain is entirely covered by a protective layer commonly known as blood brain barrier (BBB) which is responsible to maintain the homeostasis of brain by restricting the entry of toxic substances, drug molecules, various proteins and peptides, small hydrophilic molecules, large lipophilic substances and so many other peripheral components to protect the brain from any harmful stimuli. This functionally essential structure creates a major hurdle for delivery of any drug into the brain. Still, there are some provisions on BBB which facilitate the entry of useful substances in the brain via specific mechanisms like passive diffusion, receptor-mediated transcytosis, carrier-mediated transcytosis etc. Another important factor for drug transport is the selection of a suitable drug delivery systems like, liposome, which is a novel drug carrier system offering a potential approach to resolving this problem. Its unique phospholipid bilayer structure (similar to physiological membrane) had made it more compatible with the lipoidal layer of BBB and helps the drug to enter the brain. The present review work focused on various surface modifications with functional ligand (like lactoferrin, transferrin etc.) and carrier molecules (such as glutathione, glucose etc.) on the liposomal structure to enhance its brain targeting ability towards the successful treatment of Alzheimer disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physicochemical and physiological basis of dichromatic colour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kreft, Samo; Kreft, Marko

2007-11-01

Out of three perceptual characteristics of the colour of any substance, the hue depends mostly on the spectral properties of a substance, while the brightness and saturation depend also on the concentration of a substance and its thickness. Here, we report that evident change of the hue of the colour (i.e., from green to red) is due to a change in concentration or the thickness of a layer in some exceptional substances such as pumpkin seed oil or an aqueous solution of bromophenol blue. In some regions of Central Europe, salad dressing is made preferably with the pumpkin seed oil, which has a strong characteristic nut-like taste and remarkable properties of the colour: it appears red in a bottle, but green when served as a salad dressing. The colour of the pumpkin seed oil was previously described as brownish yellow, dark green, dark green to red ochre or dark reddish brown to light yellow green. We elucidated the physicochemical and physiological basis of such dichromatism by Beer-Lambert law and by the characteristics of human colour perception. Our concept was corroborated by the outcome of calculations of colour from spectral properties using colour matching functions. We found that dichromatism is observed if the absorption spectrum of any substance has at least two local minima: one wide but shallow and one narrow but deep local minimum.

Women and substance abuse: gender, age, and cultural considerations.

PubMed

Stevens, Sally J; Andrade, Rosi A C; Ruiz, Bridget S

2009-01-01

Historically, data has shown that a smaller percentage of women use alcohol and illicit substances compared to men, and that frequency of use has been lower among women compared to use among men. Although this data on usage may be true, researchers also acknowledge that substance use among women has been a hidden issue, one not realistically acknowledged by society, especially prior to the mid-1960s. Along with this, more recent data indicates that rates of substance use among women are increasing. Factors contributing to this increase in substance abuse have begun to receive considerable attention, and recent research suggests that many issues exist that are unique to substance use among women. The purpose of this article is to discuss gender specific considerations in women's substance abuse by examining the history of substance use among women; analyzing gender-specific factors, including physiological factors, trauma-related factors, mental health issues, and cultural considerations that impact on women's substance use; articulating treatment approaches for working with substance abusing women and girls; and providing recommendations for further research in this area.

New activity of yamamarin, an insect pentapeptide, on immune system of mealworm, Tenebrio molitor.

PubMed

Walkowiak-Nowicka, K; Nowicki, G; Kuczer, M; Rosiński, G

2017-09-12

In insects, two types of the immune responses, cellular and humoral, constitute a defensive barrier against various parasites and pathogens. In response to pathogens, insects produce a wide range of immune agents that act on pathogens directly, such as cecropins or lysozyme, or indirectly by the stimulation of hemocyte migration or by increasing phenoloxidase (PO) activity. Recently, many new immunologically active substances from insects, such as peptides and polypeptides, have been identified. Nevertheless, in the most cases, their physiological functions are not fully known. One such substance is yamamarin - a pentapeptide isolated from the silk moth Antheraea yamamai. This yamamarin possesses strong antiproliferative properties and is probably involved in diapause regulation. Here, we examined the immunotropic activity of yamamarin by testing its impact on selected functions of the immune system in heterologous bioassays with the beetle Tenebrio molitor, commonly known as a stored grains pest. Our results indicate that the pentapeptide affects the activity of immune processes in the beetle. We show that yamamarin induces changes in both humoral and cellular responses. The yamamarin increases the activity of PO, as well as causes changes in the hemocyte cytoskeleton and stimulates phagocytic activity. We detected an increased number of apoptotic hemocytes, however after the yamamarin injection, no significant variations in the antibacterial activity in the hemolymph were observed. The obtained data suggest that yamamarin could be an important controller of the immune system in T. molitor.

Curcumin, an active component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), and its effects on health.

PubMed

Kocaadam, Betül; Şanlier, Nevin

2017-09-02

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a type of herb belonging to ginger family, which is widely grown in southern and south western tropical Asia region. Turmeric, which has an importance place in the cuisines of Iran, Malesia, India, China, Polynesia, and Thailand, is often used as spice and has an effect on the nature, color, and taste of foods. Turmeric is also known to have been used for centuries in India and China for the medical treatments of illnesses such as dermatologic diseases, infection, stress, and depression. Turmeric's effects on health are generally centered upon an orange-yellow colored, lipophilic polyphenol substance called "curcumin," which is acquired from the rhizomes of the herb. Curcumin is known recently to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer effects and, thanks to these effects, to have an important role in prevention and treatment of various illnesses ranging notably from cancer to autoimmune, neurological, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetic. Furthermore, it is aimed to increase the biological activity and physiological effects of the curcumin on the body by synthesizing curcumin analogues. This article reviews the history, chemical and physical features, analogues, metabolites, mechanisms of its physiological activities, and effects on health of curcumin.

Can the observed association between serum perfluoroalkyl substances and delayed menarche be explained on the basis of puberty-related changes in physiology and pharmacokinetics?

PubMed

Wu, Huali; Yoon, Miyoung; Verner, Marc-André; Xue, Jianping; Luo, Man; Andersen, Melvin E; Longnecker, Matthew P; Clewell, Harvey J

2015-09-01

An association between serum levels of two perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and delayed age at menarche was reported in a cross-sectional study of adolescents. Because perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) have half-lives of years, growth dilution and the development of a new route of excretion (menstruation) could account for some or all of the reported association. To assess how much of the epidemiologic association between PFAS and delayed menarche can be explained by the correlation of growth and maturation with PFAS body burden. We developed a Monte Carlo (MC) physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model of PFAS to simulate plasma PFAS levels in a hypothetical female population aged 2 to 20years old. Realistic distributions of physiological parameters as well as timing of growth spurts and menarche were incorporated in the model. The association between PFAS level and delayed menarche in the simulated data was compared with the reported association. The prevalence of menarche, distributions of age-dependent physiological parameters, and quartiles of serum PFAS concentrations in the simulated subjects were comparable to those reported in the epidemiologic study. The delay of menarche in days per natural log increase in PFAS concentrations in the simulated data were about one third as large as the observed values. The reported relationship between PFAS and age at menarche appears to be at least partly explained by pharmacokinetics rather than a toxic effect of these substances. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing psychophysiological profiles for monitoring stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moldow, Roberta L.; Bergen, Michael T.; Belin, Kari; Bululu, Luba; Couso, Olivita; McLaughlin, Joselyn; Short, Kenneth R.; Servatius, Richard J.

2006-05-01

Training prepares first responders for disasters including terrorist attacks. To train effectively it should be as realistic as possible and elicit the stress response. We are developing a profile that will be a marker for intensity of stress as well as differentiate stress from exertion. We have monitored stress during several training scenarios for different groups including civilian SWAT teams and the military. In addition, we can monitor stress to exposure to nonlethal weapons. We have monitored stress during exposure to blunt impact using a paintball paradigm. We have measured salivary substances (such as cortisol and DHEA [markers for the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis]) and amylase [marker for the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system], physiological parameters (such as activity and heart rate), and neuropsychological assessment tools (such as Borg's perceived exertion scale, Spielberger's STAI and Thayer's ADC). With these neuroendocrine, physiological and behavioral indices in hand, we are poised to examine stress induction in preparedness in trainees.

Managing Chronic Pain in Adults with or in Recovery from Substance Use Disorders. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 54

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2012

2012-01-01

Chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) is common in the general population as well as in people who have a substance use disorder (SUD) (Exhibit 1-1). Chronic pain is not harmless; it has physiological, social, and psychological dimensions that can seriously harm health, functioning, and well-being. As a multidimensional condition with both objective and…

"Sebocytes' makeup": novel mechanisms and concepts in the physiology of the human sebaceous glands.

PubMed

Tóth, Balázs I; Oláh, Attila; Szöllosi, Attila G; Czifra, Gabriella; Bíró, Tamás

2011-06-01

The pilosebaceous unit of the human skin consists of the hair follicle and the sebaceous gland. Within this "mini-organ", the sebaceous gland has been neglected by the researchers of the field for several decades. Actually, it was labeled as a reminiscence of human development ("a living fossil with a past but no future"), and was thought to solely act as a producer of sebum, a lipid-enriched oily substance which protects our skin (and hence the body) against various insults. However, due to emerging research activities of the past two decades, it has now become evident that the sebaceous gland is not only a "passive" cutaneous "relic" to establish the physico-chemical barrier function of the skin against constant environmental challenges, but it rather functions as an "active" neuro-immuno-endocrine cutaneous organ. This review summarizes recent findings of sebaceous gland research by mainly focusing on newly discovered physiological functions, novel regulatory mechanisms, key events in the pathology of the gland, and future directions in both experimental and clinical dermatology.

Streptomyces metabolites in divergent microbial interactions.

PubMed

Takano, Hideaki; Nishiyama, Tatsuya; Amano, Sho-ichi; Beppu, Teruhiko; Kobayashi, Michihiko; Ueda, Kenji

2016-03-01

Streptomyces and related bacteria produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites. Of these, many compounds have industrial applications, but the question of why this group of microorganism produces such various kinds of biologically active substances has not yet been clearly answered. Here, we overview the results from our studies on the novel function and role of Streptomyces metabolites. The diverged action of negative and positive influences onto the physiology of various microorganisms infers the occurrence of complex microbial interactions due to the effect of small molecules produced by Streptomyces. The interactions may serve as a basis for the constitution of biological community.

Worker honey bee pheromone regulation of foraging ontogeny

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pankiw, Tanya

The evolution of sociality has configured communication chemicals, called primer pheromones, which play key roles in regulating the organization of social life. Primer pheromones exert relatively slow effects that fundamentally alter developmental, physiological, and neural systems. Here, I demonstrate how substances extracted from the surface of foraging and young pre-foraging worker bees regulated age at onset of foraging, a developmental process. Hexane-extractable compounds washed from foraging workers increased foraging age compared with controls, whereas extracts of young pre-foraging workers decreased foraging age. This represents the first known direct demonstration of primer pheromone activity derived from adult worker bees.

Comparative study on the toxic effects of red tide flagellates Heterocapsa circularisquama and Chattonella marina on the short-necked clam (Ruditapes philippinarum).

PubMed

Kim, Daekyung; Choi, Kwang-Sik; Hong, Hyun-Ki; Jiang, Zedong; Zou, Yanan; Choi, Kyu-Sung; Yamasaki, Yasuhiro; Matsuyama, Yukihiko; Yamaguchi, Kenichi; Oda, Tatsuya

2011-01-01

Heterocapsa circularisquama showed much higher toxic effects on short-necked clams than Chattonella marina. Clams exposed to H. circularisquama exhibited morphological changes concomitant with an accumulation of mucus-like substances in the gills, a profound reduction in filtration activity, and lysosomal destabilization in hemocytes. Chattonella marina was less effective than H. circularisquama, and Heterocapsa triquetra was almost harmless in all these criteria. These results suggest that H. circularisquama exerted its lethal effect on short-necked clams through gill tissue damage and subsequent induction of physiological stress.

Heterologous Expression of sahH Reveals That Biofilm Formation Is Autoinducer-2-independent in Streptococcus sanguinis but Is Associated with an Intact Activated Methionine Cycle*

PubMed Central

Redanz, Sylvio; Standar, Kerstin; Podbielski, Andreas; Kreikemeyer, Bernd

2012-01-01

Numerous studies have claimed deleterious effects of LuxS mutation on many bacterial phenotypes, including bacterial biofilm formation. Genetic complementation mostly restored the observed mutant phenotypes to WT levels, leading to the postulation that quorum sensing via a family of molecules generically termed autoinducer-2 (AI-2) is essential for many phenotypes. Because LuxS mutation has dual effects, this hypothesis needs to be investigated into the details for each bacterial species. In this study we used S. sanguinis SK36 as a model biofilm bacterium and employed physiological characterization and transcriptome approaches on WT and luxS-deficient strains, in combination with chemical, luxS, and sahH complementation experiments. SahH enables a direct conversion of SAH to homocysteine and thereby restores the activated methionine cycle in a luxS-negative background without formation of the AI-2 precursor 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione. With this strategy we were able to dissect the individual contribution of LuxS and AI-2 activity in detail. Our data revealed that S. sanguinis biofilm formation is independent from AI-2 substance pools and is rather supported by an intact activated methyl cycle. Of 216 differentially transcribed genes in the luxS mutant, 209 were restored by complementation with a gene encoding the S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase. Only nine genes, mainly involved in natural competence, were directly affected by the AI-2 quorum-sensing substance pool. Cumulatively, this suggested that biofilm formation in S. sanguinis is not under control of AI-2. Our study suggests that previously evaluated LuxS mutants in other species need to be revisited to resolve the precise contribution of AI-2 substance pools and the methionine pathways. PMID:22942290

Intersections between cardiac physiology, emotion regulation and interpersonal warmth in preschoolers: Implications for drug abuse prevention from translational neuroscience.

PubMed

Clark, Caron A C; Skowron, Elizabeth A; Giuliano, Ryan J; Fisher, Philip A

2016-06-01

Early childhood is characterized by dramatic gains in emotion regulation skills that support social adjustment and mental health. Understanding the physiological substrates of healthy emotion regulation may offer new directions for altering trajectories toward initiation and escalation of substance abuse. Here, we describe the intersections between parasympathetic and sympathetic tone, emotion regulation and prosocial behavior in a high-risk sample of preschoolers. Fifty-two 3-6 year old children completed an assessment of attention regulation in response to affective stimuli. Cardiac respiratory sinus arrhythmia, an index of parasympathetic tone, and pre-ejection period, a marker of sympathetic activation, were recorded at rest and while children engaged in social interactions with their mothers and an unfamiliar research assistant. Mothers reported on children's emotional reactivity and prosocial behavior. Controlling for age and psychosocial risk, higher parasympathetic tone predicted better attention regulation in response to angry emotion and higher levels of prosocial behavior, whereas a reciprocal pattern of higher parasympathetic tone and lower sympathetic arousal predicted better attention in response to positive emotion and lower emotional reactivity. Children exposed to fewer risk factors and higher levels of maternal warmth were more able to sustain a high level of parasympathetic tone during interaction episodes. Findings suggest that autonomic measures represent biomarkers for socio-emotional competence in young children. They also point to the importance of early experiences in the establishment of physiological regulation and the promise of family-based intervention to promote healthy emotion regulation and prevent substance dependence in high-risk populations. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

PeaTAR1B: Characterization of a Second Type 1 Tyramine Receptor of the American Cockroach, Periplaneta americana

PubMed Central

Balfanz, Sabine

2017-01-01

The catecholamines norepinephrine and epinephrine regulate important physiological functions in vertebrates. In insects; these neuroactive substances are functionally replaced by the phenolamines octopamine and tyramine. Phenolamines activate specific guanine nucleotide-binding (G) protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Type 1 tyramine receptors are better activated by tyramine than by octopamine. In contrast; type 2 tyramine receptors are almost exclusively activated by tyramine. Functionally; activation of type 1 tyramine receptors leads to a decrease in the intracellular concentration of cAMP ([cAMP]i) whereas type 2 tyramine receptors can mediate Ca2+ signals or both Ca2+ signals and effects on [cAMP]i. Here; we report that the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) expresses a second type 1 tyramine receptor (PeaTAR1B) in addition to PeaTAR1A (previously called PeaTYR1). When heterologously expressed in flpTM cells; activation of PeaTAR1B by tyramine leads to a concentration-dependent decrease in [cAMP]i. Its activity can be blocked by a series of established antagonists. The functional characterization of two type 1 tyramine receptors from P. americana; PeaTAR1A and PeaTAR1B; which respond to tyramine by changing cAMP levels; is a major step towards understanding the actions of tyramine in cockroach physiology and behavior; particularly in comparison to the effects of octopamine. PMID:29084141

PeaTAR1B: Characterization of a Second Type 1 Tyramine Receptor of the American Cockroach, Periplaneta americana.

PubMed

Blenau, Wolfgang; Balfanz, Sabine; Baumann, Arnd

2017-10-30

The catecholamines norepinephrine and epinephrine regulate important physiological functions in vertebrates. In insects; these neuroactive substances are functionally replaced by the phenolamines octopamine and tyramine. Phenolamines activate specific guanine nucleotide-binding (G) protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Type 1 tyramine receptors are better activated by tyramine than by octopamine. In contrast; type 2 tyramine receptors are almost exclusively activated by tyramine. Functionally; activation of type 1 tyramine receptors leads to a decrease in the intracellular concentration of cAMP ([cAMP] i ) whereas type 2 tyramine receptors can mediate Ca 2+ signals or both Ca 2+ signals and effects on [cAMP] i . Here; we report that the American cockroach ( Periplaneta americana ) expresses a second type 1 tyramine receptor (PeaTAR1B) in addition to PeaTAR1A (previously called PeaTYR1). When heterologously expressed in flpTM cells; activation of PeaTAR1B by tyramine leads to a concentration-dependent decrease in [cAMP] i . Its activity can be blocked by a series of established antagonists. The functional characterization of two type 1 tyramine receptors from P. americana ; PeaTAR1A and PeaTAR1B; which respond to tyramine by changing cAMP levels; is a major step towards understanding the actions of tyramine in cockroach physiology and behavior; particularly in comparison to the effects of octopamine.

Dispositional Mindfulness, Spirituality, and Substance Use in Predicting Depressive Symptoms in a Treatment-Seeking Sample

PubMed Central

Shorey, Ryan C.; Gawrysiak, Michael J.; Anderson, Scott; Stuart, Gregory L.

2015-01-01

Objective It is imperative that research identifies factors related to depression among individuals in substance use treatment, as depression is associated with substance use relapse. Dispositional mindfulness and spirituality may bear an important role in the relationship between depression and substance use. Method Using preexisting patient medical records (N = 105), the current study investigated dispositional mindfulness and spirituality in relation to depressive symptom clusters (affective, cognitive, and physiological) among men in residential substance use treatment. The mean age of the sample was 41.03 (standard deviation = 10.75). Results Findings demonstrated that dispositional mindfulness and spirituality were negatively associated with depressive symptoms. After controlling for age, alcohol use, and drug use, dispositional mindfulness remained negatively associated with all of the depression clusters. Spirituality only remained associated with the cognitive depression cluster. Conclusion Mindfulness-based interventions may hold promise as an effective intervention for reducing substance use and concurrent depressive symptoms. PMID:25522300

Enzyme technology for precision functional food ingredient processes.

PubMed

Meyer, Anne S

2010-03-01

A number of naturally occurring dietary substances may exert physiological benefits. The production of enhanced levels or particularly tailored versions of such candidate functional compounds can be targeted by enzymatic catalysis. The recent literature contains examples of enhancing bioavailability of iron via enzyme-catalyzed degradation of phytate in wheat bran, increasing diacyl-glycerol and conjugated linoleic acid levels by lipase action, enhancing the absorption of the citrus flavonoid hesperetin via rhamnosidase treatment, and obtaining solubilized dietary fiber via enzymatic modification of potato starch processing residues. Such targeted enzyme-catalyzed reactions provide new invention opportunities for designing functional foods with significant health benefits. The provision of well-defined naturally structured compounds can, moreover, assist in obtaining the much-needed improved understanding of the physiological benefits of complex natural substances.

Characteristics of arsenic in humic substances extracted from natural organic sediments.

PubMed

Hara, Junko; Norota, Susumu; Kawebe, Yoshishige; Sugita, Hajime; Zhang, Ming

2018-06-01

The stability and dispersion of naturally occurring As have been receiving increasing attention, because As is toxic and its contamination is a widespread problem in many countries. This study investigated As fractionation and speciation in organic sediments collected from different depositional settings to elucidate the existence of stable As in humic substances. Eleven organic sediment samples were collected from marine and terrestrial alluvial regions in Hokkaido prefecture, Japan, and the chemical fraction of As and species of humic substances were identified by sequential extraction. In addition, stable As bound in organic matter was evaluated by FT-IR spectroscopy. The As fraction mainly comprised inorganic substances, especially sulfur, iron, and manganese, and terrestrial sediments (lacustrine and inland deposits) were rich in sulfides and Fe and Al (hydr)oxides. When the residual fraction was excluded, the organic fraction of As was higher in seawater sediments than in terrestrial sediments. Among humic substances, cellulose, humic acid, and hydrophilic fulvic acid were clearly associated with As accumulation, and As speciation showed that the As was of organic origin. Cellulose, an organic compound of plant origin, was abundant in As=S and As (III)=O bonds, and As accumulation was higher in sulfur-rich peat sediments, corresponding with the physiological activities of As in plants. Hydrophilic fulvic acid and humic acid in these sediments, originating from small animals and microorganisms in addition to plants, denote higher As contents and abound in As (III, V)=C and C-H, CH 3 bonds even in sulfur-rich sediments. The methylated As bonds reflect the ecological transition of organisms.

Substance use and its implications for the critical care nurses: a literature review.

PubMed

Brotto, Vanessa; Lee, Geraldine

2007-04-01

Illicit drug use in Australia has been increasing and studies indicate that illicit drug users have a higher risk of accidents which may result in the user needing critical care. However, there is a significant gap in the literature specifically pertaining to the implications of drug use in critical care. The primary objective was to examine the literature for the physiological effects of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), cocaine and amphetamines in critically ill patients. A comprehensive literature review was undertaken and a body systems framework was used to categorise the effects of these illicit drugs. The illicit substances addressed have potentially fatal and long-term side effects. For those users involved in accidents or trauma requiring intensive or critical care nursing, the mortality and co-morbidity risks are increased significantly. It is, therefore, important that nurses are able to recognise the specific physiological effects and possible complications that can occur with the use of each illicit drug. Both nursing and medical staff need to have a thorough understanding of how illicit substances work and how they can affect the critical care patient and the care they are given.

Are Fish and Standardized FETAX Assays Protective Enough for Amphibians? A Case Study on Xenopus laevis Larvae Assay with Biologically Active Substances Present in Livestock Wastes

PubMed Central

Martini, Federica; Tarazona, José V.; Pablos, M. Victoria

2012-01-01

Biologically active substances could reach the aquatic compartment when livestock wastes are considered for recycling. Recently, the standardized FETAX assay has been questioned, and some researchers have considered that the risk assessment performed on fish could not be protective enough to cover amphibians. In the present study a Xenopus laevis acute assay was developed in order to compare the sensitivity of larvae relative to fish or FETAX assays; veterinary medicines (ivermectin, oxytetracycline, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim) and essential metals (zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium) that may be found in livestock wastes were used for the larvae exposure. Lethal (LC50) and sublethal effects were estimated. Available data in both, fish and FETAX studies, were in general more protective than values found out in the current study, but not in all cases. Moreover, the presence of nonlethal effects, caused by ivermectin, zinc, and copper, suggested that several physiological mechanisms could be affected. Thus, this kind of effects should be deeply investigated. The results obtained in the present study could expand the information about micropollutants from livestock wastes on amphibians. PMID:22629159

Enhancing the growth, photosynthetic capacity and artemisinin content in Artemisia annua L. by irradiated sodium alginate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aftab, Tariq; Khan, M. Masroor A.; Idrees, M.; Naeem, M.; Moinuddin; Hashmi, Nadeem; Varshney, Lalit

2011-07-01

Degrading the natural bioactive agents by ionizing radiation and then using them as growth promoting substances is a novel emerging technology to exploit the genetic potential of crops in terms of growth, yield and quality. Polysaccharides, such as sodium alginate, have proven to be wonderful growth promoting substances in their depolymerized form for various plants. The effect of depolymerized form of sodium alginate, produced by irradiating the latter by 60Co gamma rays, was studied on Artemisia annua L. with regard to growth attributes, physiological and biochemical parameters and artemisinin content. The study revealed that the irradiated sodium alginate (ISA), applied as leaf-sprays at a concentration of 20-120 mg L -1, improved the growth attributes, photosynthetic capability, enzyme activities and artemisinin content of the plant significantly. Application of ISA at 80 mg L -1 increased the values of the attributes studied to the maximum extent. The enhancement of leaf-artemisinin content was ascribed to the ISA-enhanced H 2O 2 content in the leaves.

Proteolysis controls endogenous substance P levels.

PubMed

Mitchell, Andrew J; Lone, Anna Mari; Tinoco, Arthur D; Saghatelian, Alan

2013-01-01

Substance P (SP) is a prototypical neuropeptide with roles in pain and inflammation. Numerous mechanisms regulate endogenous SP levels, including the differential expression of SP mRNA and the controlled secretion of SP from neurons. Proteolysis has long been suspected to regulate extracellular SP concentrations but data in support of this hypothesis is scarce. Here, we provide evidence that proteolysis controls SP levels in the spinal cord. Using peptidomics to detect and quantify endogenous SP fragments, we identify the primary SP cleavage site as the C-terminal side of the ninth residue of SP. If blocking this pathway increases SP levels, then proteolysis controls SP concentration. We performed a targeted chemical screen using spinal cord lysates as a proxy for the endogenous metabolic environment and identified GM6001 (galardin, ilomastat) as a potent inhibitor of the SP(1-9)-producing activity present in the tissue. Administration of GM6001 to mice results in a greater-than-three-fold increase in the spinal cord levels of SP, which validates the hypothesis that proteolysis controls physiological SP levels.

[Concise history of toxicology - from empiric knowledge to science].

PubMed

Tompa, Anna; Balázs, Péter

2018-01-01

Toxicology is a science of poisonings by xenobiotics and endogenous physiological changes. Its empiric roots may be traced back to the emerging of the human race because the most important pledge of our predecessors' survival was the differentiation between eatable and poisonous plants and animals. In the course of social evolution, there were three main fields of using poisons: 1) hunting and warfare, 2) to settle social tensions by avoiding military conflicts through hiding strategy of eliminating enemies by toxic substances, 3) medicines applied first as anti-poisons and later by introducing strong substances to defeat diseases, but paradoxically active euthanasia is also a part of the whole story. The industrial revolution of the 19th century changed the sporadic occupational diseases to mass conditions. Later the chemical industry and subsequently the mass production of synthetic materials turned out as a global environmental catastrophe. This latest change initiated the emerging of ecological toxicology which is a future history of the concerning ancient science. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(3): 83-90.

Upregulating substance P levels to treat obstructive sleep apnea.

PubMed

Ursavas, Ahmet

2008-05-01

The neuropeptide (tachykinin) substance P is widely distributed in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Substance P has been suggested to function as a neurotransmitter, cotransmitter, or neuromodulator in the central and peripheral nervous system. substance P also influences sleep physiology. Neurokinin 1 (NK-1) receptors may also be implicated in the control of sleep/wake behavior. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is defined as repeated episodes of upper airway occlusion during sleep with subsequent excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Substance P levels are found to be significantly lowered in patients with OSAS. The aim of this review was to investigate the relationship between substance P, EDS and other OSAS complications. The literature was searched using standard methods. Medline and Embase were searched systematically from 1974 to the end of February 2008 for relevant articles published in English. EDS seen in some OSAS patients may be associated with various pathophysiological mechanisms including changes in substance P levels. Intravenous substance P administration in OSAS patients can be effective in the treatment of EDS. Further studies on the possible relationship between low serum substance P and hypertension, reproductive function disorders, memory and learning problems in OSAS cases is required.

Spices as functional foods.

PubMed

Viuda-Martos, M; Ruiz-Navajas, Y; Fernández-López, J; Pérez-Alvarez, J A

2011-01-01

Spices and aromatic herbs have been used since antiquity as preservatives, colorants, and flavor enhancers. Spices, which have long been the basis of traditional medicine in many countries, have also been the subject of study, particularly by the chemical, pharmaceutical, and food industries, because of their potential use for improving health. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated how these substances act as antioxidants, digestive stimulants, and hypolipidemics and show antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anticancerigenic activities. These beneficial physiological effects may also have possible preventative applications in a variety of pathologies. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the potential of spices and aromatic herbs as functional foods.

[Research advances of Tasmayi].

PubMed

Kizaibek, Murat

2013-02-01

Tasmayi (mumie, shilajit) is a pale brown to black substance which leaks from the layers of rocks in many mountain ranges during the warm summer months. In traditional Kazakh medicine, it is used for the treatment of bone fracture and many inflammatory ailments. It is also used as a remedy in the traditional medical systems of many countries such as India, Russia and Kazakhstan. According to the literatures, Tasmayi possesses anti-inflammatory, antiulcerogenic, antibacterial, free radical scavenging, antioxidative, memory enhancing, antidiabetic, antistress, antiallergic, immunomodulative, anti AIDS, anabolic and regeneration stimulating activities. The major physiological action of Tasmayi could be belonging to the presence of dibenzo-alpha-pyrones along with humic and fulvic acids.

Identification of new aromatic cytokinins in Arabidopsis thaliana and Populus x canadensis leaves by LC-(+)ESI-MS and capillary liquid chromatography/frit-fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Tarkowská, Danuse; Dolezal, Karel; Tarkowski, Petr; Astot, Crister; Holub, Jan; Fuksová, Kvetoslava; Schmülling, Thomas; Sandberg, Göran; Strnad, Miroslav

2003-04-01

A search for naturally occurring aromatic cytokinins (ARCKs) in Arabidopsis thaliana plants and Populus x canadensis leaves led to the discovery of four new plant hormone substances: 6-(2-methoxybenzylamino)purine (ortho-methoxytopolin, MeoT), 6-(3-methoxybenzylamino)purine (meta-methoxytopolin, MemT) (Fig. 1) and their 9-beta-D-ribofuranosyl derivatives. These substances were identified by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry [LC (+)ESI-MS] and capillary-liquid chromatography/frit-fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry [CapLC/frit-FAB-MS] after pre-column derivatization. The chemical structures were subsequently confirmed by chemical synthesis. Because of lack of heavy labelled internal standards, the endogenous levels of methoxytopolins in A. thaliana plants, Populus x canadensis leaves and samples derived from cultures of Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain GV3101 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of HPLC-fractionated extracts. While the levels of MeoT, MemT and their ribosides in A. thaliana shoots and Populus x canadensis leaves were relatively low (approximately 0.25-10 pmol g-1 FW for MeoT and MemT, respectively), the A. tumefaciens strain produced up to 600 times more of the newly identified substances. Cytokinin activity of methoxytopolines was demonstrated in three bioassays testing their ability to stimulate tobacco callus growth, to delay chlorophyll degradation in excised wheat leaves, and to induce betacyanin synthesis in Amaranthus caudatus var. atropurpurea cotyledons. Notably, their anti-senescing activity in the wheat leaf assay exceeded that of BAP and Z by almost 200%. Methoxytopolins are proposed to be new members of the biologically active aromatic cytokinin family, which might have specific physiological functions.

Exogenous Melatonin Mitigates Acid Rain Stress to Tomato Plants through Modulation of Leaf Ultrastructure, Photosynthesis and Antioxidant Potential.

PubMed

Debnath, Biswojit; Hussain, Mubasher; Irshad, Muhammad; Mitra, Sangeeta; Li, Min; Liu, Shuang; Qiu, Dongliang

2018-02-11

Acid rain (AR) is a serious global environmental issue causing physio-morphological changes in plants. Melatonin, as an indoleamine molecule, has been known to mediate many physiological processes in plants under different kinds of environmental stress. However, the role of melatonin in acid rain stress tolerance remains inexpressible. This study investigated the possible role of melatonin on different physiological responses involving reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism in tomato plants under simulated acid rain (SAR) stress. SAR stress caused the inhibition of growth, damaged the grana lamella of the chloroplast, photosynthesis, and increased accumulation of ROS and lipid peroxidation in tomato plants. To cope the detrimental effect of SAR stress, plants under SAR condition had increased both enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant substances compared with control plants. But such an increase in the antioxidant activities were incapable of inhibiting the destructive effect of SAR stress. Meanwhile, melatonin treatment increased SAR-stress tolerance by repairing the grana lamella of the chloroplast, improving photosynthesis and antioxidant activities compared with those in SAR-stressed plants. However, these possible effects of melatonin are dependent on concentration. Moreover, our study suggests that 100-μM melatonin treatment improved the SAR-stress tolerance by increasing photosynthesis and ROS scavenging antioxidant activities in tomato plants.

Integrative medical therapy: examination of meditation's therapeutic and global medicinal outcomes via nitric oxide (review).

PubMed

Stefano, George B; Esch, Tobias

2005-10-01

Relaxation techniques are part of the integrative medicine movement that is of growing importance for mainstream medicine. Complementary medical therapies have the potential to affect many physiological systems. Repeatedly studies show the benefits of the placebo response and relaxation techniques in the treatment of hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety and mild and moderate depression, premenstrual syndrome, and infertility. In itself, relaxation is characterized by a decreased metabolism, heart rate, blood pressure, and rate of breathing as well as an increase in skin temperature. Relaxation approaches, such as progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, meditation and biofeedback, are effective in lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients by a significant margin. Given this association with changes in vascular tone, we have hypothesized that nitric oxide, a demonstrated vasodilator substance, contribute to physiological activity of relaxation approaches. We examined the scientific literature concerning the disorders noted earlier for their nitric oxide involvement in an attempt to provide a molecular rationale for the positive effects of relaxation approaches, which are physiological and cognitive process. We conclude that constitutive nitric oxide may crucially contribute to potentially beneficial outcomes and effects in diverse pathologies, exerting a global healing effect.

Bioherbicides: Current knowledge on weed control mechanism.

PubMed

Radhakrishnan, Ramalingam; Alqarawi, Abdulaziz A; Abd Allah, Elsayed Fathi

2018-04-17

Weed control is a challenging event during crop cultivation. Integrated management, including the application of bioherbicides, is an emerging method for weed control in sustainable agriculture. Plant extracts, allelochemicals and some microbes are utilized as bioherbicides to control weed populations. Bioherbicides based on plants and microbes inhibit the germination and growth of weeds; however,few studies conducted in weed physiology. This review ascribes the current knowledge of the physiological changes in weeds that occur during the exposure to bioherbicides. Plant extracts or metabolites are absorbed by weed seeds, which initiates damage to the cell membrane, DNA, mitosis, amylase activity and other biochemical processes and delays or inhibits seed germination. The growth of weeds is also retarded due to low rates of root-cell division, nutrient uptake, photosynthetic pigment synthesis, and plant growth hormone synthesis, while the productions of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and stress-mediated hormones increase, including irregular antioxidant activity. However, lytic enzymes and toxic substances secreted from microbes degrade the weed seed coat and utilize the endosperm for survival, which inhibits seed germination. The microbes grow through the intercellular spaces to reach the root core, and the deposition of toxins in the cells affects cell division and cellular functions. Some of the metabolites of deleterious microbes cause disease, necrosis and chlorosis,which inhibit the germination and growth of weed seeds by suppressing photosynthesis and gibberellin activities and enhancing ROS, abscisic acid and ethylene. This review explains the effects of bioherbicides (derived from plants and microbes) on weed-plant physiology to elucidate their modes of action. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toxicological issues associated with production and processing of meat.

PubMed

Püssa, Tõnu

2013-12-01

Meat is a very complex and continuously changing ex vivo system of various high- and low-molecular substances that can be used for satisfying needs of the human organism for metabolic energy, building material and fulfilling of the other vital functions. A great majority of these substances are useful and safe for the consumer. Yet, meat and meat products may always contain substances exerting detrimental effects to the consumer's organism. The present paper is a literature review of the most important potentially toxic substances found in meat and meat products; their classification, ways of getting into the meat or formation during meat processing, undesirable physiological outcomes and biochemical mechanisms of their toxic effects, and methods for reduction of these responses. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interactions between nicotine and drugs of abuse: A review of preclinical findings

PubMed Central

Kohut, Stephen J.

2017-01-01

Polysubstance abuse is common among substance use disorder patients and nicotine is one of the most commonly co-used substances. Epidemiological and clinical laboratory studies suggest that nicotine, when combined with other drugs of abuse, increases intake of one or both substances. This review focuses on the preclinical literature regarding nicotine’s interaction with alcohol, stimulants (i.e., cocaine, amphetamines), opioids (i.e., morphine, heroin) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The current understanding of how these various classes of abused drugs may interact with nicotine on behavioral, physiological, and pharmacological indices that may be important in maintaining co-use of one or both substances in human populations are highlighted. Suggestions as to future areas of research and gaps in knowledge are offered. PMID:27589579

Do toxic substances pose a threat to rehabilitation of lake trout in the Great Lakes? A review of the literature

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zint, Michaela T.; Taylor, William W.; Carl, Leon; Edsall, Carol C.; Heinrich, John; Sippel, Al; Lavis, Dennis; Schaner, Ted

1995-01-01

Toxic substances have been suspected of being one of the causes of Great Lakes lake trout reproductive failure. Because toxic substances are present in the Great Lakes basin, managers should be aware of the role of contaminants in preventing lake trout rehabilitation. This paper summarizes studies which have sought to establish a relation between toxic substances and lake trout mortality or morbidity, and offers recommendations for future research and management. The review suggests that exposure to toxic substances has the possibility of affecting the species' rehabilitation. A variety of toxic substances, specifically organochlorine compounds, concentrated in lake trout eggs, fry, and the environment, have affected the hatching success of lake trout in the laboratory, but the strength of the relation between toxic substances and lake trout mortality and morbidity in the field remains unclear. In order to clarify this relation, more information is needed on lake trout physiology, biochemistry, behavior, and genetics. An interdisciplinary workshop should be convened to evaluate existing evidence by epidemiological methods, to set priorities for further research, and to develop management strategies.

γ-Aminobutyric Acid Imparts Partial Protection from Salt Stress Injury to Maize Seedlings by Improving Photosynthesis and Upregulating Osmoprotectants and Antioxidants

PubMed Central

Wang, Yongchao; Gu, Wanrong; Meng, Yao; Xie, Tenglong; Li, Lijie; Li, Jing; Wei, Shi

2017-01-01

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) has high physiological activity in plant stress physiology. This study showed that the application of exogenous GABA by root drenching to moderately (MS, 150 mM salt concentration) and severely salt-stressed (SS, 300 mM salt concentration) plants significantly increased endogenous GABA concentration and improved maize seedling growth but decreased glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activity compared with non-treated ones. Exogenous GABA alleviated damage to membranes, increased in proline and soluble sugar content in leaves, and reduced water loss. After the application of GABA, maize seedling leaves suffered less oxidative damage in terms of superoxide anion (O2·−) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. GABA-treated MS and SS maize seedlings showed increased enzymatic antioxidant activity compared with that of untreated controls, and GABA-treated MS maize seedlings had a greater increase in enzymatic antioxidant activity than SS maize seedlings. Salt stress severely damaged cell function and inhibited photosynthesis, especially in SS maize seedlings. Exogenous GABA application could reduce the accumulation of harmful substances, help maintain cell morphology, and improve the function of cells during salt stress. These effects could reduce the damage to the photosynthetic system from salt stress and improve photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. GABA enhanced the salt tolerance of maize seedlings. PMID:28272438

Current concepts of space flight induced changes in hormonal control of fluid and electrolyte metabolism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leach, C. S.; Johnson, P. C.; Suki, W. N.

1983-01-01

A systematic analysis of body fluid and renal dynamics during simulated space flight (head-down bedrest) was undertaken to increase understanding of the physiologic effects of acute cephalad fluid shifts. The earliest effects were increases in central venous pressure and decreases in plasma aldosterone, epinephrine and norepinephrine and glomerular filtration rate, 2 h after the beginning of bedrest. Decreases in plasma angiotensin I at 6 h may have resulted from the increased effective pressure and decreased sympathetic activity seen earlier in bedrest. The early decrease in aldosterone and ADH is thought to contribute to an increase, by 6 h, in urinary excretion of salt and water. Fluid and electrolyte losses occur during space flight, and analysis of body fluids from Space Shuttle crewmembers has indicated that conservation of these substances is begun almost immediately upon cessation of weightlessness. Operational medicine measures to counteract dehydration and electrolyte loss resulted in a less extreme physiologic response to the flight.

Peptidase modulation of the pulmonary effects of tachykinins in tracheal superfused guinea pig lungs.

PubMed Central

Martins, M A; Shore, S A; Gerard, N P; Gerard, C; Drazen, J M

1990-01-01

The effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor captopril and the neutral endopeptidase (NEP) inhibitors thiorphan and SCH 32615 on the changes in airway opening pressure (PaO) and the recovery of offered peptide were studied after intratracheal administration of substance P (SP) and neurokinin A (NKA) in isolated guinea pig lungs superfused through the trachea. Pao changes and the recovery of offered peptide were significantly greater in NEP inhibitor-treated lungs than in control lungs. Captopril did not cause a significant change in the physiological effects or the recovery of SP and NKA. HPLC analysis of [3H]Pro2,4-SP and 125I-Histidyl1-NKA perfused through the airways showed major cleavage products consistent with NEP action. We conclude that there is significant degradation of both SP and NKA after tracheal infusion of peptides by NEP-like but not by ACE activity; this effect significantly influences the physiological effects of these peptides. Images PMID:1688568

Peptidase modulation of the pulmonary effects of tachykinins in tracheal superfused guinea pig lungs.

PubMed

Martins, M A; Shore, S A; Gerard, N P; Gerard, C; Drazen, J M

1990-01-01

The effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor captopril and the neutral endopeptidase (NEP) inhibitors thiorphan and SCH 32615 on the changes in airway opening pressure (PaO) and the recovery of offered peptide were studied after intratracheal administration of substance P (SP) and neurokinin A (NKA) in isolated guinea pig lungs superfused through the trachea. Pao changes and the recovery of offered peptide were significantly greater in NEP inhibitor-treated lungs than in control lungs. Captopril did not cause a significant change in the physiological effects or the recovery of SP and NKA. HPLC analysis of [3H]Pro2,4-SP and 125I-Histidyl1-NKA perfused through the airways showed major cleavage products consistent with NEP action. We conclude that there is significant degradation of both SP and NKA after tracheal infusion of peptides by NEP-like but not by ACE activity; this effect significantly influences the physiological effects of these peptides.

The biopsychology of salt hunger and sodium deficiency

PubMed Central

Hurley, Seth W.; Johnson, Alan Kim

2015-01-01

Sodium is a necessary dietary macromineral that tended to be sparsely distributed in mankind’s environment in the past. Evolutionary selection pressure shaped physiological mechanisms including hormonal systems and neural circuits that serve to promote sodium ingestion. Sodium deficiency triggers the activation of these hormonal systems and neural circuits to engage motivational processes that elicit a craving for salty substances and a state of reward when salty foods are consumed. Sodium deficiency also appears to be associated with aversive psychological states including anhedonia, impaired cognition, and fatigue. Under certain circumstances the psychological processes that promote salt intake can become powerful enough to cause “salt gluttony,” or salt intake far in excess of physiological need. The present review discusses three aspects of the biopsychology of salt hunger and sodium deficiency: 1) the psychological processes that promote salt intake during sodium deficiency, 2) the effects of sodium deficiency on mood and cognition, and 3) the sensitization of sodium appetite as a possible cause of salt gluttony. PMID:25572931

Reactive oxygen species-related activities of nano-iron metal and nano-iron oxides.

PubMed

Wu, Haohao; Yin, Jun-Jie; Wamer, Wayne G; Zeng, Mingyong; Lo, Y Martin

2014-03-01

Nano-iron metal and nano-iron oxides are among the most widely used engineered and naturally occurring nanostructures, and the increasing incidence of biological exposure to these nanostructures has raised concerns about their biotoxicity. Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative stress is one of the most accepted toxic mechanisms and, in the past decades, considerable efforts have been made to investigate the ROS-related activities of iron nanostructures. In this review, we summarize activities of nano-iron metal and nano-iron oxides in ROS-related redox processes, addressing in detail the known homogeneous and heterogeneous redox mechanisms involved in these processes, intrinsic ROS-related properties of iron nanostructures (chemical composition, particle size, and crystalline phase), and ROS-related bio-microenvironmental factors, including physiological pH and buffers, biogenic reducing agents, and other organic substances. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The biological correction is the new way of preservation of the Face of the Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popov, Alexander

2014-05-01

The major links of terrestrial ecosystems functioning are: composted organic material with mull humus type, nitrogen-fixing microorganisms and litholytic organisms, which capable of active biological weathering of minerals and/or rock in the soil. Now the main ways of influence on plant-soil system functioning are physical and chemical correction. Physical correction is the system of different soil cultivation and land reclamation. It directed on creation and maintenance of favorable water, thermal and air regimes and also the biological activity of soils for crops. Although the general tendency of agriculture is minimized of tillage (strip-till, mini-till and no-till), nevertheless the intensive cultivation is widely used in modern agriculture. Chemical correction is the agriculture chemicalixation. It directed on regulation of plant producing by replenishment of plant, mineral nutrition elements in soils, by foliar nutrition using water solutions of macro- and microelements, and by regulation of acidic and salt soil regimes. In this case the plant protection against the pests and infections is carried out by various pesticides. This way of correction is completely realized in agriculture, but it doesn't consider the natural laws due to plants together with the soil from the interconnected and interdependent system. The continuing increase of agriculture chemicalixation simultaneously with a repeated tillage is led to loss of the major links of plant-soil systems functioning and to the degradation of a soil cover. Such way of plant productivity is a deadlock. New evolutionary way of preservation of the Face of the Earth is biological correction of plant-soil system functioning. A gist of this correction is the replenishment of the lost plant-soil system links. Biological correction leans on scientific achievements of modern biotechnologies, such as: vermicomposting, microbiologic specimens, physiologically active substances, biological agents of plant protection, etc. Methods of biological correction are exact biological analogs of natural links and so they can't cause the negative phenomena of plant growth and development. The principle of biological interrelationship is the base of these methods. At the heart of these methods the principle of biological compliance lies. Herewith, physiological features of plants are considered necessary. There are following main biological correction methods of plant productivity: (i) biological amelioration of soils (using of vermicomposts, earthworms, microbiologic specimens, organic and green manure, etc.); (ii) infection of plants by cultures of living microorganisms (for plant nutrition and protection); (iii) inputting of biological insecticides into plants (allows to fight even against larvae of mining insects successfully); (iv) influence on a plant metabolism by physiologically active substances (such as solutions of humic substances in particular); (v) creation of multilayered mats for gardening of deserts. The field experiments in working conditions, which were carried out in different climatic zones, bear evidence of efficiency of biological correction methods. In our opinion biological correction methods are capable to support and/or restore land-cover, to stop a degradation, and by that to prevent a disfigurement of the Face of the Earth.

Effects of type of exercise on depression in recovering substance abusers.

PubMed

Palmer, J A; Palmer, L K; Michiels, K; Thigpen, B

1995-04-01

This experiment investigated the effects of three types of structured exercise (aerobics, bodybuilding, and circuit training) on depressive symptoms of 45 clients undergoing a 4-wk., inpatient rehabilitation program for substance abuse. Pre- and posttest measures included the Center of Epidemiological Studies--Depression, resting pulse rate, blood pressure, maximum strength on incline bench press, and estimates of aerobic fitness and body fat. The bodybuilding program produced a significant decrease in depressive symptoms. Physiological and psychological explanations are discussed.

Non-Nutritive Sweeteners and their Role in the Gastrointestinal Tract

PubMed Central

Rother, Kristina I.

2012-01-01

Context: Non-nutritive sweeteners can bind to sweet-taste receptors present not only in the oral cavity, but also on enteroendocrine and pancreatic islet cells. Thus, these sweeteners may have biological activity by eliciting or inhibiting hormone secretion. Because consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners is common in the United States, understanding the physiological effects of these substances is of interest and importance. Evidence Acquisition: A PubMed (1960–2012) search was performed to identify articles examining the effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on gastrointestinal physiology and hormone secretion. Evidence Synthesis: The majority of in vitro studies showed that non-nutritive sweeteners can elicit secretion of gut hormones such as glucagon-like peptide 1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide in enteroendocrine or islet cells. In rodents, non-nutritive sweeteners increased the rate of intestinal glucose absorption, but did not alter gut hormone secretion in the absence of glucose. Most studies in humans have not detected effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on gut hormones or glucose absorption. Of eight human studies, one showed increased glucose-stimulated glucagon-like peptide 1 secretion after diet soda consumption, and one showed decreased glucagon secretion after stevia ingestion. Conclusions: In humans, few studies have examined the hormonal effects of non-nutritive sweeteners, and inconsistent results have been reported, with the majority not recapitulating in vitro data. Further research is needed to determine whether non-nutritive sweeteners have physiologically significant biological activity in humans. PMID:22679063

Chemosignals, Hormones and Mammalian Reproduction

PubMed Central

Petrulis, Aras

2013-01-01

Many mammalian species use chemosignals to coordinate reproduction by altering the physiology and behavior of both sexes. Chemosignals prime reproductive physiology so that individuals become sexually mature and active at times when mating is most probable and suppress it when it is not. Once in reproductive condition, odors produced and deposited by both males and females are used to find and select individuals for mating. The production, dissemination and appropriate responses to these cues are modulated heavily by organizational and activational effects of gonadal sex steroids and thereby intrinsically link chemical communication to the broader reproductive context. Many compounds have been identified as “pheromones” but very few have met the expectations of that term: a unitary, species-typical substance that is both necessary and sufficient for an experience-independent behavioral or physiological response. In contrast, most responses to chemosignals are dependent or heavily modulated by experience, either in adulthood or during development. Mechanistically, chemosignals are perceived by both main and accessory (vomeronasal) olfactory systems with the importance of each system tied strongly to the nature of the stimulus rather than to the response. In the central nervous system, the vast majority of responses to chemosignals are mediated by cortical and medial amygdala connections with hypothalamic and other forebrain structures. Despite the importance of chemosignals in mammals, many details of chemical communication differ even among closely related species and defy clear categorization. Although generating much research and public interest, strong evidence for the existence of a robust chemical communication among humans is lacking. PMID:23545474

Ethylene and the Regulation of Physiological and Morphological Responses to Nutrient Deficiencies

PubMed Central

García, María José; Romera, Francisco Javier; Lucena, Carlos; Alcántara, Esteban; Pérez-Vicente, Rafael

2015-01-01

To cope with nutrient deficiencies, plants develop both morphological and physiological responses. The regulation of these responses is not totally understood, but some hormones and signaling substances have been implicated. It was suggested several years ago that ethylene participates in the regulation of responses to iron and phosphorous deficiency. More recently, its role has been extended to other deficiencies, such as potassium, sulfur, and others. The role of ethylene in so many deficiencies suggests that, to confer specificity to the different responses, it should act through different transduction pathways and/or in conjunction with other signals. In this update, the data supporting a role for ethylene in the regulation of responses to different nutrient deficiencies will be reviewed. In addition, the results suggesting the action of ethylene through different transduction pathways and its interaction with other hormones and signaling substances will be discussed. PMID:26175512

Regulation of phosphorylase kinase by low concentrations of Ca ions upon muscle contraction: the connection between metabolism and muscle contraction and the connection between muscle physiology and Ca-dependent signal transduction.

PubMed

Ozawa, Eijiro

2011-01-01

It had long been one of the crucial questions in muscle physiology how glycogenolysis is regulated in connection with muscle contraction, when we found the answer to this question in the last half of the 1960s. By that time, the two principal currents of muscle physiology, namely, the metabolic flow starting from glycogen and the mechanisms of muscle contraction, had already been clarified at the molecular level thanks to our senior researchers. Thus, the final question we had to answer was how to connect these two currents. We found that low concentrations of Ca ions (10(-7)-10(-4) M) released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum for the regulation of muscle contraction simultaneously reversibly activate phosphorylase kinase, the enzyme regulating glycogenolysis. Moreover, we found that adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP), which is already known to activate muscle phosphorylase kinase, is not effective in the absence of such concentrations of Ca ions. Thus, cyclic AMP is not effective by itself alone and only modifies the activation process in the presence of Ca ions (at that time, cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase had not yet been identified). After a while, it turned out that our works have not only provided the solution to the above problem on muscle physiology, but have also been considered as the first report of Ca-dependent protein phosphorylation, which is one of the central problems in current cell biology. Phosphorylase kinase is the first protein kinase to phosphorylate a protein resulting in the change in the function of the phosphorylated protein, as shown by Krebs and Fischer. Our works further showed that this protein kinase is regulated in a Ca-dependent manner. Accordingly, our works introduced the concept of low concentrations of Ca ions, which were first identified as the regulatory substance of muscle contraction, to the vast field of Ca biology including signal transduction.

Overviews of Biological Importance of Quercetin: A Bioactive Flavonoid

PubMed Central

Anand David, Alexander Victor; Arulmoli, Radhakrishnan; Parasuraman, Subramani

2016-01-01

Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules such as free radicals. Flavonoids are phenolic substances widely found in fruits and vegetables. The previous studies showed that the ingestion of flavonoids reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and certain types of cancer. These effects are due to the physiological activity of flavonoids in the reduction of oxidative stress, inhibiting low-density lipoproteins oxidation and platelet aggregation, and acting as vasodilators in blood vessels. Free radicals are constantly generated resulting in extensive damage to tissues leading to various disease conditions such as cancer, Alzheimer's, renal diseases, cardiac abnormalities, etc., Medicinal plants with antioxidant properties play a vital functions in exhibiting beneficial effects and employed as an alternative source of medicine to mitigate the disease associated with oxidative stress. Flavonoids have existed over one billion years and possess wide spectrum of biological activities that might be able to influence processes which are dysregulated in a disease. Quercetin, a plant pigment is a potent antioxidant flavonoid and more specifically a flavonol, found mostly in onions, grapes, berries, cherries, broccoli, and citrus fruits. It is a versatile antioxidant known to possess protective abilities against tissue injury induced by various drug toxicities. PMID:28082789

Acute morphine effects on respiratory activity in mice with target deletion of the tachykinin 1 gene (Tac1-/-).

PubMed

Shvarev, Yuri; Berner, Jonas; Bilkei-Gorzo, Andras; Lagercrantz, Hugo; Wickström, Ronny

2010-01-01

Search for physiological mechanisms which could antagonize the opioid-induced respiratory depression is of important clinical value. In this study, we investigated the acute effects of morphine on respiratory activity in genetically modified newborn (P2) mice with target deletion of the (Tac1 -/-) gene lacking substance P (SP) and neurokinin A (NKA). In vivo, as shown with whole-body flow barometric plethysmography technique, morphine induced significantly attenuated minute ventilation during intermittent hypoxia in control animals. In contrast, knockout mice revealed significant increase in minute ventilation. In vitro, in brainstem preparation, knockout mice demonstrated greater changes in burst frequency during intermittent anoxia challenge. The data suggest that hereditary deficiency in tachykinins, SP and NKA results in more robust hypoxic response in newborn Tac1-/- mice during respiratory depression induced by morphine.

[Biomaterials in bone repair].

PubMed

Puska, Mervi; Aho, Allan J; Vallittu, Pekka K

2013-01-01

In orthopedics, traumatology, and craniofacial surgery, biomaterials should meet the clinical demands of bone that include shape, size and anatomical location of the defect, as well as the physiological load-bearing stresses. Biomaterials are metals, ceramics, plastics or materials of biological origin. In the treatment of large defects, metallic endoprostheses or bone grafts are employed, whereas ceramics in the case of small defects. Plastics are employed on the artificial joint surfaces, in the treatment of vertebral compression fractures, and as biodegradable screws and plates. Porosity, bioactivity, and identical biomechanics to bone are fundamental for achieving a durable, well-bonded, interface between biomaterial and bone. In the case of severe bone treatments, biomaterials should also imply an option to add biologically active substances.

[The role of metalloprotease in pathogenesis of nervous system diseases].

PubMed

Mirowska, D; Członkowska, A

2001-01-01

Matrix Metalloproteases (MMPs) comprise a big family of proteolytic enzymes secreted into extracellular matrix and involved in remodelling of many tissues. The MMPs' activity is regulated on many levels. It is also determined by specific inhibitors known as tissue inhibitors of metalloproteases (TIMPs). Several studies revealed that MMPs have a role not only in physiological processes but also in pathophysiology of nervous system diseases, such as multiplex sclerosis, Guillan-Barré syndrome and strokes. Concerning demyelination MMPs are responsible for degradation of myelin components and facilitation of immune cells migration into inflammatory sites by degrading vascular basement membrane. We still investigate substances with positive clinical effect on the nervous system diseases due to MMPs inactivation.

Assay of Vitamins and Amino Acids With Cultured Tissue Cells and Antimetabolites

PubMed Central

Savchuck, W. B.; Merriman, M. E.; Lockhart, W. L.

1964-01-01

A survey of growth responses of tissue-culture cells to vitamins and amino acids was undertaken to explore the potentialities of tissue culture in the assay of growth factors. An antagonist of the nutrient was included in each test system to improve its sensitivity. Addition of an antimetabolite was advantageous in the thiamine and phenylalanine assays. Tissue-culture assays of tryptophan and of phenylalanine supplemented with β-2-thienylalanine compared favorably with microbial assays, and may serve as confirmatory or supplementary test systems. The sensitivity of cultured tissue cells to minute amounts of a variety of physiologically active substances suggests their employment in hormone and toxic compound assays. Images FIG. 7 PMID:14199020

Kokumi Substances, Enhancers of Basic Tastes, Induce Responses in Calcium-Sensing Receptor Expressing Taste Cells

PubMed Central

Maruyama, Yutaka; Yasuda, Reiko; Kuroda, Motonaka; Eto, Yuzuru

2012-01-01

Recently, we reported that calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) is a receptor for kokumi substances, which enhance the intensities of salty, sweet and umami tastes. Furthermore, we found that several γ-glutamyl peptides, which are CaSR agonists, are kokumi substances. In this study, we elucidated the receptor cells for kokumi substances, and their physiological properties. For this purpose, we used Calcium Green-1 loaded mouse taste cells in lingual tissue slices and confocal microscopy. Kokumi substances, applied focally around taste pores, induced an increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in a subset of taste cells. These responses were inhibited by pretreatment with the CaSR inhibitor, NPS2143. However, the kokumi substance-induced responses did not require extracellular Ca2+. CaSR-expressing taste cells are a different subset of cells from the T1R3-expressing umami or sweet taste receptor cells. These observations indicate that CaSR-expressing taste cells are the primary detectors of kokumi substances, and that they are an independent population from the influenced basic taste receptor cells, at least in the case of sweet and umami. PMID:22511946

Administration of the anabolic androgenic steroid nandrolone decanoate affects substance P endopeptidase-like activity in the rat brain.

PubMed

Magnusson, Kristina; Hallberg, Mathias; Högberg, Anna M S Kindlundh; Nyberg, Fred

2006-01-01

The effect of the anabolic androgenic steroid, nandrolone decanoate, on substance P endopeptidase-like activity was examined in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Nandrolone decanoate (15 mg/kg day) or oil vehicle (sterile arachidis oleum) were administered by intramuscular injections during 14 days. Substance P endopeptidase, a predominantly cytosolic enzyme, generates the bioactive N-terminal fragment substance P(1-7) from the enzyme substrate substance P. Nandrolone decanoate significantly reduced the substance P endopeptidase-like activity compared to control animals in hypothalamus (43% reduction), caudate putamen (44%), substantia nigra (32%) and the ventral tegmental area (27%). It was previously reported that both hypothalamus and caudate putamen contained significantly higher levels of substance P after nandrolone administration. The higher concentration of substance P in these regions could to an extent be attributed to the reduction in substance P endopeptidase-like activity. This result elucidates the important role of peptidase activity in the regulation of the substance P transmitter system. The present study provides additional support for the hypothesis that alterations in the substance P system in certain brain areas may contribute to some of the personality changes reported in connection with AAS abuse.

Proteolysis Controls Endogenous Substance P Levels

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Andrew J.; Lone, Anna Mari; Tinoco, Arthur D.; Saghatelian, Alan

2013-01-01

Substance P (SP) is a prototypical neuropeptide with roles in pain and inflammation. Numerous mechanisms regulate endogenous SP levels, including the differential expression of SP mRNA and the controlled secretion of SP from neurons. Proteolysis has long been suspected to regulate extracellular SP concentrations but data in support of this hypothesis is scarce. Here, we provide evidence that proteolysis controls SP levels in the spinal cord. Using peptidomics to detect and quantify endogenous SP fragments, we identify the primary SP cleavage site as the C-terminal side of the ninth residue of SP. If blocking this pathway increases SP levels, then proteolysis controls SP concentration. We performed a targeted chemical screen using spinal cord lysates as a proxy for the endogenous metabolic environment and identified GM6001 (galardin, ilomastat) as a potent inhibitor of the SP 1–9-producing activity present in the tissue. Administration of GM6001 to mice results in a greater-than-three-fold increase in the spinal cord levels of SP, which validates the hypothesis that proteolysis controls physiological SP levels. PMID:23894327

Physiological Control of Molluscan Gill Cilia by 5-Hydroxytryptamine

PubMed Central

Gosselin, R. E.; Moore, K. E.; Milton, A. S.

1962-01-01

An examination is made of the hypothesis that endogenous 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) serves as a local hormone regulating ciliary activity in the lamellibranch gill. These cilia are sensitive to exogenous 5-HT and respond to it by a prompt, sustained, and reversible rise in beat frequency; at the same time the carbohydrate metabolism is stimulated, as described elsewhere. Control gill contains small but definite amounts of endogenous 5-HT according to bioassay, fluorometry, and chromatography. The amount can be increased markedly by exposing the isolated gill to the precursor substance 5-hydroxytryptophan but not l-tryptophan. As the tissue level of 5-HT rises, the spontaneous beat frequency also rises. Both remain elevated for hours and perhaps for days. The gill of Mytilus edulis is richer than the gill of Modiolus demissus in both endogenous 5-HT and effective 5-hydroxytryptophan decarboxylase activity. Modiolus gill lacks the 5-hydroxyindole oxidase by which Mytilus gill destroys 5-HT. What if any mechanism exists in Modiolus for degrading 5-HT is not known, but monoamine oxidase is not present. The 5-HT content of Mytilus and Modiolus gill cannot be modified by treatment with reserpine or α-methyl-dopa. Which cells of the gill synthesize and destroy 5-HT has not been established, but these observations support the concept that the physiological activity of lamellibranch gill cilia is controlled by a serotonergic mechanism. PMID:13949402

The Physiological Expression of Living in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods for Youth

PubMed Central

Brenner, Allison B.; Zimmerman, Marc A.; Bauermeister, Jose A.; Caldwell, Cleopatra H.

2012-01-01

Evidence suggests that the consequences of chronic exposure to stressors extend beyond psychological effects, and that adolescents living in socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods may experience an accumulation of exposure to stressors that wears down the physical systems in the body, resulting in hyper-activation of the stress response. This research examines the relationship between exposure to neighborhood stressors and salivary cortisol reactivity in a sample of 163 at-risk African American adolescents (average age 21; 50% female) living in disadvantaged urban neighborhoods. More specifically, the relationship between neighborhood stressors and physiological stress, measured by baseline cortisol and cortisol reactivity is assessed. This research also examines several moderating pathways between exposure to neighborhood disadvantage and cortisol reactivity including substance use, high effort coping, psychological stress and social support. Results indicate that both individual and neighborhood-level factors influence adolescent cortisol. High effort coping and psychological stress were associated with cortisol in the sample, and exposure to neighborhood socio-economic disadvantage resulted in an atypical cortisol response. In addition, neighborhood disadvantage interacted with intra- and interpersonal factors to affect cortisol indirectly. Thus, living in disadvantaged neighborhoods may take a psychological and physiological toll on adolescents, and it also may exert synergistic effects through individual coping and vulnerabilities. PMID:23086016

Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Differentially Expressed Proteins Induced by Hydrogen Sulfide in Spinacia oleracea Leaves

PubMed Central

Chen, Juan; Liu, Ting-Wu; Hu, Wen-Jun; Simon, Martin; Wang, Wen-Hua; Chen, Juan; Liu, Xiang; Zheng, Hai-Lei

2014-01-01

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), as a potential gaseous messenger molecule, has been suggested to play important roles in a wide range of physiological processes in plants. The aim of present study was to investigate which set of proteins is involved in H2S-regulated metabolism or signaling pathways. Spinacia oleracea seedlings were treated with 100 µM NaHS, a donor of H2S. Changes in protein expression profiles were analyzed by 2-D gel electrophoresis coupled with MALDI-TOF MS. Over 1000 protein spots were reproducibly resolved, of which the abundance of 92 spots was changed by at least 2-fold (sixty-five were up-regulated, whereas 27 were down-regulated). These proteins were functionally divided into 9 groups, including energy production and photosynthesis, cell rescue, development and cell defense, substance metabolism, protein synthesis and folding, cellular signal transduction. Further, we found that these proteins were mainly localized in cell wall, plasma membrane, chloroplast, mitochondria, nucleus, peroxisome and cytosol. Our results demonstrate that H2S is involved in various cellular and physiological activities and has a distinct influence on photosynthesis, cell defense and cellular signal transduction in S. oleracea leaves. These findings provide new insights into proteomic responses in plants under physiological levels of H2S. PMID:25181351

Dietary Nutrients and Bioactive Substances Modulate Heat Shock Protein (HSP) Expression: A Review.

PubMed

Moura, Carolina Soares; Lollo, Pablo Christiano Barboza; Morato, Priscila Neder; Amaya-Farfan, Jaime

2018-05-28

Interest in the heat shock proteins (HSPs), as a natural physiological toolkit of living organisms, has ranged from their chaperone function in nascent proteins to the remedial role following cell stress. As part of the defence system, HSPs guarantee cell tolerance against a variety of stressors, including exercise, oxidative stress, hyper and hypothermia, hyper and hypoxia and improper diets. For the past couple of decades, research on functional foods has revealed a number of substances likely to trigger cell protection through mechanisms that involve the induction of HSP expression. This review will summarize the occurrence of the most easily inducible HSPs and describe the effects of dietary proteins, peptides, amino acids, probiotics, high-fat diets and other food-derived substances reported to induce HSP response in animals and humans studies. Future research may clarify the mechanisms and explore the usefulness of this natural alternative of defense and the modulating mechanism of each substance.

Performance-enhancing substances in sports: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Momaya, Amit; Fawal, Marc; Estes, Reed

2015-04-01

Performance-enhancing substances (PESs) have unfortunately become ubiquitous in numerous sports, often tarnishing the spirit of competition. Reported rates of PES use among athletes are variable and range from 5 to 31%. More importantly, some of these substances pose a serious threat to the health and well-being of athletes. Common PESs include anabolic-androgenic steroids, human growth hormone, creatine, erythropoietin and blood doping, amphetamines and stimulants, and beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate. With recent advances in technology, gene doping is also becoming more conceivable. Sports medicine physicians are often unfamiliar with these substances and thus do not routinely broach the topic of PESs with their patients. However, to effect positive change in the sports community, physicians must educate themselves about the physiology, performance benefits, adverse effects, and testing methods. In turn, physicians can then educate athletes at all levels and prevent the use of potentially dangerous PESs.

Emotion, Decision-Making and Substance Dependence: A Somatic-Marker Model of Addiction

PubMed Central

Verdejo-García, A; Pérez-García, M; Bechara, A

2006-01-01

Similar to patients with orbitofrontal cortex lesions, substance dependent individuals (SDI) show signs of impairments in decision-making, characterised by a tendency to choose the immediate reward at the expense of severe negative future consequences. The somatic-marker hypothesis proposes that decision-making depends in many important ways on neural substrates that regulate homeostasis, emotion and feeling. According to this model, there should be a link between abnormalities in experiencing emotions in SDI, and their severe impairments in decision-making in real-life. Growing evidence from neuroscientific studies suggests that core aspects of substance addiction may be explained in terms of abnormal emotional guidance of decision-making. Behavioural studies have revealed emotional processing and decision-making deficits in SDI. Combined neuropsychological and physiological assessment has demonstrated that the poorer decision-making of SDI is associated with altered reactions to reward and punishing events. Imaging studies have shown that impaired decision-making in addiction is associated with abnormal functioning of a distributed neural network critical for the processing of emotional information, including the ventromedial cortex, the amygdala, the striatum, the anterior cingulate cortex, and the insular/somato-sensory cortices, as well as non-specific neurotransmitter systems that modulate activities of neural processes involved in decision-making. The aim of this paper is to review this growing evidence, and to examine the extent of which these studies support a somatic-marker model of addiction. PMID:18615136

Hepatic injury induces contrasting response in liver and kidney to chemicals that are metabolically activated: Role of male sex hormone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Young C.; Yim, Hye K.; Jung, Young S.

2007-08-15

Injury to liver, resulting in loss of its normal physiological/biochemical functions, may adversely affect a secondary organ. We examined the response of the liver and kidney to chemical substances that require metabolic activation for their toxicities in mice with a preceding liver injury. Carbon tetrachloride treatment 24 h prior to a challenging dose of carbon tetrachloride or acetaminophen decreased the resulting hepatotoxicity both in male and female mice as determined by histopathological examination and increases in serum enzyme activities. In contrast, the renal toxicity of the challenging toxicants was elevated markedly in male, but not in female mice. Partial hepatectomymore » also induced similar changes in the hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity of a challenging toxicant, suggesting that the contrasting response of male liver and kidney was associated with the reduction of the hepatic metabolizing capacity. Carbon tetrachloride pretreatment or partial hepatectomy decreased the hepatic xenobiotic-metabolizing enzyme activities in both sexes but elevated the renal p-nitrophenol hydroxylase, p-nitroanisole O-demethylase and aminopyrine N-demethylase activities significantly only in male mice. Increases in Cyp2e1 and Cyp2b expression were also evident in male kidney. Castration of males or testosterone administration to females diminished the sex-related differences in the renal response to an acute liver injury. The results indicate that reduction of the hepatic metabolizing capacity induced by liver injury may render secondary target organs susceptible to chemical substances activated in these organs. This effect may be sex-specific. It is also suggested that an integrated approach should be taken for proper assessment of chemical hazards.« less

Compartmental analysis and its manifold applications to pharmacokinetics.

PubMed

Rescigno, Aldo

2010-03-01

In this paper, I show how the concept of compartment evolved from the simple dilution of a substance in a physiological volume to its distribution in a network of interconnected spaces. The differential equations describing the fate of a substance in a living being can be solved, qualitatively and quantitatively, with the help of a number of mathematical techniques. A number of parameters of pharmacokinetic interest can be computed from the experimental data; often, the data available are not sufficient to determine some parameters, but it is possible to determine their range.

Dendritic release of neurotransmitters

PubMed Central

Ludwig, Mike; Apps, David; Menzies, John; Patel, Jyoti C.; Rice, Margaret E.

2017-01-01

Release of neuroactive substances by exocytosis from dendrites is surprisingly widespread and is not confined to a particular class of transmitters: it occurs in multiple brain regions, and includes a range of neuropeptides, classical neurotransmitters and signaling molecules such as nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, ATP and arachidonic acid. This review is focused on hypothalamic neuroendocrine cells that release vasopressin and oxytocin and midbrain neurons that release dopamine. For these two model systems, the stimuli, mechanisms and physiological functions of dendritic release have been explored in greater detail than is yet available for other neurons and neuroactive substances. PMID:28135005

Cross-Species Extrapolation of Uptake and Disposition of Neutral Organic Chemicals in Fish Using a Multispecies Physiologically-Based Toxicokinetic Model Framework.

PubMed

Brinkmann, Markus; Schlechtriem, Christian; Reininghaus, Mathias; Eichbaum, Kathrin; Buchinger, Sebastian; Reifferscheid, Georg; Hollert, Henner; Preuss, Thomas G

2016-02-16

The potential to bioconcentrate is generally considered to be an unwanted property of a substance. Consequently, chemical legislation, including the European REACH regulations, requires the chemical industry to provide bioconcentration data for chemicals that are produced or imported at volumes exceeding 100 tons per annum or if there is a concern that a substance is persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. For the filling of the existing data gap for chemicals produced or imported at levels that are below this stipulated volume, without the need for additional animal experiments, physiologically-based toxicokinetic (PBTK) models can be used to predict whole-body and tissue concentrations of neutral organic chemicals in fish. PBTK models have been developed for many different fish species with promising results. In this study, we developed PBTK models for zebrafish (Danio rerio) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) and combined them with existing models for rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss), lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). The resulting multispecies model framework allows for cross-species extrapolation of the bioaccumulative potential of neutral organic compounds. Predictions were compared with experimental data and were accurate for most substances. Our model can be used for probabilistic risk assessment of chemical bioaccumulation, with particular emphasis on cross-species evaluations.

[Natural or synthetic vitamin C? A new substance's precarious status behind the scenes of World War II].

PubMed

Bächi, Beat

2008-01-01

Today, thousands of tons of vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid) is synthesized every year by the pharmaceutical industry. Synthetically produced vitamin C is widely accepted as having the same physiological effects as vitamin C isolated from natural sources. This is an important difference compared to the 1930s when vitamin C was synthesized for the first time. The identity of synthetic vitamin C with natural vitamin C had to be established. First of all, the scientific community had to accept that artificial I-ascorbic acid and natural vitamin C were chemically identical and had the same physiological effects. Second, other communities like food manufacturers, military health officials, and the broader public also had to be persuaded that these substances were equal. This article demonstrates how Hoffmann-La Roche, a Swiss pharmaceutical company and world-leading producer of synthetic vitamins in the 20th century, tried to coax its adversaries into supporting artificial vitamin C. In doing so, synthetic vitamin C was naturalized in different ways. In the case of Switzerland during the Second World War era, the mentality of national defense and the quest for products supporting autarchy helped to convince perspective consumers. Thus in order to sell a new chemical substance, cultural meaning had to be attached to it.

Fluoxetine and WAY 100,635 dissociate increases in scototaxis and analgesia induced by conspecific alarm substance in zebrafish (Danio rerio Hamilton 1822).

PubMed

Maximino, Caio; Lima, Monica Gomes; Costa, Carina Cardoso; Guedes, Iêda Maria Louzada; Herculano, Anderson Manoel

2014-09-01

Alarm reactions to a substance secreted by the damaged skin of conspecifics and closely-related species are increasingly being recognized as fear-like responses in fish. The neurochemical underpinnings of these effects are so far unknown; however, given the role of the serotonergic system on defensive behavior, it is possible that the alarm reaction is mediated by this monoamine. Exposure to conspecific alarm substance (CAS) increased anxiety-like behavior in the light/dark test in zebrafish and decreased nocifensive behavior. These effects were accompanied by increases in blood glucose, hemoglobin, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels, as well as extracellular levels of serotonin in the brain. Pretreatment with fluoxetine blocked the anxiogenic effects of CAS on the light/dark test as well as all physiological parameters and the increase in extracellular brain 5-HT, but not the reduction in nocifensive behavior. Conversely, pretreatment with the 5-HT1AR antagonist WAY 100635 blocked the effects on nocifensive behavior, but not the effects on anxiety-like behavior nor on physiological parameters. These results point to an important and complex role of the serotonergic system in the mediation of fear-potentiated behavior in the light/dark test and in fear-induced analgesia in zebrafish. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Locomotor activation induced in rodent by substance P and analogues. Blockade of the effect of substance P by met-enkephalin antiserum.

PubMed

Naranjo, J R; Del Rio, J

1984-10-01

Intraventricular administration of substance P (SP), of the heptapeptide SP5-11 and of DiMe-C7, a stable analogue of SP5-11 induced locomotor activation in rats and in mice. The activating effect of substance P was longer-lasting in mice than in rats, whereas the effect of the two heptapeptides appears to be more marked in rats than in mice. The locomotor stimulation induced by substance P was blocked by naloxone and by the specific antiserum against met-enkephalin, suggesting that this effect is possibly mediated by released of this opioid peptide. Since the activating effect of substance P was also blocked by haloperidol, it is proposed that substance P produces behavioural excitation by activating dopaminergic systems, implicated in the control of locomotion, through interposed enkephalinergic neurones.

Dietary antioxidants and bioflavonoids in atherosclerosis and angiogenesis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Dietary antioxidants are defined in Dietary Reference Intakes: the Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements [1] as "substances in foods that significantly decrease the adverse effects of reactive species, such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, on normal physiological function in humans." Howe...

Red wine and component flavonoids inhibit UGT2B17 in vitro

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The metabolism and excretion of the anabolic steroid testosterone occurs by glucuronidation to the conjugate testosterone glucuronide which is then excreted in urine. Alterations in UGT glucuronidation enzyme activity could alter the rate of testosterone excretion and thus its bioavailability. The aim of this study is to investigate if red wine, a common dietary substance, has an inhibitory effect on UGT2B17. Methods Testosterone glucuronidation was assayed using human UGT2B17 supersomes with quantification of unglucuronidated testosterone over time using HPLC with DAD detection. The selected red wine was analyzed using HPLC; and the inhibitory effects of the wine and phenolic components were tested independently in a screening assay. Further analyses were conducted for the strongest inhibitors at physiologically relevant concentrations. Control experiments were conducted to determine the effects of the ethanol on UGT2B17. Results Over the concentration range of 2 to 8%, the red wine sample inhibited the glucuronidation of testosterone by up to 70% over 2 hours. The ethanol content had no significant effect. Three red wine phenolics, identified by HPLC analyses, also inhibited the enzyme by varying amounts in the order of quercetin (72%), caffeic acid (22%) and gallic acid (9%); using a ratio of phenolic:testosterone of 1:2.5. In contrast p-coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid had no effect on the UGT2B17. The most active phenolic was selected for a detailed study at physiologically relevant concentrations, and quercetin maintained inhibitory activity of 20% at 2 μM despite a ten-fold excess of testosterone. Conclusion This study reports that in an in vitro supersome-based assay, the key steroid-metabolizing enzyme UGT2B17 is inhibited by a number of phenolic dietary substances and therefore may reduce the rate of testosterone glucuronidation in vivo. These results highlight the potential interactions of a number of common dietary compounds on testosterone metabolism. Considering the variety of foodstuffs that contain flavonoids, it is feasible that diet can elevate levels of circulating testosterone through reduction in urinary excretion. These results warrant further investigation and extension to a human trial to delineate the health implications. PMID:22958586

Preimaginal exposure to azadirachtin affects food selection and digestive enzymes in adults of Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae).

PubMed

Kilani-Morakchi, Samira; Bezzar-Bendjazia, Radia; Ferdenache, Maroua; Aribi, Nadia

2017-08-01

Among the plant derived product, azadirachtin, a neem-based insecticide, is exceptional in having a broad range of bioactivity including toxicity, growth, development and reproduction effects, repellency and antifeedancy. If considerable progress on the physiological and biological activities and agricultural application of azadirachtin has been achieved, its exact mechanism of action remains uncertain. In this study, we aimed at assessing the lethal and sublethal behavioral and physiological effects of azadirachtin on Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, 1830 (Diptera: Drosophilidae) as biological model. Azadirachtin was applied topically at two doses LD 25 (0.28μg) and LD 50 (0.67μg) on early third instar larvae. Results showed that flies preferentially ingested control medium rather than azadirachtin-treated medium. Pre-imaginal exposure (L3) to azadirachtin increased aversion to this substance suggesting a memorability of the learned avoidance. In addition, all tested flies revealed a clear preference for solvent odour rather than azadirachtin odour. Moreover, azadirachtin treatment decreased significantly the amount of food intake in the adults of both sexes. Finally, azadirachtin was found to affect digestive enzyme activities in the midgut of flies. Indeed, an inhibition of α-amylase, chitinase, and protease activities and an increase of lipasic activity were noted. These results may reflect interference of azadirachtin with regulation of feeding and metabolism, and provide some evidence of a long term antifeedancy and delayed effects through developmental stage which may reinforce the insecticidal activity of this bioinsecticide. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Commonalities and differences across substance use disorders: phenomenological and epidemiological aspects

PubMed Central

Shmulewitz, Dvora; Greene, Emily R; Hasin, Deborah

2016-01-01

Background Although psychoactive substances vary in many ways, they have important commonalties, particularly in their ability to lead to an addiction syndrome. The field lacks an updated review of the commonalities and differences in the phenomenology of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, stimulants, opioids, hallucinogens, sedatives/tranquilizers and inhalants and their related substance use disorders (SUD). Methods DSM-IV and DSM-5 SUD diagnostic criteria were reviewed, as was evidence from recent epidemiological and clinical research: psychometric studies (test-retest reliability, latent trait analysis); physiological indicators (tolerance, withdrawal); prevalence and age of onset. Information was incorporated from previous reviews, PubMed and Scopus literature searches, and data from large U.S. national surveys. Results Empirical evidence in the form of test-retest reliability and unidimensionality supports use of the same DSM-IV dependence or DSM-5 SUD diagnostic criteria across substances. For most substances, the criteria sets were generally most informative in general population samples at moderate-to-severe levels of SUD. Across substances, two criteria (tolerance and use in hazardous situations) were identified as functioning differently in population subgroups. Since substances have different pharmacological effects, withdrawal is assessed using substance-specific symptoms, while tolerance is not; issues remain with the assessment of tolerance. Alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis were consistently identified as the substances with earliest onset of use, highest prevalence of lifetime use, and highest prevalence of lifetime disorder. Conclusions Despite differences between psychoactive substances, the generic DSM criteria set appear equally applicable across substances. Additional studies of tolerance and hazardous use will be useful for future nosologies. Alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco are the substances with the greatest public health impact due to the high prevalence and early onset of their use, and the potential all three substances have to lead to addiction. PMID:26332166

Phytotoxicity of pesticides mancozeb and chlorpyrifos: correlation with the antioxidative defence system in Allium cepa.

PubMed

Fatma, Firdos; Verma, Sonam; Kamal, Aisha; Srivastava, Alka

2018-02-01

Pesticides are a group of chemical substances which are widely used to improve agricultural production. However, these substances could be persistent in soil and water, accumulative in sediment or bio-accumulative in biota depending on their solubility, leading to different types of environmental pollution. The present study was done to assess the impact of pesticides-mancozeb and chlorpyrifos, via morphological and physiological parameters using Allium cepa test system. Phytotoxic effects of pesticides were examined via germination percentage, survival percentage, root and shoot length, root shoot length ratio, seedling vigor index, percentage of phytotoxicity and tolerance index. Oxidative stress on Allium seedlings caused by pesticides was also assessed by investigating the activity of antioxidative enzymes viz. catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Correlation was worked out between morphological parameters and antioxidative enzymes to bring out the alliance between them. Mancozeb and chlorpyrifos concentrations were significantly and positively correlated with the activity of antioxidative enzymes and negatively correlated with morphological parameters. Significant positive correlation between various morphological parameters showed their interdependency. However, negative correlation was obtained between activity of antioxidative enzymes and morphological parameters. The enzymes however, showed positive correlation with each other. Based on our result we can conclude that all morphological parameters were adversely affected by the two pesticides as reflected by phytotoxicity in Allium . Their negative correlation with activity of antioxidative enzymes indicates that upregulation of antioxidative enzymes is not sufficient to overcome the toxic effect, thereby signifying the threat being caused by the regular use of these pesticides.

Cue-reactivity in behavioral addictions: A meta-analysis and methodological considerations.

PubMed

Starcke, Katrin; Antons, Stephanie; Trotzke, Patrick; Brand, Matthias

2018-05-23

Background and aims Recent research has applied cue-reactivity paradigms to behavioral addictions. The aim of the current meta-analysis is to systematically analyze the effects of learning-based cue-reactivity in behavioral addictions. Methods The current meta-analysis includes 18 studies (29 data sets, 510 participants) that have used a cue-reactivity paradigm in persons with gambling (eight studies), gaming (nine studies), or buying (one study) disorders. We compared subjective, peripheral physiological, electroencephal, and neural responses toward addiction-relevant cues in patients versus control participants and toward addiction-relevant cues versus control cues in patients. Results Persons with behavioral addictions showed higher cue-reactivity toward addiction-relevant cues compared with control participants: subjective cue-reactivity (d = 0.84, p = .01) and peripheral physiological and electroencephal measures of cue-reactivity (d = 0.61, p < .01). Increased neural activation was found in the caudate nucleus, inferior frontal gyrus, median cingulate cortex, subgenual cingulate, and precentral gyrus. Persons with gambling, gaming, or buying disorders also showed higher cue-reactivity toward addiction-relevant cues compared with control cues: subjective cue-reactivity (d = 0.39, p = .11) and peripheral physiological and electroencephal measures of cue-reactivity (d = 0.47, p = .05). Increased neural activation was found in the caudate nucleus, inferior frontal gyrus, angular gyrus, inferior network, and precuneus. Discussion and conclusions Cue-reactivity not only exists in substance-use disorders but also in gambling, gaming, and buying disorders. Future research should differentiate between cue-reactivity in addictive behaviors and cue-reactivity in functional excessive behaviors such as passions, hobbies, or professions.

Tomato and tomato byproducts. Human health benefits of lycopene and its application to meat products: a review.

PubMed

Viuda-Martos, M; Sanchez-Zapata, E; Sayas-Barberá, E; Sendra, E; Pérez-Álvarez, J A; Fernández-López, J

2014-01-01

During recent decades, the food industry, consumers, and regulatory authorities have developed a significant interest in functional foods because of their potential benefits for human health over and above their basic nutritional value. Tomato is the second most important vegetable crop in the world. The amount of the related wastes is estimated at up to 50,000 tons per year, representing a serious disposal problem with a consequent negative impact on the environment. Tomato byproducts contain a great variety of biologically active substances, principally lycopene, which have been demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo studies to possess antioxidant, hypolipidemic, and anticarcinogenic activities. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the functional and physiological properties of the principal bioactive compound present in tomato and tomato byproducts, lycopene, its addition to meat, and meat products.

Continuum mechanical model for cross-linked actin networks with contractile bundles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, J. P. S.; Parente, M. P. L.; Natal Jorge, R. M.

2018-01-01

In the context of a mechanical approach to cell biology, there is a close relationship between cellular function and mechanical properties. In recent years, an increasing amount of attention has been given to the coupling between biochemical and mechanical signals by means of constitutive models. In particular, on the active contractility of the actin cytoskeleton. Given the importance of the actin contraction on the physiological functions, this study propose a constitutive model to describe how the filamentous network controls its mechanics actively. Embedded in a soft isotropic ground substance, the network behaves as a viscous mechanical continuum, comprised of isotropically distributed cross-linked actin filaments and actomyosin bundles. Trough virtual rheometry experiments, the present model relates the dynamics of the myosin motors with the network stiffness, which is to a large extent governed by the time-scale of the applied deformations/forces.

The Molecular Basis of Communication within the Cell.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berridge, Michael J.

1985-01-01

Only a few substances serve as signals within cells; this indicates that internal signal pathways are remarkably universal. The variety of physiological and biochemical processes regulated by known messengers is discussed along with chemical structures, pathways, inositol-lipid cycles, and cell growth regulation. (DH)

Physiological response of Arundo donax to cadmium stress by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Shunhui; Sheng, Li; Zhang, Chunyan; Deng, Hongping

2018-06-01

The present paper deals with the physiological response of the changes in chemical contents of the root, stem and leaf of Arundo donax seedlings stressed by excess cadmium using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique, cadmium accumulation in plant by atomic absorption spectroscopy were tested after different concentrations cadmium stress. The results showed that low cadmium concentrations (<1.0 mg/L) the root tissue of Arundo donax uses osmosis of organic substances (e.g. carbohydrates and amino acids) to improve cadmium tolerance. Organic substances (e.g. carbohydrates) that contain a lot of Osbnd H in leaf were transported to the root firstly and then could chelate cadmium, but no obvious changes in stems were noted. The cadmium in the shoots (stem and leaf) usually increased with increasing cadmium concentration. These studies demonstrate the potential of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique for the non-invasive and rapid monitoring of the plants stressed with heavy metals, Arundo donax is suitable for phytoremediation of cadmium -contaminated wetland.

Cell Membrane Electropulsation: Chemical Analysis of Cell Membrane Modifications and Associated Transport Mechanisms.

PubMed

Azan, Antoine; Gailliègue, Florian; Mir, Lluis M; Breton, Marie

2017-01-01

The transport of substances across the cell membrane is complex because the main physiological role of the membrane is the control of the substances that would enter or exit the cells. Life would not be possible without this control. Cell electropulsation corresponds to the delivery of electric pulses to the cells and comprises cell electroporation and cell electropermeabilization. Cell electropulsation allows for the transport of non-permeant molecules across the membrane, bypassing the physiological limitations. In this chapter we discuss the changes occurring in the cell membrane during electroporation or electropermeabilization as they allow to understand which molecules can be transported as well as when and how their transport can occur. Electrophoretic or diffusive transports across the cell membrane can be distinguished. This understanding has a clear impact on the choice of the electrical parameters to be applied to the cells as well as on other aspects of the experimental protocols that have to be set to load the cells with non-permeant molecules.

Biopharmaceutical considerations and characterizations in development of colon targeted dosage forms for inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Malayandi, Rajkumar; Kondamudi, Phani Krishna; Ruby, P K; Aggarwal, Deepika

2014-04-01

Colon targeted dosage forms have been extensively studied for the localized treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. These dosage forms not only improve the therapeutic efficacy but also reduce the incidence of adverse drug reactions and hence improve the patient compliance. However, complex and highly variable gastro intestinal physiology limits the clinical success of these dosage forms. Biopharmaceutical characteristics of these dosage forms play a key role in rapid formulation development and ensure the clinical success. The complexity in product development and clinical success of colon targeted dosage forms are based on the biopharmaceutical characteristics such as physicochemical properties of drug substances, pharmaceutical characteristics of dosage form, physiological conditions and pharmacokinetic properties of drug substances as well as drug products. Various in vitro and in vivo techniques have been employed in past to characterize the biopharmaceutical properties of colon targeted dosage forms. This review focuses on the factors influencing the biopharmaceutical performances of the dosage forms, in vitro characterization techniques and in vivo studies.

Effect of simulated microgravity on growth and production of exopolymeric substances of Micrococcus luteus space and earth isolates.

PubMed

Mauclaire, Laurie; Egli, Marcel

2010-08-01

Microorganisms tend to form biofilms on surfaces, thereby causing deterioration of the underlaying material. In addition, biofilm is a potential health risk to humans. Therefore, microorganism growth is not only an issue on Earth but also in manned space habitats like the International Space Station (ISS). The aim of the study was to identify physiological processes relevant for Micrococcus luteus attachment under microgravity conditions. The results demonstrate that simulated microgravity influences physiological processes which trigger bacterial attachment and biofilm formation. The ISS strains produced larger amounts of exopolymeric substances (EPS) compared with a reference strain from Earth. In contrast, M. luteus strains were growing faster, and Earth as well as ISS isolates produced a higher yield of biomass under microgravity conditions than under normal gravity. Furthermore, microgravity caused a reduction of the colloidal EPS production of ISS isolates in comparison with normal gravity, which probably influences biofilm thickness and stability as well.

Longitudinal change mechanisms for substance use and illegal activity for adolescents in treatment.

PubMed

Hunter, Brooke D; Godley, Susan H; Hesson-McInnis, Matthew S; Roozen, Hendrik G

2014-06-01

The current study investigated: (a) the relationships of exposure to the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA) with reductions in substance use, illegal activity, and juvenile justice system involvement in adolescents diagnosed with a substance use disorder, and (b) the pathways by which reductions in the target behaviors were achieved. This study is a secondary data analysis of longitudinal data from a large-scale implementation effort for A-CRA. The sample consisted of 1,467 adolescents who presented to substance use treatment and reported past-year engagement in illegal activity. Participants had an average age of 15.8 years (SD = 1.3) and were 25% female, 14% African American, 29% Hispanic, 35% Caucasian, 16% mixed ethnicity, and 6% other ethnicity. Path analyses provided support that participation in A-CRA had a significant, direct association with reduced substance use; a significant, indirect association with reduced illegal activity through reductions in substance use; and a significant indirect association with reduced juvenile justice system involvement through reductions in both substance use and illegal activity. In addition, post hoc analyses using a bootstrapping strategy provided evidence that reductions in substance use partially mediated the relationship between A-CRA and illegal activity.

Neuroimmune Axes of the Blood–Brain Barriers and Blood–Brain Interfaces: Bases for Physiological Regulation, Disease States, and Pharmacological Interventions

PubMed Central

Erickson, Michelle A.

2018-01-01

Central nervous system (CNS) barriers predominantly mediate the immune-privileged status of the brain, and are also important regulators of neuroimmune communication. It is increasingly appreciated that communication between the brain and immune system contributes to physiologic processes, adaptive responses, and disease states. In this review, we discuss the highly specialized features of brain barriers that regulate neuroimmune communication in health and disease. In section I, we discuss the concept of immune privilege, provide working definitions of brain barriers, and outline the historical work that contributed to the understanding of CNS barrier functions. In section II, we discuss the unique anatomic, cellular, and molecular characteristics of the vascular blood–brain barrier (BBB), blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier, and tanycytic barriers that confer their functions as neuroimmune interfaces. In section III, we consider BBB-mediated neuroimmune functions and interactions categorized as five neuroimmune axes: disruption, responses to immune stimuli, uptake and transport of immunoactive substances, immune cell trafficking, and secretions of immunoactive substances. In section IV, we discuss neuroimmune functions of CNS barriers in physiologic and disease states, as well as pharmacological interventions for CNS diseases. Throughout this review, we highlight many recent advances that have contributed to the modern understanding of CNS barriers and their interface functions. PMID:29496890

Metabolism of psilocybin and psilocin: clinical and forensic toxicological relevance.

PubMed

Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge

2017-02-01

Psilocybin and psilocin are controlled substances in many countries. These are the two main hallucinogenic compounds of the "magic mushrooms" and both act as agonists or partial agonists at 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) 2A subtype receptors. During the last few years, psilocybin and psilocin have gained therapeutic relevance but considerable physiological variability between individuals that can influence dose-response and toxicological profile has been reported. This review aims to discuss metabolism of psilocybin and psilocin, by presenting all major and minor psychoactive metabolites. Psilocybin is primarily a pro-drug that is dephosphorylated by alkaline phosphatase to active metabolite psilocin. This last is then further metabolized, psilocin-O-glucuronide being the main urinary metabolite with clinical and forensic relevance in diagnosis.

Neuropeptides and breathing in health and disease.

PubMed

Kaczyńska, Katarzyna; Zając, Dominika; Wojciechowski, Piotr; Kogut, Ewelina; Szereda-Przestaszewska, Małgorzata

2018-02-01

Regulatory neuropeptides control and regulate breathing in physiological and pathophysiological conditions. While they have been identified in the neurons of major respiratory areas, they can be active not only at the central level, but also at the periphery via chemoreceptors, vagal afferents, or locally within lungs and airways. Some neuropeptides, such as leptin or substance P, are respiratory stimulants; others, such as neurotensin, produce variable effects on respiration depending on the site of application. Some neuropeptides have been implicated in pathological states, such as obstructive sleep apnea or asthma. This article provides a concise review of the possible role and functions of several selected neuropeptides in the process of breathing in health and disease and in lung pathologies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Mycology at the Institute of Microbiology, Russian Academy of Sciences: history and prospects for the future].

PubMed

Feofilova, E P

2004-01-01

This review deals with the historical development of mycology at the Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology (Russian Academy of Sciences). Starting from the works of Academician G.A. Nadson, the review considers from the historical perspective the main achievements of the researchers of the Institute in the field of mycology, including such important subfields as the cytology, genetics, physiology, and biochemistry of mycelial fungi and yeast. The review concerns itself with the major theoretical ideas generated by the team of the Laboratory of Experimental Mycology in the course of their studies of micro- and macromycetes. Special attention is also given to recent developments in biotechnology and medicine, including the development of new drug preparations from biologically active substances of fungi.

Modified hydrotalcite-like compounds as active fillers of biodegradable polymers for drug release and food packaging applications.

PubMed

Costantino, Umberto; Nocchetti, Morena; Tammaro, Loredana; Vittoria, Vittoria

2012-11-01

This review treats the recent patents and related literature, mainly from the Authors laboratories, on biomedical and food packaging applications of nano-composites constituted of biodegradable polymers filled with micro or nano crystals of organically modified Layered Double Hydroxides of Hydrotalcite type. After a brief outline of the chemical and structural aspects of Hydrotalcite-like compounds (HTlc) and of their manipulation via intercalation of functional molecular anions to obtain materials for numerous, sometime unexpected applications, the review approaches the theme in three separated parts. Part 1 deals with the synthetic method used to prepare the pristine Mg-Al and Zn-Al HTlc and with the procedures of their functionalization with anti-inflammatory (diclofenac), antibacterial (chloramphenicol hemisuccinate), antifibrinolytic (tranexamic acid) drugs and with benzoates with antimicrobial activity. Procedures used to form (nano) composites of polycaprolactone, used as an example of biodegradable polymer, and functionalized HTlc are also reported. Part 2 discusses a patent and related papers on the preparation and biomedical use of a controlled delivery system of the above mentioned pharmacologically active substances. After an introduction dealing with the recent progress in the field of local drug delivery systems, the chemical and structural aspects of the patented system constituted of a biodegradable polymer and HTlc loaded with the active substances will be presented together with an extensive discussion of the drug release in physiological medium. Part 3 deals with a recent patent and related papers on chemical, structural and release property of antimicrobial species of polymeric films containing antimicrobial loaded HTlc able to act as active packaging for food products prolonging their shelf life.

Mechanisms underlying the comorbidity between depressive and addictive disorders in adolescents: interactions between stress and HPA activity.

PubMed

Rao, Uma; Hammen, Constance L; Poland, Russell E

2009-03-01

Depression may be a precursor to substance use disorder in some youngsters, and substance abuse might complicate the subsequent course of depression. This study examined whether hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity and stressful life experiences are related to the development of substance use disorder in depressed and nondepressed adolescents, and whether substance use disorder predicts a worsening course of depression. Urinary-free cortisol was measured for 3 nights in 151 adolescents with no prior history of substance use disorder (55 depressed, 48 at high risk for depression, and 48 normal subjects). Information was obtained on recent stressful life experiences. The participants were followed for up to 5 years to assess the onset of substance use disorder, course of depression, and stressful experiences. The relationships among depression, cortisol as a measure of HPA activity, stressful experiences, and substance use disorder were examined. Elevated cortisol was associated with onset of substance use disorder. Stressful life experiences moderated this relationship. Cortisol and stress accounted for the effects of a history or risk of depression on the development of substance use disorder. Substance use disorder was associated with higher frequency of subsequent depressive episodes. Higher cortisol prior to the onset of substance use disorder may indicate vulnerability to substance use disorder. Stressful experiences increase the risk for substance use disorder in such vulnerable youth. The high prevalence of substance use disorders in depressed individuals may be explained, in part, by high levels of stress and increased HPA activity.

Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 Biofilms: Characterization by Infrared Spectroscopy and Proteomics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cao, Bin; Shi, Liang; Brown, Roslyn N.

This study characterizes the composition of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms to provide insight into potential interactions of EPS with redox-active metals and radionuclides. Both bound and loosely associated EPS were extracted from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms prepared using a hollow-fiber membrane biofilm reactor (HfMBR). FTIR spectra revealed the presence of proteins, polysaccharides, nucleic acids, membrane lipids, and fatty acids in both bound and loosely associated EPS. Using a global proteomic approach, a total of 58 extracellular and outer membrane proteins were identified in the EPS. These included homologues of multiple S. oneidensis MR-1 proteins thatmore » potentially contribute to key physiological biofilm processes, such as biofilm-promoting protein BpfA, surface-associated serine protease, nucleotidases (CpdB and UshA), an extracellular lipase, and oligopeptidases (PtrB and a M13 family oligopeptidase lipoprotein). In addition, 20 redox proteins were found in extracted EPS. Among the detected redox proteins were the homologues of two S. oneidensis MR-1 c-type cytochromes, MtrC and OmcA, which have been implicated in extracellular electron transfer. Given their detection in the EPS of Shewanella sp. HRCR 1 biofilms, c-type cytochromes may contribute to the possible redox activity of the biofilm matrix and play important roles in extracellular electron transfer reactions.« less

In vivo assessment of parenteral formulations of oligo(3-hydroxybutyric Acid) conjugates with the model compound Ibuprofen.

PubMed

Stasiak, Pawel; Sznitowska, Malgorzata; Ehrhardt, Carsten; Luczyk-Juzwa, Maria; Grieb, Pawel

2010-12-01

Polymer-drug conjugates have gained significant attention as pro-drugs releasing an active substance as a result of enzymatic hydrolysis in physiological environment. In this study, a conjugate of 3-hydroxybutyric acid oligomers with a carboxylic acid group-bearing model drug (ibuprofen) was evaluated in vivo as a potential pro-drug for parenteral administration. Two different formulations, an oily solution and an o/w emulsion were prepared and administered intramuscularly (IM) to rabbits in a dose corresponding to 40 mg of ibuprofen/kilogramme. The concentration of ibuprofen in blood plasma was analysed by HPLC, following solid-phase extraction and using indometacin as internal standard (detection limit, 0.05 microg/ml). No significant differences in the pharmacokinetic parameters (C (max), T (max), AUC) were observed between the two tested formulations of the 3-hydroxybutyric acid conjugate. In comparison to the non-conjugated drug in oily solution, the relative bioavailability of ibuprofen conjugates from oily solution, and o/w emulsion was reduced to 17% and 10%, respectively. The 3-hydroxybutyric acid formulations released the active substance over a significantly extended period of time with ibuprofen still being detectable 24 h post-injection, whereas the free compound was almost completely eliminated as early as 6 h after administration. The conjugates remained in a muscle tissue for a prolonged time and can hence be considered as sustained release systems for carboxylic acid derivatives.

[Effects of exogenous nitric oxide on physiological characteristics of longan (Dimocarpus longana) seedlings under acid rain stress].

PubMed

Liu, Jian-fu; Wang, Ming-yuan; Yang, Chen; Zhu, Ai-jun

2013-08-01

This paper studied the effects of exogenous nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on the chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme activities, and osmotic regulation substances of longan (Dimocarpus longana 'Fuyan') seedlings under acid rain (pH 3.0) stress. Under the acid rain stress, the seedling leaf superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities and chlorophyll, soluble protein and soluble sugar contents decreased obviously, while the leaf malondialdedyde content had a remarkable increase, suggesting the toxic effect of the acid rain on the seedlings. Exogenous nitric oxide had dual nature on the physiological characteristics of longan seedlings under acid rain stress. Applying 0.1-0.5 mmol x L(-1) of SNP improved the SOD, POD and CAT activities and the chlorophyll, soluble protein and soluble sugar contents significantly, and decreased the malondialdedyde content. Low concentrations SNP reduced the oxidative damage caused by the acid rain stress, and 0.5 mmol x L(-1) of SNP had the best effect. Under the application of 0.5 mmol x L(-1) of SNP, the total chlorophyll, soluble protein, and soluble sugar contents and the SOD, POD and CAT activities increased by 76.0%, 107.0%, 216.1%, 150. 0%, 350.9% and 97.1%, respectively, and the malondialdedyde content decreased by 46.4%. It was suggested that low concentration (0.1-0.5 mmol x L(-1)) SNP could alleviate the toxic effect of acid rain stress on longan seedlings via activating the leaf antioxidant enzyme activities and reducing oxidative stress, while high concentration SNP (1.0 mmol x L(-1)) lowered the mitigation effect.

The Use of MS-based Metabolomics to Determine Markers Associated with Endocrine Disruption in Small Fish Species

EPA Science Inventory

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are exogenous substances that disrupt the physiological function of endogenous hormones. In fish, these xenobiotics are capable of interfering with the dynamic equilibrium of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis resulting in adverse ...

Study of adsorption process of iron colloid substances on activated carbon by ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machekhina, K. I.; Shiyan, L. N.; Yurmazova, T. A.; Voyno, D. A.

2015-04-01

The paper reports on the adsorption of iron colloid substances on activated carbon (PAC) Norit SA UF with using ultrasound. It is found that time of adsorption is equal to three hours. High-frequency electrical oscillation is 35 kHz. The adsorption capacity of activated carbon was determined and it is equal to about 0.25 mg iron colloid substances /mg PAC. The iron colloid substances size ranging from 30 to 360 nm was determined. The zeta potential of iron colloid substances which consists of iron (III) hydroxide, silicon compounds and natural organic substances is about (-38mV). The process of destruction iron colloid substances occurs with subsequent formation of a precipitate in the form of Fe(OH)3 as a result of the removal of organic substances from the model solution.

Nitric oxide contributes to substance P-induced increases in lung rapidly adapting receptor activity in guinea-pigs.

PubMed Central

Joad, J P; Kott, K S; Bonham, A C

1997-01-01

1. Substance P induces fluid flux via nitric oxide, and fluid flux stimulates lung rapidly adapting receptors (RARs). We therefore proposed that nitric oxide contributes to substance P-evoked increases in RAR activity. Since substance P decreases dynamic compliance (Cdyn), which can stimulate RARs, we also determined whether nitric oxide contributed to substance P-induced effects on pulmonary function. 2. In anaesthetized guinea-pigs, the effects of substance P on RAR activity, Cdyn, pulmonary resistance (RL), and arterial blood pressure were measured before and after i.v. infusion of NG-methyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA; a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), or L-NMMA followed by L-arginine (a nitric oxide precursor which reverses the effects of L-NMMA). 3. Substance P-evoked increases in RAR activity were blunted by L-NMMA (P = 0.006) but not by L-NMMA-L-arginine (P = 0.42). 4. Substance P-evoked decreases in Cdyn were slightly inhibited by L-NMMA (P = 0.02) and slightly enhanced by L-NMMA-L-arginine (P = 0.004). However, at the time at which L-NMMA maximally reduced substance P-induced RAR stimulation (the first 30 s), it did not change substance P-induced decreases in Cdyn. 5. Substance P-evoked increases in RL were not changed by L-NMMA (P = 0.10) and were enhanced by L-NMMA-L-arginine (P = 0.03). 6. L-NMMA-evoked increases in mean arterial blood pressure were reversed by L-arginine. Substance P-evoked decreases in mean arterial blood pressure were not changed by L-NMMA or by L-NMMA-L-arginine. 7. We conclude that nitric oxide contributes to substance P-evoked increases in RAR activity and that the increases are most probably independent of decreases in Cdyn. PMID:9379417

Developmental Pathways from Parental Socioeconomic Status to Adolescent Substance Use: Alternative and Complementary Reinforcement.

PubMed

Lee, Jungeun Olivia; Cho, Junhan; Yoon, Yoewon; Bello, Mariel S; Khoddam, Rubin; Leventhal, Adam M

2018-02-01

Although lower socioeconomic status has been linked to increased youth substance use, much less research has determined potential mechanisms explaining the association. The current longitudinal study tested whether alternative (i.e., pleasure gained from activities without any concurrent use of substances) and complementary (i.e., pleasure gained from activities in tandem with substance use) reinforcement mediate the link between lower socioeconomic status and youth substance use. Further, we tested whether alternative and complementary reinforcement and youth substance use gradually unfold over time and then intersect with one another in a cascading manner. Potential sex differences are also examined. Data were drawn from a longitudinal survey of substance use and mental health among high school students in Los Angeles. Data collection involved four semiannual assessment waves beginning in fall 2013 (N = 3395; M baseline age = 14.1; 47% Hispanic, 16.2% Asian, 16.1% multiethnic, 15.7% White, and 5% Black; 53.4% female). The results from a negative binomial path model suggested that lower parental socioeconomic status (i.e., lower parental education) was significantly related to an increased number of substances used by youth. The final path model revealed that the inverse association was statistically mediated by adolescents' diminished engagement in pleasurable substance-free activities (i.e., alternative reinforcers) and elevated engagement in pleasurable activities paired with substance use (i.e., complementary reinforcers). The direct effect of lower parental education on adolescent substance use was not statistically significant after accounting for the hypothesized mediating mechanisms. No sex differences were detected. Increasing access to and engagement in pleasant activities of high quality that do not need a reinforcement enhancer, such as substances, may be useful in interrupting the link between lower parental socioeconomic status and youth substance use.

Treatment of substance misuse in older women: using a brief intervention model.

PubMed

Finfgeld-Connett, Deborah L

2004-08-01

Alcohol and benzodiazepine misuse is a significant problem in older women for a number of reasons such as physiological changes, outdated prescribing practices, and failure to identify hazardous use. In addition, treatment barriers involving the health-care system, conflicting information, and ageism also exist. Substance misuse among older women is predicted to become a bigger problem as the baby boom generation ages. Brief interventions that consist of assessment, feedback, responsibility, advice, menu, empathy, and self-efficacy, or A-FRAMES, have the potential to reduce alcohol and benzodiazepine misuse among older women in a cost-effective manner.

Effect of environmental pollutants on taste and smell

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schiffman, S.S.; Nagle, H.T.

1992-06-01

Various man-made and naturally occurring chemicals and substances can modify the chemosensory systems of animals and man. This article provides an overview of research studies that investigate the impact of pollution on taste and smell perception. Acute and chronic alterations in taste and olfaction are discussed for solvents, herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, disinfectants, germicides, soil fumigants, dyes, pharmaceuticals, textile wastes, smog, tobacco smoke, perfumes, flavors, plastics, synthetic rubber, and other industrial substances. The mechanisms by which pollutants may cause physiologic and biologic changes are highlighted. Natural detoxification systems are discussed, as well as treatments for chemosensory deficits.89 references.

Physiological and biochemical effect of neem and other Meliaceae plants secondary metabolites against Lepidopteran insects

PubMed Central

Senthil-Nathan, Sengottayan

2013-01-01

This review described the physiological and biochemical effects of various secondary metabolites from Meliaceae against major Lepidopteran insect pest including, Noctuidae and Pyralidae. The biochemical effect of major Meliaceae secondary metabolites were discussed more in this review. Several enzymes based on food materials have critical roles in nutritional indices (food utilization) of the insect pest population. Several research work has been referred and the effect of Meliaceae secondary metabolites on feeding parameters of insects by demonstrating food consumption, approximate digestibility of consumed food, efficiency of converting the ingested food to body substance, efficiency of converting digested food to body substance and consumption index was reviewed in detail. Further how the digestive enzymes including a-Amylases, α and β-glucosidases (EC 3.2.1.1), lipases (EC 3.1.1) Proteases, serine, cysteine, and aspartic proteinases affected by the Meliaceae secondary metabolites was reviewed. Further effect of Meliaceae secondary metabolites on detoxifying enzymes have been found to react against botanical insecticides including general esterases (EST), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and phosphatases was reviewed. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP, E.C.3.1.3.1) and acid phosphatase (ACP, E.C.3.1.3.2) are hydrolytic enzymes, which hydrolyze phosphomonoesters under alkaline or acid conditions, respectively. These enzymes were affected by the secondary metabolites treatment. The detailed mechanism of action was further explained in this review. Acethylcholine esterase (AChE) is a key enzyme that terminates nerve impulses by catalyzing the hydrolysis of neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, in the nervous system of various organisms. How the AChE activity was altered by the Meliaceae secondary metabolites reviewed in detail. PMID:24391591

Effect of Intramuscular Protons, Lactate, and ATP on Muscle Hyperalgesia in Rats.

PubMed

Gregory, Nicholas S; Whitley, Phillip E; Sluka, Kathleen A

2015-01-01

Chronic muscle pain is a significant health problem leading to disability[1]. Muscle fatigue can exacerbate muscle pain. Metabolites, including ATP, lactate, and protons, are released during fatiguing exercise and produce pain in humans. These substances directly activate purinergic (P2X) and acid sensing ion channels (ASICs) on muscle nociceptors, and when combined, produce a greater increase in neuron firing than when given alone. Whether the enhanced effect of combining protons, lactate, and ATP is the sum of individual effects (additive) or more than the sum of individual effects (synergistic) is unknown. Using a rat model of muscle nociceptive behavior, we tested each of these compounds individually over a range of physiologic and supra-physiologic concentrations. Further, we combined all three compounds in a series of dilutions and tested their effect on muscle nociceptive behavior. We also tested a non-hydrolyzable form of ATP (α,β-meATP) alone and in combination with lactate and acidic pH. Surprisingly, we found no dose-dependent effect on muscle nociceptive behavior for protons, lactate, or ATP when given alone. We similarly found no effect after application of each two-metabolite combination. Only pH 4 saline and α,β-meATP produced hyperalgesia when given alone. When all 3 substances were combined, however, ATP (2.4μm), lactate (10mM), and acidic pH (pH 6.0) produced an enhanced effect greater than the sum of the effects of the individual components, i.e. synergism. α,β me ATP (3nmol), on the other hand, showed no enhanced effects when combined with lactate (10mM) or acidic pH (pH 6.0), i.e. additive. These data suggest that combining fatigue metabolites in muscle produces a synergistic effect on muscle nociception.

Effect of Intramuscular Protons, Lactate, and ATP on Muscle Hyperalgesia in Rats

PubMed Central

Gregory, Nicholas S.; Whitley, Phillip E.; Sluka, Kathleen A.

2015-01-01

Chronic muscle pain is a significant health problem leading to disability[1]. Muscle fatigue can exacerbate muscle pain. Metabolites, including ATP, lactate, and protons, are released during fatiguing exercise and produce pain in humans. These substances directly activate purinergic (P2X) and acid sensing ion channels (ASICs) on muscle nociceptors, and when combined, produce a greater increase in neuron firing than when given alone. Whether the enhanced effect of combining protons, lactate, and ATP is the sum of individual effects (additive) or more than the sum of individual effects (synergistic) is unknown. Using a rat model of muscle nociceptive behavior, we tested each of these compounds individually over a range of physiologic and supra-physiologic concentrations. Further, we combined all three compounds in a series of dilutions and tested their effect on muscle nociceptive behavior. We also tested a non-hydrolyzable form of ATP (α,β-meATP) alone and in combination with lactate and acidic pH. Surprisingly, we found no dose-dependent effect on muscle nociceptive behavior for protons, lactate, or ATP when given alone. We similarly found no effect after application of each two-metabolite combination. Only pH 4 saline and α,β-meATP produced hyperalgesia when given alone. When all 3 substances were combined, however, ATP (2.4μm), lactate (10mM), and acidic pH (pH 6.0) produced an enhanced effect greater than the sum of the effects of the individual components, i.e. synergism. α,β me ATP (3nmol), on the other hand, showed no enhanced effects when combined with lactate (10mM) or acidic pH (pH 6.0), i.e. additive. These data suggest that combining fatigue metabolites in muscle produces a synergistic effect on muscle nociception. PMID:26378796

A possibly sigma-1 receptor mediated role of dimethyltryptamine in tissue protection, regeneration, and immunity.

PubMed

Frecska, Ede; Szabo, Attila; Winkelman, Michael J; Luna, Luis E; McKenna, Dennis J

2013-09-01

N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is classified as a naturally occurring serotonergic hallucinogen of plant origin. It has also been found in animal tissues and regarded as an endogenous trace amine transmitter. The vast majority of research on DMT has targeted its psychotropic/psychedelic properties with less focus on its effects beyond the nervous system. The recent discovery that DMT is an endogenous ligand of the sigma-1 receptor may shed light on yet undiscovered physiological mechanisms of DMT activity and reveal some of its putative biological functions. A three-step active uptake process of DMT from peripheral sources to neurons underscores a presumed physiological significance of this endogenous hallucinogen. In this paper, we overview the literature on the effects of sigma-1 receptor ligands on cellular bioenergetics, the role of serotonin, and serotoninergic analogues in immunoregulation and the data regarding gene expression of the DMT synthesizing enzyme indolethylamine-N-methyltransferase in carcinogenesis. We conclude that the function of DMT may extend central nervous activity and involve a more universal role in cellular protective mechanisms. Suggestions are offered for future directions of indole alkaloid research in the general medical field. We provide converging evidence that while DMT is a substance which produces powerful psychedelic experiences, it is better understood not as a hallucinogenic drug of abuse, but rather an agent of significant adaptive mechanisms that can also serve as a promising tool in the development of future medical therapies.

Annual banned-substance review: analytical approaches in human sports drug testing.

PubMed

Thevis, Mario; Kuuranne, Tiia; Geyer, Hans; Schänzer, Wilhelm

2015-01-01

Within the mosaic display of international anti-doping efforts, analytical strategies based on up-to-date instrumentation as well as most recent information about physiology, pharmacology, metabolism, etc., of prohibited substances and methods of doping are indispensable. The continuous emergence of new chemical entities and the identification of arguably beneficial effects of established or even obsolete drugs on endurance, strength, and regeneration, necessitate frequent and adequate adaptations of sports drug testing procedures. These largely rely on exploiting new technologies, extending the substance coverage of existing test protocols, and generating new insights into metabolism, distribution, and elimination of compounds prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). In reference of the content of the 2014 Prohibited List, literature concerning human sports drug testing that was published between October 2013 and September 2014 is summarized and reviewed in this annual banned-substance review, with particular emphasis on analytical approaches and their contribution to enhanced doping controls. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Long-Term Effects Produced by Small Doses of Radioactive Substances in Chronical Experiment); OTDALENNYE POSLEDSTVIYA PORAZHENIYA MALYMI DOZAMI RADIOAKTIVNYKH VESHCHESTV V KHRONICHESKOM EKSPERIMENTE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burykina, L.N.; Zakutinskii, D.I.; Kraevskii, N.A.

Data on the long-term effects produced by radioactive substances administered to dogs, rabbits, and rats in various ways, both in single and repeated doses, are reported. The animals were studied for three years or longer. Three successive phases were found in the chronic irradiation disease caused by the introduction of radioactive substances: the stimulation phase characterized by an instability and variability of clinical symptoms (blood picture, cardio- vascular system, and the physiological system); the phase of apparent compensation when all the symptoms are restored to normal, although changes are recorded in the reactivity of various systems of the organism whenmore » functional loads are applied; and the phase when symptoms, typical of the chronic stage of radiation disease, develop. The blastomogenous effects of radioactive substances was given special attention. Pre-tumor changes in the bone was also studied. (J.S.R.)« less

Regulation of phosphorylase kinase by low concentrations of Ca ions upon muscle contraction: the connection between metabolism and muscle contraction and the connection between muscle physiology and Ca-dependent signal transduction

PubMed Central

OZAWA, Eijiro

2011-01-01

It had long been one of the crucial questions in muscle physiology how glycogenolysis is regulated in connection with muscle contraction, when we found the answer to this question in the last half of the 1960s. By that time, the two principal currents of muscle physiology, namely, the metabolic flow starting from glycogen and the mechanisms of muscle contraction, had already been clarified at the molecular level thanks to our senior researchers. Thus, the final question we had to answer was how to connect these two currents. We found that low concentrations of Ca ions (10−7–10−4 M) released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum for the regulation of muscle contraction simultaneously reversibly activate phosphorylase kinase, the enzyme regulating glycogenolysis. Moreover, we found that adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cyclic AMP), which is already known to activate muscle phosphorylase kinase, is not effective in the absence of such concentrations of Ca ions. Thus, cyclic AMP is not effective by itself alone and only modifies the activation process in the presence of Ca ions (at that time, cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase had not yet been identified). After a while, it turned out that our works have not only provided the solution to the above problem on muscle physiology, but have also been considered as the first report of Ca-dependent protein phosphorylation, which is one of the central problems in current cell biology. Phosphorylase kinase is the first protein kinase to phosphorylate a protein resulting in the change in the function of the phosphorylated protein, as shown by Krebs and Fischer. Our works further showed that this protein kinase is regulated in a Ca-dependent manner. Accordingly, our works introduced the concept of low concentrations of Ca ions, which were first identified as the regulatory substance of muscle contraction, to the vast field of Ca biology including signal transduction. PMID:21986313

Treatment of GABA from Fermented Rice Germ Ameliorates Caffeine-Induced Sleep Disturbance in Mice

PubMed Central

Mabunga, Darine Froy N.; Gonzales, Edson Luck T.; Kim, Hee Jin; Choung, Se Young

2015-01-01

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, is involved in sleep physiology. Caffeine is widely used psychoactive substance known to induce wakefulness and insomnia to its consumers. This study was performed to examine whether GABA extracts from fermented rice germ ameliorates caffeine-induced sleep disturbance in mice, without affecting spontaneous locomotor activity and motor coordination. Indeed, caffeine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) delayed sleep onset and reduced sleep duration of mice. Conversely, rice germ ferment extracts-GABA treatment (10, 30, or 100 mg/kg, p.o.), especially at 100 mg/kg, normalized the sleep disturbance induced by caffeine. In locomotor tests, rice germ ferment extracts-GABA slightly but not significantly reduced the caffeine-induced increase in locomotor activity without affecting motor coordination. Additionally, rice germ ferment extracts-GABA per se did not affect the spontaneous locomotor activity and motor coordination of mice. In conclusion, rice germ ferment extracts-GABA supplementation can counter the sleep disturbance induced by caffeine, without affecting the general locomotor activities of mice. PMID:25995826

Occurrence of selected pharmaceuticals at drinking water purification plants in Japan and implications for human health.

PubMed

Simazaki, Dai; Kubota, Reiji; Suzuki, Toshinari; Akiba, Michihiro; Nishimura, Tetsuji; Kunikane, Shoichi

2015-06-01

The present study was performed to determine the occurrence of 64 pharmaceuticals and metabolites in source water and finished water at 6 drinking water purification plants and 2 industrial water purification plants across Japan. The analytical methods employed were sample concentration using solid-phase extraction cartridges and instrumental analysis by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC/MS), or trimethylsilyl derivatization followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Thirty-seven of the 64 target substances were detected in the source water samples. The maximum concentrations in the source water were mostly below 50 ng/L except for 13 substances. In particular, residual concentrations of iopamidol (contrast agent) exceeded 1000 ng/L at most facilities. Most of the residual pharmaceuticals and metabolites in the source water samples were removed in the course of conventional and/or advanced drinking water treatments, except for 7 pharmaceuticals and 1 metabolite, i.e., amantadine, carbamazepine, diclofenac, epinastine, fenofibrate, ibuprofen, iopamidol, and oseltamivir acid. The removal ratios of the advanced water treatment processes including ozonation and granular activated carbon filtration were typically much higher than those of the conventional treatment processes. The margins of exposure estimated by the ratio of daily minimum therapeutic dose to daily intake via drinking water were substantial, and therefore the pharmacological and physiological impacts of ingesting those residual substances via drinking water would be negligible. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physiological and Proteomics Analyses Reveal the Mechanism of Eichhornia crassipes Tolerance to High-Concentration Cadmium Stress Compared with Pistia stratiotes

PubMed Central

Yang, Yunqiang; Yang, Shihai; Sun, Xudong; Yang, Yongping

2015-01-01

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is an environmental problem worldwide. Phytoremediation is a convenient method of removing Cd from both soil and water, but its efficiency is still low, especially in aquatic environments. Scientists have been trying to improve the ability of plants to absorb and accumulate Cd based on interactions between plants and Cd, especially the mechanism by which plants resist Cd. Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes are aquatic plants commonly used in the phytoremediation of heavy metals. In the present study, we conducted physiological and biochemical analyses to compare the resistance of these two species to Cd stress at 100 mg/L. E. crassipes showed stronger resistance and was therefore used for subsequent comparative proteomics to explore the potential mechanism of E. crassipes tolerance to Cd stress at the protein level. The expression patterns of proteins in different functional categories revealed that the physiological activities and metabolic processes of E. crassipes were affected by exposure to Cd stress. However, when some proteins related to these processes were negatively inhibited, some analogous proteins were induced to compensate for the corresponding functions. As a result, E. crassipes could maintain more stable physiological parameters than P. stratiotes. Many stress-resistance substances and proteins, such as proline and heat shock proteins (HSPs) and post translational modifications, were found to be involved in the protection and repair of functional proteins. In addition, antioxidant enzymes played important roles in ROS detoxification. These findings will facilitate further understanding of the potential mechanism of plant response to Cd stress at the protein level. PMID:25886466

Immunology of scorpion toxins and perspectives for generation of anti-venom vaccines.

PubMed

Gazarian, Karlen G; Gazarian, Tatiana; Hernández, Ricardo; Possani, Lourival D

2005-05-16

Scorpions and other venomous animals contain concentrates of biologically active substances developed to block vital physiological and biochemical functions of the victims. These have contrasting human health concerns, provide important pharmacological raw material and pose a serious threat to human life and health in tropical and subtropical regions. Because only occasional and minor quantities of venom are introduced into the human organism with a scorpion sting and their mortal effect is an acute phenomenon these substances are unknown to the immune defense system and thus no immunity has appeared against them during evolution. Antidotes prepared from animal anti-sera are effective against some species of scorpions but depend on the manufacturer and the availability of product to the medical community. Although significant progress has been made in immunological studies of certain groups of toxins, few centers are dedicated to this research. Information is still insufficient to generate a comprehensive picture of the subject and to propose vaccines against venoms. A novel approach based on mimotopes selected from phage-displayed random peptide libraries show potential to impel further progress of toxin immunological studies and to provide putative vaccine resources. In this report we revise the "state of the art" in the field.

Reward-related neural activity and structure predict future substance use in dysregulated youth.

PubMed

Bertocci, M A; Bebko, G; Versace, A; Iyengar, S; Bonar, L; Forbes, E E; Almeida, J R C; Perlman, S B; Schirda, C; Travis, M J; Gill, M K; Diwadkar, V A; Sunshine, J L; Holland, S K; Kowatch, R A; Birmaher, B; Axelson, D A; Frazier, T W; Arnold, L E; Fristad, M A; Youngstrom, E A; Horwitz, S M; Findling, R L; Phillips, M L

2017-06-01

Identifying youth who may engage in future substance use could facilitate early identification of substance use disorder vulnerability. We aimed to identify biomarkers that predicted future substance use in psychiatrically un-well youth. LASSO regression for variable selection was used to predict substance use 24.3 months after neuroimaging assessment in 73 behaviorally and emotionally dysregulated youth aged 13.9 (s.d. = 2.0) years, 30 female, from three clinical sites in the Longitudinal Assessment of Manic Symptoms (LAMS) study. Predictor variables included neural activity during a reward task, cortical thickness, and clinical and demographic variables. Future substance use was associated with higher left middle prefrontal cortex activity, lower left ventral anterior insula activity, thicker caudal anterior cingulate cortex, higher depression and lower mania scores, not using antipsychotic medication, more parental stress, older age. This combination of variables explained 60.4% of the variance in future substance use, and accurately classified 83.6%. These variables explained a large proportion of the variance, were useful classifiers of future substance use, and showed the value of combining multiple domains to provide a comprehensive understanding of substance use development. This may be a step toward identifying neural measures that can identify future substance use disorder risk, and act as targets for therapeutic interventions.

Association Between Substance Use and Gun-Related Behaviors

PubMed Central

Chen, Danhong; Wu, Li-Tzy

2016-01-01

Gun-related violence is a public health concern. This study synthesizes findings on associations between substance use and gun-related behaviors. Searches through PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO located 66 studies published in English between 1992 and 2014. Most studies found a significant bivariate association between substance use and increased odds of gun-related behaviors. However, their association after adjustment was mixed, which could be attributed to a number of factors such as variations in definitions of substance use and gun activity, study design, sample demographics, and the specific covariates considered. Fewer studies identified a significant association between substance use and gun access/possession than other gun activities. The significant association between nonsubstance covariates (e.g., demographic covariates and other behavioral risk factors) and gun-related behaviors might have moderated the association between substance use and gun activities. Particularly, the strength of association between substance use and gun activities tended to reduce appreciably or to become nonsignificant after adjustment for mental disorders. Some studies indicated a positive association between the frequency of substance use and the odds of engaging in gun-related behaviors. Overall, the results suggest a need to consider substance use in research and prevention programs for gun-related violence. PMID:26769722

Purification and characterization of substance P endopeptidase activities in the rat spinal cord.

PubMed

Karlsson, K; Eriksson, U; Andrén, P; Nyberg, F

1997-02-01

Two enzymes with substance P degrading activity were purified from the membrane bound fraction of the rat spinal cord. The purified enzymes were characterized with regard to biochemical and kinetic properties. One of the enzymes exhibited close similarity to neutral endopeptidase 24.11 (NEP, EC 3.4.24.11), while the other resembled a substance P converting endopeptidase (SPE), which has previously been identified and purified from human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Detergent treated spinal cord homogenates from male Sprague Dawley rats were purified by anion-exchange chromatography (DEAE-sepharose CL-6B), hydrophobic-interaction chromatography (phenyl-sepharose CL-4B) and molecular sieving (Sephadex G-50). Two fractions with enzymes differing in size were recovered and allowed for further purification to apparent homogeneity by ion-exchange chromatography and molecular sieving on a micro-purification system (SMART). The enzyme activities were monitored by following the conversion of synthetic substance P using a radioimmunoassay specific for the heptapeptide product, substance P (1-7). By SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified enzymes molecular weights of 43 and 70 kDa were estimated for the SPE-like and NEP-like activity, respectively. A K(m) of 5 microM was determined for the conversion of substance P to its (1-7) fragment by the SPE-like activity. Reversed-phase HPLC together with mass spectrometry permitted identification of all fragments released from substance P by the peptidases. The released fragments were for both enzymes identified as substance P (1-7), substance P (8-11), substance P (1-8), substance P (9-11). The NEP-like enzyme preparation also gave substance P (1-6) as a major product.

A peptidase in human platelets that deamidates tachykinins. Probable identity with the lysosomal "protective protein".

PubMed

Jackman, H L; Tan, F L; Tamei, H; Beurling-Harbury, C; Li, X Y; Skidgel, R A; Erdös, E G

1990-07-05

We discovered an enzyme in human platelets that deamidates substance P and other tachykinins. Because an amidated carboxyl terminus is important for biological activity, we purified and characterized this deamidase. The enzyme, released from human platelets by thrombin, was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, followed by chromatography on an octyl-Sepharose column and chromatofocusing on PBE 94. The purified enzyme exhibits esterase, peptidase, and deamidase activities. The peptidase activity (with furylacryloyl-Phe-Phe) is optimal at pH 5.0 while the esterase (benzoyl-tyrosine ethyl ester) and deamidase (D-Ala2-Leu5-enkephalinamide) activities are optimal at pH 7.0. With biologically important peptides, the enzyme acts both as a deamidase (substance P, neurokinin A, and eledoisin) and a carboxy-peptidase (with bradykinin, angiotensin I, substance P-free acid, oxytocin-free acid) at neutrality, although the carboxypeptidase action is faster at pH 5.5. Enkephalins, released upon deamidation of enkephalinamides, were not cleaved. Gly9-NH2 of oxytocin was released without deamidation. Peptides with a penultimate Arg residue were not hydrolyzed. Some properties of the deamidase are similar to those reported for cathepsin A. The deamidase is inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate, inhibitors of chymotrypsin-type enzymes, and mercury compounds while other inhibitors of catheptic enzymes, trypsin-like enzymes, and metalloproteases were ineffective. In gel filtration, the native enzyme has an Mr = 94,000 while in non-reducing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis the Mr = 52,000 indicating it exists as a dimer. After reduction, deamidase dissociates into two chains of Mr = 33,000 and 21,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. [3H]diisopropylfluorophosphate labeled the active site serine in the Mr = 33,000 chain. The first 25 amino acids of both chains were sequenced. They are identical with the sequences of the two chains of lysosomal "protective protein" which, in turn, has sequence similarity to the KEX1 gene product and carboxypeptidase Y of yeast. This protective protein complexes with beta-galactosidase and neuraminidase in lysosomes and is vitally important in maintaining their activity and stability. A defect in this protein is the cause of galactosialidosis, a severe genetic disorder. The ability of physiological stimuli (e.g. thrombin or collagen) to release the deamidase from platelets indicates that it may also be involved in the local metabolism of bioactive peptides.

Transport of benzo[alpha]pyrene in the dually perfused human placenta perfusion model: effect of albumin in the perfusion medium.

PubMed

Mathiesen, Line; Rytting, Erik; Mose, Tina; Knudsen, Lisbeth E

2009-09-01

Transport of benzo[alpha]pyrene (BaP) across the placenta was examined because it is a ubiquitous and highly carcinogenic substance found in tobacco smoke, polluted air and certain foods. Foetal exposure to this substance is highly relevant but is difficult to estimate. The human placenta is unique compared to other species; since it is available without major ethical obstacles, we have used the human placenta perfusion model to study transport from mother to foetus. Placentas were donated after births at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen from pregnant mothers who signed an informed consent. BaP is lipophilic and studies using cell culture medium in 6-hr placenta perfusions showed minimal transport through the placenta. To increase the solubility of BaP in perfusion medium and to increase physiological relevance, perfusions were also performed with albumin added to the perfusion medium [2 and 30 mg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 30 mg/ml human serum albumin (HSA)]. The addition of albumin resulted in increased transfer of BaP from maternal to foetal reservoirs. The transfer was even higher in the presence of an HSA formulation containing acetyltryptophanate and caprylate, resulting in a foetal-maternal concentration (FM) ratio of 0.71 +/- 0.10 after 3 hr and 0.78 +/- 0.11 after 6 hr, whereas the FM ratio in perfusions without albumin was only 0.05 +/- 0.03 after 6 hr of perfusion. Less BaP accumulated in placental tissue in perfusions with added albumin. This shows that transplacental transport of the pro-carcinogenic substance BaP occurs, and emphasizes the importance of adding physiological concentrations of albumin when studying the transport of lipophilic substances.

Decal transfer lithography

DOEpatents

Nuzzo, Ralph G.; Childs, William R.; Motala, Michael J.; Lee, Keon Jae

2010-02-16

A method of making a microstructure includes selectively activating a portion of a surface of a silicon-containing elastomer, contacting the activated portion with a substance, and bonding the activated portion and the substance, such that the activated portion of the surface and the substance in contact with the activated portion are irreversibly attached. The selective activation may be accomplished by positioning a mask on the surface of the silicon-containing elastomer, and irradiating the exposed portion with UV radiation.

Comparative study of binding interactions between porphyrin systems and aromatic compounds of biological importance by multiple spectroscopic techniques: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makarska-Bialokoz, Magdalena

2018-07-01

The specific spectroscopic and redox properties of porphyrins predestine them to fulfill the role of sensors during interacting with different biologically active substances. Monitoring of binding interactions in the systems porphyrin-biologically active compound is a key question not only in the field of physiological functions of living organisms, but also in environmental protection, notably in the light of the rapidly growing drug consumption and concurrently the production of drug effluents. Not always beneficial action of drugs on natural porphyrin systems induces to further studies, with commercially available porphyrins as the model systems. Therefore the binding process between several water-soluble porphyrins and a series of biologically active compounds (e.g. caffeine, guanine, theophylline, theobromine, xanthine, uric acid) has been studied in different aqueous solutions analyzing their absorption and steady-state fluorescence spectra, the porphyrin fluorescence lifetimes and their quantum yields. The magnitude of the binding and fluorescence quenching constants values for particular quenchers decreases in a series: uric acid > guanine > caffeine > theophylline > theobromine > xanthine. In all the systems studied there are characters of static quenching, as a consequence of the π-π-stacked non-covalent and non-fluorescent complexes formation between porphyrins and interacting compounds, accompanied simultaneously by the additional specific binding interactions. The porphyrin fluorescence quenching can be explain by the photoinduced intermolecular electron transfer from aromatic compound to the center of the porphyrin molecule, playing the role of the binding site. Presented results can be valuable for designing of new fluorescent porphyrin chemosensors or monitoring of drug traces in aqueous solutions. The obtained outcomes have also the toxicological and medical importance, providing insight into the interactions of the water-soluble porphyrins with biologically active substances.

Possible involvement of long chain fatty acids in the spores of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi Houshi) to its anti-tumor activity.

PubMed

Fukuzawa, Masataka; Yamaguchi, Rie; Hide, Izumi; Chen, Zhiqing; Hirai, Yuko; Sugimoto, Akiko; Yasuhara, Tadashi; Nakata, Yoshihiro

2008-10-01

During our isolation of biologically active substances from the spores of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi Houshi, G. lucidum) guided by the inhibitory activity on HL-60 cell proliferation, NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric data indicate the substance contains a mixture of several long chain fatty acids. Hence, in this study, we have examined the inhibitory effects of an ethanolic extract of the spores of G. lucidum as the spore extract, on the proliferation of various human cancer cell lines by comparison with several authentic long chain fatty acids. Of the fatty acids we examined nonadecanoic acid (C19:0) showed the highest inhibitory activity for HL-60 cell proliferation with IC(50) values of 68+/-7 microM followed by heptadecanoic acid (C17:0, 120+/-23 microM), octa- (C18:0, 127+/-4 microM) and hexadecanoic acids (C16:0, 132+/-25 microM), respectively. The corresponding unsaturated fatty acids containing one double bond such as cis-10-nonadecenoic acid (C19:1), cis-9-octadecenoic acid (C18:1), cis-10-heptadecenoic acid (C17:1) and cis-9-hexadecenoic acid (C16:1) were less effective. The ethanolic extract of spores of G. lucidum were shown by annexin-V FITC/PI double staining to induce apoptosis of HL-60 cells in a similar way to cis-10-nonadecenoic acid (C19:1). These unsaturated fatty acids probably inhibit tumor necrosis factor production induced by lipopolysaccharide in a mouse macrophage preparation. Our results suggest the spores of G. lucidum contain 19-carbon fatty acids as one of the components for characteristics of its physiological effects.

Changes in gametophyte physiology of Pteris multifida induced by the leaf leachate treatment of the invasive Bidens pilosa.

PubMed

Zhang, Kai-Mei; Shen, Yu; Fang, Yan-Ming; Liu, Ying

2016-02-01

In recent years, the response of fern gametophytes to environment has raised much attention. However, studies on the influence of plant invasion to fern gametophytes are scarce. Allelopathy plays an important role in biological invasion. Hence, it is necessary to study the allelopathic effects of invasive plants on fern gametophytes and elucidate the mechanisms by which invasive plants cause phytotoxicity. As one of the main invasive plants in China, Bidens pilosa exhibits allelopathic effects on spermatophyte growth. Field investigation shows that many ferns are threatened by the invasion of B. pilosa. The distribution of Pteris multifida overlaps with that of B. pilosa in China. To examine the potential involvement of allelopathic mechanisms of B. pilosa leaves, changes in the physiology in P. multifida gametophytes are analyzed. We found that cell membrane and antioxidant enzyme activities as well as photosynthesis pigment contents of the gametophytes were affected by B. pilosa leachates. Gametophytes of P. multifida exposed to B. pilosa had increased damages to cell membranes, expressed in thiobarbituric acid reacting substance (TBARS) concentrations, malondialdehyde (MDA), electrolyte leakage (membrane permeability), and degree of injury. Enzyme activities, assessed by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) as well as guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) enhanced with the increase in leachate concentration after 2-day exposure. Meanwhile, lower chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), carotenoid (Car), and the total chlorophyll were measured as leachate concentrations increased. At day 10, leaf leachates of B. pilosa exhibited the greatest inhibition. These results suggest that the observed inhibitory or stimulatory effects on the physiology studied can have an adverse effect on P. multifida and that allelopathic interference seems to have involved in this process.

Trends in substance use admissions among older adults.

PubMed

Chhatre, Sumedha; Cook, Ratna; Mallik, Eshita; Jayadevappa, Ravishankar

2017-08-22

Substance abuse is a growing, but mostly silent, epidemic among older adults. We sought to analyze the trends in admissions for substance abuse treatment among older adults (aged 55 and older). Treatment Episode Data Set - Admissions (TEDS-A) for period between 2000 and 2012 was used. The trends in admission for primary substances, demographic attributes, characteristics of substance abused and type of admission were analyzed. While total number of substance abuse treatment admissions between 2000 and 2012 changed slightly, proportion attributable to older adults increased from 3.4% to 7.0%. Substantial changes in the demographic, substance use pattern, and treatment characteristics for the older adult admissions were noted. Majority of the admissions were for alcohol as the primary substance. However there was a decreasing trend in this proportion (77% to 64%). The proportion of admissions for following primary substances showed increase: cocaine/crack, marijuana/hashish, heroin, non-prescription methadone, and other opiates and synthetics. Also, admissions for older adults increased between 2000 and 2012 for African Americans (21% to 28%), females (20% to 24%), high school graduates (63% to 75%), homeless (15% to 19%), unemployed (77% to 84%), and those with psychiatric problems (17% to 32%).The proportion of admissions with prior history of substance abuse treatment increased from 39% to 46% and there was an increase in the admissions where more than one problem substance was reported. Ambulatory setting continued to be the most frequent treatment setting, and individual (including self-referral) was the most common referral source. The use of medication assisted therapy remained low over the years (7% - 9%). The changing demographic and substance use pattern of older adults implies that a wide array of psychological, social, and physiological needs will arise. Integrated, multidisciplinary and tailored policies for prevention and treatment are necessary to address the growing epidemic of substance abuse in older adults.

49 CFR 240.119 - Criteria for consideration of data on substance abuse disorders and alcohol/drug rules compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Process § 240.119 Criteria for consideration of data on substance abuse disorders and alcohol/drug rules.... (b) Fitness requirement. (1) A person who has an active substance abuse disorder shall not be... certified engineer who is determined to have an active substance abuse disorder shall be suspended from...

49 CFR 240.119 - Criteria for consideration of data on substance abuse disorders and alcohol/drug rules compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Process § 240.119 Criteria for consideration of data on substance abuse disorders and alcohol/drug rules.... (b) Fitness requirement. (1) A person who has an active substance abuse disorder shall not be... certified engineer who is determined to have an active substance abuse disorder shall be suspended from...

49 CFR 240.119 - Criteria for consideration of data on substance abuse disorders and alcohol/drug rules compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Process § 240.119 Criteria for consideration of data on substance abuse disorders and alcohol/drug rules.... (b) Fitness requirement. (1) A person who has an active substance abuse disorder shall not be... certified engineer who is determined to have an active substance abuse disorder shall be suspended from...

49 CFR 240.119 - Criteria for consideration of data on substance abuse disorders and alcohol/drug rules compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Process § 240.119 Criteria for consideration of data on substance abuse disorders and alcohol/drug rules.... (b) Fitness requirement. (1) A person who has an active substance abuse disorder shall not be... certified engineer who is determined to have an active substance abuse disorder shall be suspended from...

49 CFR 240.119 - Criteria for consideration of data on substance abuse disorders and alcohol/drug rules compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Process § 240.119 Criteria for consideration of data on substance abuse disorders and alcohol/drug rules.... (b) Fitness requirement. (1) A person who has an active substance abuse disorder shall not be... certified engineer who is determined to have an active substance abuse disorder shall be suspended from...

40 CFR 721.8160 - Propanoic acid, 2,2-dimethyl-, ethenyl ester.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... activities, full body chemical protective clothing is required for any worker activity in which the substance... applicable to the other substances weighted by the proportion of each substance present in the total daily...

40 CFR 721.8160 - Propanoic acid, 2,2-dimethyl-, ethenyl ester.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... activities, full body chemical protective clothing is required for any worker activity in which the substance... applicable to the other substances weighted by the proportion of each substance present in the total daily...

40 CFR 721.8160 - Propanoic acid, 2,2-dimethyl-, ethenyl ester.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... activities, full body chemical protective clothing is required for any worker activity in which the substance... applicable to the other substances weighted by the proportion of each substance present in the total daily...

[Sodium fluoride in the therapy of osteoporosis].

PubMed

Krokowski, E

1979-10-04

Every form of osteoporosis--except the physiological involution osteoporosis--requires treatment. Osteoporosis is no disease by itself but a result or a concomitant phenomenon of various diseases. Therefore the primary disease has to be treated also. Only for the so-called idiopathic osteoporosis hitherto no cause is known. Today sodium fluoride is the only substance with an influence upon the bone which may induce re-ossification and re-stabilization. In the described series of investigations this compound, with which treatment by gradual dosage is possible, has proved its effectiveness. Osteoporosis is more than bone porosity, therefore additionally afflicted organic or functional system like the muscular apparatus, bone marrow, or the intraosseous blood supply, must be treated too. Psychological guidance of the patient is necessary as he must be motivated for activity.

[Lectins, adhesins, and lectin-like substances of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria].

PubMed

Lakhtin, V M; Aleshkin, V A; Lakhtin, M V; Afanas'ev, S S; Pospelova, V V; Shenderov, B A

2006-01-01

Cell-surface adhesion factors of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, such as lectin/adhesin proteins of S-layers, secreted lectin-like bacteriocins, and lectin-like complexes, are considered and classified in the article. Certain general and specific properties of these factors are noted, such as in vitro and in vivo adhesion, cell co(aggregation), participation in the forming of microbial biofilms and colonization of mammalian alimentary tract, as well as complexation with biopolymers and bioeffectors, specificity to glycanes and natural glycoconjugates, domain and spatial organization of adhesion factors, co-functioning with other cytokines (pro- and anti-inflammatory ones), regulation of target cell properties, and other biological and physiological activities. The authors also note possibilities of application of lectins and lectin-like proteins of probiotic strains of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in medicine and biotechnology.

Ice-Active Substances from the Infective Juveniles of the Freeze Tolerant Entomopathogenic Nematode, Steinernema feltiae.

PubMed

Ali, Farman; Wharton, David A

2016-01-01

Steinernema feltiae is a moderately freezing tolerant nematode, that can withstand intracellular ice formation. We investigated recrystallization inhibition, thermal hysteresis and ice nucleation activities in the infective juveniles of S. feltiae. Both the splat cooling assay and optical recrystallometry indicate the presence of ice active substances that inhibit recrystallization in the nematode extract. The substance is relatively heat stable and largely retains the recrystallization inhibition activity after heating. No thermal hysteresis activity was detected but the extract had a typical hexagonal crystal shape when grown from a single seed crystal and weak ice nucleation activity. An ice active substance is present in a low concentration, which may be involved in the freezing survival of this species by inhibiting ice recrystallization.

Effect of mitogen-activated protein kinases on chemokine synthesis induced by substance P in mouse pancreatic acinar cells

PubMed Central

Ramnath, Raina Devi; Sun, Jia; Adhikari, Sharmila; Bhatia, Madhav

2007-01-01

Abstract Substance P, acting via its neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1 R), plays an important role in mediating a variety of inflammatory processes. Its interaction with chemokines is known to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis. In pancreatic acinar cells, substance P stimulates the release of NFκB-driven chemokines. However, the signal transduction pathways by which substance P-NK1 R interaction induces chemokine production are still unclear. To that end, we went on to examine the participation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in substance P-induced synthesis of pro-inflammatory chemokines, monocyte chemoanractant protein-1 (MCP-I), macrophage inflammatory protein-lα (MIP-lα) and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), in pancreatic acini. In this study, we observed a time-dependent activation of ERK1/2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), NFκB and activator protein-1 (AP-1) when pancreatic acini were stimulated with substance P. Moreover, substance P-induced ERK 1/2, JNK, NFκB and AP-1 activation as well as chemokine synthesis were blocked by pre-treatment with either extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase kinase 1 (MEK1) inhibitor or JNK inhibitor. In addition, substance P-induced activation of ERK 112, JNK, NFκB and AP-1-driven chemokine production were attenuated by CP96345, a selective NK1 R antagonist, in pancreatic acinar cells. Taken together, these results suggest that substance P-NK1 R induced chemokine production depends on the activation of MAPKs-mediated NFκB and AP-1 signalling pathways in mouse pancreatic acini. PMID:18205703

Substance P receptor desensitization requires receptor activation but not phospholipase C

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sugiya, Hiroshi; Putney, J.W. Jr.

1988-08-01

Previous studies have shown that exposure of parotid acinar cells to substance P at 37{degree}C results in activation of phospholipase C, formation of ({sup 3}H)inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP{sub 3}), and persistent desensitization of the substance P response. In cells treated with antimycin in medium containing glucose, ATP was decreased to {approximately}20% of control values, IP{sub 3} formation was completely inhibited, but desensitization was unaffected. When cells were treated with antimycin in the absence of glucose, cellular ATP was decreased to {approximately}5% of control values, and both IP{sub 3} formation and desensitization were blocked. A series of substance P-related peptides increased themore » formation of ({sup 3}H)IP{sub 3} and induced desensitization of the substance P response with a similar rank order of potencies. The substance P antagonist, (D-Pro{sup 2}, D-Try{sup 7,9})-substance P, inhibited substance P-induced IP{sub 3} formation and desensitization but did not induce desensitization. These results suggest that the desensitization of substance P-induced IP{sub 3} formation requires agonist activation of a P-type substance P receptor, and that one or more cellular ATP-dependent processes are required for this reaction. However, activation of phospholipase C and the generation of inositol phosphates does not seem to be a prerequisite for desensitization.« less

A practical framework for evaluating a culturally tailored adolescent substance abuse treatment programme in Molokai, Hawaii.

PubMed

Withy, Kelley M; Lee, Wayde; Renger, Ralph F

2007-11-01

Successful substance abuse treatment requires many changes in behavior, attitude and skills. Culturally tailored approaches to substance abuse treatment have shown initial success, but are not yet accepted as best practice models. In order to document programme effectiveness of a new culturally tailored substance abuse treatment programme on the rural island of Molokai, Hawaii, the authors worked to develop a multi-level evaluation plan to measure behavior changes occurring after participation in activities targeting identified causes of substance abuse in the population of interest. The authors compiled interview results to develop a map of identified causes of substance abuse in the community studied. Strategic planning then identified the specific activities aimed at impacting identified root causes. A literature review was performed to document the effectiveness of such activities. An evaluation plan was developed to measure programme impact on antecedent conditions contributing to substance use in this community. Prioritized causes of substance abuse in the target group included low self esteem, lack of self identity and life plan, and limited communication and conflict resolution skills. Activities targeting these conditions included cultural activities, group counseling, and individual counseling. Literature to support the benefit of addressing these factors was uncovered, and evaluation methodology was developed to measure changes in behaviors, attitudes, and practices, as a measure of programme success. While programme evaluation data is still being collected, the authors have demonstrated a sound foundation for programme activities, and designed methodology for collecting meaningful data to measure programme effectiveness at changing important root causes of substance abuse in a rural Native Hawaiian community.

JPRS Report, Science & Technology, Japan.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-25

search for antibacterial substances, antitumor agents or biologically active substances such as toxins and other pharmacologically active substances from...total cost of ¥1.35 billion. Delivery is scheduled for March 1988. This helicopter will be used for various purposes, such as rescue activities , etc...long standing, has suddenly changed. Now, it is concentrating very effectively on development activities so as to be one of the pioneers in

Effects of substance P on spontaneous contraction in the flexure region of the guinea pig colon.

PubMed

Chowdhury, J U; Nahar, N S

2007-01-01

Effects of Substance P on spontaneous contractions of the circular muscle of the flexure region of guinea pig colon were studied by mechanical tension recording. Substance P (3 nM-10 nM) produced tonic contraction associated with phasic activities but the contraction was found stronger at higher concentration. Verapamil (3 microM), a voltage dependent L-type Ca(2+) channel blocker completely blocked the spontaneous activities and also Substance P induced contraction. These results suggest that Substance P produce contraction by Ca(2+) influx and the Ca(2+) influx occurs by activating verapamil sensitive Ca(2+) channel.

A spectrum of pharmacological activity in some biologically active peptides

PubMed Central

Bisset, G. W.; Lewis, G. P.

1962-01-01

The actions of bradykinin, angiotensin, oxytocin, vasopressin and substance P have been examined both on isolated smooth muscle preparations and in vivo. It was found that the isolated rat uterus and guinea-pig ileum can be used to distinguish between oxytocin and bradykinin and that the isolated rat colon and hen rectal caecum are almost specific test preparations for substance P. All the peptides were active on peripheral blood vessels, bradykinin, substance P and oxytocin causing vasodilatation and vasopressin and angiotensin vasoconstriction; bradykinin, substance P and angiotensin also caused an increase in capillary permeability in guinea-pigs. Only bradykinin and substance P were active in low concentrations in producing pain when applied to an exposed blister base. These two peptides were also active in causing bronchoconstriction. Oxytocin and vasopressin were the only peptides having milk-ejecting or antidiuretic activity which could be dissociated from cardiovascular effects. The spectrum of activity displayed by these peptides is in agreement with those functions which have been established for vasopressin and oxytocin and with those suggested, but not yet fully accepted, for bradykinin and angiotensin. It also indicates a possible function for substance P based on its vascular and permeability effects. ImagesFig. 6 PMID:13869527

Well-Being, Teacher's Edition. Probing the Natural World/3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Univ., Tallahassee. Dept. of Science Education.

The teacher's edition for the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study Level III unit entitled "Well-Being" provides instructions for teachers. The main thrust of this unit is on examining some principles of human physiology and how these are affected by various substances. A brief introduction dealing with concepts of food, smoking,…

Motivational Systems in Adolescence: Possible Implications for Age Differences in Substance Abuse and Other Risk-Taking Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doremus-Fitzwater, Tamara L.; Varlinskaya, Elena I.; Spear, Linda P.

2010-01-01

Adolescence is an evolutionarily conserved developmental phase characterized by hormonal, physiological, neural and behavioral alterations evident widely across mammalian species. For instance, adolescent rats, like their human counterparts, exhibit elevations in peer-directed social interactions, risk-taking/novelty seeking and drug and alcohol…

Understanding behavioral responses of fish to pheromones in natural freshwater environments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Nicholas S.; Li, Weiming

2010-01-01

There is an abundance of experimental studies and reviews that describe odorant-mediated behaviors of fish in laboratory microcosms, but research in natural field conditions has received considerably less attention. Fish pheromone studies in laboratory settings can be highly productive and allow for controlled experimental designs; however, laboratory tanks and flumes often cannot replicate all the physical, physiological and social contexts associated with natural environments. Field experiments can be a critical step in affirming and enhancing understanding of laboratory discoveries and often implicate the ecological significance of pheromones employed by fishes. When findings from laboratory experiments have been further tested in field environments, often different and sometimes contradictory conclusions are found. Examples include studies of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) mating pheromones and fish alarm substances. Here, we review field research conducted on fish pheromones and alarm substances, highlighting the following topics: (1) contradictory results obtained in laboratory and field experiments, (2) how environmental context and physiological status influences behavior, (3) challenges and constraints of aquatic field research and (4) innovative techniques and experimental designs that advance understanding of fish chemical ecology through field research.

Current implementation and future of the Athlete Biological Passport.

PubMed

Sottas, Pierre-Edouard; Vernec, Alan

2012-07-01

During the last four decades, the main instrument at the disposal of anti-doping authorities has been the detection of prohibited substances in biological samples collected from athletes. However, the availability of substances identical to those produced by the human body, such as EPO, testosterone and GH, necessitated a new drug-testing paradigm. From the early 2000's, the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) was proposed as an alternative means to drug testing. Doping leaves a characteristic fingerprint on the biology of the athlete and the ABP is used to prove the act of doping from the detection of that fingerprint. Once a biomarker of doping is implemented in the ABP, it will continue to remain valid and should be able to detect the physiological changes brought on by performance-enhancing drugs that have not yet been invented. However, the sensitivity of the ABP to detect doping is limited if the physiological result of a low level of doping remains within the individual's own reference range. Recent advances in proteomics and metabolomics show the huge potential of the ABP.

Physiological response of Arundo donax to cadmium stress by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Yu, Shunhui; Sheng, Li; Zhang, Chunyan; Deng, Hongping

2018-06-05

The present paper deals with the physiological response of the changes in chemical contents of the root, stem and leaf of Arundo donax seedlings stressed by excess cadmium using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique, cadmium accumulation in plant by atomic absorption spectroscopy were tested after different concentrations cadmium stress. The results showed that low cadmium concentrations (<1.0mg/L) the root tissue of Arundo donax uses osmosis of organic substances (e.g. carbohydrates and amino acids) to improve cadmium tolerance. Organic substances (e.g. carbohydrates) that contain a lot of OH in leaf were transported to the root firstly and then could chelate cadmium, but no obvious changes in stems were noted. The cadmium in the shoots (stem and leaf) usually increased with increasing cadmium concentration. These studies demonstrate the potential of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique for the non-invasive and rapid monitoring of the plants stressed with heavy metals, Arundo donax is suitable for phytoremediation of cadmium -contaminated wetland. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mechanisms of Chemical Carcinogenesis in the Kidneys

PubMed Central

Radford, Robert; Frain, Helena; Ryan, Michael P.; Slattery, Craig; McMorrow, Tara

2013-01-01

Chemical carcinogens are substances which induce malignant tumours, increase their incidence or decrease the time taken for tumour formation. Often, exposure to chemical carcinogens results in tissue specific patterns of tumorigenicity. The very same anatomical, biochemical and physiological specialisations which permit the kidney to perform its vital roles in maintaining tissue homeostasis may in fact increase the risk of carcinogen exposure and contribute to the organ specific carcinogenicity observed with numerous kidney carcinogens. This review will address the numerous mechanisms which play a role in the concentration, bioactivation, and uptake of substances from both the urine and blood which significantly increase the risk of cancer in the kidney. PMID:24071941

Adolescent brain development, substance use, and psychotherapeutic change.

PubMed

Wetherill, Reagan; Tapert, Susan F

2013-06-01

Adolescence is a unique developmental period characterized by major physiological, psychological, social, and brain changes, as well as an increased incidence of maladaptive, addictive behaviors. With the use of MRI techniques, researchers have been able to provide a better understanding of adolescent brain maturation and how neurodevelopment affects cognition and behavior. This review discusses adolescent brain development and its potential influence on psychotherapeutic change. We focus on cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based approaches for treating substance use and highlight potential brain mechanisms underlying response to psychotherapy. Finally, we discuss integrative neuroimaging and treatment studies and potential opportunities for advancing the treatment of adolescent addictive behaviors. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

First Evidence of Altererythrobacter sp. LY02 with Indirect Algicidal Activity on the Toxic Dinoflagellate, Alexandrium tamarense.

PubMed

Li, Yi; Liu, Lei; Xu, Yanting; Guan, Chengwei; Lei, Xueqian; Zheng, Wei; Wang, Hailei; Zheng, Tianling

2016-10-01

Alexandrium tamarense is a toxic harmful algal blooms (HABs) causing species, which poses great threat to human health and marine economy. In this study, we isolated an algicidal bacterium Altererythrobacter sp. LY02 towards to A. tamarense and later investigated the algicidal activity, algicidal mode, characteristics of algicidal active substance and algicidal procedure. The results indicated that the cell-free filtrate of strain LY02 showed high algicidal effect on algal growth, however, bacterial cells almost lost algicidal activity. The algicidal active substance was temperature- and pH-stability, and its molecular weight was less than 1000 Da, and was a non-proteinaceous material or non-polysaccharide, mid-polar substance. Under the algicidal effect of active substance, the morphology and structure of A. tamarense cells were seriously damaged as well as organelles. Our study confirmed that the algicidal active substance could be used as an excellent bio-agent for controlling HABs caused by A. tamarense.

Study the properties of activated carbon and oxyhydroxide aluminum as sorbents for removal humic substances from natural waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiyan, L. N.; Machekhina, K. I.; Gryaznova, E. N.

2016-02-01

The present work relates to the problem of high-quality drinking water supply using processes of adsorption on activated carbon and aluminum oxyhydroxide for removal humic- type organic substances. Also the paper reports on sorbtion properties of the activeted carbon Norit SA UF and oxyhydroxide aluminum for removal humic substances. It was found out that the maximum adsorption capacity of activated carbon to organic substances is equal to 0.25 mg/mg and aluminum oxyhydroxide is equal to 0.3 mg/mg. It is shown that the maximum adsorption capacity of activated carbon Norit SA UF to iron (III) ions is equal to 0.0045 mg/mg and to silicon ions is equal to 0.024 mg/mg. Consequently, the aluminum oxyhydroxide has better adsorption characteristics in comparison with the activated carbon for removal of humic substances, iron and silicon ions. It is associated with the fact that activated carbon has a large adsorption surface, and this is due to its porous structure, but not all molecules can enter into these pores. Therefore, the fibrous structure of aluminum oxyhydroxide promotes better sorption capacity. The presented results suggest that activated carbon Norit SA UF and aluminum oxyhydroxide can be used as sorbents for removal humic substances or other organic substances from groundwater and natural waters.

Prostaglandins in the gut and their relationship to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

PubMed

Semble, E L; Wu, W C

1989-08-01

Prostaglandins are long-chain, saturated, oxygenated fatty acids. Relatively large quantities of prostaglandins have been found in gut mucosa, suggesting that these substances play an important role in gastrointestinal physiology. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) cause damage to the gastric, intestinal, and colonic mucosa in experimental animals and in humans. Prostaglandins protect the gastric mucosa against injury induced by NSAIDs, and this property has been labelled cytoprotection. The mechanisms of cytoprotection have been extensively evaluated and are probably multifactorial, including effects on the gastric mucosal barrier, gastric blood flow, mucus, bicarbonate, and fluid section, ionic transport, cyclic AMP, and surface-active phospholipids. Prostaglandins may also prevent NSAID-induced injury in the small intestine and colon. The mechanisms responsible for prostaglandin protection in the lower gut against injurious agents are unknown. Further studies of the role of prostaglandins in the gut and their relationship to the effects of NSAIDs are needed. The results of these investigations may lead to a better understanding of the importance of prostaglandins in the physiology of the gastrointestinal tract, and may provide information regarding actions of NSAIDs on the functional integrity of the gastric, intestinal, and colonic mucosa.

Ice-Active Substances from the Infective Juveniles of the Freeze Tolerant Entomopathogenic Nematode, Steinernema feltiae

PubMed Central

Ali, Farman; Wharton, David A.

2016-01-01

Steinernema feltiae is a moderately freezing tolerant nematode, that can withstand intracellular ice formation. We investigated recrystallization inhibition, thermal hysteresis and ice nucleation activities in the infective juveniles of S. feltiae. Both the splat cooling assay and optical recrystallometry indicate the presence of ice active substances that inhibit recrystallization in the nematode extract. The substance is relatively heat stable and largely retains the recrystallization inhibition activity after heating. No thermal hysteresis activity was detected but the extract had a typical hexagonal crystal shape when grown from a single seed crystal and weak ice nucleation activity. An ice active substance is present in a low concentration, which may be involved in the freezing survival of this species by inhibiting ice recrystallization. PMID:27227961

Major royal jelly proteins as markers of authenticity and quality of honey.

PubMed

Bilikova, Katarina; Kristof Krakova, Tatiana; Yamaguchi, Kikuji; Yamaguchi, Yoshihisa

2015-12-01

Until now, the properties of honey have been defined based exclusively on the content of plant components in the nectar of given plant. We showed that apalbumin1, the major royal jelly (RJ) protein, is an authentic and regular component of honey. Apalbumin1 and other RJ proteins and peptides are responsible for the immunostimulatory properties and antibiotic activity of honey. For the quantification of apalbumin1, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed using polyclonal anti-apalbumin1 antibody. The method is suitable for honey authenticity determination; moreover it is useful for detection of the honey, honeybee pollen and RJ in products of medicine, pharmacy, cosmetics, and food industry, where presences of these honeybee products are declared. Results from the analysis for presence and amount of apalbumin1 in honeys will be used for high-throughput screening of honey samples over the world. On the basis of our experiments which show that royal jelly proteins are regular and physiologically active components of honey we propose to change the definition of honey (according to the EU Honey Directive 2001/110/EC) as follows: Honey is a natural sweet substance produced by honey bees from nectar of plants or from secretions of plants, or excretions of plant sucking insects, which honey bees collect, transform by combining with major royal jelly proteins and other specific substances of their own, deposit, dehydrate, store and leave in the honey comb to ripen and mature.

The neurohormonal network in the RAAS can bend before breaking.

PubMed

Wagman, Gabriel; Fudim, Marat; Kosmas, Constantine E; Panni, Robert E; Vittorio, Timothy J

2012-06-01

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) has evolved in humans as one of the main physiological networks by which blood pressure and blood flow to vital organs is maintained. The RAAS has evolved to circumvent life-threatening events such as hemorrhage and starvation. Although short-term activation of this system had been well suited to counteract such catastrophes of early man, excessive chronic activation of the RAAS plays a fundamental role in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease in modern man. The RAAS is an intricate network comprising a number of major organ systems (heart, kidney, and vasculature) and signaling pathways. The main protagonists are renin, angiotensinogen (Ang), angiotensin I (Ang I), angiotensin II (Ang II), and aldosterone (Aldo). The study and delineation of each of these substances has allowed modern medicine to create targets by which cardiovascular disease can be treated. The main modulators that have been synthesized in this respect are angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), mineralocorticoid receptor blockers (MRBs), and direct renin inhibitors (DRIs). Over the past few decades, each of these substances has proven efficacious to varying degrees amongst a number of clinical settings. Additionally, there exists data for and against the use of these agents in combination. The use of these agents in combination poses a larger question conceptually: can excessive pharmacological inhibition of the RAAS lead to patient harm? This perspective will examine the concept of a neurohormonal inhibition ceiling in pertinent experimental and clinical trials.

Blockade of neurokinin-1 receptors in the ventral respiratory column does not affect breathing but alters neurochemical release.

PubMed

Muere, Clarissa; Neumueller, Suzanne; Olesiak, Samantha; Miller, Justin; Hodges, Matthew R; Pan, Lawrence; Forster, Hubert V

2015-03-15

Substance P (SP) and its receptor, neurokinin-1 (NK1R), have been shown to be excitatory modulators of respiratory frequency and to stabilize breathing regularity. Studies in anesthetized mice suggest that tonic activation of NK1Rs is particularly important when other excitatory inputs to the pre-Bötzinger complex in the ventral respiratory column (VRC) are attenuated. Consistent with these findings, muscarinic receptor blockade in the VRC of intact goats elicits an increase in breathing frequency associated with increases in SP and serotonin concentrations, suggesting an involvement of these substances in neuromodulator compensation. To gain insight on the contribution to breathing of endogenous SP and NK1R activation, and how NK1R modulates the release of other neurochemicals, we individually dialyzed antagonists to NK1R (133, 267, 500 μM Spantide; 3 mM RP67580) throughout the VRC of awake and sleeping goats. We found that NK1R blockade with either Spantide at any dose or RP67580 had no effect on breathing or regularity. Both antagonists significantly (P < 0.001) increased SP, while RP67580 also increased serotonin and glycine and decreased thyrotropin-releasing hormone concentrations in the dialysate. Taken together, these data support the concept of neuromodulator interdependence, and we believe that the loss of excitatory input from NK1Rs was locally compensated by changes in other neurochemicals. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Influenza infection causes airway hyperresponsiveness by decreasing enkephalinase.

PubMed

Jacoby, D B; Tamaoki, J; Borson, D B; Nadel, J A

1988-06-01

Ferret tracheal segments were infected with human influenza virus A/Taiwan/86 (H1N1) in vitro. After 4 days, the smooth muscle contractile responses to acetylcholine and to substance P were measured. The response to substance P was markedly accentuated, with a threefold increase in force of contraction at a substance P concentration of 10(-5) M, the highest concentration tested. In contrast, the response to acetylcholine was not affected by viral infection. Histological examination of tissues revealed extensive epithelial desquamation. Activity of enkephalinase (neutral metallo-endopeptidase, EC.3.4.24.11), an enzyme that degrades substance P, was decreased by 50% in infected tissues. Inhibiting enkephalinase activity by pretreating with thiorphan (10(-5) M) increased the response to substance P to the same final level in both infected and control tissues. Inhibiting other substance P-degrading enzymes including kininase II (angiotensin-converting enzyme), serine proteases, and aminopeptidases did not affect the response to substance P. Inhibiting cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase activity using indomethacin and BW 755c did not affect hyperresponsiveness to substance P. Pretreating tissues with antagonists of alpha-adrenoceptors, beta-adrenoceptors, and H1 histamine receptors (phentolamine 10(-5) M, propranolol 5 X 10(-6) M, and pyrilamine 10(-5) M, respectively) had no effect on substance P-induced contraction. These results demonstrate that infection of ferret airway tissues with influenza virus increases the contractile response of airway smooth muscle to substance P. This effect is caused by decreased enkephalinase activity in infected tissues.

Role of VIP and substance P in NANC innervation in the longitudinal smooth muscle of the rat jejunum - influence of extrinsic denervation.

PubMed

Kasparek, Michael S; Fatima, Javairiah; Iqbal, Corey W; Duenes, Judith A; Sarr, Michael G

2007-07-01

This study was designed to determine changes in nonadrenergic, noncholinergic (NANC) neurotransmission mediated by Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide (VIP) and Substance P after small bowel transplantation (SBT). Six groups of rats (n > or = 6 per group) were studied: naïve controls (NC); 1 wk after anesthesia/sham celiotomy (SC-1); 1 or 8 wk after jejunal and ileal transection/reanastomosis (TA-1, TA-8), or syngeneic, orthotopic SBT (SBT-1, SBT-8). Jejunal longitudinal muscle strips were studied under NANC-conditions for spontaneous contractile activity, response to exogenous VIP and Substance P, and electrical field stimulation (EFS). Spontaneous activity did not differ between the six groups. VIP inhibited contractile activity in all groups 1 wk postoperatively (P < 0.05), which was prevented by the NO synthase inhibitor L-N(G)-nitro arginine (L-NNA). In contrast, VIP had no effect in the other groups. Precontraction with Substance P exposed an inhibitory effect of VIP in all groups (P < 0.05 each). Substance P increased contractile activity in all groups, but to a lesser extent in SBT-8 compared with NC, TA-8, and SBT-1 (P < 0.05). The inhibitory effect of EFS at 6 Hz was prevented by L-NNA in NC and TA-8; addition of the VIP antagonist ([D-p-Cl-Phe(6), Leu(17)]-VIP) increased contractile activity in NC, but not in TA-8 and SBT-8. The Substance P antagonist ([D-Pro(2), D-Trp(7,9)]-Substance P) decreased contractile activity during EFS at 50 Hz in NC and SBT-8. SBT decreased response to exogenous Substance P, although release of endogenous Substance P (EFS) is preserved. Changes in VIP signaling are acute and reversible and not caused by effects of SBT.

77 FR 61117 - Significant New Use Rules on Certain Chemical Substances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-05

...EPA is promulgating significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 78 chemical substances which were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs). Seven of these chemical substances are subject to TSCA section 5(e) consent orders issued by EPA. This action requires persons who intend to manufacture, import, or process any of these 78 chemical substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this rule to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing that activity. The required notification will provide EPA with the opportunity to evaluate the intended use and, if necessary, to prohibit or limit that activity before it occurs.

The neurologic effects of noxious marine creatures.

PubMed

Southcott, R V

1975-01-01

The concept of the sea as a source of noxious agents is perhaps not a familiar one to clinical neurologists, judging by the lack of reference to these agents in standard textbooks. Chemical, physiologic, and pharmacologic laboratories are increasingly investigating the properties of marine toxins, finding in them compounds with interesting and novel structures or unusual physiologic effects. Such substances are seen as possible agents for biologic and, more particularly, physiologic research, and as possible sources of new pharmaceuticals. These include hormone-like substances and antiviral or antitumor agents. Despite these specialized developments, which are in large measure a consequence of the technological advances of the present century, the clinician is at times directly concerned with the effects of marine toxic substances. For example, in Japan, puffer fish or tetrodotoxic poisoning is one of the major causes of deaths from food poisoning. Another marine toxin that has caused many explosive outbreaks of food poisoning. with many deaths in various parts of the world, comes from clams or mussels. This toxin, saxitoxin, is produced by species of marine protozoa including Gonyaulax, and is concentrated in filter-feeding molluscs. These two examples were of significant interest in medicine long before the technologic developments of the twentieth century. In the last few decades, entirely new problems of marine intoxication have arisen as a result of marine pollution from the disposal of industrial wastes in the sea. The most striking example of a man-made marine intoxication has been the outbreak of Minamata disease. In Minamata, Japan, the disposal of mercury-contaminated industrial wastes from a plastics factory into an enclosed bay, followed by human consumption of the contaminated fishes, crabs, or shellfish, led to many instances of acute cerebral degeneration. With the increasing exploration of the sea for both pleasure and economic exploitation, which is a feature of the second half of the twentieth century, it may be expected that the frequency and variety of human intoxications by marine creatures will be increased. This chapter reviews the neurologic effects of noxious substances of marine biologic origin. The subject is now developing so rapidly that overall surveys, such as this, of the general animal life of theocens will soon be beyond the scope of a single review. Nevertheless, it is hoped that the references given will enable the interested reader to pursue particular aspects further.

Near-death experiences and the temporal lobe.

PubMed

Britton, Willoughby B; Bootzin, Richard R

2004-04-01

Many studies in humans suggest that altered temporal lobe functioning, especially functioning in the right temporal lobe, is involved in mystical and religious experiences. We investigated temporal lobe functioning in individuals who reported having transcendental "near-death experiences" during life-threatening events. These individuals were found to have more temporal lobe epileptiform electroencephalographic activity than control subjects and also reported significantly more temporal lobe epileptic symptoms. Contrary to predictions, epileptiform activity was nearly completely lateralized to the left hemisphere. The near-death experience was not associated with dysfunctional stress reactions such as dissociation, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse, but rather was associated with positive coping styles. Additional analyses revealed that near-death experiencers had altered sleep patterns, specifically, a shorter duration of sleep and delayed REM sleep relative to the control group. These results suggest that altered temporal lobe functioning may be involved in the near-death experience and that individuals who have had such experiences are physiologically distinct from the general population.

Association Between Substance Use and Gun-Related Behaviors.

PubMed

Chen, Danhong; Wu, Li-Tzy

2016-01-01

Gun-related violence is a public health concern. This study synthesizes findings on associations between substance use and gun-related behaviors. Searches through PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO located 66 studies published in English between 1992 and 2014. Most studies found a significant bivariate association between substance use and increased odds of gun-related behaviors. However, their association after adjustment was mixed, which could be attributed to a number of factors such as variations in definitions of substance use and gun activity, study design, sample demographics, and the specific covariates considered. Fewer studies identified a significant association between substance use and gun access/possession than other gun activities. The significant association between nonsubstance covariates (e.g., demographic covariates and other behavioral risk factors) and gun-related behaviors might have moderated the association between substance use and gun activities. Particularly, the strength of association between substance use and gun activities tended to reduce appreciably or to become nonsignificant after adjustment for mental disorders. Some studies indicated a positive association between the frequency of substance use and the odds of engaging in gun-related behaviors. Overall, the results suggest a need to consider substance use in research and prevention programs for gun-related violence. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cell surface physiology and outer cell envelope impermeability for hydrophobic substances in Burkholderia multivorans.

PubMed

Ruskoski, Sallie A; Champlin, Franklin R

2017-07-01

The purpose of the present study was to obtain a better understanding of the relationship between cell surface physiology and outer cellular envelope permeability for hydrophobic substances in mucoid and non-mucoid B. multivorans strains, as well as in two capsule-deficient derivatives of a mucoid parental strain. Cell surface hydrophobicity properties were determined using the hydrocarbon adherence method, while outer cell envelope accessibility and permeability for non-polar compounds were measured using hydrophobic antimicrobial agent susceptibility and fluorescent probe assays. Extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) production was assessed by cultivating strains of disparate origin on yeast extract agar (YEA) containing different sugars, while the resultant colonial and cellular morphological parameters were assessed macro- and microscopically, respectively.Results/Key findings. The cell surfaces of all the strains were hydrophilic, impermeable to mechanistically disparate hydrophobic antibacterial agents and inaccessible to the hydrophobic probe N-phenyl-1-napthylamine, regardless of EPS phenotype. Supplementation of basal YEA with eight different sugars enhanced macroscopic EPS expression for all but one non-mucoid strain, with mannose potentiating the greatest effect. Despite acquisition of the mucoid phenotype, non-mucoid strains remained non-capsulated and capsulation of a hyper-mucoid strain and its two non-mucoid derivative strains was unaffected, as judged by microscopic observation. These data support the conclusion that EPS expression and the consistent mucoid phenotype are not necessarily associated with the ability of the outer cell surface to associate with non-polar substances or cellular capsulation.

Ammonia toxicity induces glutamine accumulation, oxidative stress and immunosuppression in juvenile yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco.

PubMed

Li, Ming; Gong, Shiyan; Li, Qing; Yuan, Lixia; Meng, Fanxing; Wang, Rixin

2016-01-01

A study was carried to test the response of yellow catfish for 28 days under two ammonia concentrations. Weight gain of fish exposure to high and low ammonia abruptly increased at day 3. There were no significant changes in fish physiological indexes and immune responses at different times during 28-day exposure to low ammonia. Fish physiological indexes and immune responses in the treatment of high ammonia were lower than those of fish in the treatment of low ammonia. When fish were exposed to high ammonia, the ammonia concentration in the brain increased by 19-fold on day 1. By comparison, liver ammonia concentration reached its highest level much earlier at hour 12. In spite of a significant increase in brain and liver glutamine concentration, there was no significant change in glutamate level throughout the 28-day period. The total superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities in the brain gradually decreased from hour 0 to day 28. Liver SOD, GPX and GR activities reached the highest levels at hour 12, and then gradually decreased. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance brain and liver content gradually increased throughout the 28-day period. Lysozyme, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activities in the liver reached exceptionally low levels after day 14. This study indicated that glutamine accumulation in the brain was not the major cause of ammonia poisoning, the toxic reactive oxygen species is not fully counter acted by the antioxidant enzymes and immunosuppression is a process of gradual accumulation of immunosuppressive factors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The use of laser light to enhance the uptake of foliar-applied substances into citrus (Citrus sinensis) leaves1

PubMed Central

Etxeberria, Ed; Gonzalez, Pedro; Fanton Borges, Ana; Brodersen, Craig

2016-01-01

Premise of the study: Uptake of foliar-applied substances across the leaf cuticle is central to world food production as well as for physiological investigations into phloem structure and function. Yet, despite the presence of stomata, foliar application as a delivery system can be extremely inefficient due to the low permeability of leaf surfaces to polar compounds. Methods: Using laser light to generate microscopic perforations in the leaf cuticle, we tested the penetration of several substances into the leaf, their uptake into the phloem, and their subsequent movement through the phloem tissue. Substances varied in their size, charge, and Stokes radius. Results: The phloem-mobile compounds 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino]-2-deoxyglucose (2-NBDG), lysine, Biocillin, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), trehalose, carboxyfluorescein-SE, and poly(amidomine) (PAMAM) dendrimer G-4 nanoparticles (4.5 nm in size) showed a high degree of mobility and were able to penetrate and be transported in the phloem. Discussion: Our investigation demonstrated the effectiveness of laser light technology in enhancing the penetration of foliar-applied substances into citrus leaves. The technology is also applicable to the study of phloem mobility of substances by providing a less invasive, highly repeatable, and more quantifiable delivery method. The implied superficial lesions to the leaf can be mitigated by applying a waxy coating. PMID:26819863

Heat induced generation of the mitogenic substance(s) responding to murine splenocytes obtained from sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum IFO 9395.

PubMed

Shinohara, H; Ohno, N; Yadomae, T

1990-08-01

We have demonstrated that hot water extracts of sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum IFO 9395 (TSHW) show various immunomodulating activities and mitogenic substance(s) were recovered from the beta-1,3-glucanase resistant-fraction (EDP) (Shinohara et al. Chem. Pharm. Bull., 37, 2174 (1989]. In this paper, we examined whether or not the mitogenic substance(s) were also obtained from the other methods, phosphate buffer extraction. Although the native extracts (3S-M) sterilized with a membrane filter showed a slight mitogenicity to murine splenocytes, 3S-M denatured in boiling water (3S-MB) showed significant activity. Treatment of 3S-M for only 1 min in boiling water or 10 min at 70 degrees C was sufficient to show significant mitogenic activity. After heat treatment of 3S-M in boiling water for 30 s, the main band corresponding to that of 3S-M was not clearly observed. Instead, new bands appeared at the top of the gel in normal-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (normal-PAGE), suggesting that many physicochemical changes occurred during the heat treatment. These findings suggest that heat denaturation of the substance(s) from sclerotia was one of the triggering mechanisms expressing mitogenic activity to murine splenocytes.

Substance P and bradykinin activate different types of KCa currents to hyperpolarize cultured porcine coronary artery endothelial cells

PubMed Central

Frieden, M; Sollini, M; Bény, J-L

1999-01-01

Substance P and bradykinin, endothelium-dependent vasodilators of pig coronary artery, trigger in endothelial cells a rise in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and membrane hyperpolarization. The aim of the present study was to determine the type of Ca2+-dependent K+ (KCa) currents underlying the endothelial cell hyperpolarization. The substance P-induced increase in [Ca2+]i was 30 % smaller than that induced by bradykinin, although the two peptides triggered a membrane hyperpolarization of the same amplitude. The two agonists evoked a large outward K+ current of the same conductance at maximal stimulation. Agonists applied together produced the same maximal current amplitude as either one applied alone. Iberiotoxin (50 nM) reduced by about 40 % the K+ current activated by bradykinin without modifying the substance P response. Conversely, apamin (1 μm) inhibited the substance P-induced K+ current by about 65 %, without affecting the bradykinin response. Similar results were obtained on peptide-induced membrane hyperpolarization. Bradykinin-induced, but not substance P-induced, endothelium-dependent relaxation resistant to NG-nitro-L-arginine and indomethacin was partly inhibited by 3 μm 17-octadecynoic acid (17-ODYA), an inhibitor of cytochrome P450 epoxygenase. Similarly, the bradykinin-induced K+ current was reduced by 17-ODYA. Our results show that responses to substance P and bradykinin result in a hyperpolarization due to activation of different KCa currents. A current consistent with the activation of large conductance (BKCa) channels was activated only by bradykinin, whereas a current consistent with the activation of small conductance (SKCa) channels was stimulated only by substance P. The observation that a similar electrical response is produced by different pools of channels implies distinct intracellular pathways leading to KCa current activation. PMID:10457055

New active substances authorized in the United Kingdom between 1972 and 1994

PubMed Central

Jefferys, David B; Leakey, Diane; Lewis, John A; Payne, Sandra; Rawlins, Michael D

1998-01-01

Aims The study was undertaken to assemble a list of all new active medicinal substances authorised in the United Kingdom between 1972 and 1994; to assess whether the pattern of introductions had changed; and to examine withdrawal rates and the reasons for withdrawal. Methods The identities of those new active substances whose manufacturers had obtained Product Licences between 1972 and 1994 were sought from the Medicines Control Agency's product data-base. For each substance relevant information was retrieved including the year of granting the Product Licence, its therapeutic class, whether currently authorised (and, if not, reason for withdrawal), and its nature (chemical, biological etc.). Results The Medicines Control Agency's data-base was cross-checked against two other data-bases for completeness. A total of 583 new active substances (in 579 products) were found to have been authorised over the study period. The annual rates of authorisation varied widely (9 to 40 per year). Whilst there was no evidence for any overall change in the annual rates of authorising new chemical entities, there has been a trend for increasing numbers of new products of biological origin to be authorised in recent years. Fifty-nine of the 583 new active substances have been withdrawn (1 each for quality and efficacy, 22 for safety, and 35 for commercial reasons). Conclusions For reasons that are unclear there is marked heterogeneity in the annual rates of authorisation of new active substances. Their 10 year survival is approximately 88% with withdrawals being, predominantly, for commercial or safety reasons. This confirms the provisional nature of assessments about safety at the time when a new active substance is introduced into routine clinical practice, and emphasises the importance of pharmacovigilance. PMID:9491828

Clinical pharmacokinetics and efficacy of renin inhibitors.

PubMed

Rongen, G A; Lenders, J W; Smits, P; Thien, T

1995-07-01

The successful introduction of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in the treatment of patients with essential hypertension or heart failure has increased interest in the (patho)physiological role of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). ACE is not only involved in the formation of angiotensin II from angiotensin I, but also inactivates vasoactive substances such as bradykinin and substance P. Accumulation of these substances during treatment with ACE inhibitors may contribute to both their therapeutic action and certain adverse effects associated with their use, such as cough and angioneurotic oedema. Renin inhibitors offer an alternative approach to inhibit the RAS. The major advantage of these, still experimental, drugs is their high specificity for the RAS since angiotensinogen is the only known substrate of renin. The currently available renin inhibitors are pseudopeptides that are rapidly taken up by the liver and excreted in the bile. Consequently, these drugs are subjected to a considerable first pass effect which limits their oral bioavailability. Additionally, plasma elimination half-life times are short and the duration of action is limited. Despite these shortcomings, single oral or intravenous administration results in a 80 to 90% inhibition of plasma renin activity and a slight reduction in blood pressure in patients with hypertension. The extent of blood pressure reduction is dependent on the patient's salt balance. After 1 week of oral treatment with the renin inhibitor remikiren, the antihypertensive effect was reduced in salt-repleted hypertensive patients. Subsequent intravenous administration of the drug did not further affect blood pressure, indicating that it was not the first pass effect that was limiting the efficacy of remikiren.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Associations between University Students' Reported Reasons for Abstinence from Illicit Substances and Type of Drug

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenberg, Harold; Bonar, Erin E.; Pavlick, Michelle; Jones, Lance D.; Hoffmann, Erica; Murray, Shanna; Faigin, Carol Ann; Cabral, Kyle; Baylen, Chelsea

2012-01-01

We recruited 211 undergraduates to rate the degree to which each of 34 listed reasons for not taking drugs had influenced their abstinence from MDMA/ecstasy, cocaine, marijuana, and hallucinogens. Participants rated reasons such as personal and family medical histories, religion, and physiological consequences of drug use as having little or no…

Cortisol Reactivity to Social Stress as a Mediator of Early Adversity on Risk and Adaptive Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conradt, Elisabeth; Abar, Beau; Lester, Barry M.; LaGasse, Linda L.; Shankaran, Seetha; Bada, Henrietta; Bauer, Charles R.; Whitaker, Toni M.; Hammond, Jane A.

2014-01-01

Children chronically exposed to stress early in life are at increased risk for maladaptive outcomes, though the physiological mechanisms driving these effects are unknown. Cortisol reactivity was tested as a mediator of the relation between prenatal substance exposure and/or early adversity on adaptive and maladaptive outcomes. Data were drawn…

Plant poisons: their occurrence, biochemistry and physiological properties.

PubMed

Vickery, Margaret

2010-01-01

Plants produce poisons as a defence against predators. Many of these substances are biosynthesised from non-protein amino acids by biosynthetic pathways which have been deduced from the results of isotopic tracer analysis. These secondary metabolites have been used by humans over thousands of years, both as drugs and as agents to kill animals and commit homicide.

Participation in Organized Activities Protects Against Adolescents' Risky Substance Use, Even Beyond Development in Conscientiousness.

PubMed

McCabe, Kira O; Modecki, Kathryn L; Barber, Bonnie L

2016-11-01

Adolescents are at a significant risk for binge drinking and illicit drug use. One way to protect against these behaviors is through participation in extracurricular activities. However, there is a debate about whether highly conscientious adolescents are more likely to participate in activities, which raises the concern of a confound. To disentangle these relationships, we tested the latent trajectories of substance use and personality across 3 years, with participation in activities and sports as time-varying predictors. We surveyed 687 adolescents (55 % female, 85.4 % Caucasian) in Western Australia schools across 3 years. At Time 1, the students were in Year 10 1 (mean age 15 years). The results showed that participation in activities and conscientiousness are related, but each uniquely predicts slower growth in substance use. Across waves, participation in activities predicted less risky substance use a year later, over and above conscientiousness development. These results suggest that there may be unique benefits of participation in activities that protect against risky substance use.

Relationship Between Psychophysiological Responses to Aversive Odors and Nutritional Status During Normal Aging.

PubMed

Joussain, Pauline; Ferdenzi, Camille; Djordjevic, Jelena; Bensafi, Moustafa

2017-07-01

Psychophysiological responses to disgusting and pleasant smells are one of the most important aspects of olfaction. These emotional signals can constitute an alert against toxic substances, and they may play a major role in food selection and nutritional intake. The aim of this study was to test this hypothesis by examining whether individual physiological responses to odors could predict the subject's nutritional status. Because aging is associated with changes in emotional response to smells, we also examined how aging affects the relationship between olfaction and nutrition. Twenty young and 20 old participants perceived a series of odorants while their psychophysiological responses were simultaneously measured, and completed the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire. Regression between individual correlation coefficients (r-values between odor perceptual ratings and physiological parameters) and individual MNA scores revealed that appropriateness of the physiological responses to aversive odors predicted nutritional status (R2 = 0.22, P < 0.007): participants with higher electromyogram corrugator activity in response to aversive smells had better nutritional status. Furthermore, this relationship was significant in old (R2 = 0.45, P < 0.005) but not young participants (R2 = 0.04, P > 0.44). Taken together, preserved functioning of somatic markers in response to odors during normal aging is associated with better nutritional status, and may facilitate healthier food selection. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Relation between Profiles of Leisure Activity Participation and Substance Use among South African Youth

PubMed Central

Tibbits, Melissa K.; Caldwell, Linda L.; Smith, Edward A.; Wegner, Lisa

2010-01-01

A large body of research indicates that leisure activity participation is associated with substance use for American adolescents, and that leisure may be an important context of substance use prevention. It is important to begin to apply what we have learned with American youth and extend the knowledge base in other countries with significant adolescent risk behavior. The current study examined the association between leisure activity participation and substance use among a predominately Colored sample of 3497 South African 8th graders. Males’ activity participation was characterized by five leisure activity profiles (Uninvolved; Sports and Volunteer; Mixed: Recreation and Hobbies; Mixed: Artistic; Highly Involved), whereas females’ activity participation was characterized by four leisure activity profiles (Uninvolved; Uninvolved but Social; Mixed; Highly Involved). Leisure activity profiles were significantly associated with past-month alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use. PMID:21643435

ORAC and DPPH assay comparison to assess antioxidant capacity of tea infusions: relationship between total polyphenol and individual catechin content.

PubMed

Roy, Molay K; Koide, Motoki; Rao, Theertham P; Okubo, Tsutomu; Ogasawara, Yutaka; Juneja, Lekh R

2010-03-01

Commercially available tea infusions are the major source of catechins for preparing bottled tea beverages and tea supplements available in the market today. In the present study, we analyzed five tea infusions to measure the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity (DRSC) assays, total polyphenol content by the colorimetric method and individual catechin content by high-performance liquid chromatography. Four major tea catechins were also analyzed for their TAC to reveal differential antioxidant behavior of the tea infusions, resulting in the ORAC and DRSC methods. The correlation coefficients between DRSC and the total polyphenol or total catechin content of the tea infusions were 1.0 and 0.99. However, the values fall to 0.73 and 0.69, respectively, while the ORAC activity was correlated with total polyphenol and total catechin content. Determining the TAC of individual tea catechins showed that ORAC of epicatechin was seven-fold higher than that of epigallocatechin gallate; on the contrary, epigallocatechin gallate showed significantly (P < 0.05) stronger DRSC activity than epicatechin. By evaluating the structure-activity relationship, this study further revealed that OH substitution at the 3' position in pyrogallol moieties contributes to the lower ORAC value of epigallocatechin and epigallocatechin gallate comparing with their non-3'-OH counterparts, such as epicatechin and epicatechin gallate, respectively. Also, numbers of OH substitutions were poorly correlated with the observed ORAC value unlike the DRSC. Overall, results of this study enabled us to hypothesize that substances having a lower TAC value in the ORAC assay compared with that in DPPH assays may pertain to a pro-oxidant effect by generating reactive oxygen species in an aqueous buffer, at a physiological pH. We also propose that substances exhibiting lower TAC value in the ORAC assay compared with that in the DPPH assay are powerful pro-oxidants compared with the substances showing a higher TAC value in the ORAC assay than that in the DPPH assay.

Regulating plant physiology with organic electronics.

PubMed

Poxson, David J; Karady, Michal; Gabrielsson, Roger; Alkattan, Aziz Y; Gustavsson, Anna; Doyle, Siamsa M; Robert, Stéphanie; Ljung, Karin; Grebe, Markus; Simon, Daniel T; Berggren, Magnus

2017-05-02

The organic electronic ion pump (OEIP) provides flow-free and accurate delivery of small signaling compounds at high spatiotemporal resolution. To date, the application of OEIPs has been limited to delivery of nonaromatic molecules to mammalian systems, particularly for neuroscience applications. However, many long-standing questions in plant biology remain unanswered due to a lack of technology that precisely delivers plant hormones, based on cyclic alkanes or aromatic structures, to regulate plant physiology. Here, we report the employment of OEIPs for the delivery of the plant hormone auxin to induce differential concentration gradients and modulate plant physiology. We fabricated OEIP devices based on a synthesized dendritic polyelectrolyte that enables electrophoretic transport of aromatic substances. Delivery of auxin to transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings in vivo was monitored in real time via dynamic fluorescent auxin-response reporters and induced physiological responses in roots. Our results provide a starting point for technologies enabling direct, rapid, and dynamic electronic interaction with the biochemical regulation systems of plants.

Regulating plant physiology with organic electronics

PubMed Central

Poxson, David J.; Karady, Michal; Alkattan, Aziz Y.; Gustavsson, Anna; Robert, Stéphanie; Grebe, Markus; Berggren, Magnus

2017-01-01

The organic electronic ion pump (OEIP) provides flow-free and accurate delivery of small signaling compounds at high spatiotemporal resolution. To date, the application of OEIPs has been limited to delivery of nonaromatic molecules to mammalian systems, particularly for neuroscience applications. However, many long-standing questions in plant biology remain unanswered due to a lack of technology that precisely delivers plant hormones, based on cyclic alkanes or aromatic structures, to regulate plant physiology. Here, we report the employment of OEIPs for the delivery of the plant hormone auxin to induce differential concentration gradients and modulate plant physiology. We fabricated OEIP devices based on a synthesized dendritic polyelectrolyte that enables electrophoretic transport of aromatic substances. Delivery of auxin to transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings in vivo was monitored in real time via dynamic fluorescent auxin-response reporters and induced physiological responses in roots. Our results provide a starting point for technologies enabling direct, rapid, and dynamic electronic interaction with the biochemical regulation systems of plants. PMID:28420793

Effect of noisy stimulation on neurobiological sensitization systems and its role for normal and pathological physiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huber, Martin; Braun, Hans; Krieg, J.\\:Urgen-Christian

2004-03-01

Sensitization is discussed as an important phenomenon playing a role in normal physiology but also with respect to the initiation and progression of a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders such as epilepsia, substance-related disorders or recurrent affective disorders. The relevance to understand the dynamics of sensitization phenomena is emphasized by recent findings that even single stimulations can induce longlasting changes in biological systems. To address specific questions associated with the sensitization dynamics, we use a computational approach and develop simple but physiologically-plausible models. In the present study we examine the effect of noisy stimulation on sensitization development in the model. We consider sub- and suprathresold stimulations with varying noise intensities and determine as response measures the (i) absolute number of stimulus-induced sensitzations and (ii) the temporal relsation of stimulus-sensitization coupling. The findings indicate that stochastic effects including stochastic resonance might well contribute to the physiology of sensitization mechanisms under both nomal and pathological conditions.

45 CFR 96.133 - Submission to Secretary of Statewide assessment of needs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... ADMINISTRATION BLOCK GRANTS Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant § 96.133 Submission to Secretary... description on current substance abuse prevention and treatment activities: (i) For fiscal year 1993, the... goals and objectives for improving substance abuse treatment and prevention activities and shall report...

45 CFR 96.133 - Submission to Secretary of Statewide assessment of needs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... ADMINISTRATION BLOCK GRANTS Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant § 96.133 Submission to Secretary... description on current substance abuse prevention and treatment activities: (i) For fiscal year 1993, the... goals and objectives for improving substance abuse treatment and prevention activities and shall report...

45 CFR 96.133 - Submission to Secretary of Statewide assessment of needs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... ADMINISTRATION BLOCK GRANTS Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant § 96.133 Submission to Secretary... description on current substance abuse prevention and treatment activities: (i) For fiscal year 1993, the... goals and objectives for improving substance abuse treatment and prevention activities and shall report...

45 CFR 96.133 - Submission to Secretary of Statewide assessment of needs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... ADMINISTRATION BLOCK GRANTS Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant § 96.133 Submission to Secretary... description on current substance abuse prevention and treatment activities: (i) For fiscal year 1993, the... goals and objectives for improving substance abuse treatment and prevention activities and shall report...

46 CFR 162.060-32 - Testing and evaluation requirements for active substances, preparations, and relevant chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... substances, preparations, and relevant chemicals. 162.060-32 Section 162.060-32 Shipping COAST GUARD... APPROVAL ENGINEERING EQUIPMENT Ballast Water Management Systems § 162.060-32 Testing and evaluation requirements for active substances, preparations, and relevant chemicals. (a) A ballast water management system...

46 CFR 162.060-32 - Testing and evaluation requirements for active substances, preparations, and relevant chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... substances, preparations, and relevant chemicals. 162.060-32 Section 162.060-32 Shipping COAST GUARD... APPROVAL ENGINEERING EQUIPMENT Ballast Water Management Systems § 162.060-32 Testing and evaluation requirements for active substances, preparations, and relevant chemicals. (a) A ballast water management system...

46 CFR 162.060-32 - Testing and evaluation requirements for active substances, preparations, and relevant chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... substances, preparations, and relevant chemicals. 162.060-32 Section 162.060-32 Shipping COAST GUARD... APPROVAL ENGINEERING EQUIPMENT Ballast Water Management Systems § 162.060-32 Testing and evaluation requirements for active substances, preparations, and relevant chemicals. (a) A ballast water management system...

Substance P levels and neutral endopeptidase activity in acute burn wounds and hypertrophic scar.

PubMed

Scott, Jeffrey R; Muangman, Pornprom R; Tamura, Richard N; Zhu, Kathy Q; Liang, Zhi; Anthony, Joanne; Engrav, Loren H; Gibran, Nicole S

2005-04-01

Substance P, a cutaneous neuroinflammatory mediator released from peripheral nerves, plays a role in responses to injury. Neutral endopeptidase is a cell membrane-bound metallopeptidase enzyme that regulates substance P activity. The question of substance P involvement in hypertrophic scar development has been based on observations that hypertrophic scars have increased numbers of nerves. The authors hypothesized that hypertrophic scar has greater substance P levels and decreased neutral endopeptidase activity compared with uninjured skin and acute partial-thickness burns, which may contribute to an exuberant response to injury. The authors obtained small skin samples of deep partial-thickness burns (n = 7; postburn days 7 to 78) and uninjured skin (n = 14) from patients (eight male patients and six female patients; 2 to 71 years old) undergoing burn wound excision. Hypertrophic scar samples were obtained from six patients (three male patients and three female patients; 8 to 47 years old) undergoing surgical excision 13 to 64 months after burn injury. Protein concentrations were determined using a bicinchoninic acid assay. Substance P concentration was determined by means of indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Neutral endopeptidase activity was measured using an enzymatic assay that quantifies a fluorescent degradation product, methoxy-2-naphthylamine (MNA). Substance P and neutral endopeptidase data were standardized to sample weight. Substance P levels were greater in hypertrophic scar (3506 pg/g) compared with uninjured skin (1698 pg/g; p < 0.03) and burned skin (958 pg/g; p < 0.01). Hypertrophic scar samples had decreased neutral endopeptidase enzyme activity (8.8 pM MNA/hour/microg) compared with normal skin (16.3 pM MNA/hour/microg; p < 0.05). Acute burn wounds (27.9 pM MNA/hour/microg) demonstrated increased neutral endopeptidase enzyme activity (p < 0.05). Increased substance P concentration in hypertrophic scar correlates with histologic findings of increased nerve numbers in hypertrophic scar samples. Decreased neutral endopeptidase enzyme activity in hypertrophic scar may contribute to increased available substance P that may result in an exuberant neuroinflammatory response.

The NH2-terminus of substance P modulates NMDA-induced activity in the mouse spinal cord.

PubMed

Hornfeldt, C S; Sun, X; Larson, A A

1994-05-01

Excitatory amino acids (EAAs) and substance P are believed to transmit nociceptive information in the spinal cord. As substance P NH2-terminal fragments can modulate non-NMDA EAA-mediated activity, we examined the effects of substance P fragments to ascertain whether the COOH- or NH2-terminus of substance P modulates the actions of NMDA in the spinal cord. NMDA activity was measured by the intensity of behaviors produced by NMDA (0.2 nmol) administered intrathecally in the mouse. The NMDA response was attenuated after pretreatment with either substance P (22.5 pmol, 30 min) or the NH2-terminal fragment of substance P, SP-(1-7). Pretreatment with the COOH-terminal fragment SP-(5-11) (22.5 pmol, 30 min), a neurokinin ligand, had no effect on NMDA-induced behaviors, suggesting that the inhibitory effect of substance P is caused by the NH2-terminus. Pretreatment with D-Pro2,D-Phe7 substance P-(1-7), a SP-(1-7) antagonist, potentiated NMDA activity, suggesting a tonic inhibitory effect of the substance P NH2-terminus. Desensitization to NMDA typically develops when NMDA is injected at 2 min intervals. While pretreatment with SP-(1-7) inhibited NMDA, coadministration of SP-(1-7) (22.5 pmol), with the first of four injections of NMDA, first inhibited but then potentiated responses to each challenge with NMDA. Coadministration of the same dose of SP-(1-7) with the fourth injection of NMDA immediately potentiated the response to NMDA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Synaptosomal degradation of substance P and some other neuropeptides.

PubMed

Arzumanyan, A M; Arutunyan, A A; Akopyan, T N

1985-12-01

Synaptosomes purified from spinal cord and from different rat brain areas exhibit peptide hydrolase activity, cleaving substance P (SP), bradykinin, THRH, LHRH, and neurotensin. The lowest activity for all the peptides tested was found in spinal cord, while the region with the highest degrading activity depended on the substrate: for substance P, it was striatum and cortex; for bradykinin, hypothalamus, and medulla oblongata; for THRH, striatum; for LHRH, midbrain; and for neurotensin, hippocampus. Degradation of substance P takes place at the plasma membrane of synaptosomes. Synaptosome ghosts cleave substance P (pH optimum 7-9, Km-2.5 X 10(-5) M, Vmax-130 nmol . hr-1 . mg protein-1) and also a number of its C-terminal fragments. Effects of the inhibitors show that several different classes of peptidases and proteases are involved in the degradation process. Peptide cleavage represents the probable pathway of synaptosomal inactivation of substance P.

Acetylsalicylic acid-induced changes in the chemical coding of extrinsic sensory neurons supplying the prepyloric area of the porcine stomach.

PubMed

Rytel, L; Calka, J

2016-03-23

Acetylsalicylic acid is a popular drug that is commonly used to treat fever and inflammation, but which can also negativity affect the mucosal layer of the stomach, although knowledge concerning its influence on gastric innervation is very scarce. Thus, the aim of the present study was to study the influence of prolonged acetylsalicylic acid supplementation on the extrinsic primary sensory neurons supplying the porcine stomach prepyloric region. Fast Blue (FB) was injected into the above-mentioned region of the stomach. Acetylsalicylic acid was then given orally to the experimental gilts from the seventh day after FB injection to the 27th day of the experiment. After euthanasia, the nodose ganglia (NG) and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were collected. Sections of these ganglia were processed for routine double-labelling immunofluorescence technique for substance P (SP), calcitonine gene related peptide (CGRP), galanin (GAL), neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). Under physiological conditions within the nodose ganglia, the percentage of the FB-labeled neurons immunoreactive to particular substances ranged between 17.9 ± 2.7% (VIP-like immunoreactive (LI) neurons in the right NG) and 60.4 ± 1.7% (SP-LI cells within the left NG). Acetylsalicylic acid supplementation caused a considerable increase in the expression of all active substances studied within both left and right NG and the percentage of neurons positive to particular substances fluctuated from 47.2 ± 3.6% (GAL-LI neurons in the right NG) to 67.2 ± 2.0% (cells immunoreactive to SP in the left NG). All studied substances were also observed in DRG neurons supplying the prepyloric region of the stomach, but the number of immunoreactive neurons was too small to conduct a statistical analysis. The obtained results show that ASA may influence chemical coding of the sensory neurons supplying the porcine stomach, but the exact mechanisms of this action still remain unknown. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization and physicochemical properties of some potential fibres derived from Averrhoa carambola.

PubMed

Chau, Chi-Fai; Chen, Chien-Hung; Lee, Mao-Hsiang

2004-02-01

The pomace of Averrhoa carambola (carambola) was found to possess a high level of insoluble fibre-rich fractions (FRFs) including insoluble dietary fibre, alcohol-insoluble solid, and water-insoluble solid (46.0-58.2 g/100 g of pomace). These FRFs were mainly composed of pectic substances and hemicellulose. The physicochemical properties of these FRFs (e.g., water-holding capacities, swelling properties, and cation-exchange capacities) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those of cellulose. The apparent abilities of these FRFs to adsorb glucose and reduce amylase activity implied that they might help control postprandial serum glucose. These results recommended the consumption and application of the insoluble FRFs as low-calorie bulk ingredients in fibre enrichment. Further investigations on the in vivo hypoglycemic effect and other physiological effects of these FRFs using animal-feeding experiments are underway.

[Biological availability of ophthalmic drugs. 1. Increasing drug permeability in the cornea].

PubMed

Masteiková, R; Chalupová, Z; Savickiene, N

2004-03-01

Most eye diseases are treated by topical administration of ophthalmic preparations. Low ophthalmic bioavailability is due to a number of physiological and physicochemical factors. The main obstacle to the penetration of active ingredients to the eye is the layered character of the cornea. Formulation of ophthalmic preparations enabling easier penetration of this biological barrier thus ranks among the most effective ways of improving bioavailability. Penetrability of the cornea can be increased by the following methods: a) adjustment of the actual acidity in such a way that pH of the preparation makes it possible to produce the optimal portion of non-ionized particles; b) incorporation of absorption enhancers (non-ionic tensides, salts of bile acids, some antimicrobial substances, EDTA, cyclodextrins, etc.) into the composition of the preparation, and c) production of prodrugs or ionic pairs.

The styryl dye FM1-43 suppresses odorant responses in a subset of olfactory neurons by blocking cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels.

PubMed

Breunig, Esther; Kludt, Eugen; Czesnik, Dirk; Schild, Detlev

2011-08-12

Many olfactory receptor neurons use a cAMP-dependent transduction mechanism to transduce odorants into depolarizations. This signaling cascade is characterized by a sequence of two currents: a cation current through cyclic nucleotide-gated channels followed by a chloride current through calcium-activated chloride channels. To date, it is not possible to interfere with these generator channels under physiological conditions with potent and specific blockers. In this study we identified the styryl dye FM1-43 as a potent blocker of native olfactory cyclic nucleotide-gated channels. Furthermore, we characterized this substance to stain olfactory receptor neurons that are endowed with cAMP-dependent transduction. This allows optical differentiation and pharmacological interference with olfactory receptor neurons at the level of the signal transduction.

How hormones influence composition and physiological function of the brain-blood barrier.

PubMed

Hampl, R; Bičíková, M; Sosvorová, L

2015-01-01

Hormones exert many actions in the brain. Their access and effects in the brain are regulated by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Hormones as other substances may enter the brain and vice versa either by paracellular way requiring breaching tight junctions stitching the endothelial cells composing the BBB, or by passage through the cells (transcellular way). Hormones influence both ways through their receptors, both membrane and intracellular, present on/in the BBB. In the review the main examples are outlined how hormones influence the expression and function of proteins forming the tight junctions, as well as how they regulate expression and function of major protein transporters mediating transport of various substances including hormone themselves.

Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System and the Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Their Stress—Protective Activity

PubMed Central

Panossian, Alexander; Wikman, Georg

2010-01-01

Adaptogens were initially defined as substances that enhance the “state of non-specific resistance” in stress, a physiological condition that is linked with various disorders of the neuroendocrine-immune system. Studies on animals and isolated neuronal cells have revealed that adaptogens exhibit neuroprotective, anti-fatigue, antidepressive, anxiolytic, nootropic and CNS stimulating activity. In addition, a number of clinical trials demonstrate that adaptogens exert an anti-fatigue effect that increases mental work capacity against a background of stress and fatigue, particularly in tolerance to mental exhaustion and enhanced attention. Indeed, recent pharmacological studies of a number of adaptogens have provided a rationale for these effects also at the molecular level. It was discovered that the stress—protective activity of adaptogens was associated with regulation of homeostasis via several mechanisms of action, which was linked with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the regulation of key mediators of stress response, such as molecular chaperons (e.g., HSP70), stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase 1 (JNK1), Forkhead box O (FOXO) transcription factor DAF-16, cortisol and nitric oxide. PMID:27713248

[Effect of substance P on the potassium and calcium currents of colonic smooth muscle cells].

PubMed

Tang, Qincai; Luo, Hesheng; Quan, Xiaojing; Fan, Han; Yu, Guang

2015-08-11

To investigate the effect of substance P(SP) on the spontaneous contractile activity of smooth muscle cells,the large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel currents (IBKCa) and the L-type calcium channel currents (ICaL) in rat smooth muscle cells of the proximal colon. A total of 24 healthy male Wista rats were used in this test. The change of smooth muscle strips spontaneous contraction of rat proximal colon after adding SP was recorded by a physiological signal stystem (RM6240). The IBKCa and ICaL were measured via the whole cell patch-clamp technique. The longitudinal muscle contraction was obviously increased concentration-dependently after adding different concentrations of SP (10(-7)-10(-6) mol/L), so as the circular muscle while adding SP(10(-8)-10(-6) mol/L) (all P<0.05). Compared with the control group, IBKCa was decreased after adding SP(10(-6) mol/L). Under the stimulating voltage of 60 mV, the IBKCa current density was (11.71±1.65) pA/pF, which was significantly lower compared with the control group (14.42±2.89) pA/pF (P<0.05). The ICaL) was apparently increased. Under the stimulating voltage of 0 mV, the ICaL) currents density was (-5.04±0.67) pA/pF, compared with the control group (-4.25±0.46) pA/pF, which was significantly increased (P<0.01). SP can promote the spontaneous contractile activity of colon smooth muscle of rats in vitro.And SP decrease IBKCa representatively while apparently increase ICaL). That is probably one of the mechanism SP regulate the gastrointestinal motility.

Substance P increases sympathetic activity during combined angiotensin-converting enzyme and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibition.

PubMed

Devin, Jessica K; Pretorius, Mias; Nian, Hui; Yu, Chang; Billings, Frederic T; Brown, Nancy J

2014-05-01

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors prevent the degradation of incretin hormones and reduce postprandial hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 degrades other peptides with a penultimate proline or alanine, including bradykinin and substance P, which are also substrates of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). During ACE inhibition, substance P is inactivated primarily by dipeptidyl peptidase-4, whereas bradykinin is first inactivated by aminopeptidase P. This study tested the hypothesis that dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibition potentiates vasodilator and fibrinolytic responses to substance P when ACE is inhibited. Twelve healthy subjects participated in this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study. On each study day, subjects received sitagliptin 200 mg by mouth or placebo. Substance P and bradykinin were infused via brachial artery before and during intra-arterial enalaprilat. Sitagliptin and enalaprilat each reduced forearm vascular resistance and increased forearm blood flow without affecting mean arterial pressure, but there was no interactive effect of the inhibitors. Enalaprilat increased bradykinin-stimulated vasodilation and tissue plasminogen activator release; sitagliptin did not affect these responses to bradykinin. The vasodilator response to substance P was unaffected by sitagliptin and enalaprilat; however, substance P increased heart rate and vascular release of norepinephrine during combined ACE and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibition. In women, sitagliptin diminished tissue plasminogen activator release in response to substance P both alone and during enalaprilat. Substance P increases sympathetic activity during combined ACE and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibition. - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01413542.

Substance P increases Sympathetic Activity during Combined Angiotensin Converting Enzyme and Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibition

PubMed Central

Devin, Jessica K.; Pretorius, Mias; Nian, Hui; Yu, Chang; Billings, Frederic T.; Brown, Nancy J.

2014-01-01

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors prevent the degradation of incretin hormones and reduce post-prandial hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 degrades other peptides with a penultimate proline or alanine, including bradykinin and substance P, which are also substrates of angiotensin-converting enzyme. During angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition, substance P is inactivated primarily by dipeptidyl peptidase-4, while bradykinin is first inactivated by aminopeptidase P. This study tested the hypothesis that dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibition potentiates vasodilator and fibrinolytic responses to substance P when angiotensin-converting enzyme is inhibited. Twelve healthy subjects participated in this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study. On each study day, subjects received sitagliptin 200 mg p.o. or placebo. Substance P and bradykinin were infused via brachial artery before and during intra-arterial enalaprilat. Sitagliptin and enalaprilat each reduced forearm vascular resistance and increased forearm blood flow without affecting mean arterial pressure, but there was no interactive effect of the inhibitors. Enalaprilat increased bradykinin-stimulated vasodilation and tissue plasminogen activator release; sitagliptin did not affect these responses to bradykinin. The vasodilator response to substance P was unaffected by sitagliptin and enalaprilat, however, substance P increased heart rate and vascular release of norepinephrine during combined angiotensin-converting enzyme and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibition. In women, sitagliptin diminished tissue plasminogen activator release in response to substance P both alone and during enalaprilat. Substance P increases sympathetic activity during combined angiotensin-converting enzyme and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibition. PMID:24516103

Effect of artificial electric fields on plants grown under microgravity conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nechitailo, G.; Gordeev, A.

2001-01-01

Ionic and structural hetorogeneity of cells, tissues, and organs of plants are associated with a spectrum of electric characteristics such as bioelectric potentials, electrical conductance, and bioelectric permeability. An important determinant for the plant function is electric properties of the cell membranes and organelles which maintain energy and substance exchange with the environment. Enzymes and other biologically active substances have a powerful charge at the molecular level. Finally, all molecules, including those of water, represent dipoles, and this determines their reactive capacity. A major determinant is the bioelectric polarity of a plant is genetically predetermined and cannot be modified. It is an intrinsic structural feature of the organism whose evolution advent was mediated by gravity. An illustrative presentation of polarity is the downward growth of the roots and upward growth of stems in the Earth's gravitation field. However, gravity is a critical, but not the sole determinant of the plant organism polarization. Potent polarizing effects are exerted by light, the electromagnetic field, moisture, and other factors. It is known that plant cultivation in an upturned position is associated with impairment of water and nutrient uptake, resulting in dyscoordination of physiological processes, growth and developmental retardation. These abnormalities were characteristic when early attempts were made to grow plants in weightlessness conditions.

Psychophysiological assessment of emotional processing in patients with borderline personality disorder with and without comorbid substance use.

PubMed

Baschnagel, Joseph S; Coffey, Scott F; Hawk, Larry W; Schumacher, Julie A; Holloman, Garland

2013-07-01

This study assessed physiological measures for the study of emotional dysregulation associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Two patient groups, the first comprised of individuals with BPD only (n = 16) and the second, individuals with BPD and co-occurring substance-use disorder (SUD; n = 35), and a group of healthy controls (n = 45) were shown standardized pictures of varying valance and arousal levels. Affective modification of startle eye-blink responses, heart rate, facial electromyography (EMG, including corrugator and zygomatic activity), and skin-conductance responses were collected during picture presentation and during a brief recovery period. Startle data during picture presentation indicated a trend toward the expected increase in startle response magnitude to negative stimuli, to be moderated by group status, with patients with BPD-SUD showing a lack of affective modification and the BPD-only group showing similar affective modification to that of controls. Heart-rate data suggested lower reactivity to negative pictures for both patient groups. Differences in facial EMG responses did not provide a clear pattern, and skin-conductance responses were not significantly different between groups. The data did not suggest differences between groups in recovery from exposure to the emotional stimuli. The startle and heart-rate data suggest a possible hyporeactivity to emotional stimuli in BPD.

Stimulatory effect of exogenous diadenosine tetraphosphate on insulin and glucagon secretion in the perfused rat pancreas

PubMed Central

Silvestre, Ramona A; Rodríguez-Gallardo, Jovita; Egido, Eva M; Marco, José

1999-01-01

Diadenosine triphosphate (AP3A) and diadenosine tetraphosphate (AP4A) are released by various cells (e.g. platelets and chromaffin cells), and may act as extracellular messengers. In pancreatic B-cells, AP3A and AP4A are inhibitors of the ATP-regulated K+ channels, and glucose increases intracellular levels of both substances.We have studied the effect of exogenous AP3A and AP4A on insulin and glucagon secretion by the perfused rat pancreas.AP3A did not significantly modify insulin or glucagon release, whereas AP4A induced a prompt, short-lived insulin response (≈4 fold higher than basal value; P<0.05) in pancreases perfused at different glucose concentrations (3.2, 5.5 or 9 mM). AP4A-induced insulin release was abolished by somatostatin and by diazoxide. These two substances share the capacity to activate ATP-dependent K+ channels, suggesting that these channels are a potential target for AP4A in the B-cell.AP4A stimulated glucagon release at both 3.2 and 5.5 mM glucose. This effect was abolished by somatostatin.The results suggest that extracellular AP4A may play a physiological role in the control of insulin and glucagon secretion. PMID:10516664

Stimulatory effect of exogenous diadenosine tetraphosphate on insulin and glucagon secretion in the perfused rat pancreas.

PubMed

Silvestre, R A; Rodríguez-Gallardo, J; Egido, E M; Marco, J

1999-10-01

1. Diadenosine triphosphate (AP3A) and diadenosine tetraphosphate (AP4A) are released by various cells (e.g. platelets and chromaffin cells), and may act as extracellular messengers. In pancreatic B-cells, AP3A and AP4A are inhibitors of the ATP-regulated K+ channels, and glucose increases intracellular levels of both substances. 2. We have studied the effect of exogenous AP3A and AP4A on insulin and glucagon secretion by the perfused rat pancreas. 3. AP3A did not significantly modify insulin or glucagon release, whereas AP4A induced a prompt, short-lived insulin response ( approximately 4 fold higher than basal value; P<0.05) in pancreases perfused at different glucose concentrations (3.2, 5.5 or 9 mM). AP4A-induced insulin release was abolished by somatostatin and by diazoxide. These two substances share the capacity to activate ATP-dependent K+ channels, suggesting that these channels are a potential target for AP4A in the B-cell. 4. AP4A stimulated glucagon release at both 3.2 and 5.5 mM glucose. This effect was abolished by somatostatin. 5. The results suggest that extracellular AP4A may play a physiological role in the control of insulin and glucagon secretion.

77 FR 37634 - Proposed Significant New Use Rule on Certain Chemical Substances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-22

... Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for chemical substances identified generically as complex strontium... Proposed Significant New Use Rule on Certain Chemical Substances AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency... process any of the chemical substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this...

Substance P contributes to rapidly adapting receptor responses to pulmonary venous congestion in rabbits.

PubMed

Bonham, A C; Kott, K S; Ravi, K; Kappagoda, C T; Joad, J P

1996-05-15

1. This study tested the hypothesis that substance P stimulates rapidly adapting receptors (RARs), contributes to the increase in RAR activity produced by mild pulmonary congestion, and evokes an augmented response from RARs when combined with near-threshold levels of pulmonary congestion. 2. RAR activity, peak tracheal pressure, arterial blood pressure and left atrial pressure were measured in paralysed, anaesthetized and ventilated rabbits. Substance P was given i.v. in one-half log incremental doses to a maximum of 3 micrograms kg-1. Mild pulmonary congestion was produced by inflating a balloon in the left atrium to increase left atrial pressure by 5 mmHg. Near-threshold levels of pulmonary congestion were produced by increasing left atrial pressure by 2 mmHg. 3. Substance P produced dose-dependent increases in RAR activity. The highest dose given increased the activity from 1.3 +/- 0.5 to 11.0 +/- 3.1 impulses bin-1. Increases in left atrial pressure of 5 mmHg increased RAR activity from 3.8 +/- 1.4 to 14.7 +/- 3.9 impulses bin-1. Blockade of NK1 receptors with CP 96345 significantly attenuated RAR responses to substance P and to mild pulmonary congestion. 4. Doses of substance P, which alone had no effect, stimulated the RARs when delivered during near-threshold levels of pulmonary congestion. 5. The findings suggest that substance P augments the stimulatory effect of mild pulmonary congestion on RAR activity, most probably by enhancing hydraulically induced microvascular leak.

Substance-P antagonists: effect on spontaneous and drug-induced locomotor activity in the rat.

PubMed

Elliott, P J; Iversen, S D

1987-05-01

The substance P (SP) antagonists (D-Pro4, D-Trp7,9, Leu11) SP(4-11), (D-Pro4, D-Trp7,9, Phe11)SP(4-11) and (D-Pro4, D-Trp7,9,10, Leu11) SP (4-11) were infused into the lateral ventricles (i.c.v.) and their effects on spontaneous and drug-induced locomotor activity were investigated. The drug DiMeC7, the stable substance P agonist, was used to stimulate locomotor activity because of its prolonged action. Only (D-Pro4, D-Trp7,9,10) SP (4-11) was found to attenuate the drug-induced increases in motor activity, indicating that it is a substance P antagonist with activity in the CNS.

Isolation, screening and partial purification of antimicrobial antibiotics from soil Streptomyces sp. SCA 7.

PubMed

Saravana Kumar, P; Duraipandiyan, V; Ignacimuthu, S

2014-09-01

Thirty-seven actinomycetes strains were isolated from soil samples collected from an agriculture field in Vengodu, Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu, India (latitude: 12° 54' 0033″, North; longitude: 79° 78' 5216″, East; elevation: 228.6/70.0 ft/m). The isolates were assessed for antagonistic activity against five Gram-positive bacteria, seven Gram-negative bacteria, and two pathogenic fungi. During the initial screening, 43% of the strains showed weak activity, 16% showed moderate activity, 5% showed good activity, and 35% showed no antagonistic activity. Among the strains tested, SCA 7 showed strong antimicrobial activity. Maximum biological activity was obtained on modified nutrient glucose agar (MNGA) medium. The mycelia of SCA 7 were extracted with methanol and tested against microbial pathogens using the disc diffusion method. The crude extract was purified partially using column chromatography and assessed for antimicrobial activity. Fraction 10 showed good activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis (31.25 μg/mL) and Malassezia pachydermatis (500 μg/mL) and the active principle (fraction 10) was identified as 2,4-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl) phenol. Based on morphological, physiological, biochemical, cultural, and molecular characteristics (16S rDNA sequencing), this strain was identified as Streptomyces sp. SCA 7. It could be used in the development of new substances for pharmaceutical or agricultural purposes. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Brain reward region responsivity of adolescents with and without parental substance use disorders.

PubMed

Stice, Eric; Yokum, Sonja

2014-09-01

The present study tested the competing hypotheses that adolescents at risk for future substance abuse and dependence by virtue of parental substance use disorders show either weaker or stronger responsivity of brain regions implicated in reward relative to youth without parental history of substance use disorders. Adolescents (n = 52) matched on demographics with and without parental substance use disorders, as determined by diagnostic interviews, who denied substance use in the past year were compared on functional MRI (fMRI) paradigms assessing neural response to receipt and anticipated receipt of monetary and food reward. Parental-history-positive versus -negative adolescents showed greater activation in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and bilateral putamen, and less activation in the fusiform gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus in response to anticipating winning money, as well as greater activation in the left midbrain and right paracentral lobule, and less activation in the right middle frontal gyrus in response to milkshake receipt. Results indicate that adolescents at risk for future onset of substance use disorders show elevated responsivity of brain regions implicated in reward, extending results from 2 smaller prior studies that found that individuals with versus without parental alcohol use disorders showed greater reward region response to anticipated monetary reward and pictures of alcohol. Collectively, results provide support for the reward surfeit model of substance use disorders, rather than the reward deficit model.

Long-term effects of extrinsic denervation on VIP and substance P innervation in circular muscle of rat jejunum.

PubMed

Kasparek, Michael S; Fatima, Javairiah; Iqbal, Corey W; Duenes, Judith A; Sarr, Michael G

2007-10-01

Intestinal denervation contributes to enteric motor dysfunction after small bowel transplantation (SBT). Our aim was to determine long-term effects of extrinsic denervation on function of nonadrenergic, noncholinergic innervation with substance P and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). Contractile activity of jejunal circular muscle strips from six age-matched, naive control rats (NC) and eight rats 1 year after syngeneic SBT was studied in tissue chambers. Spontaneous contractile activity did not differ between groups. Exogenous VIP inhibited contractile activity dose-dependently to a comparable degree in both groups. The VIP antagonist ([D-p-Cl-Phe(6),Leu(17)]-VIP) and the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NG-nitro-arginine did not affect VIP-induced inhibition but increased contractile activity during electrical field stimulation (EFS) in both groups. Exogenous substance P increased contractile activity dose-dependently, greater in NC than SBT. The substance P antagonist ([D-Pro(2),D-Trp(7,9)]-substance P) inhibited effects of exogenous substance P and decreased the excitatory EFS response. Immunohistofluorescence showed tyrosine hydroxylase staining after SBT indicating sympathetic reinnervation. In jejunal circular muscle after chronic denervation, response to exogenous substance P, but not VIP, is decreased, whereas endogenous release of both neurotransmitters is preserved. Alterations in balance of excitatory and inhibitory pathways occur despite extrinsic reinnervation and might contribute to enteric motor dysfunction after SBT.

Counselor Active Rehabilitation Service and the Reduction of Hopelessness in Individuals with Substance Abuse Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferdinandi, Andrew D.; Bethea, James S.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the effect of Counselor Active Rehabilitation Service (CARS), compared to standard rehabilitation counseling in reducing feelings of hopelessness in individuals with substance abuse disorders. This study involved 50 inner city participants with substance abuse disorders. As determined using…

The study of dynamic response to acute hemorrhage by pulse spectrum analysis.

PubMed

Chang, Yu Hsin; Tsai, Chia I; Lin, Jaung Geng; Lin, Yue Der; Li, Tsai Chung; Su, Yi Chang

2006-01-01

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) holds that blood and qi are fundamental substances in the human body for sustaining normal vital activity. The theory of qi, blood and zang-fu contribute the most important theoretical basis of human physiology in TCM. An animal model using conscious rats was employed in this study to further comprehend how organisms survive during acute hemorrhage by maintaining the functionalities of qi and blood through dynamically regulating visceral physiological conditions. Pulse waves of arterial blood pressure before and after the hemorrhage were taken in parallel to pulse spectrum analysis. Percentage differences of mean arterial blood pressure and harmonics were recorded in subsequent 5-minute intervals following the hemorrhage. Data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Duncan's test for pairwise comparisons. Results showed that, within 30 minutes following the onset of acute hemorrhage,the reduction of mean arterial blood pressure was improved from 62% to 20%. Throughout the process, changes to the pulse spectrum appeared to result in a new balance over time. The percentage differences of the second and third harmonics, which were related to kidney and spleen, both increased significantly than baseline and towards another steady state. Apart from the steady state resulting from the previous stage, the percentage difference of the 4th harmonic decreased significantly to another steady state. The observed change could be attributed to the induction of functional qi, and is a result of qi-blood balancing activity that organisms hold to survive against acute bleeding.

Toluene diisocyanate increases airway responsiveness to substance P and decreases airway neutral endopeptidase.

PubMed

Sheppard, D; Thompson, J E; Scypinski, L; Dusser, D; Nadel, J A; Borson, D B

1988-04-01

Substance P and related tachykinins contribute to the airway hyperresponsiveness caused by toluene diisocyanate (TDI) in guinea pigs. Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) is an important modulator of substance P-induced responses. To test the hypothesis that exposure to TDI would increase responsiveness to substance P by inhibiting activity of this enzyme, we determined the dose of substance P required to increase pulmonary resistance by 200% above baseline (PD200) before and after administration of the pharmacologic inhibitor phosphoramidon in guinea pigs studied 1 h after a 1-h exposure to air or 3 ppm TDI. TDI exposure increased responsiveness to substance P significantly. However, phosphoramidon caused a significantly greater leftward shift of the substance P dose-response curve in air-exposed animals than it did in TDI-exposed animals, so that after phosphoramidon, mean values of PD200 in animals exposed to air or TDI did not differ. Tracheal NEP activity was significantly less after exposure to TDI than after exposure to air, whereas activity in the esophagus was the same in both groups. These results suggest that TDI exposure increases the bronchoconstrictor responsiveness of guinea pigs to substance P, in large part through inhibition of airway NEP.

Toluene diisocyanate increases airway responsiveness to substance P and decreases airway neutral endopeptidase.

PubMed Central

Sheppard, D; Thompson, J E; Scypinski, L; Dusser, D; Nadel, J A; Borson, D B

1988-01-01

Substance P and related tachykinins contribute to the airway hyperresponsiveness caused by toluene diisocyanate (TDI) in guinea pigs. Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) is an important modulator of substance P-induced responses. To test the hypothesis that exposure to TDI would increase responsiveness to substance P by inhibiting activity of this enzyme, we determined the dose of substance P required to increase pulmonary resistance by 200% above baseline (PD200) before and after administration of the pharmacologic inhibitor phosphoramidon in guinea pigs studied 1 h after a 1-h exposure to air or 3 ppm TDI. TDI exposure increased responsiveness to substance P significantly. However, phosphoramidon caused a significantly greater leftward shift of the substance P dose-response curve in air-exposed animals than it did in TDI-exposed animals, so that after phosphoramidon, mean values of PD200 in animals exposed to air or TDI did not differ. Tracheal NEP activity was significantly less after exposure to TDI than after exposure to air, whereas activity in the esophagus was the same in both groups. These results suggest that TDI exposure increases the bronchoconstrictor responsiveness of guinea pigs to substance P, in large part through inhibition of airway NEP. PMID:2450892

Deodorizing Substance in Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.) Seed Oil.

PubMed

Nakasugi, Toru; Murakawa, Takushi; Shibuya, Koji; Morimoto, Masanori

2017-08-01

A deodorizing substance in black cumin (Nigella sativa L.), a spice for curry and vegetable foods in Southwest Asia, was examined. The essential oil prepared from the seeds of this plant exhibited strong deodorizing activity against methyl mercaptan, which is a main factor in oral malodor. After purification with silica gel column chromatography, the active substance in black cumin seed oil was identified as thymoquinone. This monoterpenic quinone functions as the main deodorizing substance in this oil against methyl mercaptan. Metabolite analysis suggested that the deodorizing activity may be generated by the addition of a reactive quinone molecule to methyl mercaptan. In the present study, the menthane-type quinone and phenol derivatives exhibited deodorizing activities via this mechanism.

Alternative and complementary reinforcers as mechanisms linking adolescent conduct problems and substance use.

PubMed

Khoddam, Rubin; Leventhal, Adam M

2016-10-01

The present study tested the hypothesis that teens who engage in conduct problems are more likely to use substances because they engage in fewer alternative reinforcing (i.e., pleasurable) substance-free activities and more complementary reinforcing substance-associated activities. In a cross-sectional, correlational design, 9th grade students (N = 3,383; mean age = 14.6 years) in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. completed surveys in 2013 measuring conduct problems (e.g., stealing, lying, getting in fights); alternative and complementary reinforcement; use of a number of licit, illicit, and prescription drugs; and other cofactors. Conduct problems were positively associated with past 6-month use of any substance (yes/no) among the overall sample and past 30-day use frequency on a composite index that included 6 substances among past 6-month users. These associations were statistically mediated by diminished alternative reinforcement and increased complementary reinforcement when adjusting for relevant covariates. Conduct problems were associated with lower engagement in alternative reinforcers and increased engagement in complementary reinforcers, which, in turn, were associated with greater likelihood and frequency of substance use. Most mediational relations persisted adjusting for demographic, environmental, and intrapersonal cofactors and generalized to alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use, although, complementary reinforcers did not significantly mediate the relation of conduct problems with alcohol use frequency. These results point to diminished alternative reinforcement and increased complementary reinforcement as mechanisms linking conduct problems and adolescent substance use. Interventions that increase access to and engagement in a diverse set of alternative substance-free activities and deter activities that complement use may prevent substance use in adolescents who engage in conduct problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Alternative and Complementary Reinforcers as Mechanisms Linking Adolescent Conduct Problems and Substance Use

PubMed Central

Khoddam, Rubin; Leventhal, Adam M.

2016-01-01

The present study tested the hypothesis that teens who engage in conduct problems are more likely to use substances because they engage in fewer alternative reinforcing (i.e., pleasurable) substance-free activities and more complementary reinforcing substance-associated activities. In a cross-sectional, correlational design, ninth grade students (N=3,396; mean age=14.6 years) in Los Angeles, California, USA completed surveys in 2013 measuring conduct problems (e.g., stealing, lying, getting in fights), alternative and complementary reinforcement, use of a number of licit, illicit, and prescription drugs, and other co-factors. Conduct problems were positively associated with past six-month use of any substance (yes/no) among the overall sample and past 30-day use frequency on a composite index that included six substances among past six-month users. These associations were statistically mediated by diminished alternative reinforcement and increased complementary reinforcement when adjusting for relevant covariates. Conduct problems were associated with lower engagement in alternative reinforcers and increased engagement in complementary reinforcers, which, in turn, was associated with greater likelihood and frequency of substance use. Most mediational relations persisted adjusting for demographic, environmental, and intrapersonal co-factors and generalized to alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use; though, complementary reinforcers did not significantly mediate the relation of CPs with alcohol use frequency. These results point to diminished alternative reinforcement and increased complementary reinforcement as mechanisms linking conduct problems and adolescent substance use. Interventions that increase access to and engagement in a diverse set of alternative substance-free activities and deter activities that complement use may prevent substance use in adolescents who engage in conduct problems. PMID:27690501

Intra-amniotic administration (Gallus gallus) of cicer arietinum and lens culinaris prebiotics extracts and duck egg white peptides affects calcium status and intestinal functionality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Calcium (Ca) is one of the most abundant inorganic elements in the human body and has many important physiological roles. Prebiotics and bioactive peptides are two important substances used to promote calcium uptake. However, the difference in mechanisms of the calcium uptake from these two suppleme...

21 CFR 310.530 - Topically applied hormone-containing drug products for over-the-counter (OTC) human use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... is that the product will have a therapeutic or some other physiological effect on the body. Therefore... substance formed in some organ of the body, such as the adrenal glands or the pituitary, and carried to another organ or tissue, where it has a specific effect. Hormones include, for example, estrogens...

21 CFR 310.530 - Topically applied hormone-containing drug products for over-the-counter (OTC) human use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... is that the product will have a therapeutic or some other physiological effect on the body. Therefore... substance formed in some organ of the body, such as the adrenal glands or the pituitary, and carried to another organ or tissue, where it has a specific effect. Hormones include, for example, estrogens...

21 CFR 310.530 - Topically applied hormone-containing drug products for over-the-counter (OTC) human use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... is that the product will have a therapeutic or some other physiological effect on the body. Therefore... substance formed in some organ of the body, such as the adrenal glands or the pituitary, and carried to another organ or tissue, where it has a specific effect. Hormones include, for example, estrogens...

Botulinum toxin B: the new option in cosmetic injection.

PubMed

Spencer, James M

2002-07-01

Botulinum toxin, one of nature's most toxic substances, is the unlikely source of one of cosmetic dermatology's most popular new injectable treatment options. This article describes the physiological and biological workings of the several structurally similar but antigenically distinct serotypes of botulinum toxin, and provides clinical studies comparing and contrasting the key ingredients in Botox, Dysport, and Myobloc (Neurobloc).

Biological Individuality of Man

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-12-01

levels of a specific chemical substance in blood, urine, digestive juices , or tissues of "normal" persons. These are cited as the extremes of...physiological state, blood sugar level and nutritional status of the individual have been identified as significant. Studies on oxygen deprivation...in great detail. These include; geometry and composition of the cochlear partition, riensf.ty and spacing of epithelial hair cells, size and

Processing of insulators and semiconductors

DOEpatents

Quick, Nathaniel R.; Joshi, Pooran C.; Duty, Chad Edward; Jellison, Jr., Gerald Earle; Angelini, Joseph Attilio

2015-06-16

A method is disclosed for processing an insulator material or a semiconductor material. The method includes pulsing a plasma lamp onto the material to diffuse a doping substance into the material, to activate the doping substance in the material or to metallize a large area region of the material. The method may further include pulsing a laser onto a selected region of the material to diffuse a doping substance into the material, to activate the doping substance in the material or to metallize a selected region of the material.

The Problem of “Just for Fun”: Patterns of Use Situations among Active Club Drug Users

PubMed Central

Starks, Tyrel J.; Golub, Sarit; Kelly, Brian C.; Parsons, Jeffrey T.

2010-01-01

Existing research has demonstrated the significance of situational antecedents to substance use. The current study used a cluster analytic approach to identify groups of club drug users who report using substances in similar situations (assessed by the Inventory of Drug Taking Situations) with longitudinal data from 400 active drug users. A three-cluster solution emerged in baseline data and was replicated in 12-month follow-up data. Groups were identified as Situationally Restricted, Pleasure Driven, and Situationally Broad users. Group differences were observed on measures of mental health, attitudes towards substance use, amount of substance use, and rates of substance dependence. Cluster membership predicted substance dependence after controlling for past dependence, current use, and current depression/anxiety. PMID:20696530

Substance P induces cardioprotection in ischemia-reperfusion via activation of AKT

PubMed Central

Jubair, Shaiban; Li, Jianping; Dehlin, Heather M.; Manteufel, Edward J.; Goldspink, Paul H.; Levick, Scott P.

2015-01-01

Accumulating evidence indicates that substance P is cardioprotective following ischemia-reperfusion primarily due to its potent coronary vasodilator actions. However, an anti-apoptotic effect of substance P has been observed in tenocytes following ischemia, which involved activation of the AKT pathway. This suggests the possibility that substance P also provides cardioprotection via direct actions to activate AKT in myocardial cells. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that substance P attenuates ischemia-related cell death via direct effects on myocardial cells by activating cell survival pathways. Seven-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats, anesthetized with intraperitoneal pentobarbital sodium (100 mg/kg), were used. The ability of substance P to prevent cellular damage was assessed following ischemia-reperfusion in an isolated heart preparation and in short-term hypoxia without reperfusion using a left ventricular tissue slice culture preparation. In addition, the NK-1 receptor and AKT involvement was assessed using the NK-1 receptor antagonist L732138 and the AKT inhibitor LY294002. The results indicate that substance P reduced the ischemia-related release of lactate dehydrogenase in both preparations and the degree of apoptosis and necrosis in the hypoxic left ventricular slices, indicating its ability to attenuate cell damage; and induced AKT phosphorylation, with both the AKT inhibitor and NK-1 receptor antagonist preventing the increased phosphorylation of AKT and the ability of substance P to attenuate hypoxic cellular damage. It is concluded that substance P reduces ischemia/hypoxia-induced myocardial cell death by acting directly on cardiac cells to initiate cell survival pathways via the NK-1 receptor and AKT. PMID:26071541

41 CFR 102-75.130 - If hazardous substance activity took place on the property, what specific information must an...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION REAL PROPERTY 75-REAL PROPERTY DISPOSAL Utilization of Excess Real Property Title Report § 102-75.130 If hazardous substance activity took place on... quantity of such hazardous substance and the time at which such storage, release, or disposal took place...

A Review of Exercise as Intervention for Sedentary Hazardous Drinking College Students: Rationale and Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinstock, Jeremiah

2010-01-01

College students have high rates of alcohol problems despite a number of intervention initiatives designed to reduce alcohol use. Substance use, including heavy drinking, often occurs at the expense of other, substance-free, activities. This review examines the promotion of one specific substance-free activity--exercise--as an intervention for…

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Behavioral Economic Supplement to Brief Motivational Interventions for College Drinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, James G.; Dennhardt, Ashley A.; Skidmore, Jessica R.; Borsari, Brian; Barnett, Nancy P.; Colby, Suzanne M.; Martens, Matthew P.

2012-01-01

Objective: Behavioral economic theory suggests that a reduction in substance use is most likely when there is an increase in rewarding substance-free activities. The goal of this randomized controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the incremental efficacy of a novel behavioral economic supplement (Substance-Free Activity Session [SFAS]) to a…

Physiological relaxation induced by horticultural activity: transplanting work using flowering plants.

PubMed

Lee, Min-sun; Park, Bum-jin; Lee, Juyoung; Park, Kun-tae; Ku, Ja-hyeong; Lee, Jun-woo; Oh, Kyung-ok; Miyazaki, Yoshifumi

2013-10-10

Despite increasing attention and a growing volume of research data, little physiological evidence is available on the benefits of horticultural activity and the different effects on individuals. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the physiological effects of horticultural activity and to examine how differences in personality alter these effects. The effects of transplanting real flowers (horticultural activity) and handling artificial flowers (control activity) on human physiological activity were compared. On the first day, eight participants engaged in horticultural activity and another eight in the control activity. On the second day, participants switched roles. Participants' physiological conditions during each activity were assessed by measuring the heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV). Psychological responses, which were measured using a semantic differential rating scale, showed that the horticultural activity promoted comfortable, soothed, and natural feelings, compared to the control activity. Analysis of physiological responses using two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that sympathetic nervous activity significantly decreased in the late time period (11 to 15 minutes) of horticultural activity only in the type A group. This study supports the fact that the horticultural activity can enhance psychological and physiological relaxation effects, although these physiological effects can differ among individuals with different personalities.

Physiological relaxation induced by horticultural activity: transplanting work using flowering plants

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Despite increasing attention and a growing volume of research data, little physiological evidence is available on the benefits of horticultural activity and the different effects on individuals. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the physiological effects of horticultural activity and to examine how differences in personality alter these effects. Results The effects of transplanting real flowers (horticultural activity) and handling artificial flowers (control activity) on human physiological activity were compared. On the first day, eight participants engaged in horticultural activity and another eight in the control activity. On the second day, participants switched roles. Participants’ physiological conditions during each activity were assessed by measuring the heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV). Psychological responses, which were measured using a semantic differential rating scale, showed that the horticultural activity promoted comfortable, soothed, and natural feelings, compared to the control activity. Analysis of physiological responses using two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that sympathetic nervous activity significantly decreased in the late time period (11 to 15 minutes) of horticultural activity only in the type A group. Conclusions This study supports the fact that the horticultural activity can enhance psychological and physiological relaxation effects, although these physiological effects can differ among individuals with different personalities. PMID:24112302

Cognitive and physiological effects of an "energy drink": an evaluation of the whole drink and of glucose, caffeine and herbal flavouring fractions.

PubMed

Scholey, Andrew B; Kennedy, David O

2004-11-01

Both glucose and caffeine can improve aspects of cognitive performance and, in the case of caffeine, mood. There are few studies investigating the effects of the two substances in combination. We assessed the mood, cognitive and physiological effects of a soft drink containing caffeine and glucose as well as flavouring levels of herbal extracts. The effects of different drink fractions were also evaluated. Using a randomised, double-blind, balanced, five-way crossover design, 20 participants who were overnight fasted and caffeine-deprived received 250 ml drinks containing 37.5 g glucose; 75 mg caffeine; ginseng and ginkgo biloba at flavouring levels; a whole drink (containing all these substances) or a placebo (vehicle). Participants were assessed in each drink condition, separated by a 7-day wash-out period. Cognitive, psychomotor and mood assessment took place immediately prior to the drink then 30 min thereafter. The primary outcome measures included five aspects of cognitive performance from the Cognitive Drug Research assessment battery. Mood, heart rate and blood glucose levels were also monitored. Compared with placebo, the whole drink resulted in significantly improved performance on "secondary memory" and "speed of attention" factors. There were no other cognitive or mood effects. This pattern of results would not be predicted from the effects of glucose and caffeine in isolation, either as seen here or from the literature addressing the effects of the substances in isolation. These data suggest that there is some degree of synergy between the cognition-modulating effects of glucose and caffeine which merits further investigation.

Not only biocidal products: Washing and cleaning agents and personal care products can act as further sources of biocidal active substances in wastewater.

PubMed

Wieck, Stefanie; Olsson, Oliver; Kümmerer, Klaus

2018-06-01

The emission sources of biocidal active substances in households have been under discussion since these substances have been detected frequently in municipal wastewater and receiving surface water bodies. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate the products responsible for the emission of these substances to wastewater. We analysed the wastewater of two streets for a set of biocidal active substances. Time-proportional sampling was conducted for one week of each season during one year in each street. The 14 substances analysed with liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry were 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one (BIT), C 12 -benzalkonium chloride, carbendazim, 5-chloro-2-methyl-2H-isothiazol-3-one (CMIT), dichlorooctylisothiazolinone (DCOIT), N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), diuron, icaridine, 2-octyl-2H-isothiazol-3-one (OIT), piperonyl butoxide (PBO), triclosan, tebuconazole, terbutryn and tetramethrin. Using data available from household product inventories of the two streets, we searched the lists of ingredients for the products possibly being responsible for the emissions. Except for four substances, all substances have been detected in at least 10% of the samples. Highest concentrations were measured for C 12 -benzalkonium chloride with an average concentration in the daily samples of 7.7 μg/L in one of the streets. Next to C 12 -benzalkonium chloride, BIT, DEET and icaridine were detected in all samples in average concentrations above 1 μg/L in at least one street. The results show that washing and cleaning agents were important sources for preservatives such as BIT and OIT, while triclosan was apparently mainly emitted through personal care products. The mosquito repelling substances DEET and icaridine were found throughout the year, with highest emissions in summer and autumn. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that the sources of biocidal active substances in municipal wastewater are complex and that measures for the prevention of the emission of biocidal active substances into the aquatic environment have to be carried out under different legislations. This has to be taken into account discussing emission reduction at the source. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The kappa-opiate receptor impacts the pathophysiology and behavior of substance use.

PubMed

Mysels, David; Sullivan, Maria A

2009-01-01

There is increasing evidence that the kappa-opiate receptor, in addition to the mu-opiate receptor, plays an important role in substance use pathophysiology and behavior. As dopamine activity is upregulated through chronic substance use, kappa receptor activity, mediated through the peptide dynorphin, is upregulated in parallel. Dynorphin causes dysphoria and decreased locomotion, and the upregulation of its activity on the kappa receptor likely dampens the excitation caused by increased dopaminergic activity. This feedback mechanism may have significant clinical implications for treating drug dependent patients in various stages of their pathology.

Acceptability and characteristics of 124 human bioequivalence studies with active substances classified according to the Biopharmaceutic Classification System

PubMed Central

Ramirez, Elena; Laosa, Olga; Guerra, Pedro; Duque, Blanca; Mosquera, Beatriz; Borobia, Alberto M; Lei, Suhua H; Carcas, Antonio J; Frias, Jesus

2010-01-01

AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate the acceptability of 124 bioequivalence (BE) studies with 80 active substances categorized according to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) in order to establish if there were different probabilities of proving BE between the different BCS classes. METHODS We evaluated the differences between pharmaceutical products with active substances from different BCS classes in terms of acceptability, number of subjects in the study (n), the point estimates, and intra- and inter-subject coefficients of variation data from BE studies with generic products. RESULTS Out of 124 BE studies 89 (71.77%) were performed with pharmaceutical products containing active substances classified by the BCS. In all BCS classes there were non-bioequivalent pharmaceutical products: 4 out of 26 (15.38%) in class 1, 14 out of 28 (50%) in class 2, 3 out of 22 (13.63%) in class 3 and 1 out of 13 (7.69%) in class 4. When we removed those pharmaceutical products in which intra-subject variability was higher than predicted (2 in class 1 active substances, 9 in class 2 and 2 in class 3) there were still non-BE pharmaceutical products in classes 1, 2 and 3. CONCLUSIONS Comparisons between pharmaceutical products with active substances from the four BCS classes have not allowed us to define differential characteristics of each class in terms of n, inter and intra-subject variability for Cmax or AUC. Despite the usually employed test dissolution methodology proposed as quality control, pharmaceutical products with active substances from the four classes of BCS showed non-BE studies. PMID:21039763

Substance P contributes to rapidly adapting receptor responses to pulmonary venous congestion in rabbits.

PubMed Central

Bonham, A C; Kott, K S; Ravi, K; Kappagoda, C T; Joad, J P

1996-01-01

1. This study tested the hypothesis that substance P stimulates rapidly adapting receptors (RARs), contributes to the increase in RAR activity produced by mild pulmonary congestion, and evokes an augmented response from RARs when combined with near-threshold levels of pulmonary congestion. 2. RAR activity, peak tracheal pressure, arterial blood pressure and left atrial pressure were measured in paralysed, anaesthetized and ventilated rabbits. Substance P was given i.v. in one-half log incremental doses to a maximum of 3 micrograms kg-1. Mild pulmonary congestion was produced by inflating a balloon in the left atrium to increase left atrial pressure by 5 mmHg. Near-threshold levels of pulmonary congestion were produced by increasing left atrial pressure by 2 mmHg. 3. Substance P produced dose-dependent increases in RAR activity. The highest dose given increased the activity from 1.3 +/- 0.5 to 11.0 +/- 3.1 impulses bin-1. Increases in left atrial pressure of 5 mmHg increased RAR activity from 3.8 +/- 1.4 to 14.7 +/- 3.9 impulses bin-1. Blockade of NK1 receptors with CP 96345 significantly attenuated RAR responses to substance P and to mild pulmonary congestion. 4. Doses of substance P, which alone had no effect, stimulated the RARs when delivered during near-threshold levels of pulmonary congestion. 5. The findings suggest that substance P augments the stimulatory effect of mild pulmonary congestion on RAR activity, most probably by enhancing hydraulically induced microvascular leak. Images Figure 6 PMID:8735708

Deutetrabenazine

MedlinePlus

... It works by changing the activity of certain natural substances in the brain that affect nerves and ... It works by changing the activity of certain natural substances in the brain. Ask your pharmacist for ...

The effect of main urine inhibitors on the activity of different DNA polymerases in loop-mediated isothermal amplification.

PubMed

Jevtuševskaja, Jekaterina; Krõlov, Katrin; Tulp, Indrek; Langel, Ülo

2017-04-01

The use of rapid amplification methods to detect pathogens in biological samples is mainly limited by the amount of pathogens present in the sample and the presence of inhibiting substances. Inhibitors can affect the amplification efficiency by either binding to the polymerase, interacting with the DNA, or interacting with the polymerase during primer extension. Amplification is performed using DNA polymerase enzymes and even small changes in their activity can influence the sensitivity and robustness of molecular assays Methods: The main purpose of this research was to examine which compounds present in urine inhibit polymerases with strand displacement activity. To quantify the inhibition, we employed quantitative loop-mediated isothermal amplification Results: The authors found that the presence of BSA, Mg 2+, and urea at physiologically relevant concentrations, as well as acidic or alkaline conditions did not affect the activity of any of the tested polymerases. However, addition of salt significantly affected the activity of the tested polymerases. These findings may aid in the development of more sensitive, robust, cost effective isothermal amplification based molecular assays suitable for both point-of-care testing and on-site screening of pathogens directly from unprocessed urine which avoid the need for long and tedious DNA purification steps prior to amplification.

Ecotoxicological assessment of the herbicide Winner Top and its active substances-are the other formulants truly inert?

PubMed

Queirós, Libânia; Vidal, Tânia; Nogueira, António J A; Gonçalves, Fernando J M; Pereira, Joana Luísa

2018-05-03

Formulants used in Plant Protection Products (PPPs) to promote their efficiency are normally undisclosed in the PPP documentation, unless they bear a human health or environmental hazardous potential per se. PPP regulation also demands the assessment of putative interactions among formulants within each product recipe and consequent effects, but these results are often unavailable. Such a case is that of the herbicide Winner Top (Selectis®, Portugal), which we selected as a model commercial formulation in the present study specifically aiming at (i) characterising its aquatic toxicity towards sensitive eco-receptors (Raphidocelis subcapitata, Chlorella vulgaris, Lemna minor and Lemna gibba), as well as that of its active substances (a.s.) nicosulfuron and terbuthylazine; (ii) comparing the ecotoxicity among the commercial formulation, the corresponding mixture of its a.s. and this a.s.'s mixture increasingly enriched with the formulants. Single chemical testing revealed that terbuthylazine was the strongest microalgae growth inhibitor and nicosulfuron was the strongest macrophyte growth inhibitor. On the other hand, the commercial formulation was consistently less toxic than the corresponding mixture of the a.s., suggesting that Winner Top formulants (72.9% of the commercial formulation) interact with the a.s., promoting less than additive effects in the selected non-target species. Importantly, this environmentally protective effect of the formulation can be apparent. Because macrophytes share most physiological features with the weeds targeted by the studied herbicide, it is likely that increased application doses are required to reach desired efficacy levels with the consequent detrimental increase of PPP residues load in edge-of-field freshwater ecosystems.

Hair growth induction by substance P.

PubMed

Paus, R; Heinzelmann, T; Schultz, K D; Furkert, J; Fechner, K; Czarnetzki, B M

1994-07-01

In vitro, some neuropeptides, including the tachykinin, substance P (SP), act as growth factors. The cyclic growth of the richly innervated hair follicle offers a model for probing such functions in a complex, developmentally regulated tissue interaction system under physiologic conditions. Dissecting the role of neuropeptides in this system may also reveal as yet obscure neural mechanisms of hair growth control. The neuropeptide-releasing neurotoxin, capsaicin was injected intradermally, or SP slow-release formulations were implanted subcutaneously in the back skin of C57BL/6 mice with all follicles in the resting stage of the hair cycle (telogen) in order to see whether this induced hair growth (anagen). In addition, the endogenous SP skin concentration and the activity of the main SP-degrading enzyme, neutral endopeptidase, were determined during the induced murine hair cycle by high performance liquid chromatography-controlled radioimmuno-assay (SP) or by fluorometry (neutral endopeptidase). Both capsaicin and SP induced significant hair growth (anagen) in the back skin of telogen mice. This was associated with substantial mast cell degranulation. The endogenous SP skin concentration showed significant, hair cycle-dependent fluctuations during the induced murine hair cycle, which were largely independent of the activity of neutral endopeptidase. SP may play a role in the neural control of hair growth. Whereas this pilot study does not address the underlying mechanisms of action, it demonstrates that SP has potential as a hair growth-stimulatory agent in vivo, and serves as a basis for exploring the role of tachykinins in epithelial-mesenchymal-neuroectodermal interaction systems like the hair follicle.

Prefrontal cortical and striatal activity to happy and fear faces in bipolar disorder is associated with comorbid substance abuse and eating disorder.

PubMed

Hassel, Stefanie; Almeida, Jorge R; Frank, Ellen; Versace, Amelia; Nau, Sharon A; Klein, Crystal R; Kupfer, David J; Phillips, Mary L

2009-11-01

The spectrum approach was used to examine contributions of comorbid symptom dimensions of substance abuse and eating disorder to abnormal prefrontal-cortical and subcortical-striatal activity to happy and fear faces previously demonstrated in bipolar disorder (BD). Fourteen remitted BD-type I and sixteen healthy individuals viewed neutral, mild and intense happy and fear faces in two event-related fMRI experiments. All individuals completed Substance-Use and Eating-Disorder Spectrum measures. Region-of-Interest analyses for bilateral prefrontal and subcortical-striatal regions were performed. BD individuals scored significantly higher on these spectrum measures than healthy individuals (p<0.05), and were distinguished by activity in prefrontal and subcortical-striatal regions. BD relative to healthy individuals showed reduced dorsal prefrontal-cortical activity to all faces. Only BD individuals showed greater subcortical-striatal activity to happy and neutral faces. In BD individuals, negative correlations were shown between substance use severity and right PFC activity to intense happy faces (p<0.04), and between substance use severity and right caudate nucleus activity to neutral faces (p<0.03). Positive correlations were shown between eating disorder and right ventral putamen activity to intense happy (p<0.02) and neutral faces (p<0.03). Exploratory analyses revealed few significant relationships between illness variables and medication upon neural activity in BD individuals. Small sample size of predominantly medicated BD individuals. This study is the first to report relationships between comorbid symptom dimensions of substance abuse and eating disorder and prefrontal-cortical and subcortical-striatal activity to facial expressions in BD. Our findings suggest that these comorbid features may contribute to observed patterns of functional abnormalities in neural systems underlying mood regulation in BD.

Mindfulness training and stress reactivity in substance abuse: results from a randomized, controlled stage I pilot study.

PubMed

Brewer, Judson A; Sinha, Rajita; Chen, Justin A; Michalsen, Ravenna N; Babuscio, Theresa A; Nich, Charla; Grier, Aleesha; Bergquist, Keri L; Reis, Deidre L; Potenza, Marc N; Carroll, Kathleen M; Rounsaville, Bruce J

2009-01-01

Stress is important in substance use disorders (SUDs). Mindfulness training (MT) has shown promise for stress-related maladies. No studies have compared MT to empirically validated treatments for SUDs. The goals of this study were to assess MT compared to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in substance use and treatment acceptability, and specificity of MT compared to CBT in targeting stress reactivity. Thirty-six individuals with alcohol and/or cocaine use disorders were randomly assigned to receive group MT or CBT in an outpatient setting. Drug use was assessed weekly. After treatment, responses to personalized stress provocation were measured. Fourteen individuals completed treatment. There were no differences in treatment satisfaction or drug use between groups. The laboratory paradigm suggested reduced psychological and physiological indices of stress during provocation in MT compared to CBT. This pilot study provides evidence of the feasibility of MT in treating SUDs and suggests that MT may be efficacious in targeting stress.

[Global lessons of Minamata disease--a man's worth].

PubMed

Harada, Masazumi

2009-02-01

Minamata disease (MD) was first recognized in May 1956. Its first recognized victims were 3 and 5 years old children. Environmental contamination most rapidly and seriously affected the physiologically and socially weak among the residents. Methylmercury (MeHg) had accumulated in fishes and shellfishes and those who ate them had been poisoning with it. MD is an indirect poisoning by MeHg through the food chain as a result of environmental contamination, and is the first known disease to cause abnormalities in the fetus due to a toxic substances passing through the placenta. In 1962 MeHg poisoning through the placenta was found for the first time in the world. It used to be considered that poisoning was caused by direct exposure to a toxic substance, and that toxic substances did not pass the placenta. MD had implications in various fields. Namely it also stirred up legal, ethical, and eugenic arguments concerning fetal protection. Also man thought about a man's worth.

Development of a bionanodevice for detecting stress levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomura, S.; Handri, S.; Honda, H.

2011-03-01

Recent advances in molecular analysis techniques have enabled scientists to assess the tiny amounts of biochemical substances secreted in our bodies. This has revealed that the levels of various secretory hormones and immune substances vary sensitively with the mental state of a person. Such hormones and immune substances exhibit transient increases with various psychological stressors. They thus have the potential to be used as a novel biometric for monitoring stress. Biomarkers that occur in saliva can be monitored non-invasively and are thus potentially useful as practical indicators of mental stress. Stress biomarkers are considered to be released into the blood stream or other secretory fluids by physiological stress reactions. Stress biomarkers are expected to be detectable in sweat and other humoral fluids that are exuded from the skin surface. Based on this, we have developed a bionanodevice for detecting stress by capturing stress biomarkers on the skin surface in a non-invasive manner. A prototype bionanodevice is described in which a motor protein is introduced for molecular handling.

Mindfulness Training and Stress Reactivity in Substance Abuse: Results from A Randomized, Controlled Stage I Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Brewer, Judson A.; Sinha, Rajita; Chen, Justin A.; Michalsen, Ravenna N.; Babuscio, Theresa A.; Nich, Charla; Grier, Aleesha; Bergquist, Keri L.; Reis, Deidre L.; Potenza, Marc N.; Carroll, Kathleen M.; Rounsaville, Bruce J.

2011-01-01

Background Stress is important in substance use disorders (SUDs). Mindfulness training (MT) has shown promise for stress-related maladies. No studies have compared MT to empirically-validated treatments for SUDs. Goals to assess MT compared to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in substance use and treatment acceptability, and specificity of MT compared to CBT in targeting stress reactivity. Methods 36 individuals with alcohol and/or cocaine use disorders were randomly assigned to receive group MT or CBT in an outpatient setting. Drug use was assessed weekly. After treatment, responses to personalized stress provocation were measured. Results Fourteen individuals completed treatment. There were no differences in treatment satisfaction, or drug use between groups. The laboratory paradigm suggested reduced psychological and physiological indices of stress during provocation in MT compared to CBT. Conclusions This pilot study provides evidence of the feasibility of MT in treating SUDs and suggests that MT may be efficacious in targeting stress. PMID:19904666

The physiological basics of the olfactory neuro-epithelium.

PubMed

Watelet, J B; Katotomichelakis, M; Eloy, P; Danielidis, V

2009-01-01

All living organisms can detect and identify chemical substances in their environment. The olfactory epithelium is covered by a mucus layer which is essential for the function of the olfactory neurons that are directly connected to the brain through the cribriform plate. However, little is known about the composition of this mucus in humans and its significance for the diagnosis of olfactory disorders. The olfactory epithelium consists of four primary cell types, including the olfactory receptor cells essential for odour transduction. This review examines the anatomical, histological and physiological fundamentals of olfactory mucosa. Particular attention is paid to the biochemical environment of the olfactory mucosa that regulates both peri-receptor events and several protective functions.

Nrf2 pathway modulates Substance P-induced human mast cell activation and degranulation in the hair follicle.

PubMed

Jadkauskaite, Laura; Bahri, Rajia; Farjo, Nilofer; Farjo, Bessam; Jenkins, Gail; Bhogal, Ranjit; Haslam, Iain; Bulfone-Paus, Silvia; Paus, Ralf

2018-05-30

Activation of Nrf2 in primary human mast cells exposed to oxidative stress induced by substance P suppresses pro-inflammatory gene transcription, activation and degranulation. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Toxic Substances in the Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clearing: Nature and Learning in the Pacific Northwest, 1984

1984-01-01

Discusses the nature of toxic substances, examining pesticides and herbicides, heavy metals, industrial chemicals, and household substances. Includes a list of major toxic substances (indicating what they are, where they are found, and health concerns) and a student activity on how pesticides enter the food chain. (JN)

40 CFR 721.1930 - Butanoic acid, antimony (3=) salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... subject to reporting. (1) The chemical substance identified as butanoic acid, antimony (3=) salt (PMN P-94... following statement: This substance may cause neurologic effects. This substance may cause cardiovascular effects. This substance may cause ocular irritation. (iii) Industrial, commercial, and consumer activities...

40 CFR 721.1930 - Butanoic acid, antimony (3=) salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... subject to reporting. (1) The chemical substance identified as butanoic acid, antimony (3=) salt (PMN P-94... following statement: This substance may cause neurologic effects. This substance may cause cardiovascular effects. This substance may cause ocular irritation. (iii) Industrial, commercial, and consumer activities...

40 CFR 721.1930 - Butanoic acid, antimony (3=) salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... subject to reporting. (1) The chemical substance identified as butanoic acid, antimony (3=) salt (PMN P-94... following statement: This substance may cause neurologic effects. This substance may cause cardiovascular effects. This substance may cause ocular irritation. (iii) Industrial, commercial, and consumer activities...

40 CFR 721.1930 - Butanoic acid, antimony (3=) salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... subject to reporting. (1) The chemical substance identified as butanoic acid, antimony (3=) salt (PMN P-94... following statement: This substance may cause neurologic effects. This substance may cause cardiovascular effects. This substance may cause ocular irritation. (iii) Industrial, commercial, and consumer activities...

Drama-based education to motivate participation in substance abuse prevention

PubMed Central

Stephens-Hernandez, Aileen B; Livingston, Jonathan N; Dacons-Brock, Karen; Craft, Howard L; Cameron, Amura; Franklin, Steven O; Howlett, Allyn C

2007-01-01

Background The substance abuse prevention goal of the theatre production "TUNNELS" was to provide community education on substance abuse to an audience in Durham, NC and surrounding communities. The education effort intended to increase awareness and understanding of the risk and protective factors associated with alcohol and other drug use, and to promote pro-active behaviors in substance abuse prevention within the adult community. It was hypothesized that community-based education via drama would change attitudes toward alcohol and substance abuse, and increase participation in family and community activities aimed at substance abuse prevention. Methods A focus group comprised of educators, substance abuse researchers and local substance abuse counselors developed "life stories" of users of alcohol and other drugs and a local playwright incorporated these and other experiences into a series of six vignettes. The production was publicized throughout the Durham area, and 700 adults attending the play signed a consent form and completed the pre-play survey. The participant pool was restricted to those adults who completed both the time-1 and time-2 surveys and resided within Durham and surrounding communities. Paired comparisons of mean responses were analyzed using a paired sample two-tailed t-test. A telephone survey three months after the play assessed attitudes toward substance abuse as a disease, and whether the respondents had increased their participation in prevention activities including discussions of the play with others. Results Viewing the play increased the knowledge base of participants regarding substance abuse as a disease, even though the audience demonstrated an appreciation of risk and protective factors prior to attending the performance. In the pre-play survey, participants indicated a strong opinion that parental involvement in teen life was important, and therefore this was not increased as a result of viewing the play. It was found that the drama increased intent to participate in substance abuse prevention activities at home and in the community. Follow-up surveys performed three months after the performance indicated that participants had discussed the play with others and had increased their participation in substance abuse prevention activities, particularly regarding donations of money. Conclusion Drama incorporates a component of emotional response to the informational content, and the combination of emotion and information works together to promote individual intentions to become more involved in family and community prevention activities. This study demonstrates the efficacy of drama as a mechanism to educate and motivate. Support for this mechanism is warranted at the level of state, local community, school district, and faith-based and community organizations. PMID:17411423

Drama-based education to motivate participation in substance abuse prevention.

PubMed

Stephens-Hernandez, Aileen B; Livingston, Jonathan N; Dacons-Brock, Karen; Craft, Howard L; Cameron, Amura; Franklin, Steven O; Howlett, Allyn C

2007-04-05

The substance abuse prevention goal of the theatre production "TUNNELS" was to provide community education on substance abuse to an audience in Durham, NC and surrounding communities. The education effort intended to increase awareness and understanding of the risk and protective factors associated with alcohol and other drug use, and to promote pro-active behaviors in substance abuse prevention within the adult community. It was hypothesized that community-based education via drama would change attitudes toward alcohol and substance abuse, and increase participation in family and community activities aimed at substance abuse prevention. A focus group comprised of educators, substance abuse researchers and local substance abuse counselors developed "life stories" of users of alcohol and other drugs and a local playwright incorporated these and other experiences into a series of six vignettes. The production was publicized throughout the Durham area, and 700 adults attending the play signed a consent form and completed the pre-play survey. The participant pool was restricted to those adults who completed both the time-1 and time-2 surveys and resided within Durham and surrounding communities. Paired comparisons of mean responses were analyzed using a paired sample two-tailed t-test. A telephone survey three months after the play assessed attitudes toward substance abuse as a disease, and whether the respondents had increased their participation in prevention activities including discussions of the play with others. Viewing the play increased the knowledge base of participants regarding substance abuse as a disease, even though the audience demonstrated an appreciation of risk and protective factors prior to attending the performance. In the pre-play survey, participants indicated a strong opinion that parental involvement in teen life was important, and therefore this was not increased as a result of viewing the play. It was found that the drama increased intent to participate in substance abuse prevention activities at home and in the community. Follow-up surveys performed three months after the performance indicated that participants had discussed the play with others and had increased their participation in substance abuse prevention activities, particularly regarding donations of money. Drama incorporates a component of emotional response to the informational content, and the combination of emotion and information works together to promote individual intentions to become more involved in family and community prevention activities. This study demonstrates the efficacy of drama as a mechanism to educate and motivate. Support for this mechanism is warranted at the level of state, local community, school district, and faith-based and community organizations.

Mutation assays involving blood cells that metabolize toxic substances

DOEpatents

Crespi, Charles L.; Thilly, William G.

1985-01-01

A line of human blood cells which have high levels of oxidative activity (such as oxygenase, oxidase, peroxidase, and hydroxylase activity) is disclosed. Such cells grow in suspension culture, and are useful to determine the mutagenicity of xenobiotic substances that are metabolized into toxic or mutagenic substances. Mutation assays using these cells, and other cells with similar characteristics, are also disclosed.

Exercise addiction- diagnosis, bio-psychological mechanisms and treatment issues.

PubMed

Weinstein, Aviv; Weinstein, Yitzhak

2014-01-01

Exercise and sports activity are beneficial both physically and psychologically but excessive exercise may have adverse physiological and psychological effects. There are methodological issues in the definition, diagnosis and etiology of exercise addiction. Several questionnaires and diagnostic tools have been developed and validated and they show high validity and reliability. Exercise addiction has been suggested as having an obsessive-compulsive dimension as well as rewarding aspects that may include it among the behavioral addictions. Biological studies show that in rodents, exercise such as wheel running activates the dopamine reward system and thus contributing to stress reduction. Further evidence suggests that running is associated with endorphins and cannabinoids thus explaining the "runners high" or euphoric feelings that may lead to exercise addiction. Genetic studies suggest that genes which control preference for drugs also control the preference for naturally rewarding behaviors such as exercise. Psychological studies also explain exercise addiction in terms of reward, habituation, social support, stress-relief, avoidance of withdrawal and reduction of anxiety. It has been suggested that exercise addiction is a part of a continuum of sportive activity that develops in stages from the recreational exercise to at-risk exercise, problematic exercise and finally into exercise addiction. Assessment and treatment should take into account the various stages of exercise addiction development, its comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders such as eating disorders or substance use and alcohol disorders. Treatment approaches for exercise addiction are based on the cognitive-behavioral approach but little is known about their effectiveness. A single-case study shows promise of pharmacological treatment for exercise addiction and further studies are required. This review summarizes diagnostic and phenomenology of exercise addiction with emphasis on physiological and neuro-pharmacological mechanisms responsible for its rewarding and addictive properties.

Humic acid effect on catalase activity and the generation of reactive oxygen species in corn (Zea mays).

PubMed

Cordeiro, Flávio Couto; Santa-Catarina, Claudete; Silveira, Vanildo; de Souza, Sonia Regina

2011-01-01

Humic acids (HAs) have positive effects on plant physiology, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these events are only partially understood. The induction of root growth and emission of lateral roots (LRs) promoted by exogenous auxin is a natural phenomenon. Exogenous auxins are also associated with HA. Gas nitric oxide (NO) is a secondary messenger produced endogenously in plants. It is associated with metabolic events dependent on auxin. With the application of auxin, NO production is significantly increased, resulting in positive effects on plant physiology. Thus it is possible to evaluate the beneficial effects of the application of HA as an effect of auxin. To investigate the effects of HA the parameters of root growth, Zea mays was studied by evaluating the application of 3 mM C L⁻¹ of HA extracted from Oxisol and 100 µM SNP (sodium nitroprusside) and the NO donor, subject to two N-NO₃⁻, high dose (5.0 mM N-NO₃⁻) and low dose (5.0 mM N-NO₃⁻). Treatments with HA and NO were positively increased, regardless of the N-NO₃⁻ taken, as assessed by fresh weight and dry root, issue of LRs. The effects were more pronounced in the treatment with a lower dose of N-NO₃⁻. Detection of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vivo and catalase activity were evaluated; these tests were associated with root growth. Under application of the bioactive substances tested, detection of ROS and catalase activity increased, especially in treatments with lower doses of N-NO₃⁻. The results of this experiment indicate that the effects of HA are dependent on ROS generation, which act as a messenger that induces root growth and the emission of LRs.

Network Analysis of Postharvest Senescence Process in Citrus Fruits Revealed by Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Profiling1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Ding, Yuduan; Chang, Jiwei; Ma, Qiaoli; Chen, Lingling; Liu, Shuzhen; Jin, Shuai; Han, Jingwen; Xu, Rangwei; Zhu, Andan; Guo, Jing; Luo, Yi; Xu, Juan; Xu, Qiang; Zeng, YunLiu; Deng, Xiuxin

2015-01-01

Citrus (Citrus spp.), a nonclimacteric fruit, is one of the most important fruit crops in global fruit industry. However, the biological behavior of citrus fruit ripening and postharvest senescence remains unclear. To better understand the senescence process of citrus fruit, we analyzed data sets from commercial microarrays, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and validated physiological quality detection of four main varieties in the genus Citrus. Network-based approaches of data mining and modeling were used to investigate complex molecular processes in citrus. The Citrus Metabolic Pathway Network and correlation networks were constructed to explore the modules and relationships of the functional genes/metabolites. We found that the different flesh-rind transport of nutrients and water due to the anatomic structural differences among citrus varieties might be an important factor that influences fruit senescence behavior. We then modeled and verified the citrus senescence process. As fruit rind is exposed directly to the environment, which results in energy expenditure in response to biotic and abiotic stresses, nutrients are exported from flesh to rind to maintain the activity of the whole fruit. The depletion of internal substances causes abiotic stresses, which further induces phytohormone reactions, transcription factor regulation, and a series of physiological and biochemical reactions. PMID:25802366

Harmane: an atypical neurotransmitter?

PubMed

Abu Ghazaleh, Haya; Lalies, Maggie D; Nutt, David J; Hudson, Alan L

2015-03-17

Harmane is an active component of clonidine displacing substance and a candidate endogenous ligand for imidazoline binding sites. The neurochemistry of tritiated harmane was investigated in the present study examining its uptake and release properties in the rat brain central nervous system (CNS) in vitro. At physiological temperature, [(3)H]harmane was shown to be taken up in rat brain cortex. Further investigations demonstrated that treatment with monoamine uptake blockers (citalopram, nomifensine and nisoxetine) did not alter [(3)H]harmane uptake implicating that the route of [(3)H]harmane transport was distinct from the monoamine uptake systems. Furthermore, imidazoline ligands (rilmenidine, efaroxan, 2-BFI and idazoxan) showed no prominent effect on [(3)H]harmane uptake suggesting the lack of involvement of imidazoline binding sites. Subsequent analyses showed that disruption of the Na(+) gradient using ouabain or choline chloride did not block [(3)H]harmane uptake suggesting a Na(+)-independent transport mechanism. Moreover, higher temperatures (50°C) failed to impede [(3)H]harmane uptake implying a non-physiological transporter. The failure of potassium to evoke the release of preloaded [(3)H]harmane from rat brain cortex indicates that the properties of this putative endogenous ligand for imidazoline binding sites do not resemble that of a conventional neurotransmitter. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional Food and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Treatment: A Review.

PubMed

Asgary, Sedigheh; Rastqar, Ali; Keshvari, Mahtab

2018-03-12

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is now the leading cause of death globally and is a growing health concern. Lifestyle factors, including nutrition, play an important role in the etiology and treatment of CVD. Functional foods based on their basic nutritional functions can decrease the risk of many chronic diseases and have some physiological benefits. They contain physiologically active components either from plant or animal sources, marketed with the claim of their ability to reduce heart disease risk, focusing primarily on established risk factors, which are hyperlipidemia, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity/overweight, elevated lipoprotein A level, small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and elevated inflammatory marker levels. Functional foods are suspected to exert their cardioprotective effects mainly through blood lipid profile level and improve hypertension control, endothelial function, platelet aggregation, and antioxidant actions. Clinical and epidemiological observations indicate that vegetable and fruit fiber, nuts and seeds, sea foods, coffee, tea, and dark chocolate have cardioprotective potential in humans, as well whole-grain products containing intact grain kernels rich in fiber and trace nutrients. They are nutritionally more important because they contain phytoprotective substances that might work synergistically to reduce cardiovascular risk. This review will focus on the reciprocal interaction between functional foods and the potential link to cardiovascular health and the possible mechanisms of action.

Biomarker monitoring in sports doping control.

PubMed

Pottgiesser, Torben; Schumacher, Yorck Olaf

2012-06-01

Biomarker monitoring can be considered a new era in the effort against doping. Opposed to the old concept in doping control of direct detection of a prohibited substance in a biological sample such as urine or blood, the new paradigm allows a personalized longitudinal monitoring of biomarkers that indicate non-physiological responses independently of the used doping technique or substance, and may cause sanctioning of illicit practices. This review presents the development of biomarker monitoring in sports doping control and focuses on the implementation of the Athlete Biological Passport as the current concept of the World Anti Doping Agency for the detection of blood doping (hematological module). The scope of the article extends to the description of novel biomarkers and future concepts of application.

Multidirectional Efficacy of Biologically Active Nitro Compounds Included in Medicines.

PubMed

Olender, Dorota; Żwawiak, Justyna; Zaprutko, Lucjusz

2018-05-29

The current concept in searching for new bioactive products, including mainly original active substances with potential application in pharmacy and medicine, is based on compounds with a previously determined structure, well-known properties, and biological activity profile. Nowadays, many commonly used drugs originated from natural sources. Moreover, some natural materials have become the source of leading structures for processing further chemical modifications. Many organic compounds with great therapeutic significance have the nitro group in their structure. Very often, nitro compounds are active substances in many well-known preparations belonging to different groups of medicines that are classified according to their pharmacological potencies. Moreover, the nitro group is part of the chemical structure of veterinary drugs. In this review, we describe many bioactive substances with the nitro group, divided into ten categories, including substances with exciting activity and that are currently undergoing clinical trials.

Prazosin Augmentation of Outpatient Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders in Active Duty Soldiers with and without PTSD

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) at Madigan Health Care System/Joint Base Lewis McChord. The aims of this trial are 1) to determine prazosin’s efficacy...Augmentation of Outpatient Treatment of AUD in Active Duty Soldiers with and without PTSD. Presented at Joint Army/NIH Substance Abuse IP – September 29...randomized controlled trial (RCT) of prazosin for AUD in active duty soldiers both with and without comorbid PTSD enrolled in the Alcohol and Substance

Realising the technological promise of smartphones in addiction research and treatment: An ethical review.

PubMed

Capon, Hannah; Hall, Wayne; Fry, Craig; Carter, Adrian

2016-10-01

Smartphone technologies and mHealth applications (or apps) promise unprecedented scope for data collection, treatment intervention, and relapse prevention when used in the field of substance abuse and addiction. This potential also raises new ethical challenges that researchers, clinicians, and software developers must address. This paper aims to identify ethical issues in the current uses of smartphones in addiction research and treatment. A search of three databases (PubMed, Web of Science and PsycInfo) identified 33 studies involving smartphones or mHealth applications for use in the research and treatment of substance abuse and addiction. A content analysis was conducted to identify how smartphones are being used in these fields and to highlight the ethical issues raised by these studies. Smartphones are being used to collect large amounts of sensitive information, including personal information, geo-location, physiological activity, self-reports of mood and cravings, and the consumption of illicit drugs, alcohol and nicotine. Given that detailed information is being collected about potentially illegal behaviour, we identified the following ethical considerations: protecting user privacy, maximising equity in access, ensuring informed consent, providing participants with adequate clinical resources, communicating clinically relevant results to individuals, and the urgent need to demonstrate evidence of safety and efficacy of the technologies. mHealth technology offers the possibility to collect large amounts of valuable personal information that may enhance research and treatment of substance abuse and addiction. To realise this potential researchers, clinicians and app-developers must address these ethical concerns to maximise the benefits and minimise risks of harm to users. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel axial-stress bioreactor system combined with a substance exchanger for tissue engineering of 3D constructs.

PubMed

Li, Song-Tao; Liu, Yong; Zhou, Qiang; Lue, Ren-Fa; Song, Lei; Dong, Shi-Wu; Guo, Ping; Kopjar, Branko

2014-03-01

This study introduced a prototype of an axial-stress bioreactor system that supports long-term growth and development of engineered tissues. The main features of this bioreactor are an integrated substance exchanger and feedback control of pH and PO₂. A 21-day study was conducted to validate the system's ability to maintain a stable environment, while remaining sterile. Our results showed that the pH, PO₂, and nutrient (glucose) remained balanced at appropriate levels, while metabolic waste (lactic acid) was removed. No bacteria or fungi were detected in the system or tissue; thus, demonstrating that it was sterile. These data indicate the bioreactor's strong potential for long-term tissue culture. To explore this idea, the effect of dynamic culture, including cyclic compression and automatic substance exchange, on mouse bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) seeded in decalcified bone matrix was studied using the bioreactor prototype. Histological sections of the engineered tissues showed higher cell densities in scaffolds in dynamic culture compared to those in static culture, while cell cycle analysis showed that dynamic culture promoted BMSC proliferation (proliferation index, PI=34.02±1.77) more effectively than static culture (PI=26.66±1.81). The results from a methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay were consistent with the loading experimental data. Furthermore, elevated alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium content were observed in dynamic condition compared to static culture. In conclusion, this bioreactor system supplies a method of modulating the pH and PO₂ in defined ranges with only small fluctuations; it can be used as a physiological or pathological analog. Automatic control of the environment is a practical solution for long-term, steady-state culture for future commercialization.

Transport of hop aroma compounds across Caco-2 monolayers.

PubMed

Heinlein, A; Metzger, M; Walles, H; Buettner, A

2014-11-01

Although being reported and used as a sedative remedy for several years, the bioactive principle of hop preparations is still not decisively clarified. Understanding absorption and transformation processes of potential physiologically active constituents is essential to evaluate the likeliness of biological effects on humans. Therefore, single hop aroma compounds as well as digestive transformation products thereof have been investigated in view of their human intestinal absorption, applying Caco-2 transport experiments as well as investigations on potential biotransformation processes. Selective and sensitive identification and quantification were thereby achieved by application of two-dimensional high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in conjunction with stable isotope dilution analysis, leading to the determination of apparent permeability values by different mathematical approaches considering sink and non-sink conditions. Overall, calculated permeability values ranged from 2.6 × 10(-6) to 1.8 × 10(-4) cm s(-1) with all mathematical approaches, indicating high absorption potential and almost complete bioavailability for all tested compounds with hydroxyl-functionalities. Considering this high permeability together with the high lipophilicity of these substances, a passive transcellular uptake route can be speculated. Investigated sesquiterpenes and β-myrcene showed flat absorption profiles while the investigated esters showed decreasing profiles. In view of the lipophilic and volatile nature of the investigated substances, special attention was paid to recovery and mass balance determination. Furthermore, in the course of the transport experiments of 1-octen-3-ol and 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol, additional biotransformation products were observed, namely 3-octanone and 3-methyl-2-butenal, respectively. The absence of these additional substances in control experiments strongly indicates an intestinal first-pass metabolism of the α,β-unsaturated alcohols 1-octen-3-ol and 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol in Caco-2 cells.

40 CFR 373.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS REPORTING HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE ACTIVITY WHEN SELLING OR TRANSFERRING FEDERAL... definitions apply: (a) Hazardous substances means that group of substances defined as hazardous under CERCLA 101(14), and that appear at 40 CFR 302.4. (b) Storage means the holding of hazardous substances for a...

Peer Assistance Program for Teenage Substance Users.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanbrook, Linda M.

A peer assistance program for teenage substance users was developed in which students interviewed their peers to determine substance use attitudes and frequency of substance use. Student interviewers read and studied drug curriculum materials in their health class; were taught active listening skills and counseling techniques; practiced answering…

[Exposure to addictogenic substances, conditioned response and treatment of the exposure with response prevention].

PubMed

Khazaal, Y; Frésard, E; Zullino, D

2007-01-01

Exposure to drugs or related cues is associated with psycho-physiological reactivity. These responses are conditioned during periods of active consumption. Exposure with response prevention (EPR) is a treatment established for anxiety disorder and aims to reduce anxiety by an extinction of previously conditioned responses. The conditioning recognized in additive processes has led to research into EPR's therapeutic potential for treating addiction. This paper is a review of the main studies on reactivity to cues, and EPR, particularly with respect to addiction to alcohol, opiates, cocaine and tobacco. This review is based on information from the Medline database, dealing with cue reactivity, attentional bias during exposure to cues and exposure treatment for addiction in general and, in particular, for each of the aforementioned substances. Exposure to drug-related cues is clearly associated with psycho-physiological reactivity and with attentional bias. Those phenomena are associated with craving and more difficulty in maintaining abstinence. The subject's attention is thus held by a large number of drug-related environmental stimuli. These observations are linked with conditioning phenomena and suggest the possibility of treatment by EPR conditioning extinction procedures. EPR has been most widely studied for abuse and alcohol addiction. Case reports give favourable outcomes. Results from controlled studies are less clear. Studies on patients addicted to cocaine or heroine are still limited and not conclusive. Different controlled studies on EPR for nicotine addiction have not produced conclusions in favour of this treatment. Generally, the EPR procedures used vary among studies. Studies focussing particularly on the evolution of physiological responses in a laboratory setting after EPR have demonstrated reduced autonomic nervous system activity. These results do not consistently lead to a reduction in consumption behaviour and in craving when the patient is in his/her natural environment. The difficulties encountered in the development of EPR treatments, despite the appealing reasoning behind them, could be explained by the tendency of conditional stimuli to re-occur spontaneously. However, it is clear from the studies reviewed that by selecting EPR conditions more rigorously, more efficient procedures might be developed at least for some patients. It seems that the place and the conditions of exposure are factors essential to the success of these therapeutic procedures. Exposure in vivo is better than exposure in imagination. Prolonged exposure over an hour is more effective than exposure lasting 10 minutes. Exposures in close succession are also associated with a better extinction of conditioned responses. The moment that the stimulus occurs, how appropriate it is and its proximity with potential reinforcement are also essential elements for the conditioning procedures. Improving the conditions in which EPR is applied could then enhance the therapeutic potential of this approach.

Prenatal cocaine exposure, illicit-substance use and stress and craving processes during adolescence.

PubMed

Yip, Sarah W; Lacadie, Cheryl M; Sinha, Rajita; Mayes, Linda C; Potenza, Marc N

2016-01-01

Prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) is associated with increased rates of illicit-substance use during adolescence. In addition, both PCE and illicit-substance use are associated with alterations in cortico-striato-limbic neurocircuitry, development of which is ongoing throughout adolescence. However, the relationship between illicit-substance use, PCE and functional neural responses has not previously been assessed concurrently. Sixty-eight adolescents were recruited from an ongoing longitudinal study of childhood and adolescent development. All participants had been followed since birth. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were acquired during presentation of personalized stressful, favorite-food and neutral/relaxing imagery scripts and compared between 46 PCE and 22 non-prenatally-drug-exposed (NDE) adolescents with and without lifetime illicit-substance use initiation. Data were analyzed using multi-level ANOVAs (pFWE<.05). There was a significant three-way interaction between illicit-substance use, PCE status and cue condition on neural responses within primarily cortical brain regions, including regions of the left and right insula. Among PCE versus NDE adolescents, illicit-substance use was associated with decreased subcortical and increased cortical activity during the favorite-food condition, whereas the opposite pattern of activation was observed during the neutral/relaxing condition. Among PCE versus NDE adolescents, illicit-substance use during stress processing was associated with decreased activity in cortical and subcortical regions including amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Neural activity within cortico-striato-limbic regions was significantly negatively associated with subjective ratings of anxiety and craving among illicit-substance users, but not among non-users. These findings suggest different neural substrates of experimentation with illicit drugs between adolescents with and without in utero cocaine exposure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards a more comprehensive concept for prebiotics.

PubMed

Bindels, Laure B; Delzenne, Nathalie M; Cani, Patrice D; Walter, Jens

2015-05-01

The essential role of the gut microbiota for health has generated tremendous interest in modulating its composition and metabolic function. One of these strategies is prebiotics, which typically refer to selectively fermented nondigestible food ingredients or substances that specifically support the growth and/or activity of health-promoting bacteria that colonize the gastrointestinal tract. In this Perspective, we argue that advances in our understanding of diet-microbiome-host interactions challenge important aspects of the current concept of prebiotics, and especially the requirement for effects to be 'selective' or 'specific'. We propose to revise this concept in an effort to shift the focus towards ecological and functional features of the microbiota more likely to be relevant for host physiology. This revision would provide a more rational basis for the identification of prebiotic compounds, and a framework by which the therapeutic potential of modulating the gut microbiota could be more fully materialized.

Enhanced thermogenesis in rats by Panax ginseng, multivitamins and minerals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Ratan; Grover, S. K.; Divekar, H. M.; Gupta, A. K.; Shyam, Radhey; Srivastava, K. K.

1996-12-01

Substances which enhance endurance for physical and mental work and increase non-specific resistance to stress during a prolonged stay in physiologically adverse habitats are called ‘adaptogens’. Panax ginseng is well known for its anti-stress and adaptogenic properties. In the present study, adaptogenic activity by the intake of a herbo-vitamin-mineral preparation (HVMP) containing P. ginseng and multivitamin-mineral preparation (MVMP) was evaluated using the cold-hypoxia-restrained (C-H-R) animal model. The aim was to determine whether the cold tolerance and recovery from acute hypothermia mediated by P. ginseng was modified by simultaneous intake of additional vitamins and minerals. Results suggest that the adaptogenic effect of HVMP was more or less the sum total of its two components P. ginseng and MVMP. In HVMP, P. ginseng was found to be effective for developing resistance to cooling and MVMP helped in stimulating faster recovery from acute hypothermia.

Using secondary metabolites in the monitoring of the condition of tree stands under industrial pollution

Treesearch

L. L. Fuksman

2000-01-01

The aim of this paper is to determine tile optimal physiological indicator in diagnosing the condition of tree stands under the stress of industrial pollution. Based on experimental results of the fumigation on pine seedlings with sulphur dioxide, acid rain treatment, and the effect of heavy metals on the seedlings, it is reasonable to use the secondary substances or...

Teenage Pregnancy and Drug Abuse: Sources of Problem Behaviors. ERIC/CUE Digest No. 58.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bempechat, Janine; And Others

Drug and alcohol abuse and teenage pregnancy are two behaviors manifested by at-risk children that are both a cause and a result of their lack of success in school and possible subsequent dropping out. The distinction between substance use and abuse may be determined using the following criteria: (1) age of onset; (2) physiological responses; (3)…

Comparative study of binding interactions between porphyrin systems and aromatic compounds of biological importance by multiple spectroscopic techniques: A review.

PubMed

Makarska-Bialokoz, Magdalena

2018-07-05

The specific spectroscopic and redox properties of porphyrins predestine them to fulfill the role of sensors during interacting with different biologically active substances. Monitoring of binding interactions in the systems porphyrin-biologically active compound is a key question not only in the field of physiological functions of living organisms, but also in environmental protection, notably in the light of the rapidly growing drug consumption and concurrently the production of drug effluents. Not always beneficial action of drugs on natural porphyrin systems induces to further studies, with commercially available porphyrins as the model systems. Therefore the binding process between several water-soluble porphyrins and a series of biologically active compounds (e.g. caffeine, guanine, theophylline, theobromine, xanthine, uric acid) has been studied in different aqueous solutions analyzing their absorption and steady-state fluorescence spectra, the porphyrin fluorescence lifetimes and their quantum yields. The magnitude of the binding and fluorescence quenching constants values for particular quenchers decreases in a series: uric acid > guanine > caffeine > theophylline > theobromine > xanthine. In all the systems studied there are characters of static quenching, as a consequence of the π-π-stacked non-covalent and non-fluorescent complexes formation between porphyrins and interacting compounds, accompanied simultaneously by the additional specific binding interactions. The porphyrin fluorescence quenching can be explain by the photoinduced intermolecular electron transfer from aromatic compound to the center of the porphyrin molecule, playing the role of the binding site. Presented results can be valuable for designing of new fluorescent porphyrin chemosensors or monitoring of drug traces in aqueous solutions. The obtained outcomes have also the toxicological and medical importance, providing insight into the interactions of the water-soluble porphyrins with biologically active substances. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Systematic Review of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure and Adolescent Development

PubMed Central

Buckingham-Howes, Stacy; Berger, Sarah Shafer; Scaletti, Laura A.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Previous research found that prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) may increase children's vulnerability to behavior and cognition problems. Maturational changes in brain and social development make adolescence an ideal time to reexamine associations. The objective was to conduct a systematic review of published studies examining associations between PCE and adolescent development (behavior, cognition/school outcomes, physiologic responses, and brain morphology/functioning). METHODS: Articles were obtained from PubMed, PsycInfo, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases through July 2012 with search terms: prenatal drug, substance, or cocaine exposure; adolescence/adolescent; and in utero substance/drug exposure. Criteria for inclusion were nonexposed comparison group, human adolescents aged 11 to 19, peer-reviewed, English-language, and adolescent outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies representing 9 cohorts met the criteria. Four outcome categories were identified: behavior, cognition/school performance, brain structure/function, and physiologic responses. Eleven examined behavior; 7 found small but significant differences favoring nonexposed adolescents, with small effect sizes. Eight examined cognition/school performance; 6 reported significantly lower scores on language and memory tasks among adolescents with PCE, with varying effect sizes varied. Eight examined brain structure/function and reported morphologic differences with few functional differences. Three examined physiologic responses with discordant findings. Most studies controlled for other prenatal exposures, caregiving environment, and violence exposure; few examined mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with findings among younger children, PCE increases the risk for small but significantly less favorable adolescent functioning. Although the clinical importance of differences is often unknown, the caregiving environment and violence exposure pose additional threats. Future research should investigate mechanisms linking PCE with adolescent functioning. PMID:23713107

Saving two birds with one stone: using active substance avian acute toxicity data to predict formulated plant protection product toxicity.

PubMed

Maynard, Samuel K; Edwards, Peter; Wheeler, James R

2014-07-01

Environmental safety assessments for exposure of birds require the provision of acute avian toxicity data for both the pesticidal active substance and formulated products. As an example, testing on the formulated product is waived in Europe using an assessment of data for the constituent active substance(s). This is often not the case globally, because some countries require acute toxicity tests with every formulated product, thereby triggering animal welfare concerns through unnecessary testing. A database of 383 formulated products was compiled from acute toxicity studies conducted with northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) or Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) (unpublished regulatory literature). Of the 383 formulated products studied, 159 contained only active substances considered functionally nontoxic (median lethal dose [LD50] > highest dose tested). Of these, 97% had formulated product LD50 values of >2000 mg formulated product/kg (limit dose), indicating that no new information was obtained in the formulated product study. Furthermore, defined (point estimated) LD50 values for formulated products were compared with LD50 values predicted from toxicity of the active substance(s). This demonstrated that predicted LD50 values were within 2-fold and 5-fold of the measured formulated product LD50 values in 90% and 98% of cases, respectively. This analysis demonstrates that avian acute toxicity testing of formulated products is largely unnecessary and should not be routinely required to assess avian acute toxicity. In particular, when active substances are known to be functionally nontoxic, further formulated product testing adds no further information and unnecessarily increases bird usage in testing. A further analysis highlights the fact that significant reductions (61% in this dataset) could be achieved by using a sequential testing design (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development test guideline 223), as opposed to established single-stage designs. © 2014 The Authors.

Pharmacological Potential of Sea Cucumbers

PubMed Central

Khotimchenko, Yuri

2018-01-01

This review presents a detailed analysis of published research data focused on the pharmacological activity exerted by biologically active compounds isolated from sea cucumbers belonging to the class of Holothuroidea, phylum Echinodermata. The review contains descriptions of the structure, physico-chemical properties and pharmacological effects of these active substances. Particular attention is given to compounds with anticoagulant, antithrombotic, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-infectious, immune-stimulating and anti-ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) activities as well as to the substances exerting a regulating influence on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. All these compounds may be considered as prototypes for development of new pharmaceutical substances and medicines. PMID:29724051

Closed Loop Deep Brain Stimulation for PTSD, Addiction, and Disorders of Affective Facial Interpretation: Review and Discussion of Potential Biomarkers and Stimulation Paradigms

PubMed Central

Bina, Robert W.; Langevin, Jean-Phillipe

2018-01-01

The treatment of psychiatric diseases with Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is becoming more of a reality as studies proliferate the indications and targets for therapies. Opinions on the initial failures of DBS trials for some psychiatric diseases point to a certain lack of finesse in using an Open Loop DBS (OLDBS) system in these dynamic, cyclical pathologies. OLDBS delivers monomorphic input into dysfunctional brain circuits with modulation of that input via human interface at discrete time points with no interim modulation or adaptation to the changing circuit dynamics. Closed Loop DBS (CLDBS) promises dynamic, intrinsic circuit modulation based on individual physiologic biomarkers of dysfunction. Discussed here are several psychiatric diseases which may be amenable to CLDBS paradigms as the neurophysiologic dysfunction is stochastic and not static. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has several peripheral and central physiologic and neurologic changes preceding stereotyped hyper-activation behavioral responses. Biomarkers for CLDBS potentially include skin conductance changes indicating changes in the sympathetic nervous system, changes in serum and central neurotransmitter concentrations, and limbic circuit activation. Chemical dependency and addiction have been demonstrated to be improved with both ablation and DBS of the Nucleus Accumbens and as a serendipitous side effect of movement disorder treatment. Potential peripheral biomarkers are similar to those proposed for PTSD with possible use of environmental and geolocation based cues, peripheral signs of physiologic arousal, and individual changes in central circuit patterns. Non-substance addiction disorders have also been serendipitously treated in patients with OLDBS for movement disorders. As more is learned about these behavioral addictions, DBS targets and effectors will be identified. Finally, discussed is the use of facial recognition software to modulate activation of inappropriate responses for psychiatric diseases in which misinterpretation of social cues feature prominently. These include Autism Spectrum Disorder, PTSD, and Schizophrenia—all of which have a common feature of dysfunctional interpretation of facial affective clues. Technological advances and improvements in circuit-based, individual-specific, real-time adaptable modulation, forecast functional neurosurgery treatments for heretofore treatment-resistant behavioral diseases. PMID:29780303

76 FR 12371 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Requested: Application...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-07

... Controlled Substances/Export Controlled Substances for Re-Export--DEA Forms 161 and 161r ACTION: 60-Day... Administration (DEA), will submit the following information collection request to the Office of Management and...: Application for Permit to Export Controlled Substances/Export Controlled Substances for Reexport--DEA Forms...

How does active substance use at psychiatric admission impact suicide risk and hospital length-of-stay?

PubMed

Miller, Keith A; Hitschfeld, Mario J; Lineberry, Timothy W; Palmer, Brian A

2016-01-01

Despite their high prevalence, little is known about the effects of substance use disorders and active substance use on the suicide risk or length-of-stay of psychiatric inpatients. This study examines the relationship between active substance use at the time of psychiatric hospitalization and changes in suicide risk measures and length-of-stay. Admission and discharge ratings on the Suicide Status Form-II-R, diagnoses, and toxicology data from 2,333 unique psychiatric inpatients were examined. Data for patients using alcohol, tetrahydrocannabinol, methamphetamines, cocaine, benzodiazepines, opiates, barbiturates, phencyclidine, and multiple substances on admission were compared with data from 1,426 admissions without substance use. Patients with substance use by toxicology on admission had a 0.9 day shorter length-of-stay compared to toxicology-negative patients. During initial nurse evaluation on the inpatient unit, these patients reported lower suicide measures (i.e., suicidal ideation frequency, overall suicide risk, and wish-to-die). No significant between-group differences were seen at discharge. Patients admitted with a substance use disorder diagnosis had a 1.0 day shorter length-of-stay than those without, while those with a substance use disorder diagnosis and positive toxicology reported the lowest measures of suicidality on admission. These results remained independent of psychiatric diagnosis. For acute psychiatric inpatients, suicide risk is higher and length-of-stay is longer in patients with substance use disorders who are NOT acutely intoxicated compared with patients without a substance use disorder. Toxicology-positive patients are less suicidal on admission and improve faster than their toxicology-negative counterparts. This study gives support to the clinical observation that acutely intoxicated patients may stabilize quickly with regard to suicidal urges and need for inpatient care.

Maternal Neural Responses to Infant Cries and Faces: Relationships with Substance Use

PubMed Central

Landi, Nicole; Montoya, Jessica; Kober, Hedy; Rutherford, Helena J. V.; Mencl, W. Einar; Worhunsky, Patrick D.; Potenza, Marc N.; Mayes, Linda C.

2011-01-01

Substance abuse in pregnant and recently post-partum women is a major public health concern because of effects on the infant and on the ability of the adult to care for the infant. In addition to the negative health effects of teratogenic substances on fetal development, substance use can contribute to difficulties associated with the social and behavioral aspects of parenting. Neural circuits associated with parenting behavior overlap with circuits involved in addiction (e.g., frontal, striatal, and limbic systems) and thus may be co-opted for the craving/reward cycle associated with substance use and abuse and be less available for parenting. The current study investigates the degree to which neural circuits associated with parenting are disrupted in mothers who are substance-using. Specifically, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neural response to emotional infant cues (faces and cries) in substance-using compared to non-using mothers. In response to both faces (of varying emotional valence) and cries (of varying distress levels), substance-using mothers evidenced reduced neural activation in regions that have been previously implicated in reward and motivation as well as regions involved in cognitive control. Specifically, in response to faces, substance users showed reduced activation in prefrontal regions, including the dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortices, as well as visual processing (occipital lobes) and limbic regions (parahippocampus and amygdala). Similarly, in response to infant cries, substance-using mothers showed reduced activation relative to non-using mothers in prefrontal regions, auditory sensory processing regions, insula and limbic regions (parahippocampus and amygdala). These findings suggest that infant stimuli may be less salient for substance-using mothers, and such reduced saliency may impair developing infant-caregiver attachment and the ability of mothers to respond appropriately to their infants. PMID:21720537

Responses of plant calmodulin to endocytosis induced by rare earth elements.

PubMed

Wang, Lihong; Cheng, Mengzhu; Chu, Yunxia; Li, Xiaodong; Chen, David D Y; Huang, Xiaohua; Zhou, Qing

2016-07-01

The wide application of rare earth elements (REEs) have led to their diffusion and accumulation in the environment. The activation of endocytosis is the primary response of plant cells to REEs. Calmodulin (CaM), as an important substance in calcium (Ca) signaling systems, regulating almost all of the physiological activities in plants, such as cellular metabolism, cell growth and division. However, the response of CaM to endocytosis activated by REEs remains unknown. By using immunofluorescence labeling and a confocal laser scanning microscope, we found that trivalent lanthanum [La(III)], an REE ion, affected the expression of CaM in endocytosis. Using circular dichroism, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and computer simulations, we demonstrated that a low concentration of La(III) could interact with extracellular CaM by electrostatic attraction and was then bound to two Ca-binding sites of CaM, making the molecular structure more compact and orderly, whereas a high concentration of La(III) could be coordinated with cytoplasmic CaM or bound to other Ca-binding sites, making the molecular structure more loose and disorderly. Our results provide a reference for revealing the action mechanisms of REEs in plant cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mutation assays involving blood cells that metabolize toxic substances

DOEpatents

Crespi, Charles L.; Thilly, William G.

1999-01-01

The present invention pertains to a line of human blood cells which have high levels of oxidative activity (such as oxygenase, oxidase, peroxidase, and hydroxylase activity). Such cells grow in suspension culture, and are useful to determine the mutagenicity of xenobiotic substances that are metabolized into toxic or mutagenic substances. The invention also includes mutation assays using these cells, and other cells with similar characteristics.

Daily Physical Activity and Hot Flashes in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation FLASHES Study

PubMed Central

Gibson, Carolyn; Matthews, Karen; Thurston, Rebecca

2014-01-01

Objective To examine the role of physical activity in menopausal hot flashes. Competing models conceptualize physical activity as a risk or protective factor for hot flashes. Few studies have examined this relationship prospectively using physiologic measures of hot flashes and physical activity. Design Over two 48 hour-periods, 51 participants wore a physiologic hot flash monitor and activity monitor, and reported their hot flashes in an electronic diary. Physiologic hot flashes, reported hot flashes and reported hot flashes without physiological corroboration were related to activity changes using hierarchical generalized linear modeling, adjusting for potential confounders. Setting Community. Patients Midlife women. Interventions None. Main Outcome Measures Physiologically-detected hot flashes and reported hot flashes with and without physiologic corroboration. Results Hot flash reports without physiologic corroboration were more likely after activity increases (OR 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00-1.10, p=.01), particularly among women with higher levels of depressive symptoms (interaction p=.02). No other types of hot flashes were related to physical activity. Conclusion Acute increases in physical activity were associated with increased reporting of hot flashes lacking physiologic corroboration, particularly among women with depressive symptoms. Clinicians should consider the role of symptom perception and reporting in relations between physical activity and hot flashes. PMID:24491454

John Henryism Active Coping as a Cultural Correlate of Substance Abuse Treatment Participation Among African American Women.

PubMed

Stevens-Watkins, Danelle; Knighton, Joi-Sheree'; Allen, Kristin; Fisher, Sycarah; Crowell, Candice; Mahaffey, Carlos; Leukefeld, Carl; Oser, Carrie

2016-04-01

The rates of illicit drug use among African American women are increasing, yet African American women are least likely to participate in treatment for substance use disorders when compared to women of other racial groups. The current study examined family history of substance use, perceived family support, and John Henryism Active Coping (JHAC) as correlates to seeking treatment for substance abuse. The underlying theoretical frame of JHAC (James et al., 1983) suggests that despite limited resources and psychosocial stressors, African Americans believe that hard work and self-determination are necessary to cope with adversities. The current study is a secondary data analyses of 206 drug-using African American women (N=104 urban community women with no criminal justice involvement and N=102 women living in the community on supervised probation) from urban cities in a southern state. It was expected that African American women with a family history of substance abuse, higher levels of perceived family support, and more active coping skills would be more likely to have participated in substance abuse treatment. Step-wise logistic regression results reveal that women on probation, had children, and had a family history of substance abuse were significantly more likely to report participating in substance abuse treatment. Perceived family support and active coping were significant negative correlates of participating in treatment. Implication of results suggests coping with psychosocial stressors using a self-determined and persistent coping strategy may be problematic for drug-using women with limited resources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Substance Abuse in Rural Areas

MedlinePlus

... likely to drink alcohol. Rural church and faith-based organizations can also play an important role in promoting ... activities focused on substance abuse prevention. Several ... Other organizations that provide substance abuse information and prevention program ...

Thermal behaviour of procaine and benzocaine Part II: compatibility study with some pharmaceutical excipients used in solid dosage forms

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The compatibility study of active substances with excipients finds an important role in the domain of pharmaceutical research, being known the fact that final formulation is the one administered to the patient. In order to evaluate the compatibility between active substance and excipients, different analytical techniques can be used, based on their accuracy, reproducibility and fastness. Results Compatibility study of two well-known active substances, procaine and benzocaine, with four commonly used excipients, was carried out employing thermal analysis (TG/DTG/HF) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (UATR-FT-IR). The selected excipients were microcrystalline cellulose, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate and talc. Equal proportion of active substance and excipients (w/w) was utilized in the interaction study. The absolute value of the difference between the melting point peak of active substances and the one corresponding for the active substances in the analysed mixture, as well the absolute value of the difference between the enthalpy of the pure active ingredient melting peak and that of its melting peak in the different analysed mixtures were chosen as indexes of the drug-excipient interaction degree. All the results obtained through thermal analysis were also sustained by FT-IR spectroscopy. Conclusions The corroboration of data obtained by thermal analysis with the ones from FT-IR spectroscopy indicated that no interaction occurs between procaine and benzocaine, with microcrystalline cellulose and talc, as well for the benzocaine-lactose mixture. Interactions were confirmed between procaine and benzocaine respectively and magnesium stearate, and for procaine and lactose. PMID:23962059

NprR-NprX Quorum-Sensing System Regulates the Algicidal Activity of Bacillus sp. Strain S51107 against Bloom-Forming Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa.

PubMed

Wu, Lishuang; Guo, Xingliang; Liu, Xianglong; Yang, Hong

2017-01-01

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms have severely impaired freshwater quality and threatened human health worldwide. Here, a Gram-positive bacterium, Bacillus sp. strain S51107, which exhibits strong algicidal activity against Microcystis aeruginosa , was isolated from Lake Taihu. We found that the algicidal activity of strain S51107 was regulated primarily by NprR-NprX quorum sensing (QS), in which the mature form of the signaling peptide NprX was identified as the SKPDIVG heptapeptide. Disruption of the nprR-nprX cassette markedly decreased the algicidal activity, and complemented strains showed significantly recovered algicidal activity. Strain S51107 produced low-molecular-weight algicidal compounds [indole-3-carboxaldehyde and cyclo(Pro-Phe)] and high-molecular-weight algicidal substance(s) (>3 kDa). Moreover, the production of high-molecular-weight algicidal substance(s) was regulated by NprR-NprX QS, but the production of low-molecular-weight algicidal compounds was not. High-molecular-weight algicidal substance(s) played a more important role than low-molecular-weight algicidal compounds in the algicidal activity of strain S51107. The results of this study could increase our knowledge about algicidal characteristics of a potential algicidal bacterium, Bacillus sp. strain S51107, and provide the first evidence that the algicidal activity of Gram-positive algicidal bacteria is regulated by QS, which will greatly enhance our understanding of the interactions between algae and indigenous algicidal bacteria, thereby providing aid in the design and optimization of strategies to control harmful algae blooms.

NprR-NprX Quorum-Sensing System Regulates the Algicidal Activity of Bacillus sp. Strain S51107 against Bloom-Forming Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa

PubMed Central

Wu, Lishuang; Guo, Xingliang; Liu, Xianglong; Yang, Hong

2017-01-01

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms have severely impaired freshwater quality and threatened human health worldwide. Here, a Gram-positive bacterium, Bacillus sp. strain S51107, which exhibits strong algicidal activity against Microcystis aeruginosa, was isolated from Lake Taihu. We found that the algicidal activity of strain S51107 was regulated primarily by NprR-NprX quorum sensing (QS), in which the mature form of the signaling peptide NprX was identified as the SKPDIVG heptapeptide. Disruption of the nprR-nprX cassette markedly decreased the algicidal activity, and complemented strains showed significantly recovered algicidal activity. Strain S51107 produced low-molecular-weight algicidal compounds [indole-3-carboxaldehyde and cyclo(Pro-Phe)] and high-molecular-weight algicidal substance(s) (>3 kDa). Moreover, the production of high-molecular-weight algicidal substance(s) was regulated by NprR-NprX QS, but the production of low-molecular-weight algicidal compounds was not. High-molecular-weight algicidal substance(s) played a more important role than low-molecular-weight algicidal compounds in the algicidal activity of strain S51107. The results of this study could increase our knowledge about algicidal characteristics of a potential algicidal bacterium, Bacillus sp. strain S51107, and provide the first evidence that the algicidal activity of Gram-positive algicidal bacteria is regulated by QS, which will greatly enhance our understanding of the interactions between algae and indigenous algicidal bacteria, thereby providing aid in the design and optimization of strategies to control harmful algae blooms. PMID:29075240

In vivo metabolism and clearance of substance P and co-expressed tachykinins in rat striatum.

PubMed

Michael-Titus, A T; Fernandes, K; Setty, H; Whelpton, R

2002-01-01

Neurons expressing the preprotachykinin A gene, which encodes the sequences of substance P, neurokinin A, neuropeptide gamma and neuropeptide K, exemplify peptide co-existence. Furthermore, there is also evidence that substance P fragments have biological activity. However, the relative contribution of each of these peptides to tachykinin signalling is still poorly understood. An important factor which will determine the characteristics of the signal mediated by co-localised peptides is their clearance from the extracellular space. The striatum, in which tachykinins are present and exert neuromodulatory roles, can be used as a model to investigate this aspect. Therefore, in this study we characterised in vivo in the striatum the metabolism and clearance of substance P and of the other three co-expressed peptides. After intrastriatal administration of 1 pmol, tritiated substance P disappeared too rapidly for metabolites to be detected. However, when 10 nmol substance P and 1 pmol tritiated substance P were co-injected, substance P(1-4) and substance P(1-7), which are biologically active, were detected as major metabolites. Under these conditions, the rate of decay of tritiated substance P was 0.2 nmol/min. The effects of the peptidase inhibitors thiorphan, bestatin and captopril suggested that neutral endopeptidase 24.11 and aminopeptidases were involved in primary substance P cleavages, whereas angiotensin-converting enzyme was involved in secondary cleavages. The monitoring of the decay of unlabelled substance P by high-performance liquid chromatography gave a rate of 0.16 nmol/min. Using high-performance liquid chromatography with capillary electrophoresis, the rates of decay of 10 nmol neurokinin A or neuropeptide gamma were five and seven times faster than that of substance P. In contrast, over the time course of the experiment, no significant decay of neuropeptide K was detected. These results show that substance P disappears rapidly from the extracellular space, and supports the formation in vivo of major N-terminal active substance P metabolites. Our study also highlights significant differences in the clearance of co-expressed tachykinins and suggests that certain species may disappear relatively slowly from the extracellular space, and thus may make a significant temporal and spatial contribution to signalling.

Oxidation-induced calcium-dependent dehydration of normal human red blood cells.

PubMed

Shcherbachenko, Irina M; Lisovskaya, Irina L; Tikhonov, Vladimir P

2007-05-01

Phenazine-methosulphate (PMS) is a strong oxidant that induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in cells. Though it has been shown that PMS increases the red blood cell (RBC) membrane permeability to K(+), the hypotheses on the mechanism of PMS-induced effects are contradictory and there are no data on volume changes induced by this oxidant. Therefore, the influence of the PMS + ascorbate oxidative system on the volume of normal human RBCs was studied. In a Ca(2 + )-containing medium, PMS + ascorbate caused dehydration (shrinking) of RBCs judged by: (1) changes in the density and osmotic resistance distributions of RBCs, and (2) a decrease in their low-angle scattering assessed by FACS analysis. The dehydration resulted from activation of the Gardos channels, was PMS and ascorbate concentration-dependent, was associated with broadening of the density and osmotic resistance distributions of the RBCs, and decreased in the presence of the taxifolin and rutin antioxidants. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the physiology and pathology of oxidatively-modified RBCs and may be of practical significance in estimating the antioxidant activity of various substances.

Identification of Streptomyces sp. KH29, which produces an antibiotic substance processing an inhibitory activity against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

PubMed

Lee, Keyong Ho; Kim, Kye-Woong; Rhee, Ki-Hyeong

2010-12-01

The Actinomycete strain KH29 is antagonistic to the multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Based on the diaminopimelic acid (DAP) type, and the morphological and physiological characteristics observed through the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), KH29 was confirmed as belonging to the genus Streptomyces. By way of its noted 16S rDNA nucleotide sequences, KH29 was found to have a relationship with Streptomyces cinnamonensis. The production of an antibiotic from this strain was found to be most favorable when cultured with glucose, polypeptone, and yeast extract (PY) medium for 6 days at 27 degrees C. The antibiotic produced was identified, through comparisons with reported spectral data including MS and NMR as a cyclo(L-tryptophanyl-L-tryptophanyl). Cyclo(L-Trp-L-Trp), from the PY cultures of KH29, was seen to be highly effective against 41 of 49 multidrugresistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Furthermore, cyclo(LTrp- L-Trp) had antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus niger, and Candida albicans, However, it was ineffective against Streptomyces murinus.

Location, morphology and function of nephrocytes in termites.

PubMed

Costa-Leonardo, Ana Maria; Janei, Vanelize; Laranjo, Lara Teixeira; Haifig, Ives

2015-07-01

Insect nephrocytes are cells bathed in hemolymph and considered to have an excretory function. These cells have ambiguous nomenclature and are understudied in termites. This study is the first report on the occurrence, morphology and function of nephrocytes in different termite castes. Cytological characteristics in specific developmental stages and castes enable physiological functions to be inferred. Perforate diaphragms indicate a role in filtration, while the extensive peripheral invaginations of the cell membrane suggest active endocytosis. A sequence of morphologies in putative digestive vacuoles infers a lysosomal system and the occurrence of phosphatases suggests a function involving detoxification of substances sequestered from hemolymph. Pericardical nephrocytes took up the dye trypan blue injected in live termites, suggesting their activity connected to the filtration of the hemolymph. Additionally, histochemical tests showed the existence of stored proteins in their cytoplasm. These cells present a well-developed Golgi apparatus and abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum, consistent with protein synthesis. This study highlights the importance of nephrocytes in Isoptera and opens perspectives for further research of these cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oxidative damage in gills and liver in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to diazinon.

PubMed

Toledo-Ibarra, G A; Díaz Resendiz, K J G; Ventura-Ramón, G H; González-Jaime, F; Vega-López, A; Becerril-Villanueva, E; Pavón, L; Girón-Pérez, M I

2016-10-01

Agricultural activity demands the use of pesticides for plague control and extermination. In that matter, diazinon is one of the most widely used organophosphorus pesticides (OPs). Despite its benefits, the use of OPs in agricultural activities can also have negative effects since the excessive use of these substances can represent a major contamination problem for water bodies and organisms that inhabit them. The aim of this paper was to evaluate oxidative damage in lipids and proteins of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed acutely to diazinon (0.97, 1.95 and 3.95ppm) for 12 or 24h. The evaluation of oxidative damage was determined by quantifying lipid hydroperoxides (Fox method) and oxidized proteins (DNPH method). The data from this study suggest that diazinon induces a concentration-dependent oxidative damage in proteins, but not lipids, of the liver and gills of Nile tilapia. Furthermore, the treatment leads to a decrease in the concentration of total proteins, which can have serious consequences in cell physiology and fish development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microbial production of metabolites and associated enzymatic reactions under high pressure.

PubMed

Dong, Yongsheng; Jiang, Hua

2016-11-01

High environmental pressure exerts an external stress on the survival of microorganisms that are commonly found under normal pressure. In response, many growth traits alter, including cell morphology and physiology, cellular structure, metabolism, physical and chemical properties, the reproductive process, and defense mechanisms. The high-pressure technology (HP) has been industrially utilized in pressurized sterilization, synthesis of stress-induced products, and microbial/enzymatic transformation of chemicals. This article reviews current research on pressure-induced production of metabolites in normal-pressure microbes and their enzymatic reactions. Factors that affect the production of such metabolites are summarized, as well as the effect of pressure on the performance of microbial fermentation and the yield of flavoring compounds, different categories of induced enzymatic reactions and their characteristics in the supercritical carbon dioxide fluid, effects on enzyme activity, and the selection of desirable bacterial strains. Technological challenges are discussed, and future research directions are proposed. Information presented here will benefit the research, development, and application of the HP technology to improve microbial fermentation and enzymatic production of biologically active substances, thereby help to meet their increasing demand from the ever-expanding market.

Fluorescence-based assay as a new screening tool for toxic chemicals

PubMed Central

Moczko, Ewa; Mirkes, Evgeny M.; Cáceres, César; Gorban, Alexander N.; Piletsky, Sergey

2016-01-01

Our study involves development of fluorescent cell-based diagnostic assay as a new approach in high-throughput screening method. This highly sensitive optical assay operates similarly to e-noses and e-tongues which combine semi-specific sensors and multivariate data analysis for monitoring biochemical processes. The optical assay consists of a mixture of environmental-sensitive fluorescent dyes and human skin cells that generate fluorescence spectra patterns distinctive for particular physico-chemical and physiological conditions. Using chemometric techniques the optical signal is processed providing qualitative information about analytical characteristics of the samples. This integrated approach has been successfully applied (with sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 97%) in assessing whether particular chemical agents are irritating or not for human skin. It has several advantages compared with traditional biochemical or biological assays and can impact the new way of high-throughput screening and understanding cell activity. It also can provide reliable and reproducible method for assessing a risk of exposing people to different harmful substances, identification active compounds in toxicity screening and safety assessment of drugs, cosmetic or their specific ingredients. PMID:27653274

Fluorescence-based assay as a new screening tool for toxic chemicals.

PubMed

Moczko, Ewa; Mirkes, Evgeny M; Cáceres, César; Gorban, Alexander N; Piletsky, Sergey

2016-09-22

Our study involves development of fluorescent cell-based diagnostic assay as a new approach in high-throughput screening method. This highly sensitive optical assay operates similarly to e-noses and e-tongues which combine semi-specific sensors and multivariate data analysis for monitoring biochemical processes. The optical assay consists of a mixture of environmental-sensitive fluorescent dyes and human skin cells that generate fluorescence spectra patterns distinctive for particular physico-chemical and physiological conditions. Using chemometric techniques the optical signal is processed providing qualitative information about analytical characteristics of the samples. This integrated approach has been successfully applied (with sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 97%) in assessing whether particular chemical agents are irritating or not for human skin. It has several advantages compared with traditional biochemical or biological assays and can impact the new way of high-throughput screening and understanding cell activity. It also can provide reliable and reproducible method for assessing a risk of exposing people to different harmful substances, identification active compounds in toxicity screening and safety assessment of drugs, cosmetic or their specific ingredients.

Fluorescence-based assay as a new screening tool for toxic chemicals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moczko, Ewa; Mirkes, Evgeny M.; Cáceres, César; Gorban, Alexander N.; Piletsky, Sergey

2016-09-01

Our study involves development of fluorescent cell-based diagnostic assay as a new approach in high-throughput screening method. This highly sensitive optical assay operates similarly to e-noses and e-tongues which combine semi-specific sensors and multivariate data analysis for monitoring biochemical processes. The optical assay consists of a mixture of environmental-sensitive fluorescent dyes and human skin cells that generate fluorescence spectra patterns distinctive for particular physico-chemical and physiological conditions. Using chemometric techniques the optical signal is processed providing qualitative information about analytical characteristics of the samples. This integrated approach has been successfully applied (with sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 97%) in assessing whether particular chemical agents are irritating or not for human skin. It has several advantages compared with traditional biochemical or biological assays and can impact the new way of high-throughput screening and understanding cell activity. It also can provide reliable and reproducible method for assessing a risk of exposing people to different harmful substances, identification active compounds in toxicity screening and safety assessment of drugs, cosmetic or their specific ingredients.

Fluorescent tagging of rhythmically active respiratory neurons within the pre-Bötzinger complex of rat medullary slice preparations.

PubMed

Pagliardini, Silvia; Adachi, Tadafumi; Ren, Jun; Funk, Gregory D; Greer, John J

2005-03-09

Elucidation of the neuronal mechanisms underlying respiratory rhythmogenesis is a major focal point in respiratory physiology. An area of the ventrolateral medulla, the pre-Bötzinger complex (preBotC), is a critical site. Attention is now focused on understanding the cellular and network properties within the preBotC that underlie this critical function. The inability to clearly identify key "rhythm-generating" neurons within the heterogeneous population of preBotC neurons has been a significant limitation. Here we report an advancement allowing precise targeting of neurons expressing neurokinin-1 receptors (NK1Rs), which are hypothesized to be essential for respiratory rhythmogenesis. The internalization of tetramethylrhodamine conjugated substance P in rhythmically active medullary slice preparations provided clear visualization of NK1R-expressing neurons for subsequent whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. Among labeled neurons, 82% were inspiratory modulated, and 25% had pacemaker properties. We propose that this approach can be used to greatly expedite progress toward understanding the neuronal processes underlying the control of breathing.

Using Laboratory Chemicals to Imitate Illicit Drugs in a Forensic Chemistry Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hasan, Shawn; Bromfield-Lee, Deborah; Oliver-Hoyo, Maria T.; Cintron-Maldonado, Jose A.

2008-01-01

This forensic chemistry activity utilizes presumptive forensic testing procedures and laboratory chemicals that produce screening results similar to controlled substances. For obvious reasons, obtaining heavily regulated controlled substances to create an undergraduate student activity is not practical for most educational institutions. We were…

Physiology of man and animals in the Tenth Five-Year Plan: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Congress of the I. P. Pavlov All-Union Physiological Society

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lange, K. A.

1980-01-01

Research in the field of animal and human physiology is reviewed. The following topics on problems of physiological science and related fields of knowledge are discussed: neurophysiology and higher nervous activity, physiology of sensory systems, physiology of visceral systems, evolutionary and ecological physiology, physiological cybernetics, computer application in physiology, information support of physiological research, history and theory of development of physiology. Also discussed were: artificial intelligence, physiological problems of reflex therapy, correlation of structure and function of the brain, adaptation and activity, microcirculation, and physiological studies in nerve and mental diseases.

Glucocorticoids inhibit sulfur mustard-induced airway muscle hyperresponsiveness to substance P.

PubMed

Calvet, J H; D'Ortho, M P; Jarreau, P H; Levame, M; Harf, A; Macquin-Mavier, I

1994-11-01

To explore the mechanisms of airway hyperreactivity to aerosolized substance P observed in guinea pigs 14 days after intratracheal injection of sulfur mustard (SM), we studied the effects of epithelium removal and inhibition of neutral endopeptidase (NEP) activity on airway muscle responsiveness. Tracheal rings from SM-intoxicated guinea pigs expressed a greater contractile response to substance P than rings from nonintoxicated guinea pigs. After epithelium removal or incubation with the NEP inhibitor phosphoramidon, the contractile responses of tracheal rings to substance P did not differ in guinea pigs injected with SM or ethanol (SM solvent). Treatment of the guinea pigs with betamethasone for 7 days before measurement abolished the airway muscle hyperresponsiveness observed in untreated SM-intoxicated guinea pigs and partially restored tracheal epithelium NEP activity. In addition, the tracheal epithelium height and cell density of SM-intoxicated guinea pigs treated with betamethasone were significantly greater than in those without betamethasone. These results demonstrate that SM intoxication induces airway muscle hyperresponsiveness to substance P by reducing tracheal epithelial NEP activity and that glucocorticoids might inhibit this hyperresponsiveness by increasing this activity.

Performance in physiology evaluation: possible improvement by active learning strategies.

PubMed

Montrezor, Luís H

2016-12-01

The evaluation process is complex and extremely important in the teaching/learning process. Evaluations are constantly employed in the classroom to assist students in the learning process and to help teachers improve the teaching process. The use of active methodologies encourages students to participate in the learning process, encourages interaction with their peers, and stimulates thinking about physiological mechanisms. This study examined the performance of medical students on physiology over four semesters with and without active engagement methodologies. Four activities were used: a puzzle, a board game, a debate, and a video. The results show that engaging in activities with active methodologies before a physiology cognitive monitoring test significantly improved student performance compared with not performing the activities. We integrate the use of these methodologies with classic lectures, and this integration appears to improve the teaching/learning process in the discipline of physiology and improves the integration of physiology with cardiology and neurology. In addition, students enjoy the activities and perform better on their evaluations when they use them. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

Mutation assays involving blood cells that metabolize toxic substances

DOEpatents

Crespi, C.L.; Thilly, W.G.

1999-08-10

The present invention pertains to a line of human blood cells which have high levels of oxidative activity (such as oxygenase, oxidase, peroxidase, and hydroxylase activity). Such cells grow in suspension culture, and are useful to determine the mutagenicity of xenobiotic substances that are metabolized into toxic or mutagenic substances. The invention also includes mutation assays using these cells, and other cells with similar characteristics. 3 figs.

Social Activity, School-Related Activity, and Anti-Substance Use Media Messages on Adolescent Tobacco and Alcohol Use.

PubMed

Moon, Sung Seek; Rao, Uma

2011-01-01

In this article, we present the effects of three hypothesized protective factors: social activities, school-related activities, and anti-substance use media messages on adolescent tobacco and alcohol use. Data were drawn from the "Monitoring the Future" (MTF) research project, which was conducted by the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. The sample included 2,551 twelfth-grade students. The results of the structural equation model showed that exposure to media anti-drug messages had an indirect negative effect on tobacco and alcohol use through school-related activity and social activity. The results suggest that comprehensive ecological interventions encompassing media, family, and school can increase on the preventive effects of adolescent's substance use.

Delta 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol and ethanol: differential effects on sympathetic activity in differing environmental setting.

PubMed

Ng, L K; Lamprecht, F; Williams, R B; Kopin, I J

1973-06-29

Serum dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity, a useful biochemical index of peripheral sympathetic nervous activity, was measured in rats treated with Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol or ethanol or both substances. After 7 days of treatment with either substance, serum dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity decreased significantly. Combined treatment with both agents enhanced the effects of each given alone. In rats subjected to immobilization stress, treatment with Delta(9)- tetrahydrocannabinol appeared to potentiate the stress-induced increase in serum enzyme activity. Treatment with ethanol, with or without Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, effectively blocked this increase in enzyme activity. These results show that both substances have significant effects on the sympathetic nervous system which are critically influenced by environmental setting.

Unprotected anal intercourse and substance use before and after HIV diagnosis among recently HIV-infected men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Drumright, Lydia N; Strathdee, Steffanie A; Little, Susan J; Araneta, Maria Rosario G; Slymen, Donald J; Malcarne, Vanessa L; Daar, Eric S; Gorbach, Pamina M

2007-06-01

The objective of this study was to assess associations between unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) and substance use before and after HIV diagnosis among recently HIV-infected MSM. Two hundred seven MSM completed computer-assisted self-interviews regarding type and timing of sexual activity and substance use with their last 3 partners. Date of HIV diagnosis was extracted from medical records. Generalized estimating equations, including interaction terms, were used to assess associations between substance use and UAI before and after HIV diagnosis. Among partners with whom sexual activity occurred before diagnosis, UAI was associated with methamphetamine use alone (odds ratio = 7.12) and a combination of methamphetamine and other substances (odds ratio = 4.06). However, after HIV diagnosis, UAI was associated with use of substances other than methamphetamine (odds ratio = 3.36), but not methamphetamine alone. Use of illicit substances may be differentially associated with UAI based on knowledge of HIV status and could have implications for prevention of HIV transmission.

Using behavioral theories of choice to predict drinking outcomes following a brief intervention.

PubMed

Murphy, James G; Correia, Christopher J; Colby, Suzanne M; Vuchinich, Rudy E

2005-05-01

Behavioral theories of choice predict that substance use is partly a function of the relative value of drugs in relation to other available reinforcers. This study evaluated this hypothesis in the context of predicting drinking outcomes following an alcohol abuse intervention. Participants (N = 54, 69% female, 31% male) were college student heavy drinkers who completed a single-session motivational intervention. Students completed a baseline measure of substance-related and substance-free activity participation and enjoyment. Only women showed a significant reduction in drinking at the 6-month follow-up, and the ratio of substance-related to substance-free reinforcement accounted for unique variance in their drinking outcomes. Women who at baseline derived a smaller proportion of their total reinforcement from substance use showed lower levels of follow-up drinking, even after the authors controlled for baseline drinking level. Male and female participants who reduced their drinking showed increased proportional reinforcement from substance-free activities. Copyright 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

The UDP-glucuronosyltransferases of the blood-brain barrier: their role in drug metabolism and detoxication

PubMed Central

Ouzzine, Mohamed; Gulberti, Sandrine; Ramalanjaona, Nick; Magdalou, Jacques; Fournel-Gigleux, Sylvie

2014-01-01

UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) form a multigenic family of membrane-bound enzymes expressed in various tissues, including brain. They catalyze the formation of β-D-glucuronides from structurally unrelated substances (drugs, other xenobiotics, as well as endogenous compounds) by the linkage of glucuronic acid from the high energy donor, UDP-α-D-glucuronic acid. In brain, UGTs actively participate to the overall protection of the tissue against the intrusion of potentially harmful lipophilic substances that are metabolized as hydrophilic glucuronides. These metabolites are generally inactive, except for important pharmacologically glucuronides such as morphine-6-glucuronide. UGTs are mainly expressed in endothelial cells and astrocytes of the blood brain barrier (BBB). They are also associated to brain interfaces devoid of BBB, such as circumventricular organ, pineal gland, pituitary gland and neuro-olfactory tissues. Beside their key-role as a detoxication barrier, UGTs play a role in the steady-state of endogenous compounds, like steroids or dopamine (DA) that participate to the function of the brain. UGT isoforms of family 1A, 2A, 2B and 3A are expressed in brain tissues to various levels and are known to present distinct but overlapping substrate specificity. The importance of these enzyme species with regard to the formation of toxic, pharmacologically or physiologically relevant glucuronides in the brain will be discussed. PMID:25389387

Biocontrol agent Bacillus amyloliquefaciens LJ02 induces systemic resistance against cucurbits powdery mildew.

PubMed

Li, Yunlong; Gu, Yilin; Li, Juan; Xu, Mingzhu; Wei, Qing; Wang, Yuanhong

2015-01-01

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease found in a wide range of plants and can significantly reduce crop yields. Bacterial strain LJ02 is a biocontrol agent (BCA) isolated from a greenhouse in Tianjin, China. In combination of morphological, physiological, biochemical and phylogenetic analyses, strain LJ02 was classified as a new member of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Greenhouse trials showed that LJ02 fermentation broth (LJ02FB) can effectively diminish the occurrence of cucurbits powdery mildew. When treated with LJ02FB, cucumber seedlings produced significantly elevated production of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase as compared to that of the control. We further confirmed that the production of free salicylic acid (SA) and expression of one pathogenesis-related (PR) gene PR-1 in cucumber leaves were markedly elevated after treating with LJ02FB, suggesting that SA-mediated defense response was stimulated. Moreover, LJ02FB-treated cucumber leaves could secrete resistance-related substances into rhizosphere that inhibit the germination of fungi spores and the growth of pathogens. Finally, we separated bacterium and its fermented substances to test their respective effects and found that both components have SA-inducing activity and bacterium plays major roles. Altogether, we identified a BCA against powdery mildew and its mode of action by inducing systemic resistance such as SA signaling pathway.

Hypothesizing dopaminergic genetic antecedents in schizophrenia and substance seeking behavior.

PubMed

Blum, Kenneth; Oscar-Berman, Marlene; Badgaiyan, Rajendra D; Palomo, Tomas; Gold, Mark S

2014-05-01

The dopamine system has been implicated in both substance use disorder (SUD) and schizophrenia. A recent meta-analysis suggests that A1 allele of the DRD2 gene imposes genetic risk for SUD, especially alcoholism and has been implicated in Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS). We hypothesize that dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene Taq1 A2 allele is associated with a subtype of non-SUD schizophrenics and as such may act as a putative protective agent against the development of addiction to alcohol or other drugs of abuse. Schizophrenics with SUD may be carriers of the DRD2 Taq1 A1 allele, and/or other RDS reward polymorphisms and have hypodopaminergic reward function. One plausible mechanism for alcohol seeking in schizophrenics with SUD, based on previous research, may be a deficiency of gamma type endorphins that has been linked to schizophrenic type psychosis. We also propose that alcohol seeking behavior in schizophrenics, may serve as a physiological self-healing process linked to the increased function of the gamma endorphins, thereby reducing abnormal dopaminergic activity at the nucleus accumbens (NAc). These hypotheses warrant further investigation and cautious interpretation. We, therefore, encourage research involving neuroimaging, genome wide association studies (GWAS), and epigenetic investigation into the relationship between neurogenetics and systems biology to unravel the role of dopamine in psychiatric illness and SUD. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Review of Bioinsecticidal Activity of Solanaceae Alkaloids

PubMed Central

Chowański, Szymon; Adamski, Zbigniew; Marciniak, Paweł; Rosiński, Grzegorz; Büyükgüzel, Ender; Büyükgüzel, Kemal; Falabella, Patrizia; Scrano, Laura; Ventrella, Emanuela; Lelario, Filomena; Bufo, Sabino A.

2016-01-01

Only a small percentage of insect species are pests. However, pest species cause significant losses in agricultural and forest crops, and many are vectors of diseases. Currently, many scientists are focused on developing new tools to control insect populations, including secondary plant metabolites, e.g., alkaloids, glycoalkaloids, terpenoids, organic acids and alcohols, which show promise for use in plant protection. These compounds can affect insects at all levels of biological organization, but their action generally disturbs cellular and physiological processes, e.g., by altering redox balance, hormonal regulation, neuronal signalization or reproduction in exposed individuals. Secondary plant metabolites cause toxic effects that can be observed at both lethal and sublethal levels, but the most important effect is repellence. Plants from the Solanaceae family, which contains numerous economically and ecologically important species, produce various substances that affect insects belonging to most orders, particularly herbivorous insects and other pests. Many compounds possess insecticidal properties, but they are also classified as molluscides, acaricides, nematocides, fungicides and bactericides. In this paper, we present data on the sublethal and lethal toxicity caused by pure metabolites and crude extracts obtained from Solanaceae plants. Pure substances as well as water and/or alcohol extracts cause lethal and sublethal effects in insects, which is important from the economical point of view. We discuss the results of our study and their relevance to plant protection and management. PMID:26938561

Hypothesizing Dopaminergic Genetic Antecedents in Schizophrenia and Substance Seeking Behavior

PubMed Central

Blum, Kenneth; Oscar-Berman, Marlene; Badgaiyan, Rajendra; Palomo, Tomas; Gold, Mark S.

2014-01-01

The dopamine system has been implicated in both substance use disorder (SUD) and schizophrenia. A recent meta- analysis suggests that A1 allele of the DRD2 gene imposes genetic risk for SUD, especially alcoholism and has been implicated in Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS). We hypothesize that dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene Taq1 A2 allele is associated with a subtype of non- SUD schizophrenics and as such may act as a putative protective agent against the development of addiction to alcohol or other drugs of abuse. Schizophrenics with SUD may be carriers of the DRD2 Taq1 A1 allele, and/or other RDS reward polymorphisms and have hypodopaminergic reward function. One plausible mechanism for alcohol seeking in schizophrenics with SUD, based on previous research, may be a deficiency of gamma type endorphins that has been linked to schizophrenic type psychosis.. We also propose that alcohol seeking behavior in schizophrenics, may serve as a physiological self-healing process linked to the increased function of the gamma endorphins, thereby reducing abnormal dopaminergic activity at the nucleus accumbens (NAc). These hypotheses warrant further investigation and cautious interpretation. We, therefore, encourage research involving neuroimaging, genome wide association studies (GWAS), and epigenetic investigation into the relationship between neurogenetics and systems biology to unravel the role of dopamine in psychiatric illness and SUD. PMID:24636783

Characterisation of the Metabolites of 1,8-Cineole Transferred into Human Milk: Concentrations and Ratio of Enantiomers

PubMed Central

Kirsch, Frauke; Buettner, Andrea

2013-01-01

1,8-Cineole is a widely distributed odorant that also shows physiological effects, but whose human metabolism has hitherto not been extensively investigated. The aim of the present study was, thus, to characterise the metabolites of 1,8-cineole, identified previously in human milk, after the oral intake of 100 mg of this substance. Special emphasis was placed on the enantiomeric composition of the metabolites since these data may provide important insights into potential biotransformation pathways, as well as potential biological activities of these substances, for example on the breastfed child. The volatile fraction of the human milk samples was therefore isolated via Solvent Assisted Flavour Evaporation (SAFE) and subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The absolute concentrations of each metabolite were determined by matrix calibration with an internal standard, and the ratios of enantiomers were analysed on chiral capillaries. The concentrations varied over a broad range, from traces in the upper ng/kg region up to 40 µg/kg milk, with the exception of the main metabolite α2-hydroxy-1,8-cineole that showed concentrations of 100–250 µg/kg. Also, large inter- and intra-individual variations were recorded for the enantiomers, with nearly enantiomerically pure α2-hydroxy- and 3-oxo-1,8-cineole, while all other metabolites showed ratios of ~30:70 to 80:20. PMID:24957890

Influence of phosphorus availability on the community structure and physiology of cultured biofilms.

PubMed

Li, Shuangshuang; Wang, Chun; Qin, Hongjie; Li, Yinxia; Zheng, Jiaoli; Peng, Chengrong; Li, Dunhai

2016-04-01

Biofilms have important effects on nutrient cycling in aquatic ecosystems. However, publications about the community structure and functions under laboratory conditions are rare. This study focused on the developmental and physiological properties of cultured biofilms under various phosphorus concentrations performed in a closely controlled continuous flow incubator. The results showed that the biomass (Chl a) and photosynthesis of algae were inhibited under P-limitation conditions, while the phosphatase activity and P assimilation rate were promoted. The algal community structure of biofilms was more likely related to the colonization stage than with the phosphorus availability. Cyanobacteria were more competitive than other algae in biofilms, particularly when cultured under low P levels. A dominance shift occurred from non-filamentous algae in the early stage to filamentous algae in the mid and late stages under P concentrations of 0.01, 0.1 and 0.6 mg/L. However, the total N content, dry weight biomass and bacterial community structure of biofilms were unaffected by phosphorus availability. This may be attributed to the low respiration rate, high accumulation of extracellular polymeric substances and high alkaline phosphatase activity in biofilms when phosphorus availability was low. The bacterial community structure differed over time, while there was little difference between the four treatments, which indicated that it was mainly affected by the colonization stage of the biofilms rather than the phosphorus availability. Altogether, these results suggested that the development of biofilms was influenced by the phosphorus availability and/or the colonization stage and hence determined the role that biofilms play in the overlying water. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Socioeconomic disparities in adolescent substance use: Role of enjoyable alternative substance-free activities.

PubMed

Andrabi, Nafeesa; Khoddam, Rubin; Leventhal, Adam M

2017-03-01

To examine whether reduced substance-free enjoyable activity (i.e., 'alternative reinforcers') is a mediating mechanism linking lower socioeconomic status and adolescent substance use risk. High school students in Los Angeles, CA (N = 2,553, 2013-2014, M age baseline = 14.1) were administered three semiannual surveys. Socioeconomic status was measured by highest parental education reported at Wave 1 (the beginning of 9th grade). Three elements of alternative reinforcement at Wave 2 (six-month follow-up) were assessed as mediators: ratings of frequency of engagement, level of enjoyment, and frequency × enjoyment product scores of substance-free typically pleasant activities (like participation in sports teams or school clubs). Study outcomes included prior six-month alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and other substance use at Wave 3 (twelve-month follow-up). Logistic regression models adjusting for alternative reinforcers and substance use from the preceding wave as well as other co-factors were used to examine the association of Wave 1 parental education with Wave 3 substance use and mediation by Wave 2 alternative reinforcement. Lower parental education at Wave 1 was associated with a greater likelihood of reporting alcohol (β = -0.122, 95% CI = -0.234, -0.009) and marijuana (β = -0.168, 95% CI = -0.302, -0.034) use at Wave 3. The inverse association between parental education and substance use was statistically mediated by each element of diminished alternative reinforcement at Wave 2. Lower parental education at Wave 1 was associated with lower alternative reinforcement at Wave 2, which in turn was associated with greater likelihood of alcohol (range of β indirect effects  : -0.007 [95% CI = -0.016, -0.001] to -0.01 [95% CI = -0.018, -0.004]) and marijuana (βs: -0.011 [95% CI = -0.022,-0.002] to -0.018 [95% CI = -0.035, -0.005]) use at Wave 3. Parental education was not associated with use of combustible tobacco products or other drugs at Wave 3 adjusting for Wave 1 combustible tobacco and other drug use, respectively (ps ≥ 0.061). Diminished access to and engagement in substance-free enjoyable activity may in part underlie socioeconomic disparities in adolescent alcohol and marijuana use risk. Increasing substance-free enjoyable activities may be useful in substance abuse prevention in socioeconomically disadvantaged youth. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of chronic, extrinsic denervation on functional NANC innervation with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and substance P in longitudinal muscle of rat jejunum.

PubMed

Kasparek, M S; Fatima, J; Iqbal, C W; Duenes, J A; Sarr, M G

2008-03-01

Intestinal denervation contributes to enteric motor dysfunction after intestinal transplantation [small bowel transplantation (SBT)]. Our aim was to determine long-term effects of extrinsic denervation on functional non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic innervation with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and substance P. Contractile activity of jejunal longitudinal muscle from six age-matched, naïve control rats (NC) and eight rats 1 year after syngeneic SBT were studied in tissue chambers. Spontaneous contractile activity did not differ between groups. Exogenous VIP inhibited contractile activity dose-dependently in both groups, greater in NC than in SBT. The VIP antagonist ([D-p-Cl-Phe(6),Leu(17)]-VIP) and the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor l-N(G)-nitro arginine prevented inhibition by exogenous VIP and electrical field stimulation (EFS) in both groups. Exogenous substance P increased contractile activity dose-dependently, greater in NC than in SBT. The substance P antagonist ([D-Pro(2),D-Trp(7,9)]-substance P) inhibited effects of exogenous substance P and increased the EFS-induced inhibitory response. Immunohistofluorescence showed staining for tyrosine hydroxylase in the jejunoileum 1 year after SBT suggesting sympathetic reinnervation. In rat jejunal longitudinal muscle after chronic denervation, response to exogenous VIP and substance P is decreased, while endogenous release of both neurotransmitters is preserved. These alterations in excitatory and inhibitory pathways occur despite extrinsic reinnervation and might contribute to enteric motor dysfunction after SBT.

Effect of chronic, extrinsic denervation on functional NANC innervation with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and substance P in longitudinal muscle of rat jejunum1

PubMed Central

KASPAREK, M. S.; FATIMA, J.; IQBAL, C. W.; DUENES, J. A.; SARR, M. G.

2008-01-01

Intestinal denervation contributes to enteric motor dysfunction after intestinal transplantation [small bowel transplantation (SBT)]. Our aim was to determine long-term effects of extrinsic denervation on functional non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic innervation with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and substance P. Contractile activity of jejunal longitudinal muscle from six age-matched, naïve control rats (NC) and eight rats 1 year after syngeneic SBT were studied in tissue chambers. Spontaneous contractile activity did not differ between groups. Exogenous VIP inhibited contractile activity dose-dependently in both groups, greater in NC than in SBT. The VIP antagonist ([D-p-Cl-Phe6,Leu17]-VIP) and the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NG-nitro arginine prevented inhibition by exogenous VIP and electrical field stimulation (EFS) in both groups. Exogenous substance P increased contractile activity dose-dependently, greater in NC than in SBT. The substance P antagonist ([D-Pro2,D-Trp7,9]-substance P) inhibited effects of exogenous substance P and increased the EFS-induced inhibitory response. Immunohistofluorescence showed staining for tyrosine hydroxylase in the jejunoileum 1 year after SBT suggesting sympathetic reinnervation. In rat jejunal longitudinal muscle after chronic denervation, response to exogenous VIP and substance P is decreased, while endogenous release of both neurotransmitters is preserved. These alterations in excitatory and inhibitory pathways occur despite extrinsic reinnervation and might contribute to enteric motor dysfunction after SBT. PMID:17971029

Regulation of sporicides under the European Biocidal Products Directive.

PubMed

Low, A

2011-03-01

Disinfectants (including sporicides) used in the healthcare setting fall within the scope of the European Biocidal Products Directive (98/8/EC). The active substances used in these products will be evaluated as part of an EU wide review programme, to determine whether they can be used in biocidal products without undue risks to humans, animals and the environment, and that these products will be effective. Following the review of an active substance, biocidal products containing the active substance will become subject to regulatory controls in all EU Member States. This paper discusses how the Directive operates, both through the review programme and the authorisation of biocidal products at the Member State level, together with the requirements to provide data on the efficacy of both the active substances and end-use biocidal products. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wireless Technologies, Ubiquitous Computing and Mobile Health: Application to Drug Abuse Treatment and Compliance with HIV Therapies.

PubMed

Boyer, Edward W; Smelson, David; Fletcher, Richard; Ziedonis, Douglas; Picard, Rosalind W

2010-06-01

Beneficial advances in the treatment of substance abuse and compliance with medical therapies, including HAART, are possible with new mobile technologies related to personal physiological sensing and computational methods. When incorporated into mobile platforms that allow for ubiquitous computing, these technologies have great potential for extending the reach of behavioral interventions from clinical settings where they are learned into natural environments.

A Permeability-Limited Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Model for Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in Male Rats.

PubMed

Cheng, Weixiao; Ng, Carla A

2017-09-05

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling is a powerful in silico tool that can be used to simulate the toxicokinetics and tissue distribution of xenobiotic substances, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in organisms. However, most existing PBPK models have been based on the flow-limited assumption and largely rely on in vivo data for parametrization. In this study, we propose a permeability-limited PBPK model to estimate the toxicokinetics and tissue distribution of PFOA in male rats. Our model considers the cellular uptake and efflux of PFOA via both passive diffusion and transport facilitated by various membrane transporters, association with serum albumin in circulatory and extracellular spaces, and association with intracellular proteins in liver and kidney. Model performance is assessed using seven experimental data sets extracted from three different studies. Comparing model predictions with these experimental data, our model successfully predicts the toxicokinetics and tissue distribution of PFOA in rats following exposure via both IV and oral routes. More importantly, rather than requiring in vivo data fitting, all PFOA-related parameters were obtained from in vitro assays. Our model thus provides an effective framework to test in vitro-in vivo extrapolation and holds great promise for predicting toxicokinetics of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances in humans.

The quality of sildenafil active substance of illegal source.

PubMed

Keizers, Peter H J; Wiegard, Andrea; Venhuis, Bastiaan J

2016-11-30

There must be a large market for active pharmaceutical ingredients of illegal source to support the huge and lucrative business of trade in illegal medicines. The active substances found in illegal pharmaceuticals may differ from their legal counterparts concerning purity and associated risks for the health of the user. In this study we show two examples in which the active substance sildenafil, used in erectile dysfunction products, was not of European Pharmacopeia quality. In one case milligram-scale amounts of a 2-mercaptobenzothiazole contamination were found, in another case the mesylate salt rather than the monograph based citrate was used. For the user of products containing these active substances, the risks of side effects increase through the inherent properties of the impurity and the chance of overdosing. The fact that the users are most likely not aware of the poor quality of the products adds up to the health risk of using prescription medication without consulting medical professionals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Non-drug psycho-active substance use and pregnancy].

PubMed

El Ammouri, A; Sabir, M; Ahid, S; Toufiq, J; El Omari, F

2015-09-01

The consumption of psycho-active substances (PAS) by pregnant women is in a growing increase around the world. It is a major problem of public health in some countries due to serious and negative consequences for children and society as well as for pregnant women. This problem has also increased among women in Morocco. However, it is still neglected and underrated in the absence of any official statistical data. This is the first study leading to a better profiling of pregnant women who may consume psycho-active substances during their pregnancy; it would permit better medical and psychosocial care of both women and children. To determine the prevalence and the factors associated with the psycho-active substances used by pregnant women and describe their socio-demographic characteristics. A trans-sectional study was carried out from September to October 2010, including pregnant women consulting at the obstetrical service of the provincial hospital Moulay Abdellah in the city of Salé. The study included women who were pregnant or had recently given birth, and not having any serious mental disorders that could have upset their cognitive abilities. The data was collected through a straight questionnaire of 25 items specifying the socio-demographic characteristics, data about pregnancy and habits of using psycho-active substances. One hundred and fifty pregnant women were included in the study. The majority of them (83.2%) were aged 20 to 40 years old, 94.6% were married, 96% were unemployed and depended on their spouses for their financial resources and 80% had normal domestic relationships (from average to good quality). Among the women, 31.3% of them reported traumatic events in the past. The prevalence of psycho-active substance consumption by the pregnant women of our sample was 11.3%. The used substances were tobacco (9.3%) and cannabis (4%). These women were more likely to have a low level of education (47.1 vs 16.5). They were victims of abuse or neglect in their past (82.3 vs 24.9), and their relationships with their spouses were bad (70.6 vs 13.5) with a lack of desired pregnancy (47.1 vs 27.8) and poor follow-up (47.1 vs 3.8). The results show statistically significant differences. Not only should decision-makers draw attention to the seriousness of the problem because of the relatively high rate of psycho-active substance consumption, but also they should increase obstetric team's awareness to look systematically for psycho-active substance use. Copyright © 2014 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Possible underestimations of risks for the environment due to unregulated emissions of biocides from households to wastewater.

PubMed

Wieck, Stefanie; Olsson, Oliver; Kümmerer, Klaus

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of household products as possible sources of biocidal active substances in municipal wastewater and their regulation under the Biocidal Products Regulation (EU) 528/2012. In 131 households, we investigated the prevalence of products used to control pests, washing and cleaning agents and select personal care products with high release to wastewater. Inventories of these products were established with the help of barcode scanning. All uses of biocidal active substances were evaluated regarding their assessment under the Biocidal Products Regulation. 2963 products were scanned in total, with 48% being washing and cleaning agents, 43% personal care products and 9% products used to control pests. Biocidal active substances were found in each household. These were observed primarily in washing and cleaning agents and personal care products (90%), while only a small percentage of the observations of biocidal active substances was in biocidal products. 64% of the observations of biocidal active substances were in applications that do not fall under the Biocidal Products Regulation and are thus not subject to its environmental risk assessment. This study shows clearly that risks for the environment are underestimated because unregulated emissions to wastewater occur. It demonstrates that there are gaps in the current chemical legislation that lead to a release of substances into wastewater that were not subject to environmental risk assessment under the Biocidal Products Regulation. This is one example of the limitations of scientific risk assessment of chemicals - its complexity is immense. From our point of view, the results underline the importance of a sustainable use of the substances as this is the only way to decrease yet unidentified risks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cigarette smoke induces bronchoconstrictor hyperresponsiveness to substance P and inactivates airway neutral endopeptidase in the guinea pig. Possible role of free radicals.

PubMed

Dusser, D J; Djokic, T D; Borson, D B; Nadel, J A

1989-09-01

We examined the effects of acute exposure to cigarette smoke on the airway responses to substance P in anesthetized guinea pigs and on the activity of airway neutral endopeptidase (NEP). After exposure to air or to cigarette smoke we measured the change in total pulmonary resistance (RL) induced by increasing concentrations of aerosolized substance P in the absence or presence of the NEP inhibitor phosphoramidon. In the absence of phosphramidon the bronchoconstrictor responses to substance P were greater in cigarette smoke-exposed guinea pigs than in air-exposed animals. Phosphoramidon did not further potentiate the responses to substance P in smoke-exposed guinea pigs, whereas it did so in air-exposed animals. In the presence of phosphoramidon, bronchoconstrictor responses to substance P in animals exposed to air or to cigarette smoke were not different. Aerosols of SOD delivered before cigarette smoke exposures dramatically reduced smoke-induced hyperresponsiveness to substance P, whereas heat-inactivated SOD had no effect on smoke-induced hyper-responsiveness to substance P. Cigarette smoke solution inhibited NEP activity from tracheal homogenate in a concentration-dependent fashion, an inhibitory effect that was mostly due to the gas phase of the smoke, but not to nicotine. The mild chemical oxidant N-chlorosuccinimide mimicked the concentration-dependent inhibitory effect of smoke solution on airway NEP activity. We conclude that cigarette smoke causes enhanced airway responsiveness to substance P in vivo by inactivating airway NEP. We suggest that cigarette smoke-induced inhibition of airway NEP is due to effects of free radicals.

Cigarette smoke induces bronchoconstrictor hyperresponsiveness to substance P and inactivates airway neutral endopeptidase in the guinea pig. Possible role of free radicals.

PubMed Central

Dusser, D J; Djokic, T D; Borson, D B; Nadel, J A

1989-01-01

We examined the effects of acute exposure to cigarette smoke on the airway responses to substance P in anesthetized guinea pigs and on the activity of airway neutral endopeptidase (NEP). After exposure to air or to cigarette smoke we measured the change in total pulmonary resistance (RL) induced by increasing concentrations of aerosolized substance P in the absence or presence of the NEP inhibitor phosphoramidon. In the absence of phosphramidon the bronchoconstrictor responses to substance P were greater in cigarette smoke-exposed guinea pigs than in air-exposed animals. Phosphoramidon did not further potentiate the responses to substance P in smoke-exposed guinea pigs, whereas it did so in air-exposed animals. In the presence of phosphoramidon, bronchoconstrictor responses to substance P in animals exposed to air or to cigarette smoke were not different. Aerosols of SOD delivered before cigarette smoke exposures dramatically reduced smoke-induced hyperresponsiveness to substance P, whereas heat-inactivated SOD had no effect on smoke-induced hyper-responsiveness to substance P. Cigarette smoke solution inhibited NEP activity from tracheal homogenate in a concentration-dependent fashion, an inhibitory effect that was mostly due to the gas phase of the smoke, but not to nicotine. The mild chemical oxidant N-chlorosuccinimide mimicked the concentration-dependent inhibitory effect of smoke solution on airway NEP activity. We conclude that cigarette smoke causes enhanced airway responsiveness to substance P in vivo by inactivating airway NEP. We suggest that cigarette smoke-induced inhibition of airway NEP is due to effects of free radicals. PMID:2474576

Prevalence of Substance Use in a Rural Teenage Population.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silverman, Wade H.

1991-01-01

Surveyed all secondary school students (n=1,175) in rural county school system to assess prevalence rates of substance use for teenagers and their parents. Age, sex, and race were related to frequency and type of substance abuse. Lifestyle variables such as music preferences, sexual activity, and choice of friends also related to substance use.…

REMOTE SENSING OF FUGITIVE ARSENIC

EPA Science Inventory

The intentional or accidental release of hazardous substances into the environment is an

inevitable consequence of anthropogenic activity. Industrial, commercial, mining, military and

even domestic activities can result in the release of substances into the air, lan...

Health assessments and other activities of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

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Neural Activation during Inhibition Predicts Initiation of Substance Use in Adolescence

PubMed Central

Norman, Andria L.; Pulido, Carmen; Squeglia, Lindsay M.; Spadoni, Andrea D.; Paulus, Martin P.; Tapert, Susan F.

2011-01-01

Background Problems inhibiting non-adaptive behaviors have been linked to an increased risk for substance use and other risk taking behaviors in adolescence. This study examines the hypothesis that abnormalities in neural activation during inhibition in early adolescence may predict subsequent substance involvement. Methods Thirty eight adolescents from local area middle schools, ages 12–14, with very limited histories of substance use, underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as they performed a go/no-go task of response inhibition and response selection. Adolescents and their parents were then followed annually with interviews covering substance use and other behaviors. Based on follow-up data, youth were classified as transitioning to heavy use of alcohol (TU; n=21), or as healthy controls (CON; n=17). Results At baseline, prior to the onset of use, youth who later transitioned into heavy use of alcohol showed significantly less activation than those who went on to remain non to minimal users throughout adolescence. Activation reductions in TU at baseline were seen on no-go trials in 12 brain regions, including right inferior frontal gyrus, left dorsal and medial frontal areas, bilateral motor cortex, cingulate gyrus, left putamen, bilateral middle temporal gyri, and bilateral inferior parietal lobules (corrected p < .01, each cluster ≥ 32 contiguous voxels). Conclusions These results support the hypothesis that less neural activity during response inhibition demands predicts future involvement with problem behaviors such as alcohol and other substance use. PMID:21782354

78 FR 4806 - Proposed Significant New Use Rule on Certain Chemical Substances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-23

... substance will be as a heat transfer fluid. Based on test data on the PMN substance and structure activity... Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) In addition, since this action would not involve any technical...

Substance use disorders and Cluster B personality disorders: physiological, cognitive, and environmental correlates in a college sample.

PubMed

Taylor, Jeanette

2005-01-01

Substance use disorders (SUDs) and Cluster B personality disorders (PDs) are both marked by impulsivity and poor behavioral control and may result in part from shared neurobiological or executive cognitive functioning deficits. To examine the potential utility of such models in explaining variance in SUDs and PDs at the lower end of symptom expression and impairment, 123 (73 female) volunteer college students were administered 2 measures of executive cognitive functioning; a task assessing autonomic reactivity to aversive noise blasts; a life events and a peer substance use measure; and structured clinical interviews to assess symptoms of substance abuse/dependence and antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic PDs. As expected, symptoms of SUDs and PDs were significantly positively correlated. Antisocial PD, alcohol and cannabis use disorder symptoms were significantly positively related to proportion of friends who use alcohol and drugs regularly and drug use among romantic partners. Number of negative life events was positively related to PD symptoms and to alcohol use disorder symptoms. Executive cognitive functioning was not related to SUD and PD symptoms in the expected direction. Findings suggest that, among higher functioning young adults, environmental factors may be particularly relevant to our understanding of SUDs and certain PDs.

Does substance use moderate the association of neighborhood disadvantage with perceived stress and safety in the activity spaces of urban youth?

PubMed

Mennis, Jeremy; Mason, Michael; Light, John; Rusby, Julie; Westling, Erika; Way, Thomas; Zahakaris, Nikola; Flay, Brian

2016-08-01

This study investigates the association of activity space-based exposure to neighborhood disadvantage with momentary perceived stress and safety, and the moderation of substance use on those associations, among a sample of 139 urban, primarily African American, adolescents. Geospatial technologies are integrated with Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to capture exposure to neighborhood disadvantage and perceived stress and safety in the activity space. A relative neighborhood disadvantage measure for each subject is calculated by conditioning the neighborhood disadvantage observed at the EMA location on that of the home neighborhood. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) are used to model the effect of relative neighborhood disadvantage on momentary perceived stress and safety, and the extent to which substance use moderates those associations. Relative neighborhood disadvantage is significantly associated with higher perceived stress, lower perceived safety, and greater substance use involvement. The association of relative neighborhood disadvantage with stress is significantly stronger among those with greater substance use involvement. This research highlights the value of integrating geospatial technologies with EMA and developing personalized measures of environmental exposure for investigating neighborhood effects on substance use, and suggests substance use intervention strategies aimed at neighborhood conditions. Future research should seek to disentangle the causal pathways of influence and selection that relate neighborhood environment, stress, and substance use, while also accounting for the role of gender and family and peer social contexts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proteolytic and Trypsin Inhibitor Activity in Germinating Jojoba Seeds (Simmondsia chinensis).

PubMed

Samac, D; Storey, R

1981-12-01

Changes in proteolytic activity (aminopeptidase, carboxypeptidase, endopeptidase) were followed during germination (imbibition through seedling development) in extracts from cotyledons of jojoba seeds (Simmondsia chinensis). After imbibition, the cotyledons contained high levels of sulfhydryl aminopeptidase activity (APA) but low levels of serine carboxypeptidase activity (CPA). CPA increased with germination through the apparent loss of a CPA inhibitor substance in the seed. Curves showing changes in endopeptidase activity (EPA) assayed at pH 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 during germination were distinctly different. EPA at pH 4, 5, 6, and 7 showed characteristics of sulfhydryl enzymes while activity at pH 8 was probably due to a serine type enzyme. EPA at pH 6 was inhibited early in germination by one or more substances in the seed. Activities at pH 5 and later at pH 6 were the highest of all EPA throughout germination and increases in these activities were associated with a rapid loss of protein from the cotyledons of the developing seedling.Jojoba cotyledonary extracts were found to inhibit the enzymic activity of trypsin, chymotrypsin, and pepsin but not the protease from Aspergillus saotoi. The heat-labile trypsin inhibitor substance(s) was found in commercially processed jojoba seed meal and the albumin fraction of seed proteins. Trypsin inhibitor activity decreased with germination.

Proteolytic and Trypsin Inhibitor Activity in Germinating Jojoba Seeds (Simmondsia chinensis) 1

PubMed Central

Samac, Deborah; Storey, Richard

1981-01-01

Changes in proteolytic activity (aminopeptidase, carboxypeptidase, endopeptidase) were followed during germination (imbibition through seedling development) in extracts from cotyledons of jojoba seeds (Simmondsia chinensis). After imbibition, the cotyledons contained high levels of sulfhydryl aminopeptidase activity (APA) but low levels of serine carboxypeptidase activity (CPA). CPA increased with germination through the apparent loss of a CPA inhibitor substance in the seed. Curves showing changes in endopeptidase activity (EPA) assayed at pH 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 during germination were distinctly different. EPA at pH 4, 5, 6, and 7 showed characteristics of sulfhydryl enzymes while activity at pH 8 was probably due to a serine type enzyme. EPA at pH 6 was inhibited early in germination by one or more substances in the seed. Activities at pH 5 and later at pH 6 were the highest of all EPA throughout germination and increases in these activities were associated with a rapid loss of protein from the cotyledons of the developing seedling. Jojoba cotyledonary extracts were found to inhibit the enzymic activity of trypsin, chymotrypsin, and pepsin but not the protease from Aspergillus saotoi. The heat-labile trypsin inhibitor substance(s) was found in commercially processed jojoba seed meal and the albumin fraction of seed proteins. Trypsin inhibitor activity decreased with germination. PMID:16662104

Co-Citation Analysis of Articles Published in Substance Abuse Journals: Intellectual Structure and Research Fields (2001-2012).

PubMed

González-Alcaide, Gregorio; Calafat, Amador; Becoña, Elisardo; Thijs, Bart; Glänzel, Wolfgang

2016-09-01

The purpose of this study is to introduce a new methodology in the field of substance abuse, namely, co-citation analysis, which uses the bibliographic references of publications to establish the main thematic areas being researched and to identify the seminal documents that have contributed to establishing the intellectual foundation of the discipline at the present time. We identified all bibliographic references that were cited in documents published in the substance abuse journals included in the Journal Citation Reports in the 2001-2012 period, generating a co-citation matrix. This matrix was used to perform a co-citation network analysis. The co-citation network analysis led to the identification of 56 prominent research clusters that bring together 698 documents; their subject matter constitutes the foundation of the discipline in the field's journals. Substance abuse research is dominated by a few core topics; chief among them are tools for measuring and diagnosing dependence, as well as therapeutic approaches to treat alcohol abuse and nicotine addiction. Other areas of note include epidemiological studies, research on drug user motivation (particularly among young people), binge drinking, social support mediators and networks, opioid dependence, consumption and effects of cannabis, basic research on brain damage, genetic factors associated with substance use, and the physiological and neurological determinants of abstinence syndrome. The main works of reference that we identified were published in a small number of journals, which establish the intellectual, conceptual, and methodological basis of the discipline.

Consumer exposure to biocides--identification of relevant sources and evaluation of possible health effects.

PubMed

Hahn, Stefan; Schneider, Klaus; Gartiser, Stefan; Heger, Wolfgang; Mangelsdorf, Inge

2010-02-03

Products containing biocides are used for a variety of purposes in the home environment. To assess potential health risks, data on products containing biocides were gathered by means of a market survey, exposures were estimated using a worst case scenario approach (screening), the hazard of the active components were evaluated, and a preliminary risk assessment was conducted. Information on biocide-containing products was collected by on-site research, by an internet inquiry as well as research into databases and lists of active substances. Twenty active substances were selected for detailed investigation. The products containing these substances were subsequently classified by range of application; typical concentrations were derived. Potential exposures were then estimated using a worst case scenario approach according to the European Commission's Technical Guidance Document on Risk Assessment. Relevant combinations of scenarios and active substances were identified. The toxicological data for these substances were compiled in substance dossiers. For estimating risks, the margins of exposure (MOEs) were determined. Numerous consumer products were found to contain biocides. However, it appeared that only a limited number of biocidal active substances or groups of biocidal active substances were being used. The lowest MOEs for dermal exposure or exposure by inhalation were obtained for the following scenarios and biocides: indoor pest control using sprays, stickers or evaporators (chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos) and spraying of disinfectants as well as cleaning of surfaces with concentrates (hydrogen peroxide, formaldehyde, glutardialdehyde). The risk from aggregate exposure to individual biocides via different exposure scenarios was higher than the highest single exposure on average by a factor of three. From the 20 biocides assessed 10 had skin-sensitizing properties. The biocides isothiazolinone (mixture of 5-chloro-2-methyl-2H-isothiazolin-3-one and 2-methyl-2H-isothiazolin-3-one, CMI/MI), glutardialdehyde, formaldehyde and chloroacetamide may be present in household products in concentrations which have induced sensitization in experimental studies. Exposure to biocides from household products may contribute to induction of sensitization in the population. The use of biocides in consumer products should be carefully evaluated. Detailed risk assessments will become available within the framework of the EU Biocides Directive.

Consumer exposure to biocides - identification of relevant sources and evaluation of possible health effects

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Products containing biocides are used for a variety of purposes in the home environment. To assess potential health risks, data on products containing biocides were gathered by means of a market survey, exposures were estimated using a worst case scenario approach (screening), the hazard of the active components were evaluated, and a preliminary risk assessment was conducted. Methods Information on biocide-containing products was collected by on-site research, by an internet inquiry as well as research into databases and lists of active substances. Twenty active substances were selected for detailed investigation. The products containing these substances were subsequently classified by range of application; typical concentrations were derived. Potential exposures were then estimated using a worst case scenario approach according to the European Commission's Technical Guidance Document on Risk Assessment. Relevant combinations of scenarios and active substances were identified. The toxicological data for these substances were compiled in substance dossiers. For estimating risks, the margins of exposure (MOEs) were determined. Results Numerous consumer products were found to contain biocides. However, it appeared that only a limited number of biocidal active substances or groups of biocidal active substances were being used. The lowest MOEs for dermal exposure or exposure by inhalation were obtained for the following scenarios and biocides: indoor pest control using sprays, stickers or evaporators (chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos) and spraying of disinfectants as well as cleaning of surfaces with concentrates (hydrogen peroxide, formaldehyde, glutardialdehyde). The risk from aggregate exposure to individual biocides via different exposure scenarios was higher than the highest single exposure on average by a factor of three. From the 20 biocides assessed 10 had skin-sensitizing properties. The biocides isothiazolinone (mixture of 5-chloro-2-methyl-2H-isothiazolin-3-one and 2-methyl-2H-isothiazolin-3-one, CMI/MI), glutardialdehyde, formaldehyde and chloroacetamide may be present in household products in concentrations which have induced sensitization in experimental studies. Conclusions Exposure to biocides from household products may contribute to induction of sensitization in the population. The use of biocides in consumer products should be carefully evaluated. Detailed risk assessments will become available within the framework of the EU Biocides Directive. PMID:20128903

Evolution of taste and solitary chemoreceptor cell systems.

PubMed

Finger, T E

1997-01-01

Vertebrates possess four distinct chemosensory systems distinguishable on the basis of structure, innervation and utilization: olfaction, taste, solitary chemoreceptor cells (SCC) and the common chemical sense (free nerve endings). Of these, taste and the SCC sense rely on secondary receptor cells situated in the epidermis and synapsing on sensory nerve fibers innervating them near their base. The SCC sense occurs in anamniote aquatic craniates, including hagfish, and may be used for feeding or predator avoidance. The sense of taste occurs only in vertebrates and is always utilized for feeding. The SCC system achieves a high degree of specialization in two teleosts: sea robins (Prionotus) and rocklings (Ciliata). In sea robins, SCCs are abundant on the three anterior fin rays of the pectoral fin which are free of fin webbing and are used in active exploration of the substrate. Behavioral and physiological studies show that this SCC system responds to feeding cues and drives feeding behavior. It is connected centrally like a somatosensory system. In contrast, the specialized SCC system of rocklings occurs on the anterior dorsal fin which actively samples the surrounding water. This system responds to mucus substances and may serve as a predator detector. The SCC system in rocklings is connected centrally like a gustatory system. Taste buds contain multiple receptor cell types, including a serotonergic Merkel-like cell. Taste receptor cells respond to nutritionally relevant substances. Due to similarities between SCCs and one type of taste receptor cell, the suggestion is made that taste buds may be compound sensory organs that include some cells related to SCCs and others related to cutaneous Merkel cells. The lack of taste buds in hagfish and their presence in all vertebrates may indicate that the phylogenetic development of taste buds coincided with the elaboration of head structures at the craniate-vertebrate transition.

Purification, characterization, and biological activity of a substance P-related peptide from the gut of the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri.

PubMed

Liu, Lu; Conlon, J Michael; Joss, Jean M P; Burcher, Elizabeth

2002-01-01

A peptide with mammalian substance P (SP)-like immunoreactivity was isolated from an extract of the spiral intestine of the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri. The primary structure of this peptide was established as Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Asp-Glu-Phe-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Met . NH2, showing 64% identity with mammalian SP. In isolated preparations of lungfish foregut circular muscle, lungfish SP produced a slow, long-lasting tonic contraction, with a pD2 value of 8.19. Lungfish midgut circular muscle preparations responded to lungfish SP rapidly and in a more complex manner. There was an increase in the frequency of spontaneous activity (pD2 = 8.76), associated with diminished amplitude of the spontaneous contractions (pD2 = 9.24), also coupled in some preparations with a tonic contraction (pD2 = 8.43). The response patterns of foregut and midgut circular muscle to acetylcholine (ACh) were very similar to those seen to lungfish SP. Lungfish SP and ACh, however, had very weak effects on both foregut and midgut longitudinal muscle. These data demonstrate that lungfish SP may be a physiologically important regulator of gastrointestinal motility in Neoceratodus. This study further confirmed that the structures of SP-related peptides have been strongly conserved under the pressure of vertebrate evolution, particularly in preserving the functionally important sequence, Phe-Xaa-Gly-Leu-Met . amide, at the C-terminus. The sequence of lungfish SP is identical to that of bufokinin, a SP-related peptide previously isolated from the intestine of the cane toad, Bufo marinus, supporting the hypothesis that lungfishes and amphibians share a common ancestor.

European Union policy on pesticides: implications for agriculture in Ireland.

PubMed

Jess, Stephen; Kildea, Steven; Moody, Aidan; Rennick, Gordon; Murchie, Archie K; Cooke, Louise R

2014-11-01

European Community (EC) legislation has limited the availability of pesticide active substances used in effective plant protection products. The Pesticide Authorisation Directive 91/414/EEC introduced the principle of risk assessment for approval of pesticide active substances. This principle was modified by the introduction of Regulation (EC) 1107/2009, which applies hazard, the intrinsic toxicity of the active substance, rather than risk, the potential for hazard to occur, as the approval criterion. Potential impacts of EC pesticide legislation on agriculture in Ireland are summarised. While these will significantly impact on pesticide availability in the medium to long term, regulations associated with water quality (Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC and Drinking Water Directive 1998/83/EC) have the potential to restrict pesticide use more immediately, as concerns regarding public health and economic costs associated with removing pesticides from water increase. This rationale will further reduce the availability of effective pesticide active substances, directly affecting crop protection and increasing pesticide resistance within pest and disease populations. In addition, water quality requirements may also impact on important active substances used in plant protection in Ireland. The future challenge for agriculture in Ireland is to sustain production and profitability using reduced pesticide inputs within a framework of integrated pest management. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Acrolein increases airway sensitivity to substance P and decreases NEP activity in guinea pigs.

PubMed

Turner, C R; Stow, R B; Hubbs, S J; Gomes, B C; Williams, J C

1993-04-01

The effects of acrolein exposure on airway responses to intravenous substance P were determined in guinea pigs exposed to vehicle or 1.6 ppm acrolein for 7.5 h on 2 consecutive days and examined 1, 4, 8, 15, and 28 days after exposure by use of pulmonary mechanics and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Lung, trachea, liver, and BAL fluid were also assayed for neutral endopeptidase (NEP) activity 1, 7, and 28 days after exposure. Pulmonary inflammation and epithelial damage were prominent 1 day after acrolein exposure. NEP activity was decreased in the lungs, trachea, and liver 1 and 7 days after acrolein. Twenty-eight days after exposure, NEP activity in the lungs and liver was not significantly different in vehicle- and acrolein-exposed guinea pigs but was still reduced in tracheal tissue. The BAL NEP activity in acrolein-exposed guinea pigs was approximately twice that of vehicle control guinea pigs at all three time points. Acrolein caused a prolonged increase in airway sensitivity to substance P. Experiments performed in the presence of thiorphan suggested that the acrolein-induced reduction in NEP may contribute to increased airway sensitivity to aerosolized substance P, but the increase in airway sensitivity to intravenous substance P may occur by additional mechanisms.

ATP-sensitive K+ current and its modulation by substance P in gastric myocytes isolated from guinea pig.

PubMed

Jun, J Y; Yeum, C H; Yoon, P J; Chang, I Y; Kim, S J; Kim, K W

1998-09-25

To investigate whether ATP-sensitive K+ channels exist in gastric smooth muscle of the guinea pig and whether they are modulated by substance P, we recorded lemakalim-activated K+ currents from freshly isolated cells using the standard whole-cell configuration. With 0.1 mM ATP and 140 mM K+ in the pipette and 90 mM K+ in the bath solution and a holding potential of -80 mV, lemakalim (10 microM) activated a glibenclamide-sensitive inward current with a mean amplitude of -224+/-34 pA. These currents were voltage-independent from -90 to 0 mV and K+-selective. Increasing the intracellular ATP concentrations from 0.1 to 3 mM reduced the lemakalim-activated currents by about five-fold. External barium and cesium inhibited the lemakalim-activated currents in a dose-dependent manner. External tetraethylammonium (10 mM) inhibited the lemakalim-activated currents by 66+/-15%. Bath application of substance P (5 microM) inhibited the lemakalim-activated currents by 53+/-13% and this inhibition was absent when 0.5 mM guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (GDPbetaS) was in the pipette. Phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDB) inhibited the lemakalim-activated currents by 71+/-3%. Chelerythrine (1 microM) reduced the substance P-induced inhibition of lemakalim-activated currents by 22.2+/-11.3%. These results suggest the presence of ATP-sensitive K+ channels in gastric smooth muscle and that substance P inhibits ATP-sensitive K+ channels via G-protein through protein kinase C activation.

Albumin modification and fragmentation in renal disease.

PubMed

Donadio, Carlo; Tognotti, Danika; Donadio, Elena

2012-02-18

Albumin is the most important antioxidant substance in plasma and performs many physiological functions. Furthermore, albumin is the major carrier of endogenous molecules and exogenous ligands. This paper reviews the importance of post-translational modifications of albumin and fragments thereof in patients with renal disease. First, current views and controversies on renal handling of proteins, mainly albumin, will be discussed. Post-translational modifications, namely the fragmentation of albumin found with proteomic techniques in nephrotic patients, diabetics, and ESRD patients will be presented and discussed. It is reasonable to hypothesize that proteolytic fragmentation of serum albumin is due to a higher susceptibility to proteases, induced by oxidative stress. The clinical relevance of the fragmentation of albumin has not yet been established. These modifications could affect some physiological functions of albumin and have a patho-physiological role in uremic syndrome. Proteomic analysis of serum allows the identification of over-expressed proteins and can detect post-translational modifications of serum proteins, hitherto hidden, using standard laboratory techniques. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Peptidase modulation of the pulmonary effects of tachykinins.

PubMed

Martins, M A; Shore, S A; Drazen, J M

1991-01-01

The physiological effects of the tachykinin peptides substance P (SP) and neurokinin A (NKA) are limited by their microenvironmental degradation. We used the isolated tracheally superfused guinea pig lung to examine the importance of various degradative enzymes in limiting the physiological effects of exogenously administered and endogenously released tachykinins. When SP and NKA are administered via the airway epithelium, neutral endopeptidase (NEP; EC 3.4.24.11) is the major degradative enzyme as indicated by the effects of NEP inhibitors alone compared to the effects of a NEP inhibitor along with a cocktail of other peptidase inhibitors. The effects of enzyme inhibitors on physiological responses is mirrored in the amounts of peptide recovered from lung perfusates as determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We found similar effects when SP and NKA were released endogenously by the acute infusion of capsaicin. These data indicate that NEP is the predominant degradative enzyme modulating the effects of SP and NKA administered via the airways.

Associations of physical activity and sport and exercise with at-risk substance use in young men: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Henchoz, Yves; Dupuis, Marc; Deline, Stéphane; Studer, Joseph; Baggio, Stéphanie; N'Goran, Alexandra Adjua; Daeppen, Jean-Bernard; Gmel, Gerhard

2014-07-01

This study aims to measure the associations of physical activity and one of its components, sport and exercise, with at-risk substance use in a population of young men. Baseline (2010-2012) and follow-up (2012-2013) data of 4748 young Swiss men from the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF) were used. Cross-sectional and prospective associations between at-risk substance use and both sport and exercise and physical activities were measured using Chi-squared tests and logistic regression models adjusting for covariates. At baseline, logistic regression indicated that sport and exercise is negatively associated with at-risk use of cigarettes and cannabis. A positive association was obtained between physical activity and at-risk alcohol use. At baseline, sport and exercise was negatively associated with at-risk use of cigarettes and cannabis at follow-up. Adjusted for sport and exercise, physical activity was positively associated with at-risk use of cigarettes and cannabis. Sport and exercise is cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with a low prevalence of at-risk use of cigarettes and cannabis. This protective effect was not observed for physical activity broadly defined. Taking a substance use prevention perspective, the promotion of sport and exercise among young adults should be encouraged. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect-related monitoring: estrogen-like substances in groundwater.

PubMed

Kuch, Bertram; Kern, Frieder; Metzger, Jörg W; von der Trenck, Karl Theo

2010-02-01

Concentration monitoring as a basis for risk assessment is a valid approach only if there is an unambiguous relation between concentration and effect. In many cases, no such unambiguous relation exists, since various substances can exert the same effect with differing potencies. If some or all of these substances contributing to a biological effect are unknown, effect-related monitoring becomes indispensable. Endocrine-disrupting substances in water bodies, including the groundwater, are a prominent example of such a case. The aim of the investigations described here was to detect hormonally active substances in the groundwater downstream of obsolete landfills by using the E-screen assay and to possibly assign the biological effect to individual chemical compounds by means of instrumental analyses carried out in parallel. Grab samples of the groundwater were collected downstream from abandoned landfills and prepared by liquid/liquid extraction. The total estrogenic activity in these samples was determined in vitro by applying the E-screen assay. The human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) used in the E-screen proliferate in response to the presence of estrogenically active compounds. Expressed in concentration units of the reference substance 17beta-estradiol (E2), the test system allows the quantification of estrogenicity with a limit of detection (LOD) in the range of 0.1 ng/L. Aliquots of the samples were screened using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in order to quantify known estrogenically active substances and to identify unknown compounds. Estrogen-positive samples were extracted at different pH values, split into acidic, neutral, and basic fractions and analyzed by GC/MS, searching for individual components that display estrogenic activity. Estrogenic activity exceeding the LOD and the provisional benchmark of 0.5 ng E2/L was found at three out of seven abandoned waste disposal sites tested. The low concentrations of known xenoestrogens such as bisphenol-A, nonylphenols, or phthalic acid esters determined by GC/MS, however, were not sufficient to explain the detected activity. Neither natural nor synthetic hormones have caused the activity because these chemical structures are readily degradable and cannot persist in abandoned landfills for decades. The highest activity in the E-screen assay was found in the acidic fractions. Hydroxypolychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and hetero-PAHs, as well as alkylphenols could be identified as further compounds with possible hormonal activity. Estrogenically active substances may occur in the groundwater below obsolete landfills, especially those that contain PCBs or waste from gasworks. These substances are not part of analytical programs routinely applied to contaminated sites and may therefore escape detection and assessment. Analyses using the E-screen assay and GC/MS in parallel have shown that the total estrogenic activity found in groundwater samples is to be ascribed to a multitude of individual compounds, some of which cannot be quantified due to lack of standard substances or assessed due to lack of a standardized procedure for determination of their estrogenic potency. By comparison with provisional guide values for estradiol (0.5 ng/L) and ethynylestradiol (0.3 ng/L), the damaging potential of the total estrogenic activity in groundwater samples can in fact be assessed, but specific remediation measures are impossible unless the hormonal activity can be attributed to individual chemical substances. On the one hand, further analyses of samples taken from possible pollution sources should be conducted in order to characterize the extent of groundwater pollution with xenoestrogens. On the other hand, the most potent individual compounds should be identified according to their estrogenic potency. To this end, bioassay-directed fractionation and structure elucidation should be carried out with concentrated samples.

Bacillus sp. BS061 Suppresses Gray Mold and Powdery Mildew through the Secretion of Different Bioactive Substances.

PubMed

Kim, Young-Sook; Song, Ja-Gyeong; Lee, In-Kyoung; Yeo, Woon-Hyung; Yun, Bong-Sik

2013-09-01

A Bacillus sp. BS061 significantly reduced disease incidence of gray mold and powdery mildew. To identify the active principle, the culture filtrate was partitioned between butanol and water. The antifungal activity against B. cinerea was evident in the butanol-soluble portion, and active substances were identified as cyclic lipopeptides, iturin A series, by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (NMR) and mass analysis. Interestingly, antifungal activity against powdery mildew was observed in the water-soluble portion, suggesting that cyclic lipopeptides have no responsibility to suppress powdery mildew. This finding reveals that biocontrol agents of Bacillus origin suppress gray mold and powdery mildew through the secretion of different bioactive substances.

Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea: current view on neuroendocrine aberrations.

PubMed

Meczekalski, Blazej; Podfigurna-Stopa, Agnieszka; Warenik-Szymankiewicz, Alina; Genazzani, Andrea Riccardo

2008-01-01

Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) is defined as a non-organic and reversible disorder in which the impairment of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pulsatile secretion plays a key role. There are main three types of FHA: stress-related amenorrhea, weight loss-related amenorrhea and exercise-related amenorrhea. The spectrum of GnRH-luteinizing hormone (LH) disturbances in FHA is very broad and includes lower mean frequency of LH pulses, complete absence of LH pulsatility, normal-appearing secretion pattern and higher mean frequency of LH pulses. Precise mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of FHA are very complex and unclear. Numerous neuropeptides, neurotransmitters and neurosteroids play important roles in the physiological regulation of GnRH pulsatile secretion and there is evidence that different neuropeptides may be involved in the pathophysiology of FHA. Particular attention is paid to such substances as allopregnanolone, neuropeptide Y, corticotropin-releasing hormone, leptin, ghrelin and beta-endorphin. Some studies reveal significant changes in these mentioned substances in patients with FHA. There are also speculations about use some of these substances or their antagonists in the treatment of FHA.

An endocannabinoid hypothesis of drug reward and drug addiction.

PubMed

Onaivi, Emmanuel S

2008-10-01

Pharmacologic treatment of drug and alcohol dependency has largely been disappointing, and new therapeutic targets and hypotheses are needed. There is accumulating evidence indicating a central role for the previously unknown but ubiquitous endocannabinoid physiological control system (EPCS) in the regulation of the rewarding effects of abused substances. Thus an endocannabinoid hypothesis of drug reward is postulated. Endocannabinoids mediate retrograde signaling in neuronal tissues and are involved in the regulation of synaptic transmission to suppress neurotransmitter release by the presynaptic cannabinoid receptors (CB-Rs). This powerful modulatory action on synaptic transmission has significant functional implications and interactions with the effects of abused substances. Our data, along with those from other investigators, provide strong new evidence for a role for EPCS modulation in the effects of drugs of abuse, and specifically for involvement of cannabinoid receptors in the neural basis of addiction. Cannabinoids and endocannabinoids appear to be involved in adding to the rewarding effects of addictive substances, including, nicotine, opiates, alcohol, cocaine, and BDZs. The results suggest that the EPCS may be an important natural regulatory mechanism for drug reward and a target for the treatment of addictive disorders.

Annual banned-substance review: analytical approaches in human sports drug testing.

PubMed

Thevis, Mario; Kuuranne, Tiia; Walpurgis, Katja; Geyer, Hans; Schänzer, Wilhelm

2016-01-01

The aim of improving anti-doping efforts is predicated on several different pillars, including, amongst others, optimized analytical methods. These commonly result from exploiting most recent developments in analytical instrumentation as well as research data on elite athletes' physiology in general, and pharmacology, metabolism, elimination, and downstream effects of prohibited substances and methods of doping, in particular. The need for frequent and adequate adaptations of sports drug testing procedures has been incessant, largely due to the uninterrupted emergence of new chemical entities but also due to the apparent use of established or even obsolete drugs for reasons other than therapeutic means, such as assumed beneficial effects on endurance, strength, and regeneration capacities. Continuing the series of annual banned-substance reviews, literature concerning human sports drug testing published between October 2014 and September 2015 is summarized and reviewed in reference to the content of the 2015 Prohibited List as issued by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), with particular emphasis on analytical approaches and their contribution to enhanced doping controls. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The effect of light quality on the pro-/antioxidant balance, activity of photosystem II, and expression of light-dependent genes in Eutrema salsugineum callus cells.

PubMed

Pashkovskiy, P P; Soshinkova, T N; Korolkova, D V; Kartashov, A V; Zlobin, I E; Lyubimov, V Yu; Kreslavski, V D; Kuznetsov, Vl V

2018-05-01

The antioxidant balance, photochemical activity of photosystem II (PSII), and photosynthetic pigment content, as well as the expression of genes involved in the light signalling of callus lines of Eutrema salsugineum plants (earlier Thellungiella salsuginea) under different spectral light compositions were studied. Growth of callus in red light (RL, maximum 660 nm), in contrast to blue light (BL, maximum 450 nm), resulted in a lower H 2 O 2 content and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The BL increased the activities of key antioxidant enzymes in comparison with the white light (WL) and RL and demonstrated the minimum level of PSII photochemical activity. The activities of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) had the highest values in BL, which, along with the increased H 2 O 2 and TBARS content, indicate a higher level of oxidative stress in the cells. The expression levels of the main chloroplast protein genes of PSII (PSBA and PSBD), the NADPH-dependent oxidase gene of the plasma membrane (RbohD), the protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase genes (POR B, C) involved in the biosynthesis of chlorophyll, and the key photoreceptor signalling genes (CIB1, CRY2, PhyB, PhyA, and PIF3) were determined. Possible mechanisms of light quality effects on the physiological parameters of callus cells are discussed.

Influence of preozonation on the adsorptivity of humic substances onto activated carbon.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Francisco J; García-Valverde, María

2016-11-01

This research aims to study the influence of preozonation on the adsorptivity of humic substances onto activated carbon, which are usual stages in drinking water treatment. Three different types of humic substances were used in this study: natural fulvic and humic acids extracted from the Úzquiza Reservoir (Burgos, Spain) and a commercially supplied humic acid. The fractionation of the humic substances by ultrafiltration showed a very different molecular weight (MW) distribution for them: the lowest fraction of <1 kDa comprises the vast majority of the fulvic acids (around 86 %), whereas the main fraction for the commercial humic acids was the highest one of >30 kDa (around 40 %). The natural humic acids show an intermediate distribution between the two aforementioned humic substances. The 1-5-kDa fraction turned out to be the most reactive toward trihalomethane formation for the commercial humic acids. The adsorptive capacity of activated carbon for the humic substances was in the following order: natural fulvic acids > natural humic acids > commercial humic acids. The most adsorbable fraction was that of <1 kDa for the fulvic acids, whereas the 5-10-kDa fraction was the most adsorbable for both humic acids. Preozonation changes the MW distribution of the humic substances, decreasing the abundance of the high MW fractions and generating smaller molecules within the low to medium MW range. Adsorption isotherms show that preozonation has a beneficial effect on the adsorptivity of the commercial humic acids onto activated carbon, whereas no appreciable effect was observed for the case of the fulvic acids.

On the effect specificity of accessory gland products transferred by the love-dart of land snails.

PubMed

Lodi, Monica; Koene, Joris M

2016-05-13

Sexual selection favours the evolution of male bioactive substances transferred during mating to enhance male reproductive success by affecting female physiology. These effects are mainly well documented for separate-sexed species. In simultaneous hermaphrodites, one of the most peculiar examples of transfer of such substances is via stabbing a so-called love-dart in land snails. This calcareous stylet delivers mucous products produced by accessory glands into the mate's haemolymph. In Cornu aspersum, this mucus temporarily causes two changes in the recipient. First, the spermatophore uptake into the spermatophore-receiving organ, called diverticulum, is probably favoured by contractions of this organ. Second, the amount of stored sperm increases by contractions of the copulatory canal, which close off the tract leading to the sperm digesting organ. However, it has yet to be determined whether these effects are similar across species, which would imply a common strategy of the dart in increasing male reproductive success. We performed a cross-reactivity test to compare the in vitro response of the diverticulum and copulatory canal of C. aspersum (Helicidae) to its own and other species' mucus (seven helicids and one bradybaenid). We found that the contractions in the diverticulum were only induced by dart mucus of certain species, while the copulatory canal responded equally to all but one species' mucus tested. In addition, we report a newly-discovered effect causing the shortening of the diverticulum, which is also only caused by dart mucus of certain species. The advantage seems to be a distance reduction to the sperm storage organ. All these findings are the first to shed light on the evolution of the different functions of accessory gland products in dart-bearing species. These functions may be achieved via common physiological changes caused by the substances contained in the dart mucus, since the responses evoked were similar across species' mucus. Moreover, while these substances can act similarly in separate-sexed species as in simultaneous hermaphrodites, differences may occur in their evolution between the two sexual systems.

Hydroxyl Radical Formation from HULIS and Fe(II) Interactions: Fulvic Acid-Fe(II) Complexes in Simulated and Human Lung Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, D.

2017-12-01

Inhalation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has long been associated with adverse health outcomes. However, the causative agents and underlying mechanisms for these health effects have yet to be identified. One hypothesis is that PM2.5 deposited in the alveoli produce an excess of highly reactive radicals, leading to oxidative stress. The OH radical may be the most physiologically damaging, capable of oxidizing of lipids, proteins and DNA. Due to the variability and uncertainty in PM2.5 composition, the components that contribute to OH formation are not well understood. Soluble Fe is a component of PM2.5that produces OH under physiological conditions. Humic-like substances are water soluble organics found in biomass burning and tobacco smoke. Humic-like substances are capable of binding to Fe and enhancing OH formation, but this chemistry is not well understood. In this work, we use soil derived fulvic acid as a surrogate for Humic-like substances and investigate its effect on OH formation from Fe(II) under conditions relevant to the lungs. We use a fluorescent OH trapping probe, chemical kinetics and thermodynamic modeling to investigate OH formation from fulvic acid and Fe(II) dissolved in simulated and human lung fluids. In simulated lung fluid, we find that fulvic acid binds to Fe(II) and enhances the rate of key reactions that form OH. When fulvic acid is added to human lung fluids containing Fe(II), an enhancement of OH formation is observed. In human lung fluid, fulvic acid and metal binding proteins compete for Fe binding. These metal binding proteins are typically not found in simulated lung fluids. Results show that fulvic acid strongly binds Fe(II) and catalyzes key reactions that form OH in both simulated and human lung fluids. These results may help explain the role of Humic-like substances and Fe in oxidative stress and adverse health outcomes. Furthermore, we suggest that future studies employ simulated lung fluids containing metal binding proteins to better reflect human lung fluids.

The interest in eight new psychoactive substances before and after scheduling.

PubMed

Ledberg, Anders

2015-07-01

In recent years the recreational use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) has increased. NPS are considered a threat to public health and the main response to this threat is to make the selling and buying of these substances illegal. In Sweden, during the last 5 years, 62 new substances have been classified as narcotics but little is known of the effects of making a particular substance illegal. The aim of this work is to study how legal status influences the interest in NPS in Sweden. Forty-five thousand posts made in a Swedish Internet discussion forum (Flashback Forum) related to eight NPS (MDPV, Methylone, 4-MEC, 4-HO-MET, MXE, 6-APB, AH-7921, and 3-MMC) were used to derive time-dependent measures of interest in these substances. Intervention analyses were used to investigate the effects of legal status on the forum interest. For all eight substances the activity on the forum (measured as number of posts per day) showed a drastic decrease around the time of classification. The statistical analysis showed that in seven of eight cases, the drop in activity could be accounted for by the legal status of the substances. The legal status of the substances was shown to have a substantial effect on the interest in the substances. The novel measure used to trace the interest in particular NPS could be a useful tool to follow trends in substance use in almost real-time. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cancer resistance, carcinogenesis and ground substance viscosity.

PubMed

Stone, O J

1986-05-01

Tumor host resistance and promotion are multiple complex simultaneous phenomena. This paper relates only to the effect of ground substance viscosity on tumor host interaction. Tar, anthralin, ultraviolet light, x-ray and arsenic have been widely used to treat inflammatory skin disorders such as psoriasis. They are also well known carcinogens. It is proposed that both the anti-inflammatory effect and part of the carcinogenic effect could occur by decreasing ground substance viscosity and suppressing fibroblasts. Streptococcal infections, chloroquine and pyridoxine deficiency increase inflammatory skin disorders and are known to be beneficial to tumor resistance. It is proposed that both effects could occur because of their effect of increasing ground substance viscosity and, at least with streptococcal infections, by stimulating fibroblasts. Within certain limits, vitamin C has a stimulant effect on fibroblast and ground substance viscosity. Beta carotene is active in stimulating wound healing. Localized edema of the dermal papillae precedes granulocytic inflammation in disorders like psoriasis. Anything that decreases ground substance viscosity will prevent dilution of tissue fluids by decreasing localized edema and thus decrease formation of some mediators of inflammation. Anything that increases ground substance and its viscosity will promote local dilution of tissue fluid. Increasing dilution of tissue fluids promotes the formation of some mediators of inflammation. Tumors commonly secrete hyaluronidase. It is proposed that substances that decrease ground substance viscosity (hyaluronidase-like activity) encourage tumors and substances that increase ground substance viscosity (anti-hyaluronidase-like effect) increase resistance to tumors.

Negotiating substance use stigma: the role of cultural health capital in provider–patient interactions

PubMed Central

Chang, Jamie; Dubbin, Leslie; Shim, Janet

2016-01-01

Diverse aspects of life and lifestyles, including stigmatised attributes and behaviors are revealed as providers and patients discuss health. In this article, we examine how the stigma associated with substance use issues shapes clinical interactions. We use the theoretical framework of cultural health capital (CHC) to explain how substance use stigma is created, reinforced and sometimes negotiated as providers and patients engage in health interactions. We present two main findings using examples. First, two theoretical concepts – habitus and field – set the social position and expectations of providers and patients in ways that facilitate the stigmatisation of substance use. Second, we found both providers and patients actively exchanged CHC as a key strategy to reduce the negative effects of stigma. In some clinical encounters, patients possessed and activated CHC, providers acknowledged patient’s CHC and CHC was successfully exchanged. These interactions were productive and mutually satisfying, even when patients were actively using substances. However, when CHC was not activated, acknowledged and exchanged, stigma was unchallenged and dominated the interaction. The CHC theoretical framework allows us to examine how the stigma process is operationalized and potentially even counteracted in clinical interactions. PMID:26382837

Negotiating substance use stigma: the role of cultural health capital in provider-patient interactions.

PubMed

Chang, Jamie; Dubbin, Leslie; Shim, Janet

2016-01-01

Diverse aspects of life and lifestyles, including stigmatised attributes and behaviors are revealed as providers and patients discuss health. In this article, we examine how the stigma associated with substance use issues shapes clinical interactions. We use the theoretical framework of cultural health capital (CHC) to explain how substance use stigma is created, reinforced and sometimes negotiated as providers and patients engage in health interactions. We present two main findings using examples. First, two theoretical concepts--habitus and field--set the social position and expectations of providers and patients in ways that facilitate the stigmatisation of substance use. Second, we found both providers and patients actively exchanged CHC as a key strategy to reduce the negative effects of stigma. In some clinical encounters, patients possessed and activated CHC, providers acknowledged patient's CHC and CHC was successfully exchanged. These interactions were productive and mutually satisfying, even when patients were actively using substances. However, when CHC was not activated, acknowledged and exchanged, stigma was unchallenged and dominated the interaction. The CHC theoretical framework allows us to examine how the stigma process is operationalized and potentially even counteracted in clinical interactions. © 2015 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

[Analytic evaluation of potential nootropic agents].

PubMed

Opatrilová, R; Sokolová, P

2004-01-01

The paper deals with analytical evaluation of newly prepared substances, derivatives of N-(4-alkoxy-phenyl)-2-(2-oxo-azepan-1-yl)-acetamide. The substances are a homological series (methyl- to hexyl-). The purity of the substances was verified by thin-layer adsorption chromatography, and the principal physical characteristics--melting point and solubility--were determined. Experimental determination of the partition coefficient, extraction of the substances between two liquids miscible to a limited degree (n-octanol--water), determination of RM values by means of TLC partition chromatography (glass plates DC-Fertigplatten RP-8 F254S), determination of the capacity factor by means of HPLC (column C18 Plaris), and calculation by means of computer programmes were employed to determine the lipophilicity of this series of substances. The antiradical activity of the substances was evaluated by the method of extinguishing the stable radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl. Ascorbic acid, in which an antiradical effect had been demonstrated, was used for the sake of comparison. The substances show a certain activity, but they do not reach the antioxidative effect of ascorbic acid.

76 FR 25359 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-04

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... proposed collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA.../Territory Videos Project--New The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/ Center for...

75 FR 9221 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-01

... Alcohol Beverage Control [ABC] agencies and State Substance Abuse Program agencies). SAMHSA will provide... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... proposed collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA...

78 FR 77692 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-24

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... proposed collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA... Systems--NEW The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Behavioral...

Neural Circuitry of Impaired Emotion Regulation in Substance Use Disorders.

PubMed

Wilcox, Claire E; Pommy, Jessica M; Adinoff, Bryon

2016-04-01

Impaired emotion regulation contributes to the development and severity of substance use disorders (substance disorders). This review summarizes the literature on alterations in emotion regulation neural circuitry in substance disorders, particularly in relation to disorders of negative affect (without substance disorder), and it presents promising areas of future research. Emotion regulation paradigms during functional magnetic resonance imaging are conceptualized into four dimensions: affect intensity and reactivity, affective modulation, cognitive modulation, and behavioral control. The neural circuitry associated with impaired emotion regulation is compared in individuals with and without substance disorders, with a focus on amygdala, insula, and prefrontal cortex activation and their functional and structural connectivity. Hypoactivation of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex/ventromedial prefrontal cortex (rACC/vmPFC) is the most consistent finding across studies, dimensions, and clinical populations (individuals with and without substance disorders). The same pattern is evident for regions in the cognitive control network (anterior cingulate and dorsal and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices) during cognitive modulation and behavioral control. These congruent findings are possibly related to attenuated functional and/or structural connectivity between the amygdala and insula and between the rACC/vmPFC and cognitive control network. Although increased amygdala and insula activation is associated with impaired emotion regulation in individuals without substance disorders, it is not consistently observed in substance disorders. Emotion regulation disturbances in substance disorders may therefore stem from impairments in prefrontal functioning, rather than excessive reactivity to emotional stimuli. Treatments for emotion regulation in individuals without substance disorders that normalize prefrontal functioning may offer greater efficacy for substance disorders than treatments that dampen reactivity.

Neural Circuitry of Impaired Emotion Regulation in Substance Use Disorders

PubMed Central

Wilcox, Claire E.; Pommy, Jessica M.; Adinoff, Bryon

2016-01-01

Impaired emotion regulation contributes to the development and severity of substance use disorders (substance disorders). This review summarizes the literature on alterations in emotion regulation neural circuitry in substance disorders, particularly in relation to disorders of negative affect (without substance disorder), and it presents promising areas of future research. Emotion regulation paradigms during functional magnetic resonance imaging are conceptualized into four dimensions: affect intensity and reactivity, affective modulation, cognitive modulation, and behavioral control. The neural circuitry associated with impaired emotion regulation is compared in individuals with and without substance disorders, with a focus on amygdala, insula, and prefrontal cortex activation and their functional and structural connectivity. Hypoactivation of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex/ventromedial prefrontal cortex (rACC/vmPFC) is the most consistent finding across studies, dimensions, and clinical populations (individuals with and without substance disorders). The same pattern is evident for regions in the cognitive control network (anterior cingulate and dorsal and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices) during cognitive modulation and behavioral control. These congruent findings are possibly related to attenuated functional and/or structural connectivity between the amygdala and insula and between the rACC/vmPFC and cognitive control network. Although increased amygdala and insula activation is associated with impaired emotion regulation in individuals without substance disorders, it is not consistently observed in substance disorders. Emotion regulation disturbances in substance disorders may therefore stem from impairments in prefrontal functioning, rather than excessive reactivity to emotional stimuli. Treatments for emotion regulation in individuals without substance disorders that normalize prefrontal functioning may offer greater efficacy for substance disorders than treatments that dampen reactivity. PMID:26771738

Isolation and characterization of a novel analyte from Bacillus subtilis SC-8 antagonistic to Bacillus cereus.

PubMed

Lee, Nam Keun; Yeo, In-Cheol; Park, Joung Whan; Kang, Byung-Sun; Hahm, Young Tae

2010-09-01

In this study, an effective substance was isolated from Bacillus subtilis SC-8, which was obtained from traditionally fermented soybean paste, cheonggukjang. The substance was purified by HPLC, and its properties were analyzed. It had an adequate antagonistic effect on Bacilluscereus, and its spectrum of activity was narrow. When tested on several gram-negative and gram-positive foodborne pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella enterica, Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes, no antagonistic effect was observed. Applying the derivative from B. subtilis SC-8 within the same genus did not inhibit the growth of major soybean-fermenting bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus amyloquefaciens. The range of pH stability of the purified antagonistic substance was wide (from 4.0 to >10.0), and the substance was thermally stable up to 60 degrees C. In the various enzyme treatments, the antagonistic activity of the purified substance was reduced with proteinase K, protease, and lipase; its activity was partially destroyed with esterase. Spores of B. cereus did not grow at all in the presence of 5mug/mL of the purified antagonistic substance. The isolated antagonistic substance was thought to be an antibiotic-like lipopeptidal compound and was tentatively named BSAP-254 because it absorbed to UV radiation at 254nm. Copyright 2010 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantification of pesticides used in agriculture in the EU-27

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Susanne; Fantke, Peter; Theloke, Jochen; Friedrich, Rainer

2010-05-01

Pesticides have become relatively ubiquitous pollutants. They may affect non-targeted organisms and can be found as contaminants in agricultural soils, groundwater, rivers, lakes and in the food chain (Margni et al., 2002; Hamilton & Crossley, 2004; Arias-Estévez et al., 2008). As "it has been common knowledge that many pesticides cause harm to the environment and to human health" (Pretty & Waibel, 2005), it is essential to account for a quantitative assessment of impacts of current agricultural practice at the European scale. Therefore, inventory data sets of applications and related emissions of the most relevant active substances are necessary. A review of publicly available data sets evidenced that data on consumption of active substances and releases into the environment for EU member states are of low quality or lacking entirely. Either only few substances are covered (e.g. EPER, E-PRTR) or data are highly aggregated in terms of total amount of active substances. Sales or consumption data are differentiated by target organisms and crop types (Eurostat) or by chemical classes (FAOSTAT, OECD.StatExtracts). In Germany, sales data categorised into target organisms and chemical classes are available. To our knowledge, Denmark and the United Kingdom are the only European countries providing application rates for specific active substances and crops. As a basis for analysing the relation between source, environmental fate and sink of pesticides and for considering the importance of crop-specific properties on the fate of pesticides (Trapp and Kulhanek, 2006), crop-specific emission inventories for individual active substances are required. Thus, the aim of our work was to develop a crop-specific inventory for active substances currently used in agriculture in the EU-27. Based on Eurostat (2007), the five most important active substances applied to the crop categories of cereals, maize, oilseeds, potatoes, sugar-beets, grapes and vine, fruit trees and vegetables were identified for each EU member state. The focus was on herbicides and insecticides. Also, the average dosage (i.e. application rate [kg active substance/ha]) for chemical classes per crop category and country was provided. Each active substance was then related to the average dosage of its chemical class for each crop category and country. The amount of active substance applied on a specific crop type in a country was calculated by multiplying the country specific crop production area with the respective dosage. Based on the loss fraction of applied substance to air, the emission into air can be calculated. With this approach we identified 89 active substances of relevance (63 herbicides, 26 insecticides) in the EU-27. The analysis showed a high variation of active substances between the member states, i.e. each country uses particular herbicides and insecticides for particular commodities according to specific climate conditions. For the majority of the member states, our approach covers more than 70 % of total use compared to the aggregated consumption of active substances per country as published in Eurostat. For some specific countries with substance-specific application data available, our results can be compared to real application rates. Discrepancies can be considered as an indicator for the variation of our estimates. By relating the emission inventory data sets to land use maps, they can be spatially disaggregated and thus may serve as input for a subsequent exposure and impact assessment modelling of individual pesticides. References: Arias-Estévez, M., López-Periago, E., Martínez-Carballo, E., Simal-Gándara, J., Mejuto, J.-C., García-Río, L. (2008). The mobility and degradation of pesticides in soils and the pollution of groundwater resources. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 123(4): 247-260. EPER. The European Pollutant Emission Register. Available online at: http://www.eper.ec.europa.eu/. E-PRTR. The European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register. Available online at: http://prtr.ec.europa.eu/. Eurostat (2007). The use of plant protection products in the European Union. Data 1992-2003. Eurostat Statistical books, 2007 edition. Eurostat. Pesticides consumption and sales data. Available online at: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/environment/data/database. FAOSTAT. Pesticides Consumption Data. Available online at: http://faostat.fao.org/site/424/default.aspx. Hamilton, D. and S. Crossley (2004). Pesticide Residues in Food and Drinking Water: Human Exposure and Risks. Chichester, John Wiley & Sons. Margni, M., Jolliet, O., Rossier, D., Crettaz, P. (2002). Life cycle impact assessment of pesticides on human health and ecosystems. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 93: 379-392. OECD.StatExtracts. Pesticides use data. Available online at: http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx. Pretty, J.N., H. Waibel (2005). Paying the price: the full cost of pesticides. In: Pretty, J.N. (Ed.) The Pesticide Detox. London, Earthscan, pp. 39-54. Trapp, S., A. Kulhanek (2006). Human Exposure Assessment for Food - One Equation for all Crops is not enough. In: Mackova, M., D. Dowling, T. Macek. Phytoremediation and Rhizoremediation. Dordrecht, The Netherlands, Springer Press: 285-300.

Detection of Volatile Metabolites Derived from Garlic (Allium sativum) in Human Urine

PubMed Central

Scheffler, Laura; Sauermann, Yvonne; Heinlein, Anja; Sharapa, Constanze; Buettner, Andrea

2016-01-01

The metabolism and excretion of flavor constituents of garlic, a common plant used in flavoring foods and attributed with several health benefits, in humans is not fully understood. Likewise, the physiologically active principles of garlic have not been fully clarified to date. It is possible that not only the parent compounds present in garlic but also its metabolites are responsible for the specific physiological properties of garlic, including its influence on the characteristic body odor signature of humans after garlic consumption. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate potential garlic-derived metabolites in human urine. To this aim, 14 sets of urine samples were obtained from 12 volunteers, whereby each set comprised one sample that was collected prior to consumption of food-relevant concentrations of garlic, followed by five to eight subsequent samples after garlic consumption that covered a time interval of up to 26 h. The samples were analyzed chemo-analytically using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/olfactometry (GC-MS/O), as well as sensorially by a trained human panel. The analyses revealed three different garlic-derived metabolites in urine, namely allyl methyl sulfide (AMS), allyl methyl sulfoxide (AMSO) and allyl methyl sulfone (AMSO2), confirming our previous findings on human milk metabolite composition. The excretion rates of these metabolites into urine were strongly time-dependent with distinct inter-individual differences. These findings indicate that the volatile odorant fraction of garlic is heavily biotransformed in humans, opening up a window into substance circulation within the human body with potential wider ramifications in view of physiological effects of this aromatic plant that is appreciated by humans in their daily diet. PMID:27916960

Photosynthetic and physiological responses of native and exotic tidal woody seedlings to simulated tidal immersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Tonggui; Gu, Shenhua; Zhou, Hefeng; Wang, G. Geoff; Cheng, Xiangrong; Yu, Mukui

2013-12-01

Hibiscus hamabo, a native tidal woody species, and Myrica cerifera, an exotic tidal woody species, have been widely planted on coastal beaches in subtropical China. However, whether there are differences in physiological response and tolerance to immersion between the two tidal species is still unknown. Our objectives were to evaluate differences in the photosynthetic and physiological responses to tidal immersion for the two species in the context of sea level rise. With increasing immersion, net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, and light saturation point declined progressively for both species, whereas dark respiration and light compensation point showed the reverse trend. Lower variation was observed in H. hamabo than in M. cerifera for each index in the same treatment. Photosynthetic ability and utilization of light, especially under high light intensity, decreased for both species. Leaf soluble sugar and protein contents, and glycolate oxidase activity first increased and then decreased with increasing of immersion degree, with the higher values observed in the W4 (4 h duration, 15 cm depth) and W6 (6 h duration, 25 cm depth) treatments for H. hamabo, and W2 (2 h duration, 5 cm depth) and W4 treatments for M. cerifera. These findings indicate that H. hamabo has a better ability to keep the reduction of photosynthesis at a minimum through soluble substance regulated osmotic potential and avoiding excess light damage to the photosynthetic system through increased photorespiration, heat dissipation, chlorophyll fluorescence. Our results suggest that H. hamabo is more tolerant to tidal immersion than M. cerifera, and therefore it is better adapted to the anticipated sea level rise in future.

Environmental risk assessment of medicinal products for human use according to European Commission recommendations.

PubMed

Huschek, Gerd; Hansen, Peter D; Maurer, Hans H; Krengel, Dietmar; Kayser, Anja

2004-06-01

Presented here, based on new recommendations of the European Commission, is an environmental risk assessment (ERA) of a selected group of pharmaceuticals for Phase I, environmental exposure assessment, and Phase II Tier A, initial environmental fate and effect analysis. This pharmaceutical group is composed of the 111 highest-selling human drug substances that have annual sales in Germany of more than 5,000 kg. The data required for this ERA came from analyzing: (1) sales annually (in kg or IU) of the 2671 active pharmaceutical drug substances (2001) on the German market in all medicinal products sold by pharmacies (with and without prescriptions) and used in hospitals in 1996-2001; (2) the use pattern of drug substances as categorized according to Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification indexes ATC3 and ATC7; (3) data for excretion, toxicity, and metabolites of the 111 selected human drug substances; (4) the physicochemical properties of these substances; and (5) the degradability of selected drug substances in sewage treatment plants (STPs) by using a validated and accredited liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method. A correction factor for the pharmaceutical therapeutic (PT) activity of metabolites, the PT(Index) (excretion rate/100) for drug substances and PT active metabolites was established to refine the predicted environmental concentration (PEC(SURFACEWATER)). A refinement of the PEC(SURFACEWATER) was carried out with the market penetration factor of the human drug substances in Germany. In addition, for effect analysis the predicted no-effects concentration (PNEC) was calculated using assessment factors. The estimated PEC results were validated with the exposure results of effluents of the STPs. All results on ERA of drug substances have been documented in a Microsoft Access 2000 database. Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Experience Elicited by Hallucinogens Presents the Highest Similarity to Dreaming within a Large Database of Psychoactive Substance Reports.

PubMed

Sanz, Camila; Tagliazucchi, Enzo

2018-01-01

Ever since the modern rediscovery of psychedelic substances by Western society, several authors have independently proposed that their effects bear a high resemblance to the dreams and dreamlike experiences occurring naturally during the sleep-wake cycle. Recent studies in humans have provided neurophysiological evidence supporting this hypothesis. However, a rigorous comparative analysis of the phenomenology ("what it feels like" to experience these states) is currently lacking. We investigated the semantic similarity between a large number of subjective reports of psychoactive substances and reports of high/low lucidity dreams, and found that the highest-ranking substance in terms of the similarity to high lucidity dreams was the serotonergic psychedelic lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), whereas the highest-ranking in terms of the similarity to dreams of low lucidity were plants of the Datura genus, rich in deliriant tropane alkaloids. Conversely, sedatives, stimulants, antipsychotics, and antidepressants comprised most of the lowest-ranking substances. An analysis of the most frequent words in the subjective reports of dreams and hallucinogens revealed that terms associated with perception ("see," "visual," "face," "reality," "color"), emotion ("fear"), setting ("outside," "inside," "street," "front," "behind") and relatives ("mom," "dad," "brother," "parent," "family") were the most prevalent across both experiences. In summary, we applied novel quantitative analyses to a large volume of empirical data to confirm the hypothesis that, among all psychoactive substances, hallucinogen drugs elicit experiences with the highest semantic similarity to those of dreams. Our results and the associated methodological developments open the way to study the comparative phenomenology of different altered states of consciousness and its relationship with non-invasive measurements of brain physiology.

Evidence for a regulatory loop between cholecystokinin (CCK) and tryptic enzyme activity in Atlantic cod larvae (Gadus morhua).

PubMed

Tillner, Robert; Rønnestad, Ivar; Harboe, Torstein; Ueberschär, Bernd

2013-11-01

In order to maximize protein digestion, the release of enzymes into the gut lumen is closely controlled by a regulatory loop. Cholecystokinin (CCK) is among the enteric hormones that play a key role in the control of digestive enzyme secretion, but its role in first-feeding larvae is still unclear and may differ between species. However, in all marine fish larvae that have not developed a stomach by first-feeding, trypsin is the most important proteolytic enzyme. In order to examine the regulation and feedback mechanisms in the gut of larval cod, we therefore studied the interactions between cholecystokinin and tryptic enzyme activity following the administration of solutions containing test substances directly into the gut. We tube-fed a single dose of physiological saline solution containing either CCK, CCK antagonist, trypsin inhibitor, phytohemagglutinin (PHA; a possible trigger for the digestive response) or physiological saline alone, while a further control group was left untreated. We then followed the response in CCK and tryptic enzyme activity for 0.5-8h after the administration. We performed the experiment on larvae at 26day post first-feeding, which is before the stomach has evolved and the size of the larvae allows easier handling. Individual larvae were analyzed for CCK and tryptic enzyme activity using radioimmunoassay and fluorimetric techniques respectively. Both factors varied over time in the untreated control group, possibly due to an endogenous daily rhythm. The higher CCK levels at 4h and 8h in the saline-injected group may be caused by reflexes initiated by distension of the gut. An increase in tryptic enzyme activity after injection of CCK supports the hypothesis that this hormone plays a part in the release of pancreatic enzymes in larval cod at this developmental stage. However, administration of a CCK antagonist and a trypsin inhibitor did not reveal conclusive results, probably due to the relatively low concentrations used. The response in tryptic activity in the PHA group was similar to the administration of CCK, pointing towards a stimulatory effect of PHA on the proteolytic enzyme capacity of cod larvae. © 2013.

How mechanisms explain interfield cooperation: biological-chemical study of plant growth hormones in Utrecht and Pasadena, 1930-1938.

PubMed

Schürch, Caterina

2017-09-01

This article examines to what extent a particular case of cross-disciplinary research in the 1930s was structured by mechanistic reasoning. For this purpose, it identifies the interfield theories that allowed biologists and chemists to use each other's techniques and findings, and that provided the basis for the experiments performed to identify plant growth hormones and to learn more about their role in the mechanism of plant growth. In 1930, chemists and biologists in Utrecht and Pasadena began to cooperatively study plant growth. I will argue that these researchers decided to join forces because they believed to rely on each other's findings and methods to solve their research problems adequately. In the course of the cooperation, organic chemists arrived at isolating plant growth hormones by using a test method developed in plant physiology. This achievement, in turn, facilitated biologists' investigation of the mechanism of plant growth. Researchers eventually believed to have the means to study the relation between a substance's molecular structure and its physiological activity. The way they conceptualized the problem of identifying hormones and unraveling the mechanism of plant growth, as well as their actual research actions are compatible with the new mechanists' account of mechanism research. The study illustrates that focusing on researchers' mechanistic reasoning can contribute considerably to explaining the structure of cross-disciplinary research projects.

Substance P excites GABAergic neurons in the mouse central amygdala through neurokinin 1 receptor activation.

PubMed

Sosulina, L; Strippel, C; Romo-Parra, H; Walter, A L; Kanyshkova, T; Sartori, S B; Lange, M D; Singewald, N; Pape, H-C

2015-10-01

Substance P (SP) is implicated in stress regulation and affective and anxiety-related behavior. Particularly high expression has been found in the main output region of the amygdala complex, the central amygdala (CE). Here we investigated the cellular mechanisms of SP in CE in vitro, taking advantage of glutamic acid decarboxylase-green fluorescent protein (GAD67-GFP) knockin mice that yield a reliable labeling of GABAergic neurons, which comprise 95% of the neuronal population in the lateral section of CE (CEl). In GFP-positive neurons within CEl, SP caused a membrane depolarization and increase in input resistance, associated with an increase in action potential firing frequency. Under voltage-clamp conditions, the SP-specific membrane current reversed at -101.5 ± 2.8 mV and displayed inwardly rectifying properties indicative of a membrane K(+) conductance. Moreover, SP responses were blocked by the neurokinin type 1 receptor (NK1R) antagonist L-822429 and mimicked by the NK1R agonist [Sar(9),Met(O2)(11)]-SP. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed localization of NK1R in GFP-positive neurons in CEl, predominantly in PKCδ-negative neurons (80%) and in few PKCδ-positive neurons (17%). Differences in SP responses were not observed between the major types of CEl neurons (late firing, regular spiking, low-threshold bursting). In addition, SP increased the frequency and amplitude of GABAergic synaptic events in CEl neurons depending on upstream spike activity. These data indicate a NK1R-mediated increase in excitability and GABAergic activity in CEl neurons, which seems to mostly involve the PKCδ-negative subpopulation. This influence can be assumed to increase reciprocal interactions between CElon and CEloff pathways, thereby boosting the medial CE (CEm) output pathway and contributing to the anxiogenic-like action of SP in the amygdala. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Perfluorohexadecanoic acid increases paracellular permeability in endothelial cells through the activation of plasma kallikrein-kinin system.

PubMed

Liu, Qian S; Hao, Fang; Sun, Zhendong; Long, Yanmin; Zhou, Qunfang; Jiang, Guibin

2018-01-01

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are ubiquitous and high persistent in human blood, thus potentially inducing a myriad of deleterious consequences. Plasma kallikrein-kinin system (KKS), which physiologically regulates vascular permeability, is vulnerable to exogenous stimulators, like PFASs with long-chain alkyl backbone substituted by electronegative fluorine. The study on the interactions of PFASs with the KKS and the subsequent effects on vascular permeability would be helpful to illustrate how the chemicals penetrate the biological vascular barriers to reach different tissues. In present study, three representative PFASs, including perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexadecanoic acid (PFHxDA), were investigated for their effects on the activation of the KKS, paracellular permeability in human retina endothelial cells (HRECs) and integrity of the adherens junctions. In contrast to either PFOS or PFOA, PFHxDA efficiently triggered KKS activation in a concentration-dependent manner based on protease activity assays. The plasma activated by PFHxDA significantly increased paracellular permeability of HRECs through the degradation of adherens junctions. As evidenced by the antagonistic effect of aprotinin, PFHxDA-involved effects on vascular permeability were mediated by KKS activation. The results herein firstly revealed the mechanistic pathway for PFHxDA induced effects on vascular endothelial cells. Regarding the possible structure-related activities of the chemicals, this finding would be of great help in the risk assessment of PFASs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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ENDOCRINE ACTIVE SUBSTANCES AND DOSE-RESPONSE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND POPULATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Endocrine Active Substances and Dose-Response for Individuals and Populations
Hugh A. Barton

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Identification of substance P precursor forms in human brain tissue.

PubMed Central

Nyberg, F; le Grevés, P; Terenius, L

1985-01-01

Substance P prohormones were identified in the caudate nucleus, hypothalamus, and substantia nigra of human brain. A polypeptide fraction of acidic brain extracts was fractionated on Sephadex G-50. The lyophilized fractions were sequentially treated with trypsin and a substance P-degrading enzyme with strong preference toward the Phe7-Phe8 and Phe8-Gly9 bonds. The released substance P(1-7) fragment was isolated by ion-exchange chromatography and quantitated by a specific radioimmunoassay. Confirmation of the structure of the isolated radioimmunoassay-active fragment was achieved by electrophoresis and HPLC. By using this enzymatic/radioimmunoassay procedure, two polypeptide fractions of apparent Mr 5000 and 15,000, respectively, were identified. The latter component was the major one of the two but was estimated to account for only about 5% of total substance P radioimmunoassay activity. Because it is of the size predicted from the nucleotide sequences of cDNA for substance P prohormones in bovine brain, the Mr 15,000 component may represent the full-length prohormone. PMID:2408270

Conformationally restricted C-terminal peptides of substance P. Synthesis, mass spectral analysis and pharmacological properties.

PubMed

Theodoropoulos, D; Poulos, C; Gatos, D; Cordopatis, P; Escher, E; Mizrahi, J; Regoli, D; Dalietos, D; Furst, A; Lee, T D

1985-10-01

Four cyclic analogues of the C-terminal hepta- or hexapeptide of substance P were prepared by the solution method. The cyclizations were obtained by substituting with cysteine the residues normally present in positions 5 or 6 or 11 of substance P and by subsequent disulfide bond formation. The final products were identified by ordinary analytical procedures and advanced mass spectroscopy. The biological activities were determined on three bioassays: the guinea pig ileum, the guinea pig trachea and the rabbit mesenteric vein. Results obtained with these assays indicate that all peptides with a disulfide bridgehead in position 11 are inactive and that a cycle between positions 5 and 6 already strongly reduces the biological activity. The acyclic precursors containing thiol protection groups display weak biological activities. These results further underline the importance of the side chain in position 11 of substance P and suggest that optimal biological activities may require a linear peptide sequence.

An enquiry into the mechanism by which substance P facilitates the phasic longitudinal contractions of the rabbit ileum

PubMed Central

Holzer, Peter

1982-01-01

1. The effect of substance P on the phasic longitudinal contractions of the isolated rabbit ileum has been investigated. The contractions were recorded isotonically. Substance P in concentrations below those which cause tonic contraction (0·2-2 nM) increased the height of the phasic contractions in a concentration-dependent fashion without affecting their frequency (8-12/min). 2. The effect of substance P was inhibited by verapamil, ouabain, noradrenaline, and isoprenaline, but was unaffected by tetrodotoxin, atropine, D-2-ala,5-metenkephalin, somatostatin, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. 3. Tetraethylammonium, which blocks voltage-dependent K+ channels, enhanced the phasic contractile activity of the rabbit ileum in a manner quite similar to substance P, but the maximal response to tetraethylammonium was larger than that to substance P. 4. The effect of matched concentrations of substance P and tetraethylammonium, which enhanced the phasic contractions to a similar extent, was investigated at various concentrations of K+, Na+, Ca2+ and Cl- in the bathing medium. Both substance P and tetraethylammonium lost their ability to enhance the phasic contractions when K+ was omitted from the medium or when its concentration therein was increased by a factor of 4, or when the NaCl concentration was reduced to less than 10%. The relative increase in phasic contractile activity evoked by substance P was smaller than that evoked by tetraethylammonium when more than 90% of the Cl- was replaced with propionate. 5. Noradrenaline, in a concentration which just abolished the spontaneous phasic contractions (200-300 nM), reduced the enhancing effect of substance P on the phasic activity by 40-50%, but did not influence the effect of tetraethylammonium. 6. These results indicate that substance P enhances the phasic longitudinal contractions of the isolated rabbit ileum by a direct action on the smooth muscle cells and that this effect is brought about by facilitation of the myogenically controlled action potential discharges in the ileum. Circumstantial evidence suggests that the underlying ionic mechanism of action of substance P is a decrease in K+ and Cl- conductances. ImagesFig. 1Fig. 2Fig. 5Fig. 7 PMID:6180164

Comparative study of the efficacy of chemically and biologically extracted humic substances from various materials on the development of Poinsettia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgieva, Teodora; Metodieva, Tsvetelina; Again, Nadia; Angelova, Gergana; Popova, Todorka; Chakalov, Konstantin; Savov, Valentin

2017-04-01

There is a lot of research proving the positive influence of humic substances on the development of plants in combination with soil isolates such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus. Humic substances obtained by chemical extraction and biosolubilization of various sources of organic materials were tested for their effect on the growth of Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) cultivar „Mirat red". The test included the following variants: 1. Humic substances chemically extracted from "Humintech" leonardite (Ht); 2. Humic substances obtained from "Humintech" leonardite by biosolubilization with Pseudomonas putida (Pp) and Bacillus pasteurii (Bp) (Ht Bp Pp); 3. Humic substances chemically extracted from "Sachalin" leonardite; 4. Humic substances obtained from "Sachalin" leonardite by biosolubilization with Pseudomonas putida (Pp) and Bacillus pasteurii (Bp) (Sachalin Bp Pp); 5. Fulvic substances exracted after biosolubilization of "Staniantsy" lignite with Pseudomonas putida (Pp) and Bacillus pasteurii (Bp) (FB Plantagra); 6. Humic substances exracted after biosolubilization of "Staniantsy" lignite with Pseudomonas putida (Pp) and Bacillus pasteurii (Bp) (Lignohumate); 7. Biohumax - commercial product of "Project Studio" EOOD, Varna Bulgaria; 8.Vermicompost inoculated with Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus pasteurii (Strong BG); 9. Control - Nutrient solution (background of nutrition). The test results indicate that as a result of microbial activity active bacterial compounds are probably present in the composition of the extracted humates, thus affecting the formation of red leaves.The application of all tested substances results in red leaves area increase of treated plants compared to the control plants, except the humates chemically extracted from Humintech leonardite. The ration between humic and fulvic acids determines the effect on the treated plants. The biosolubilized preparations contain more fulvic acids. Plants treated with them form up to three times more anthocyanins compared to the control plants. The results from the experiment show that humic substances, being biologically active, are capable of regulating the growth of microorganisms. A combination of bacterial and humic compositions applied to poinsettia plants has a positive effect on their development. Obviously the biosolubilization of leonardite and other organic materials to humic substances is more promising than the chemical one

Effect of mineral fertilizers on microbiological and biochemical characteristics of agrochernozem.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tkhakakhova, Azida; Vasilenko, Elena; Kutovaya, Olga

2013-04-01

The problem of reproduction of soil fertility of chernozems are solved with integrated action, the ecological condition of the soil can be assessed by the activity of physiological groups of microorganisms. Microorganisms are the most important in the transformation of compounds of biogenic elements and therefore it is very interesting to study the nature of the relationship of some biochemical parameters with the development of microflora and micromycetes eco-trophic groups. Agrochemical researches have been conducted at agroecological station "Stone Steppe" in central Russia. Experiment variants: 1 - Control (without fertilizer); 2 - N10,5 P10,5 K10,5; 3 - N56,5 P56,5 K56,5; 4 - deposit soil. Mobile forms of humic substances (mobile carbon and carbon water extract) have changed during the cultivation of the chernozem soil. Amount of mobile humus has doubled in the variants with the use of mineral fertilizers. It's just mobile humus which determines the soil response to any impact, especially ecological. Water extract carbon - organic matter contained in the soil solution and the subject of assimilation of plants and microorganisms. It increased in agricultural soils. The total nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen amount in the variants of agricultural use is higher than in the deposit soil. This is probably because of the soil aeration, the release of nitrogen from the labile humus due to biological activity and nitrification. Amount of ammonia nitrogen has increased in the variant with the use of high doses of fertilizers. Deposit soil (40 years without agricultural use) has a lower, but more stable microbial activity. Process of anoxic decomposition of plant remains develops more active than others, due to the natural structure of the soil anaerobiosis in the spring time. Processes of nitrogen cycle (nitrogen accumulation - fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, nitrogen losses - denitrification) are progressing very intensively in agricultural soil with fertilizer. Content of humic substances in the soil affects all groups of microorganisms, except actinomycetes and cellulolytices. These microorganisms have an active system of hydrolytic enzymes that taking action on hard organic materials. Movable carbon largely affects the anaerobic microorganisms nitrogen cycle and inverse relationship takes place during with the developing of actinomycetes. Correlation between the aqueous extract carbon with cellulolitic bacteria, aerobic nitrogen-fixing bacteria and amylolytic microorganisms using mineral nitrogen is the highest. Organic material of the soil solution in the growing season associated with NO3-. The content of total nitrogen and nitrate associated with anaerobic denitrifying bacteria, nitrogen-fixing bacteria and amylolytic microorganisms. The content of ammonia nitrogen N-NH4+ renders very strong influence on soil microorganisms. A positive correlation is observed with ammonifiers, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, denitrifying bacteria. There is inverse relationship with actinomycetes (R = - 0,96) and anaerobic cellulolitic bacteria (R = - 0,80). Representatives of these microorganisms are active participants in the carbon cycle; their development in the presence of the ammonium form of nitrogen is possibly suspended. There is a complicated relationship of biochemical indicators of the development of soil microorganisms in the black earth. The problem preserving stable humus and physiologically active mobile forms that affect plant growth can only be achieved while maintaining the living organisms in it.

A student-centered approach for developing active learning: the construction of physical models as a teaching tool in medical physiology.

PubMed

Rezende-Filho, Flávio Moura; da Fonseca, Lucas José Sá; Nunes-Souza, Valéria; Guedes, Glaucevane da Silva; Rabelo, Luiza Antas

2014-09-15

Teaching physiology, a complex and constantly evolving subject, is not a simple task. A considerable body of knowledge about cognitive processes and teaching and learning methods has accumulated over the years, helping teachers to determine the most efficient way to teach, and highlighting student's active participation as a means to improve learning outcomes. In this context, this paper describes and qualitatively analyzes an experience of a student-centered teaching-learning methodology based on the construction of physiological-physical models, focusing on their possible application in the practice of teaching physiology. After having Physiology classes and revising the literature, students, divided in small groups, built physiological-physical models predominantly using low-cost materials, for studying different topics in Physiology. Groups were followed by monitors and guided by teachers during the whole process, finally presenting the results in a Symposium on Integrative Physiology. Along the proposed activities, students were capable of efficiently creating physiological-physical models (118 in total) highly representative of different physiological processes. The implementation of the proposal indicated that students successfully achieved active learning and meaningful learning in Physiology while addressing multiple learning styles. The proposed method has proved to be an attractive, accessible and relatively simple approach to facilitate the physiology teaching-learning process, while facing difficulties imposed by recent requirements, especially those relating to the use of experimental animals and professional training guidelines. Finally, students' active participation in the production of knowledge may result in a holistic education, and possibly, better professional practices.

DOSE-RATE DEPENDENCE OF INSTANTANEOUS PHYSIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hug, O.

Nastic movements in Mimosa pudica were induced by x radiation. Using short radiation impulses of 10 to 30 sec and doses up to 120 kr/min, the leaflets were observed to close and the stem to bend in the main joint during the first minute. After irradiation of parts of the leaflet, the reaction spreads along the physiological pathways as in any other stimulus. When the action potential is completed, slow depolarization continues and reaches a maximum, finally returning to the initial value in about two hr. The effect was found to be dose- dependent. It is hypothesized that either amore » direct physicochemical change of the cell membrane or a damage of substances which influence the function of the cell membrane is induced by the irradiation. (H.M.G.)« less

Comparison between Seed and Foliar Treatment as a Tool in Integrated Pest Management.

PubMed

Matyjaszczyk, Ewa

2017-08-02

A study into doses of seed treatments and foliar plant protection products containing an identical active substance registered to control the same pest in the same crops was carried out in the European Union. The results show that, for fungicides, the use of seed treatment is often connected with a significantly lower release of active substance per hectare when compared to foliar treatments. In 11 of 13 cases, the difference was 8-fold or higher. For insecticides, in most of the cases, the consumption of an active substance was several times higher for seed treatment, in one case for foliar application.

Promotion by humus-reducing bacteria for the degradation of UV254 absorbance in reverse-osmosis concentrates pretreated with O3-assisted UV-Fenton method.

PubMed

Xia, Jiaohui; Zhang, Hui; Ding, Shaoxuan; Li, Changyu; Ding, Jincheng; Lu, Jie

2017-07-12

The primary pollutants in reverse-osmosis concentrates (ROC) are the substances with the UV absorbance at 254 nm (UV 254 ), which is closely related to humic substances that can be degraded by humus-reducing bacteria. This work studied the degradation characteristics of humus-reducing bacteria in ROC treatment. The physiological and biochemical characteristics of humus-reducing bacteria were investigated, and the effects of pH values and electron donors on the reduction of humic analog, antraquinone-2, 6-disulfonate were explored to optimize the degradation. Furthermore, the O 3 -assisted UV-Fenton method was applied for the pretreatment of ROC, and the degradation of UV 254 absorbance was apparently promoted with their removal rate, reaching 84.2% after 10 days of degradation by humus-reducing bacteria.

[In vitro evaluation of the gels properties prepared thermosensitive polymers as vehicles for administration substance by injection].

PubMed

Karolewicz, Bozena; Owczarek, Artur; Pluta, Janusz

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to prepare a thermoresponsive formulations, which are a carrier for substance administered directly into site of action and which obtain sol-gel transitions at physiological ranges of temperature. The investigated formulations of liquid consistency at room temperature were obtained in sterile conditions on the basis of nonionic polymers Pluronic F-127, Pluronic F-68 and anionic polymer hyaluronic acid in different concentrations. The sol-gel transition temperature of the formulations was investigated and their physicochemical properties such as pH, density, osmotic pressure, sol-gel transition temperature, texture and release of vancomycin hydrochloride were studied. In vitro release experiments indicated that the optimised platform was able to prolong vancomycin hydrochloride release and their physico-chemical properties allow for application by injection form.

An orthomolecular approach to the prevention and treatment of psychiatric disorders.

PubMed

Zell, Mark; Grundmann, Oliver

2012-01-01

Orthomolecular medicine is based on the use of endogenous and naturally occurring substances to supplement deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, and other essential substances in the human body. Although the medical community has long regarded it as a nonscientific approach to healing, scientific and clinical evidence is emerging for the supplemental use of orthomolecular medicine in the treatment of schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Psychiatrists currently treat these common psychiatric disorders using a wide range of pharmacological approaches that often have significant side effects, resulting in patients' noncompliance. With newly gained knowledge about the neurophysiology and neuropathophysiology of psychiatric disorders, researchers now can link potential mechanisms for both pharmacological and orthomolecular treatments to physiological processes. In many cases, the use of orthomolecular supplements may provide a feasible addition to conventional drug therapy.

Isolation and identification of a phytotoxic substance from the emergent macrophyte Centrostachys aquatica.

PubMed

Bich, Tran Thi Ngoc; Kato-Noguchi, Hisashi

2014-12-01

Centrostachys aquatica is a perennial emergent macrophyte in marshy places and in rivers. The species was recorded in Senegal and Nigeria, but widespread in tropical Africa, and South and East Asia. Aqueous methanol extracts C. aquatica was found to be toxic to several plant species. However, no phytotoxic substance has been reported in this species. Therefore, we investigated phytotoxic activity and searched for phytotoxic substances with allelopathic activity in C. aquatica. An aqueous methanol extract of C. aquatica inhibited the growth of roots and hypocotyls of cress (Lepidium sativum). The extract was then purified by several chromatographic runs and a phytotoxic substance with allelopathic activity was isolated and identified by spectral analysis as loliolide. Loliolide inhibited cress root and hypocotyl growth at concentrations greater than 0.03 μM. The concentrations required for 50% growth inhibition of cress roots and hypocotyls was 0.18 and 0.15 μM, respectively. These results suggest that loliolide is a phytotoxic substance and may contribute to the allelopathic effect caused by C. aquatica.

Phytotoxic substance with allelopathic activity in Brachiaria decumbens.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Ai; Kato-Noguchi, Hisashi

2015-05-01

The grass Brachiaria decumbens becomes naturalized and quickly dominant in non-native areas. It was hypothesized that phytotoxic substances of plants may contribute to the domination and invasion of the plants. However, no potent phytotoxic substance has been reported in B. decumbens. Therefore, we searched for phytotoxic substances with allelopathic activity in this species. An aqueous methanol extract of B. decumbens inhibited the growth of roots and shoots of cress (Lepidium sativum), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), timothy (Phleum pratense) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) seedlings. The extract was then purified using chromatographic methods and a phytotoxic substance with allelopathic activity was isolated and identified by spectral analysis as (6R,9S)-3-oxo-α-ionol. These results suggest that this compound may contribute to the allelopathic effect caused by the B. decumbens extract and may be in part responsible for the invasion and domination of B. decumbens. Two other Brachiaria species, B. brizantha and a Brachiaria hybrid were also confirmed to contain (6R,9S)-3-oxo-α-ionol. Therefore, this compound may play an important role in the phytotoxicity of the Brachiaria species.

42 CFR 54.1 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... TO STATES RECEIVING SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT BLOCK GRANTS AND/OR PROJECTS FOR... directly to pay for substance abuse prevention and treatment services under 42 U.S.C. 300x-21 et seq., and... for activities that do not involve the provision of substance abuse services, such as for...

77 FR 34960 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-12

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will publish a summary of information... results, substance use and sexual risk behaviors, current rapid HIV test results, types of services...

75 FR 35819 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-23

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... proposed collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA... Education in HIV/ AIDS Program (OMB No. 0930-0195)--Extension The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services...

42 CFR 54.1 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... TO STATES RECEIVING SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT BLOCK GRANTS AND/OR PROJECTS FOR... directly to pay for substance abuse prevention and treatment services under 42 U.S.C. 300x-21 et seq., and... for activities that do not involve the provision of substance abuse services, such as for...

42 CFR 54.1 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... TO STATES RECEIVING SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT BLOCK GRANTS AND/OR PROJECTS FOR... directly to pay for substance abuse prevention and treatment services under 42 U.S.C. 300x-21 et seq., and... for activities that do not involve the provision of substance abuse services, such as for...

42 CFR 54.1 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... TO STATES RECEIVING SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT BLOCK GRANTS AND/OR PROJECTS FOR... directly to pay for substance abuse prevention and treatment services under 42 U.S.C. 300x-21 et seq., and... for activities that do not involve the provision of substance abuse services, such as for...

42 CFR 54.1 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... TO STATES RECEIVING SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT BLOCK GRANTS AND/OR PROJECTS FOR... directly to pay for substance abuse prevention and treatment services under 42 U.S.C. 300x-21 et seq., and... for activities that do not involve the provision of substance abuse services, such as for...

75 FR 35818 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-23

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will publish a summary of information.... Project: Targeted Capacity Expansion Program for Substance Abuse Treatment and HIV/AIDS Services (TCE-HIV...

78 FR 19276 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-29

... prevention and treatment services related to substance abuse and mental health. In support of its grant peer... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... proposed collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA...