Differential responses of citrus calli and protoplasts to culture filtrate and toxin of Phoma tracheiphila.

Nucellar calli from two citrus cultivars with known tolerance to mal secco disease were chosen as experimental material, to test the pathogen's response to culture filtrate (CF) and partially purified toxin (PPT). The response of the two calli to the CF was in reverse order to the known response of the two cultivars to natural and artificial inoculations with Phoma tracheiphila. HPLC analysis of P.

Neonatal administration of oxytocin increases novelty-induced grooming in the adult rat.

Three-day-old Sprague-Dawley rat pups were intracisternally infused with a single dose of oxytocin (1 microgram/2 microliters) or saline, or were untreated. As adults, these animals were observed for novelty-induced grooming, analgesia measured by the hot-plate test, and behavior in the open field. Oxytocin treatment during infancy resulted in an elevation of novelty-induced grooming when compared to saline and untreated animals.

Pyroglutamic acid improves learning and memory capacities in old rats.

The effects of the arginine salt of pyroglutamic acid (2-oxo-pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, PCA) on learning and memory capacities of old rats were studied in a subchronic treatment schedule (i.p. injection of 0.

Behavioral effects of acetyl-l-carnitine in the male rat.

The behavioral activity of carnitine acetylate derivative, acetyl-l-carnitine has been studied in the male rat. Intraperitoneal (IP) injection of acetyl-l-carnitine was followed by an increase in ambulation and rearing items in the open field behavior. Both the number of conditioned avoidance response (CARs) and the percentage of learners in the acquisition of shuttle-box active avoidance behavior appeared to be increased by IP or intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of the drug at different doses.

Dopamine neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens may be involved in oxytocin-enhanced grooming behavior of the rat.

Intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of a low dose of oxytocin enhanced novelty-induced grooming in male rats. The present experiments were undertaken to investigate whether dopamine neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens is involved in this effect. Bilateral lesions of the nucleus accumbens by microinjections of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) totally prevented the enhancement of grooming behavior after subsequent ICV infusion of oxytocin.

Behavioral effects of deprenyl in aged rats.

The effects of an inhibitor of MAO-B, deprenyl, have been studied in aged male rats. Subcutaneous (s.c.

Quantitative alteration of grooming behavior in aged male rats.

Novelty-induced grooming was studied in aged male rats (24 months old) compared to young animals (3 months old). When put in a novel environment, aged rats exhibited a grooming activity markedly higher than that shown by young rats. Such an excessive grooming did not disappear over a 30 min observation.

Somatic growth in hypophysectomized pituitary-homografted rats is promoted by prolactin.

Hypophysectomized male rats bearing a homograft of two adenopituitaries under the kidney capsule showed a significant increase in b.wt as compared to hypophysectomized non-homografted animals. Radioimmunoassay of growth hormone (GH), ACTH, alpha-MSH, beta-endorphin and prolactin (PRL) revealed that only the latter was highly increased in the plasma of hypophysectomized homografted rats.

Phospholipid liposomes potentiate the inhibitory effect of antidepressant drugs on immobility of rats in a despair test (constrained swim).

Male rats forced to swim in a cylinder assumed an immobile posture. Immobility was reduced by antidepressant drugs, such as imipramine, desimipramine, iproniazid and mianserin injected 24, 5 and again 1 h prior to behavioral testing. Subchronic (4, 7 and 10 days) treatment with sonicated preparations of bovine hypothalamic phospholipid liposomes potentiated the inhibitory effect of all antidepressant drugs in the despair test.

Behavioral effects of perinatal administration of antidepressant drugs in the rat.

The monoamine reuptake blockers, imipramine, desipramine, and chlorimipramine, and the monoamine-oxidase inhibitors, iproniazid and isocarboxazid, were administered to pregnant rats (acutely at day 15 of pregnancy, or subchronically from day 10 of pregnancy to the delivery) or to newborn pups (from day 1 to day 5 of life). Prenatal acute injection of the antidepressant drugs failed to modify the development of neonatal reflexes of the rat pups and their adult behavior. Prenatal subchronic administration of the antidepressant drugs was followed by an increase in the number of pups showing neonatal reflexes, but also by an inhibition of the open field behavior and the acquisition of active avoidance responses tested in adulthood.

Neuroendocrine and behavioral effects of flunarizine in young and old rats.

Neuroendocrine and behavioral effects following an acute or chronic treatment with the calcium antagonist, flunarizine, have been studied in young and old rats. Both in young and old rats, acute administration of flunarizine (2 mg/kg) failed to modify plasma prolactin (PRL) levels, as measured at 8.00 a.

Prolactin inhibits the development of stress-induced ulcers in the rat.

Hyperprolactinaemia, as induced by pituitary homografts under the kidney capsule, was accompanied by an inhibition of development of gastric ulcers following the application of cold-plus-restraint stress in male rats. This effect was mimicked by intracisternal administration of a low dose of the hormone. Peripheral injection of the dopamine receptor antagonist, domperidone, also inhibited the development of stress-induced ulcers.

Behavioral effects of arginine in male rats.

The effects of aminoacid arginine on conditioned and unconditioned behavior were studied in male rats. Arginine was administered orally at different dose levels. Both acute and subchronic (7 days) treatment schedule was performed.

Effects of mastectomy and vagotomy on grooming behavior of the rat: possible involvement of prolactin.

Surgical interventions such as unilateral mastectomy or vagotomy affect plasma prolactin (PRL) levels. Right-side mastectomized rats exhibiting high levels of plasma PRL showed increased grooming behavior. Left-side mastectomized rats with low levels of plasma PRL performed poor grooming activity.

Effects of valproic acid derivatives on the acquisition of active avoidance behavior in the rat.

The effects of valproic acid derivatives on the acquisition of active avoidance behavior have been studied in the rat. Sodium valproate (50 and 100 mg/kg), magnesium valproate (100 mg/kg) and dipropylacetamide (100 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally 1 hr prior to the behavioral test (shuttle-box, single session). Acquisition of active avoidance behavior was facilitated by sodium valproate, unaffected by magnesium valproate, and inhibited by dipropylacetamide.

Amphetamine-induced analgesia does not involve brain opioids.

The intrinsic analgesic properties of amphetamine were studied in rats. Subcutaneous injection of amphetamine exerted an additive effect on morphine-induced analgesia in the hot-plate test. Amphetamine itself showed intrinsic analgesic activity in a dose-dependent manner.

Behavioral activity of a short chain ACTH analog.

The behavioral activity of ACTH1-17 analog (beta-Ala1, Lys17) ACTH1-17-4 -amino-n-butilamide (Ala1-Lys17-ACTH1-17) has been studied in the rat. Acquisition of shuttle-box active avoidance behavior was facilitated by Ala1-Lys17-ACTH1-17 administered both subcutaneously (SC) and intracerebroventricularly (ICV), and this effect was suppressed by peripheral administration of haloperidol or naltrexone. Extinction of pole jumping active avoidance behavior was delayed by SC administration of the peptide in a dose-dependent manner.

Behavioral effects of phosphatidylserine after perinatal administration in rats.

Behavioral effects of the acidic phospholipid phosphatidylserine (PS) were studied in rats after perinatal (prenatal or neonatal) administration. PS was administered to pregnant rats from day 5 of pregnancy. PS liposomes were also injected i.