European community. Euro-cash dispensers.

Applications for funding should be well-targeted and must demonstrate a track record in the area of the proposed initiative. Applications not related to a trust's core business are unlikely to succeed.

Competitive oligonucleotide single-base extension combined with mass spectrometric detection for mutation screening.

A rapid, robust and widely applicable mutation detection scheme not requiring radioactivity or gel-based detection is introduced. It is a single-tube, competitive oligonucleotide single-base extension (COSBE) reaction using a pair of primers with the 3'-terminal base complementary to either the normal or mutant allele. Upon hybridization and addition of a polymerase and the nucleotide triphosphate corresponding to the next base after the primer, only those primers properly annealed (i.

Prevalence of respiratory viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in sputum samples from unselected adult patients.

Sputum samples from adult patients are routinely used for bacteriological tests, but not for the diagnosis of viral/mycoplasmal infections. We examined 511 sputum samples submitted for bacterial tests from patients at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Each specimen was tested directly (and after six days of cell culture amplification) for antigens to influenza A and B, parainfluenza 1, 2 and 3, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Absence of central cholinergic deficits in ApoE knockout mice.

ApolipoproteinE (ApoE) genotype has recently been identified as a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) but the mechanism(s) by which ApoE isoforms influence this disease remain unclear. Recent studies suggest that mice deficient in ApoE may exhibit impaired central cholinergic function. Since this neurotransmitter system has traditionally been associated with the pathogenesis of AD, we have further investigated the impact of ApoE gene deletion on this system.

Evidence for recovery of spatial learning following entorhinal cortex lesions in mice.

The influence of entorhinal cortex lesions on behaviour and concommitant changes in synaptophysin immunoreactivity (IR) in the denervated dentate gyrus was assessed. Male, C57/B6 mice received either bilateral (BI), unilateral (UNI), or no lesion (SHAM) to the entorhinal cortex. At various stages post-lesion the animals were evaluated in tests to examine neurological and cognitive (spatial and cued learning, Morris water maze) function.

Effects of 5-HT3, D1 and D2 receptor antagonists on ethanol- and cocaine-induced locomotion.

The effects of acute treatment with 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, ondansetron and ICS 205-930, on the stimulation of activity induced by ethanol-and cocaine were examined. Ethanol (1.8 or 2 g/kg i.

Apolipoprotein E and Alzheimer's disease: a review of recent studies.

There are three isoforms of the 33-kDa protein apolipoprotein E (apoE), termed apoE2, apoE3, and apoE4, each encoded by distinct genes APOE2, APOE3 and APOE4, respectively. In 1993, the APOE genotype was identified as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and was subsequently acknowledged to account for approximately 60% of all cases. The influence of the APOE genotype in AD is clearly isoform dependent, APOE4 imparting susceptibility and APOE2 protection.

Effects of anticholinesterase drugs tacrine and E2020, the 5-HT(3) antagonist ondansetron, and the H(3) antagonist thioperamide, in models of cognition and cholinergic function.

This study presents a comparison between two inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, tacrine and E2020 (Donepezil), the 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist ondansetron, and the H(3) receptor antagonist thioperamide, in models of cholinergic function and cognition in male, Lister hooded rats. The cognitive tests used were an operant VI20 task, the delayed match to position task (short-term memory) and the 5-choice serial reaction time task (attention). Scopolamine (SCOP) (0.

Interleukin-12 antagonist activity of mouse interleukin-12 p40 homodimer in vitro and in vivo.

Mo(p40)2 is a potent IL-12 antagonist that interacts strongly with the beta 1 subunit of the IL-12R to block binding of moIL-12 to the high-affinity mouse IL-12R. Mo(p40)2, alone or in synergy with the 2B5 mAb specific for the moIL-12 heterodimer, blocked IL-12-induced responses in vitro, Mo(p40)2 was thus used alone or with 2B5 mAb to examine the role of IL-12 in vivo, Mo(p40)2 caused a dose-dependent inhibition of both the rise in serum IFN-gamma levels in mice injected with endotoxin and the Th1-like response to immunization with KLH. Treatment with mo(p40)2 plus 2B5 anti-moIL-12 mAb also suppressed DTH responses to methylated bovine serum albumin but not specific allogeneic CTL responses in vivo.

Biochemical properties and cellular localization of the Drosophila DG1 cGMP-dependent protein kinase.

The protein encoded by the Drosophila cGMP-dependent protein kinase gene, DG1, was expressed in Sf9 cells. cGMP (10 microM) stimulated histone H2B phosphorylation by the DG1 protein kinase 20-fold. Maximal activity was observed at 40-50 mM Mg2+.

Synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis contains a unique inhibitor of interleukin 1 alpha.

Objective: To partially purify and characterize a specific inhibitor of interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) activity from synovial fluids (SF) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: SF inhibitor of IL-1 alpha (SFI alpha) was partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, anion exchange chromatography, and chromatofocusing. Specificity of inhibition of IL-1 alpha activity was tested in T lymphocyte proliferation assays.

Reversal of dizocilpine-induced disruption of prepulse inhibition of an acoustic startle response by the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist ketanserin.

Prepulse inhibition can be reliably disrupted by non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonists such as dizocilpine. In recent study, we found that the potent D2/5-HT2 receptor antagonist, risperidone, but not the selective dopamine D2 receptor antagonist, raclopride, could reverse this disruption. The present study was therefore designed to examine the effect of the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, ketanserin, against a dizocilpine-induced disruption of prepulse inhibition, as well as the behavioural stereotypy produced by this drug.

The teleos virtual environment toolkit for simulation-based surgical education.

In the past, surgical simulations have largely been created through the development of dedicated applications that require considerable programming and computer graphics skills. Advances in simulation-based surgical education have been limited by this dependence on computer graphics programming expertise. To lower barriers to the adoption of simulation-based training, we are developing tools based on Teleos, software technology that allows a wide variety of medical content developers to author surgical training simulations without programming.

Examination of drug-induced and isolation-induced disruptions of prepulse inhibition as models to screen antipsychotic drugs.

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of an acoustic startle response is impaired in schizophrenics. PPI can also be studied in the rat, and is impaired by dopamine (DA) D2/3 receptor agonists such as apomorphine. This disruption is reversed by DA antagonists, leading to proposals that this approach may be a useful means to identify novel antipsychotics.

Age-associated impairments in a test of attention: evidence for involvement of cholinergic systems.

We trained three groups of rats, young (Y; 3 months at the start of study), middle aged (MA; 15 months), and aged (AG; 22 months), in the serial five-choice serial reaction time task, a test of attention. There were clear age-related differences in task acquisition: Y acquired the task quicker than MA rats, which learned faster than AG rats. A subgroup of AG rats [AG(I)] could not reach criterion (> 80% correct, < 20% omissions under standard conditions of 0.

Delayed subluxation of an occult traumatic odontoid fracture in an elderly patient.

The issue of whether a traumatic but occult cervical spine fracture can exist has generated significant debate in emergency medicine. The profound clinical and legal implications of missing an unstable cervical spine injury are well known to the emergency care provider. An elderly patient who satisfies all of the rigorous criteria for this type of injury is discussed.

Effect of scopolamine on visual attention in rats.

In the present study, the effects of scopolamine (SCOP) were determined upon the performance of rats in the five-choice serial reaction time task, a test of attention analogous to the continuous performance test in man. Rats were trained to detect and respond to brief flashes of light presented randomly in one of five locations until a stable level of performance was reached. SCOP (0.

Further studies to examine the nature of dexfenfluramine-induced suppression of heroin self-administration.

The present series of experiments sought to investigate further the mechanism by which dexfenfluramine, a selective 5-HT releaser/reuptake inhibitor, reduces heroin self-administration by male Wistar rats. In experiment 1, the effect of combined intravenous heroin and intraperitoneal dexfenfluramine injections on operant responding for food was examined. In experiment 2, the maintenance of dexfenfluramine suppression of heroin self-administration following chronic (7 day) treatment was evaluated.

Influence of prefeeding and scopolamine upon performance in a delayed matching-to-position task.

The present study compared the influence of prefeeding (0, 10, 20 g or an unlimited amount of food pellets for a 90 min period prior to testing) with the effects of scopolamine (0, 0.03, 0.075 or 0.

Internal quality assurance in a clinical virology laboratory. II. Internal quality control.

Aims: In April 1991 additional quality control procedures were introduced into the virology section of the Clinical Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory, Cambridge. Internal quality control (IQC) samples were gradually included in the serological assays performed in the laboratory and supplemented kit controls and standard sera.

Methods: From April 1991 to December 1993, 2421 IQC procedures were carried out with reference sera.

Internal quality assurance in a clinical virology laboratory. I. Internal quality assessment.

Aims: In April 1991 an internal quality assessment scheme (IQAS) was introduced into the virology section of the Clinical Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory, Cambridge. The IQAS was established to identify recurring technical and procedural problems, to check the adequacy of current techniques, and to calculate the frequency of errors.

Methods: Between April 1991 and December 1993, 715 anonymous clinical serum samples were submitted to the laboratory to test 3245 individual procedures of diagnostic viral serology.

Virtual reality surgery: implementation of a coronary angioplasty training simulator.

Present surgical education relies on a combination of observation, peer review, and practice on cadavers, and animals. In contrast, simulation technology, known as virtual reality, offers the ability to practice, hands-on surgical procedures in computer models that exhibit physical and physiological characteristics of living humans.

Dissociation of serotonergic regulation of anxiety and ethanol self-administration: a study with mCPP.

Alcohol dependence frequently co-exists with anxiety disorders, although it is unclear how these disorders functionally or neurochemically relate. Central serotonergic dysfunction may be one common factor. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the mixed 5-HT agonist m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) on both anxiety-related (hole board/plus maze) and ethanol self-administration (limited access procedure) behaviours in male Wistar rats.