Sucrose ingestion induces rapid AMPA receptor trafficking.

The mechanisms by which natural rewards such as sugar affect synaptic transmission and behavior are largely unexplored. Here, we investigate regulation of nucleus accumbens synapses by sucrose intake. Previous studies have shown that AMPA receptor (AMPAR) trafficking is a major mechanism for regulating synaptic strength, and that in vitro, trafficking of AMPARs containing the GluA1 subunit takes place by a two-step mechanism involving extrasynaptic and then synaptic receptor transport.

Molecular modeling of a phenyl-amidine class of NMDA receptor antagonists and the rational design of new triazolyl-amidine derivatives.

Recently, many efforts have been made to develop N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor antagonists for treating different pathological conditions such as thrombo-embolic stroke, traumatic head injury, Huntington's, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's diseases). However, as side-effects limit the use of most antagonists, new drugs are still required. In this work, we performed a (quantitative) structure-activity relationship analysis of 17 phenyl-amidine derivatives (1a-1q), reported as N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor antagonists, and used this data to rationally design the triazolyl-amidines.

Differential adenosine uptake in mixed neuronal/glial or purified glial cultures of avian retinal cells: modulation by adenosine metabolism and the ERK cascade.

Adenosine is an important modulator of neuronal survival and differentiation in the CNS. Our previous work showed that nucleoside transporters (NTs) are present in cultures of chick retinal cells, but little is known about the mechanisms regulating adenosine transport in these cultures. Our aim in the present work was to study the participation of the adenosine metabolism as well as the ERK pathway on adenosine uptake in different types of retinal cultures (mixed and purified glial cultures).

Activity-dependent regulation of surface glucose transporter-3.

Glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3) is the main facilitative glucose transporter in neurons. Glucose provides neurons with a critical energy source for neuronal activity. However, the mechanism by which neuronal activity controls glucose influx via GLUT3 is unknown.

Longitudinal Study on the Natural Infection of Biomphalaria straminea and B. glabrata by Schistosoma mansoni in an Endemic Area of Schistosomiasis in Pernambuco, Brazil.

The abundance of snail hosts and the rates of infection with Schistosoma mansoni were monitored monthly for four years in two representative localities subjected to repeated chemotherapy of infected persons. Snail abundance varied from 1.0 to 4.