Interactions between location and task affect the spatial and directional firing of hippocampal neurons.

When rats forage for randomly dispersed food in a high walled cylinder the firing of their hippocampal "place" cells exhibits little dependence on the direction faced by the rat. On radial arm mazes and similar tasks, place cells are strongly directionally selective within their fields. These tasks differ in several respects, including the visual environment, configuration of the traversable space, motor behavior (e.

NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester protects against lipid peroxidation in the gerbil following cerebral ischaemia.

The aim of this study was to assess the role of nitric oxide (NO) in lipid peroxidation following 5 min of bilateral carotid occlusion in the Mongolian gerbil. The study consisted of 4 experimental groups (n = 10). Animals were either sham operated, subjected to bilateral carotid occlusion or administered the NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (10 mg/kg i.

SSRI differentiation: Pharmacology and pharmacokinetics.

Although the acute pharmacology properties of antidepressants is predominantly due to their presynaptic action, their therapeutic activity is believed to derive from adaptive post-synaptic changes in monoaminergic neurones. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) exhibit differences in potency at inhibiting serotonin reuptake, although the differences do not correlate with clinical posology. There are also differences in their effects on neurotransmitter receptors; paroxetine has a slight affinity for muscarinic cholinergic receptors whilst citalopram has a slight affinity for histamine-H1 receptors.

The sigma receptor ligand JO 1784 (igmesine hydrochloride) is neuroprotective in the gerbil model of global cerebral ischaemia.

To assess the effects of the novel sigma receptor ligand JO 1784 ((+)-N-cyclopropyl-methyl-N-methyl-1,4-diphenyl-1-yl-but-3-en-1-ylami ne, hydrochloride or igmesine hydrochloride) on behavioural and histological changes following cerebral ischaemia, the gerbil model of cerebral ischaemia was used. Two experiments were carried out. In the first animals were either sham operated, subjected to 5 min of bilateral carotid occlusion or administered JO 1784 (25, 50, 75 or 100 mg/kg p.

Interleukin-2-induced changes in behavioural, neurotransmitter, and immunological parameters in the olfactory bulbectomized rat.

The macrophage theory of depression proposes that abnormal secretions of the macrophage cytokines, an increase in interleukin (IL) 1, and a decrease in IL-2 may cause depression. The olfactory bulbectomized (OB) rat has been developed as an animal model of depression. In the present study, the effects of intracerebroventricular administration of IL-2 (10 U) for 7 days on behaviour, neurotransmitter concentrations, corticosterone levels, and some immune functions were investigated.

The effect of 2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid (AP-3) in the gerbil model of cerebral ischaemia.

The effect of 2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate (AP-3), a metabotropic glutamate receptor antagonist on behavioral and histological changes following global ischaemia was investigated on the Mongolian gerbil. Ischaemia was induced by bilateral carotid occlusion for 5 min. AP-3 was administered i.

Transient memory impairment in monkeys with bilateral lesions of the entorhinal cortex.

Performance on five behavioral tasks was assessed post-operatively in Macaca fascicularis monkeys prepared with bilateral lesions of the entorhinal cortex (E group). Three of the tasks were also readministered 9-14 months after surgery. Initial learning of the delayed nonmatching-to-sample (DNMS) task was impaired in the E animals relative to unoperated control monkeys.

222Rn progeny surface deposition and resuspension--residential materials.

The radiological hazard of radon gas to occupants in residential environments is from the particulate progeny 218Po, 214Pb, 214Bi, and 214Po, rather than 222Rn itself. Attachment to aerosols, plateout, and resuspension impact on the progeny airborne concentrations. Plateout rate and resuspension factors were measured for air change (ventilation) rates, 0.

Photoaffinity labeling of cottonseed microsomal N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine synthase protein with a substrate analogue, 12-[(4-azidosalicyl)amino]dodecanoic acid.

N-Acylphosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE), an unusual acylated derivative of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), is synthesized from free fatty acids and PE in cotton seedlings (Chapman and Moore (1993) Plant Physiol. 102(3), 761-769). Here we use a photoreactive dodecanoic acid analogue, [12-(4-azidosalicy)amino]dodecanoic acid (ASD), and its 125I-labeled derivative to identify a protein subunit which corresponds to this cottonseed NAPE synthase activity.

Effects of JO 1784, a selective sigma ligand, on the autoradiographic localization of M1 and M2 muscarinic receptor subtypes in trimethyltin treated rats.

The distribution patterns of M1 and M2 muscarinic receptor subtypes following TMT and JO 1784 administration in the male Sprague-Dawley rat were investigated. In the present study, JO 1784 was injected in doses of 1, 4 and 16 mg/kg i.p.

Rapid purification of cotton seed membrane-bound N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine synthase by immobilized artificial membrane chromatography.

N-Acylphosphatidylethanolamine synthase (NAPES) is a membrane-bound enzyme present in cotton seedlings at a concentration of < or = 0.02% of the total protein. NAPES was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity in a single chromatographic step using immobilized artificial membrane (IAM) chromatography.

Further characterization of the inhibition of platelet aggregation by a plasma factor(s) in unmedicated unipolar depressed patients.

To investigate further the inhibition of platelet aggregation by a plasma factor(s) in unipolar depression, a series of assays were performed in which the platelet-rich plasma of a male volunteer was preincubated with the plasma of either unmedicated unipolar depressed patients or age-matched controls. Platelet aggregation was initiated by the following aggregating agents; ADP (10 and 2.5 microM), ADP/5HT (0.

Effects of cooperative learning groups during social studies for students with autism and fourth-grade peers.

We investigated the use of cooperative learning groups as an instructional strategy for integrating 2 students with autism into a fourth-grade social studies class. Baseline consisted of 40 min of teacher-led sessions including lecture, questions and discussion with students, and the use of maps. The intervention condition consisted of 10 min of teacher introduction of new material, followed by cooperative learning groups that included tutoring on key words and facts, a team activity, and a whole class wrap-up and review.

The neuroprotective effect of tacrine on trimethyltin induced memory and muscarinic receptor dysfunction in the rat.

In this study chronic (39 days) tacrine (3 mg/kg i.p.) treatment significantly improved trimethyltin (8 mg/kg i.

Phencyclidine prevents spatial navigation and passive avoidance deficits in ibotenate lesioned rats.

The potential neuroprotective effects of phencyclidine (5 mg/kg i.p.) were assessed in rats which had been treated with the excitotoxin, ibotenic acid (IBO) (0.

Changes in muscarinic (M1 and M2 subtypes) and phencyclidine receptor density in the rat brain following trimethyltin intoxication.

The main purpose of this study was to determine whether one or both of the muscarinic receptor subtypes (M1 and M2) contributed to the total cholinergic receptor loss found in trimethyltin (TMT) treated rats and to assess the effect of TMT on phencyclidine (PCP) receptor density in several regions of the rat brain. The distribution and changes in muscarinic (M1 and M2) receptor and PCP receptor sites were analysed by means of quantitative autoradiography using [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) and [3H] N-(1-(2-thienyl) cyclohexyl) 3,4-piperidine (TCP) respectively. The results demonstrate a TMT induced decrease in [3H]QNB binding in a large number of brain regions particularly the hippocampal formation, for both M1 and M2 muscarinic receptor subtypes.

The effect of tianeptine and sertraline in three animal models of depression.

The activity of tianeptine (2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg twice daily, i.

NG-Nitro-L-arginine protects against ischaemia-induced increases in nitric oxide and hippocampal neuro-degeneration in the gerbil.

To assess the effects of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-Nitro-L-arginine on behavioural, biochemical and histological changes following global ischaemia, the Mongolian gerbil was used. Ischaemia was induced by bilateral carotid occlusion for 5 min. NG-Nitro-L-arginine was administered i.

Enhanced small group instruction using choral responding and student interaction for children with autism and developmental disabilities.

The use of effective instructional strategies in small groups was investigated to determine learning effects for 24 elementary age students with autism and developmental disabilities. Effective strategies included (a) the use of choral responding; (b) the use of student-to-student responding; (c) the rotation of materials every 5 minutes during the 30-minute group while teaching 2 to 3 concepts; and (d) the use of random, unpredictable trials for student responding. Thirty-minute language groups were targeted to teach receptive and expressive skills using pictures and common objects across five categories (e.

Alteration by a plasma factor(s) of platelet aggregation in unmedicated unipolar depressed patients.

To investigate whether a plasma factor(s) modulates platelet aggregation in unipolar depression, a series of assays were performed in which the platelet rich plasma of a male volunteer was preincubated with the plasma of either unmedicated unipolar depressed patients or age and sex matched controls. Platelet aggregation was initiated by the addition of a number aggregating agents (ADP, ADP/5-HT, adrenaline, noradrenaline, collagen, thrombin and ristocetin) acting on different platelet membrane receptors. The plasma of depressed patients significantly reduced the platelet aggregatory response for each of the aggregating agents used.

Caring for medically fragile children at home: the parent-professional relationship.

Forty-eight mothers and fathers caring for a medically fragile child at home completed questionnaires and were interviewed about the impact of this caregiving on their family and about their relationship with home care professionals. Factors contributing to a positive parent-professional relationship were professional competence, genuine caring for the child, and respectful, supportive collaboration with the family. More hours of care provided by home health aides increased mothers' strain with the professional caregivers; more hours of care from nurses increased fathers' strain.