Genetic characterisation of the Uruguayan Creole horse and analysis of relationships among horse breeds.

The genetic variability within the Uruguayan Creole horse and its relationship to a group of geographically or historically related breeds (Spanish Pure-bred, Barb, Quarter horse, Paso Fino, Peruvian Paso, Arabian and Thoroughbred horse), was evaluated using 25 loci (seven of blood groups, nine of protein polymorphisms and nine microsatellites) analyzed on a total of 145 Uruguayan Creole horses. In this study, blood group and protein polymorphism variants that are considered to be breed markers of Spanish Pure-bred and Barb horses were detected in the Creole breed. Conversely, some microsatellites and protein polymorphisms alleles were found uniquely in the Creole horse.

Synthesis and pharmacological activity of a series of dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazole-2,5(3H,6H)-diones, a novel class of potent cognition enhancers.

A series of dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazole-2,5(3H,6H)-diones were synthesized. These bicylic derivatives contain both the 2-pyrrolidinone and 4-imidazolidinone nuclei, already recognized as important for cognition enhancing activity. In addition, these structures maintain the backbone of piracetam and oxiracetam with the acetamide side chain restricted in a folded conformation.

Oxiracetam prevents the hippocampal cholinergic hypofunction induced by the NMDA receptor blocker AP7.

The intracerebroventricular injection of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist D,L-2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid (AP7) induces an increase of the hippocampal levels of acetylcholine (ACh) which is dose-dependent in the range 1.5-10 micrograms. Similar doses of AP7 failed to affect the ACh content of the striatum.

Oxiracetam antagonizes the disruptive effects of scopolamine on memory in the radial maze.

The effects exerted by oxiracetam on the disruption of performance induced by scopolamine in the radial arm maze were investigated in overtrained rats. Scopolamine induced a dose-related decrease in the efficiency of responding and an increase of running time. The effect of the SC injection of 0.