Search Results - (Author, Cooperation:A. C. Collins)

2013-09-06

Nature Publishing Group (NPG)

0028-0836

1476-4687

Biology

Chemistry and Pharmacology

Medicine

Natural Sciences in General

Physics

Animals ; Autophagy/immunology ; Bone Marrow Cells/microbiology ; Drosophila melanogaster/genetics/*immunology/metabolism/*microbiology ; Female ; Immunity, Innate/*immunology ; Lysine/metabolism ; Macrophages/microbiology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mitochondria/metabolism/pathology ; Mitochondrial Degradation ; Models, Immunological ; Mycobacterium marinum/*immunology ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis/growth & development/*immunology/metabolism ; Polyubiquitin/chemistry/metabolism ; Salmonella typhimurium/*immunology ; Symbiosis/immunology ; Tuberculosis/enzymology/immunology/microbiology/pathology ; Ubiquitin/analysis/chemistry/metabolism ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases/chemistry/deficiency/*immunology/metabolism

1471-4159

Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Medicine

Abstract: The effects of extracellular calcium on functional properties of nicotinic receptors from mouse thalamus were investigated. Previous studies have reported that calcium modulates the function of several neuronal nicotinic receptors. A 86Rb+ ion efflux assay was developed to measure nicotinic receptor function from brain tissue, and data indicate that α4β2 receptors may mediate this response. Using the 86Rb+ efflux assay, calcium effects on receptor activation, desensitization induced by high, activating and low, subactivating concentrations of agonist, and recovery from desensitization were examined. Effects of calcium on the kinetics of ligand binding were also investigated. Calcium modulated receptor activation by increasing the maximal response to nicotine in a concentration-dependent manner, without affecting the EC50 of nicotine. Barium, but not magnesium, mimicked the effects of calcium on receptor activation. The increase in receptor activation could not be explained by changes in the ratio of activatable to desensitized receptors as assessed by the kinetics of ligand binding. Desensitization following activation was unaffected by calcium. Calcium, barium, and magnesium, however, increased the potency of nicotine for desensitization induced by exposure to low, subactivating concentrations of nicotine. Recovery from desensitization was not modulated by calcium. These data suggest that calcium modulates various functional aspects of nicotinic receptors from mouse brain and may do so via different mechanisms.

Electronic Resource

1749-6632

Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Natural Sciences in General

Electronic Resource

1432-0428

Diabetes mellitus ; urinary albumin ; sample storage temperature ; sample handling ; immunoturbidimetry ; radioimmunoassay

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Summary Microalbuminuria is a predictor of persistent proteinuria, renal failure and cardiovascular disease and therefore accurate determination of urinary albumin concentration is important. We examined the stability of albumin in urine under different conditions of storage, temperature and sample preparation. There was no significant difference in urinary albumin concentration between fresh urine and urine stored at either 4°C or 20°C for up to 7 days. Similarly in urine samples from diabetic patients there was no significant difference in albumin concentration at levels ranging from 1.3 to 1999.3 mg/l between fresh urine at 4°C and urine stored frozen for 1 week, 1 month or 6 months. Neither storage temperature (−20°C or −40°C) nor centrifugation of sample prior to assay made a significant difference to the albumin concentration. Multiple freezing and thawing of urine samples during 6 weeks of storage at −20°C made no difference to albumin concentrations. Storage of urine samples in either polypropylene, polystyrene or borosilicate glass tubes did not result in a significant change in urinary albumin concentration after either 1 week or 1 month at −20°C although, after 1 month of storage, urinary albumin concentrations tended to be lower by an average of approximately 7%. In tubes to which gelatine had been added this was reduced to 4%. We conclude that fresh urine can be kept at 4°C or 20°C for up to 7 days. Frozen urine samples can be stored for up to 6 months before assay without any loss of albumin concentration. Polypropylene, polystyrene or borosilicate glass tubes are acceptable containers for short-term storage and samples can simply be thoroughly thawed and vortex mixed immediately prior to assay.

Electronic Resource

1432-2072

Nicotine ; Bungarotoxin ; Cholinergic receptor binding ; Corticosterone ; Glucocorticoids ; Adrenalectomy

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Abstract Glucocorticoid regulation of nicotine sensitivity was investigated in adrenalectomized (ADX) and sham-operated C3H mice administered chronic corticosterone (CCS) replacement therapy. Hormone pellets (60% CCS or pure cholesterol) were implanted at the time of surgery and animals were tested for nicotine sensitivity in a battery of behavioral and physiological tests. ADX-induced increases in nicotine sensitivity were reversed by chronic CCS replacement. Sham-operated animals that received CCS supplementation were subsensitive to the effects of nicotine. In both ADX and sham-operated animals, chronic CCS administration induced a decrease in the number of CNS nicotinic cholinergic receptors labeled by alpha-[125I]-bungarotoxin. Binding was decreased by 30–60% depending on brain region; no changes in affinity (K d ) were detected. The number of brain nicotinic sites labeled by [3H]-nicotine was unaltered following 1 week of chronic CCS administration. These data support the hypothesis that glucocorticoids modulate nicotine sensitivity in the C3H mouse. In animals chronically treated with CCS, nicotine tolerance may be due to CCS-induced changes in nicotinic cholinergic receptor binding or the presence of high CCS titers at the time of testing.

Electronic Resource

1432-2072

Nicotine ; Genetics ; Self-administration ; Reinforcement ; Seizures

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Abstract Inbred mouse strains differ in sensitivity to a first dose of nicotine and in the development of tolerance to nicotine. The experiments reported here used six inbred mouse strains (A, BUB, C3H, C57BL/6, DBA/2, ST/b) that differ in sensitivity to an acute challenge dose of nicotine to determine whether differences in oral self-selection of nicotine exist. Animals were presented with solutions containing nicotine or vehicle (water or 0.2% saccharin) and their daily intake of the two fluids was measured for 4 days starting with a 10 µg/ml nicotine solution. This was followed by sequential 4-day testing with 20, 35, 50, 65, 80, 100, 125, 160, and 200 µg/ml nicotine solutions. The strains differed dramatically in their self-selection of nicotine and in maximal daily dose (mg/kg); the rank order of the strains was C57BL/6〉DBA〉BUB〉A≥C3H≥ST/b for both the tap water and 0.2% saccharin choice experiments. Correlations between nicotine consumption and sensitivity to nicotine, as measured by a battery of behavioral and physiological responses, were also calculated. Strain differences in nicotine intake were highly correlated with senstivity to nicotine-induced seizures. As senstivity to nicotine-in-duced seizures increases, oral self-selection of nicotine decreases. This finding may suggest that this toxic action of nicotine serves to limit intake.

Electronic Resource

1432-2072

Methaqualone ; Tolerance ; Physical dependence ; Addiction ; Flurothyl ; Mice

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Abstract Tolerance and physical dependence was produced in C57B1/6 male mice that had been exposed, for 36 days, to methaqualone in food pellets via an automated system. Tolerance was revealed in the reduction of sleep-times following intraperitoneal injection of methaqualone. Physical dependence was manifested as an alteration in neural sensitivity to flurothyl-induced convulsions.

Electronic Resource

1573-8604

phylogenetics ; biogeography ; speciation ; Ateles ; evolution

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Biology

Abstract We used the results of phylogenetic analyses of relationships among spider monkeys (Ateles) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA to investigate questions of their evolutionary origins and speciation mechanisms. We employed the concept of a local molecular clock to date nodes of interest (corresponding to hypothesized species and subspecies) in the various phylograms for comparison to hypothesized biogeographical events that might have affected speciation. We considered various mechanisms—Pleistocene refuge formation, riverine barriers, geological fluctuations, and ecological changes associated with these mechanisms—for their contribution to speciation in Ateles. Most speciation among the various species of Ateles occurred during the middle to late Pliocene, suggesting that Pleistocene refuge formation was not a key speciation mechanism. However, it is likely that the genetic structure of populations of Ateles was modified to some extent by refuge formation. Additionally, riverine barriers do not seem to interrupt gene flow significantly among Ateles. No river formed a barrier among species of Ateles, with the exception of the lower Amazon and possibly some of the black-water rivers draining the Guianan highlands. Large-scale geographic changes associated with the continued rise of the eastern and western cordilleras of the northern Andes and associated changes in habitat were the most important causes of speciation in Ateles. The various factors that modify genetic structure in Ateles are important to consider in order to protect endangered primate genera in the Neotropics.

Electronic Resource

1573-8604

phylogenetics ; taxonomy ; systematic ; Ateles ; Cebidae

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Biology

Abstract Our goal was to determine phylogenetic relationships among geographically and taxonomically distinct haplotypes of spider monkeys (Ateles) based on DNA sequence variation for the mitochondrial DNA control region and cytochrome c oxidase subunit II gene. We obtained samples from most previously recognized subspecies of Ateles, ranging from Central America throughout the Amazon Basin, to determine phylogenetic relationships among racially recognized groups. Comparison of DNA sequences using both parsimony analysis and genetic distance analysis produced phylogenetic relationships that were very similar for each genetic region. We analyzed the phylograms produced, along with associated bootstrap support, confidence probabilities, and genetic distances between taxonomic groups, to identify four monophyletic species of Ateles: Ateles paniscus, composed of haplotypes from the northeastern Amazon Basin; A. belzebuth in the southern Amazon Basin; A. hybridus, located primarily along the Magdalena River valley of Colombia; and A. geoffroyi, which includes two former species: A. geoffroyi and A. fusciceps. This arrangement is contradictory to long-held taxonomies of Ateles based on pelage variation and is similar to a recent analysis based on craniodental variation. Results of this investigation suggest patterns of gene flow, evolutionary relationships, and speciation patterns that are more plausible than previous pelage-based taxonomies, which required seemingly impossible patterns of gene flow. Conservation efforts aimed at protecting Ateles, one of the Neotropics most endangered genera, will also benefit from the findings presented in this paper.

Electronic Resource