The impact of sodium reduction on overall nutrient content in Child and Adult Care Food Program meals.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the impact of Na reduction on the nutrient content of Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meals served through At-Risk Afterschool Meals (ARASM) without compromising the nutritional quality of the meals served. DESIGN: Sodium Reduction in Communities Program (SRCP) partnered with a CACFP ARASM programme from October 2016 to September 2021. We assessed changes in Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015) food component scores and macro- and micronutrients using cross-sectional nutrient analyses of October 2016 and 2020 menus. SETTING: ARASM programme sites in Indianapolis, IN, USA. PARTICIPANTS: October 2016 and 2020 menus from one CACFP ARASM programme. INTERVENTION: Na reduction strategies included implementing food service guidelines, modifying meal components, changing procurement practices and facilitating environmental changes to promote lower Na items. RESULTS: From baseline in 2016 to 2020, fifteen meal components were impacted by the intervention, which impacted 17 (85 %) meals included in the analysis. Average Na per meal reduced significantly between 2016 (837·9 mg) and 2020 (627·9 mg) (P = 0·002). Between 2016 and 2020, there were significant increases in whole grains (P = 0·003) and total vegetables (P < 0·001) and significant reductions in refined grains (P = 0·001) and Na (P = 0·02), all per 1000 kcal served. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that Na content can be reduced in CACFP meals without compromising the nutritional quality of meals served. Future studies are needed to identify feasible best practices and policies to reduce Na content in the CACFP meal pattern.

Using amplicon sequencing of rpoB for identification of inoculant rhizobia from peanut nodules.

To improve the nitrogen fixation, legume crops are often inoculated with selected effective rhizobia. However, there is large variation in how well the inoculant strains compete with the indigenous microflora in soil. To assess the success of the inoculant, it is necessary to distinguish it from other, closely related strains. Methods used until now have generally been based either on fingerprinting methods or on the use of reporter genes. Nevertheless, these methods have their shortcomings, either because they do not provide sufficiently specific information on the identity of the inoculant strain, or because they use genetically modified organisms that need prior authorization to be applied in the field or other uncontained environments. Another possibility is to target a gene that is naturally present in the bacterial genomes. Here we have developed a method that is based on amplicon sequencing of the bacterial housekeeping gene rpoB, encoding the beta-subunit of the RNA polymerase, which has been proposed as an alternative to the 16S rRNA gene to study the diversity of rhizobial populations in soils. We evaluated the method under laboratory and field conditions. Peanut seeds were inoculated with various Bradyrhizobium strains. After nodule development, DNA was extracted from selected nodules and the nodulating rhizobia were analysed by amplicon sequencing of the rpoB gene. The analyses of the sequence data showed that the method reliably identified bradyrhizobial strains in nodules, at least at the species level, and could be used to assess the competitiveness of the inoculant compared to other bradyrhizobia.

Sodium Reduction in Distributive Meals Through Speed-Scratch Cooking.

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES: Through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Sodium Reduction in Communities Program, the Marion County Public Health Department and partners implemented sodium reduction strategies in distributive meal programs (ie, low- or no-cost meals available to under-resourced populations) to meet the long-term goal of reducing the burden of sodium-related chronic disease among adults aged 60 or older. The purpose of our study was to evaluate results from the first 2 years of the program, which modified recipes to reduce overall sodium levels through speed-scratch cooking (combining prepared food products with those made from scratch). INTERVENTION APPROACH: We modified recipes to reduce sodium content in 2 potato products served frequently as side dishes in distributive programs for older adults for congregate meals - those provided to groups in a community setting - and home-delivered meals. EVALUATION METHODS: We compared average sodium content of a 3-month menu cycle between 2 program years, the costs and consumer acceptance of recipe modifications, and consumer perceptions of product changes. Primary data included a nutrient analysis and key informant interviews. RESULTS: Approximately 2,000 distributive meal clients of CICOA Aging and In-Home Solutions were served reduced-sodium potato dishes over the 2 years of the intervention. From year 1 to year 2, the sodium content of scalloped potatoes was reduced by 65%, and the sodium content of mashed potatoes was reduced by 87%. Client acceptance of the modified recipes met the target threshold of a mean Likert-scale score of 3.75 out of 5.0, and the combined cost savings for both potato dishes was 45 cents per serving. Key informants noted the themes of economics of cost and labor, knowledge of how to identify reduced sodium options, and quality of the replacement food as essential factors for recipe modification. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: Using speed-scratch recipe modification for 2 potato dishes significantly reduced the sodium content of distributive meals for older adults. Speed-scratch recipe modification can be used as a tool to improve the nutritional value of meals and reduce the chronic disease burden of high-risk populations.

De novo truncating variants in the intronless IRF2BPL are responsible for developmental epileptic encephalopathy.

PURPOSE: Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are severe clinical conditions characterized by stagnation or decline of cognitive and behavioral abilities preceded, accompanied or followed by seizures. Because DEEs are clinically and genetically heterogeneous, next-generation sequencing, especially exome sequencing (ES), is becoming a first-tier strategy to identify the molecular etiologies of these disorders. METHODS: We combined ES analysis and international data sharing. RESULTS: We identified 11 unrelated individuals with DEE and de novo heterozygous truncating variants in the interferon regulatory factor 2-binding protein-like gene (IRF2BPL). The 11 individuals allowed for delineation of a consistent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by mostly normal initial psychomotor development followed by severe global neurological regression and epilepsy with nonspecific electroencephalogram (EEG) abnormalities and variable central nervous system (CNS) anomalies. IRF2BPL, also known as enhanced at puberty protein 1 (EAP1), encodes a transcriptional regulator containing a C-terminal RING-finger domain common to E3 ubiquitin ligases. This domain is required for its repressive and transactivating transcriptional properties. The variants identified are expected to encode a protein lacking the C-terminal RING-finger domain. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the causative role of truncating IRF2BPL variants in pediatric neurodegeneration and expand the spectrum of transcriptional regulators identified as molecular factors implicated in genetic developmental and epileptic encephalopathies.

Previously undiagnosed attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder associated with poor metabolic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Managing modern diabetes treatment requires efficient executive functions. Patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and type 1 diabetes have poor metabolic control and present with ketoacidosis more often than patients without ADHD. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether patients with type 1 diabetes and with indications of executive problems met criteria for ADHD, and to investigate whether these patients had difficulties achieving metabolic control. METHODS: In a hospital-based study, including 3 pediatric departments at hospitals in Stockholm and Uppsala, Sweden, questionnaires regarding executive problems had been filled out by 12- to 18-year-old patients with type 1 diabetes and their parents. Out of 166 patients with completed questionnaires, 49 were selected for a clinical study due to reported executive problems/ADHD symptoms. However, 7 already had a diagnosis of ADHD, 21 denied follow-up, 8 did not respond, leaving 13 adolescents for the clinical assessment. RESULTS: Of the clinically assessed adolescents, 9 (6 girls) met criteria for ADHD. Patients who did not respond to the follow-up and patients who were diagnosed with ADHD within the study, showed to a larger extent than the other study groups high HbA1c levels (>70 mmol/mol, 8,6%). HbA1c >70 mmol/mol (8.6%) was associated with diagnosed ADHD (prior to or within the study), odds ratio 2.96 (95% confidence interval 1.02-8.60). CONCLUSION: Patients with type 1 diabetes and poor metabolic control should be assessed with regard to ADHD. There is a need for paying special attention to girls with poor metabolic control.

Increasing the illumination slowly over several weeks protects against light damage in the eyes of the crustacean Mysis relicta.

The eyes of two glacial-relict populations of opossum shrimp Mysis relicta inhabiting the different photic environments of a deep, dark-brown freshwater lake and a variably lit bay of the Baltic Sea differ in their susceptibility to functional depression from strong light exposures. The lake population is much more vulnerable than the sea population. We hypothesized that the difference reflects physiological adaptation mechanisms operating on long time scales rather than genetically fixed differences between the populations. To test this, we studied how acclimation to ultra-slowly increased illumination (on time scales of several weeks to months) affected the resilience of the eyes to bright-light exposures. Light responses of whole eyes were measured by electroretinography, the visual-pigment content of single rhabdoms by microspectrophotometry and the structural integrity of photoreceptor cells by electron microscopy (EM). Slow acclimation mitigated and even abolished the depression of photoresponsiveness caused by strong light exposures, making a dramatic difference especially in the lake animals. Still, acclimation in the sea animals was faster and the EM studies suggested intrinsic differences in the dynamics of microvillar membrane cycling. In conclusion, we report a novel form of physiological adaptation to general light levels, effective on the time scale of seasonal changes. It explains part but not all of the differences in light tolerance between the lake and sea populations.

Galega orientalis is more diverse than Galega officinalis in Caucasus--whole-genome AFLP analysis and phylogenetics of symbiosis-related genes.

Legume plants can obtain combined nitrogen for their growth in an efficient way through symbiosis with specific bacteria. The symbiosis between Rhizobium galegae and its host plant Galega is an interesting case where the plant species G. orientalis and G. officinalis form effective, nitrogen-fixing, symbioses only with the appropriate rhizobial counterpart, R. galegae bv. orientalis and R. galegae bv. officinalis, respectively. The symbiotic properties of nitrogen-fixing rhizobia are well studied, but more information is needed on the properties of the host plants. The Caucasus region in Eurasia has been identified as the gene centre (centre of origin) of G. orientalis, although both G. orientalis and G. officinalis can be found in this region. In this study, the diversity of these two Galega species in Caucasus was investigated to test the hypothesis that in this region G. orientalis is more diverse than G. officinalis. The amplified fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting performed here showed that the populations of G. orientalis and R. galegae bv. orientalis are more diverse than those of G. officinalis and R. galegae bv. officinalis, respectively. These results support the centre of origin status of Caucasus for G. orientalis at a genetic level. Analysis of the symbiosis-related plant genes NORK and Nfr5 reveals remarkable diversity within the Nfr5 sequence, although no evidence of adaptive evolution could be found.

Costs and benefits of polyandry in a placental poeciliid fish Heterandria formosa are in accordance with the parent-offspring conflict theory of placentation.

In viviparous species, a conflict over maternal resource allocation may arise between mothers and embryos, between siblings, and between maternal and paternal genes within an embryo due to relatedness asymmetries. We performed two experiments to study the effects of polyandry and brood relatedness on offspring growth in a placental fish (Heterandria formosa). Polyandry was beneficial as it increased the probability of pregnancy, possibly to avoid genetic incompatibility. However, females mated to four males produced offspring that had a longer maturation time than those of monandrous females. When within-brood relatedness was manipulated, the size of the newborn offspring decreased with time in low-relatedness treatment, whereas in highly related broods, offspring size was constant. Low within-brood relatedness may lead to less cooperative offspring in terms of resource extraction from the mother, which may lead to impaired development during gestation. Offspring conflict may thus reduce the benefits of polyandry in viviparous species.

Strong inbreeding depression in male mating behaviour in a poeciliid fish.

The magnitude of inbreeding depression is often larger in traits closely related to fitness, such as survival and fecundity, compared to morphological traits. Reproductive behaviour is also closely associated with fitness, and therefore expected to show strong inbreeding depression. Despite this, little is known about how reproductive behaviour is affected by inbreeding. Here we show that one generation of full-sib mating results in a decrease in male reproductive performance in the least killifish (Heterandria formosa). Inbred males performed less gonopodial thrusts and thrust attempts than outbred males (delta = 0.38). We show that this behaviour is closely linked with fitness as gonopodial performance correlates with paternity success. Other traits that show inbreeding depression are offspring viability (delta = 0.06) and maturation time of males (delta = 0.19) and females (delta = 0.14). Outbred matings produced a female biased sex ratio whereas inbred matings produced an even sex ratio.

[Diversity and phylogeny of rhizobia isolated from root nodules of Sesbania cannabina in Jinshajiang arid river valley].

OBJECTIVE: To study the diversity and phylogeny of Rhizobia strains from Sesbania cannabina in Jinshajiang arid river valley in Sichuan province, China. METHODS: We used numerical taxonomy, 16S rDNA PCR-Restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP), sequences analysis of 16S rDNA and Glutamine synthetaseII(GS II)genes. RESULTS: Based on the dendrograms generated from numerical taxonomy, the strains were clustered into 6 groups at the similarity of 93%. Four groups were closely related to type strains of R .tropici, R.etli, S. saheli, A .rubi respectively, and two groups were separated with type strains. The results of 16S rDNA PCR-RFLP were in good agreement with that of numerical taxonomy, only two separated groups showed some differences. SCAU176 and SCAU144 representing the strains of two separated groups were selected for sequence analysis .The results of 16S rDNA sequence indicated that SCAU176 and SCAU144 were related to type strains R. huautlense, and the homology coefficient with R. huautlense was 100% and 98.9% respectively. GS II sequence analysis revealed that SCAU176 and SCAU144 were clustered together, and the homology coefficient with the nearest type strains R. tropici was below 90%. CONCLUSION: Rhizobia of Sesbania cannabina in Jinshajiang arid river valley are highly diverse, they are closely related to Rhizobium, Sinorhizobium and Agrobacterium.

Serological and immunochemical characterization of anti-PP1Pk (anti-Tja) antibodies in blood group little p individuals. Blood group A type 4 recognition due to internal binding.

Serum samples from 13 blood group little p individuals were tested by radioimmunoassay for their IgG antibody subclass distribution against the P, P1 and Pk antigens. There was no uniform subclass distribution pattern, although all but one had IgG3 antibodies against all the P system antigens tested. Studies were performed adsorbing anti-Tja serum sequentially to columns with synthetic carbohydrate antigenic determinants within the P system coupled to silica beads (SynsorbsR). The effect on agglutinin and indirect antiglobulin titers was determined after adsorption to SynsorbsR with different P-system antigens (P1, Pk, P). Adsorption to all the three SynsorbsR was needed to eliminate or strongly reduce antibody titers. The effect on IgM, IgG, IgA as well as IgG subclass antibody binding to P, P1 and Pk antigens was also determined by radioimmunoassay and chromatogram binding assay. Anti-PP1Pk antibodies from a little p woman with repeated abortions were shown to bind to glycosphingolipid antigens prepared from one of the aborted placentae using a chromatogram binding assay. This binding was eliminated by serum adsorption to SynsorbsR with P1, Pk and P carbohydrates. Anti-PP1Pk antibodies were also shown to bind to extended structures in the globoseries, i.e. globopentaosylceramide, globohexaosylceramide (globo-H) and globoheptaosylceramide (globo-A). This binding is most probably due to antibodies recognizing internal sequences in the carbohydrate chain. Attempts were made to visualize the binding epitope of the antibodies by computer molecular modelling.

Increased expression of the lactate dehydrogenase M subunit in myocardial regions with decreased thallium uptake.

OBJECTIVE: In ischaemic heart disease, the heart muscle is subjected to repeated episodes of regional ischaemia or to a constant underperfusion. The purpose of the present investigation was to study the myocardial metabolic adaptation to this stress. METHODS: Eighteen male patients with ischaemic heart disease were studied by biopsies taken from the left ventricular septum during bypass surgery. Citrate synthase, total lactate dehydrogenase and its H and M subunits, coenzyme Q10, and myoglobin were determined in all biopsies. Concentrations of ATP, ADP, and AMP were determined and energy charge calculated in the biopsies from the patients with ischaemic heart disease. Biopsies from the septal region of hearts obtained from brain dead kidney and liver donors were used as reference and preoperative myocardial thallium scintigraphy was performed in the patients with ischaemic heart disease to relate the myocardial biochemical markers to thallium uptake at the biopsy site. RESULTS: Myocardial activities of citrate synthase as well as contents of coenzyme Q10 and myoglobin in patients with ischaemic heart disease were not different from those of the reference group, and no linear relation was found between these three markers on the one hand and thallium uptake on the other. The energy charge was directly related and the M subunit of lactate dehydrogenase inversely related to the thallium uptake. CONCLUSION: The results suggest an absence of adaptation to ischaemia in terms of increased myocardial oxidative capacity and O2 transport and storage capacity. Furthermore, it is indicated that a stressed energy metabolism with increasing severity of ischaemic heart disease enhances anaerobic metabolism and induces a shift in myocardial lactate dehydrogenase subunit fractions.

Expression of Rhizobium galegae common nod clones in various backgrounds.

The cosmid clone pRg30, carrying common nodulation genes of Rhizobium galegae HAMBI 1174, and pRg33, a subclone of pRg30 that contains a 5.7-kb ClaI insert carrying nodDABC were conjugated into various Rhizobium nod- mutant strains and into a Ti plasmid-cured Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Complementation and expression of the nodABC genes of R. galegae were studied by following microscopically the infection process and the nodulation on different test plants. The nodABC genes of R. galegae complemented the nod- strains of other Rhizobium species. The presence of extra copies of common nod genes in the homologous R. galegae nodABC- strain induced an increased nodulation on Galega orientalis. However, the inserts of R. galegae in pRg30 and pRg33 do not carry sufficient genetic information for normal nodulation of test plants in an Agrobacterium background, because the Agrobacterium transconjugants induced root hair deformation on Galega plants, but no infection threads were detected and nodulelike structures developed only at low frequency. The Agrobacterium carrying the nodDABC of R. galegae did not cause the root hairs of Medigo sativa to deform.

Behavioral effects of long-term exposure to organic solvents.

Epidemiological studies have detected an increased risk of neuropsychiatric diseases among groups occupationally exposed to organic solvents. Psychological studies of solvent exposed workers have investigated both cognitive and sensory and motors functions. Most of these studies have dealt with trichloroethylene, toluene, styrene, and mixtures of organic solvents. Most of these studies have found a decline in the sensory and motor functions. Of the cognitive functions especially short-term memory has proved to be sensitive to solvent exposure. Also some implications of declined visuoconstructive abilities have been found. It has been possible to analyze exposure-response and exposure-effect relationships between exposure and psychological findings only for some single studies, because reliable measures for long-term solvent exposure have usually not been available. The measurement of personality characteristics among solvent exposure workers has been another neglected area.

The evolution of filial cannibalism and female mate choice strategies as resolutions to sexual conflict in fishes.

Filial cannibalism (the consumption of one's own viable offspring) is common among fish with paternal care. In this study, I use a computer simulation to study simultaneous evolution of male filial cannibalism and female mate choice. Under certain conditions, selection on parental males favors filial cannibalism. When filial cannibalism increases a male's probability to raise the current brood successfully, filial cannibalism also benefits the female. However, when egg eating is a male investment into future reproduction, a conflict between female and male interests emerges. Here I investigate how female discrimination against filial cannibals affects evolution of filial cannibalism and how different female choice criteria perform against filial cannibalism. The introduction of discriminating females makes the fixation of filial cannibalism less likely. I introduced three different female choice criteria: (1) females who could discern a male's genotype, that is, whether the male was going to eat eggs as an investment in future reproductive events; (2) energy-choosing females that preferred to mate with males who had enough energy reserves to live through the current brood cycle without consuming eggs; and (3) females that preferred to mate with already mated males, that is, males with eggs in their nest. Genotype choice never coexisted with filial cannibals at fixation and filial cannibals were unable to invade a population with genotype-choosing females. Energy choice was successful only when males had high energy reserves and were less dependent on filial cannibalism as an alternative energy source. The egg choosers frequently coexisted with the cannibals at fixation. When the female strategies were entered simultaneously, the most frequent outcome for low mate sampling costs was that both the cannibals and the egg choice was fixed and all other strategies went extinct. These results suggest that sexual conflicts may not always evolve toward a resolution of the conflict, but sometimes the stable state retains the conflict. In the present case, this was because the egg-preference strategy had a higher fitness than the other female strategies. The outcome of this simulation is similar to empirical findings. In fish with paternal care, male filial cannibalism and female preference for mates with eggs commonly co-occur.

Effects of resource distribution on sexual selection and the cost of reproduction in sandgobies.

I describe the results of an experimental manipulation of resource availability (nest substrate) and distribution (nest size), leading to effects on the opportunity for sexual selection and the survival of male sandgobies Pomatoschistus minutus competing for these resources. This study represents one of few such experimental manipulations. It shows a clear-cut effect of male-male competition on the survival of males, and it shows temporal variation in the opportunity for sexual selection, suggesting that short-term assessment of sexual selection could be misleading. Males breeding under male-male competition for nest sites lived on average 18 d less than males in the high-nest-availability treatment. This considerable cost of reproduction probably stems from increased stress levels as a result of higher levels of aggression. The opportunity for sexual selection was high throughout the 2-mo experiment in the low-nest-availability treatment, while in the high nest availability, it changed in a complex manner over the season. In the latter case, sexual selection was initially low but increased during midseason to values nearly as high as in the nest-site-limited environment and then decreased again toward the end of the season. Previous studies have shown that temporal variation in sexual selection follows variation in population density and sex ratio. This study demonstrates that there can be considerable temporal variation in the opportunity for sexual selection without changes in population parameters.

Adenosine A1 and A2A receptors and nitrobenzylthioinosine-sensitive transporters in gerbil brain: no changes following long-term treatment with the adenosine transport inhibitor propentofylline.

There is evidence that adenosine is an endogenous neuroprotective substance in the gerbil and that propentofylline, a novel xanthine derivative that acts as a transport inhibitor, exerts part of its neuroprotective activity in this species by enhancing adenosine actions. Using autoradiography we have examined the distribution of adenosine A1 and A2A receptors and of equilibrative adenosine transporters in gerbil brain as well as the possible changes induced by repeated treatment with propentofylline. Nucleoside transporters, studied by [3H]NBMPR binding, were found to be widely distributed in the gerbil brain, with no clear relationship to the distribution of adenosine receptors. Adenosine A2A receptors, studied by [3H]CGS 21680 binding and by in situ hybridization, were found to be present in intrinsic neurons in the caudate putamen, nucleus accumbens and tuberculum olfactorium. Adenosine A1 receptors were studied by examining the binding of [3H]CHA, an agonist, and [3H]DPCPX, an antagonist. There was an overall similarity in the distribution of binding sites for these two ligands, and a similarity with the distribution in the rat. However, the antagonist was found to label certain structures, especially white matter structures, more than the agonist. It is argued that these binding sites for antagonists represent receptors that are in transit from the site of synthesis in the perikaryon to the destination in the nerve terminal, and are not coupled to G proteins. There were no differences in the binding of any of these ligands or in A2A mRNA following 2 weeks' treatment with propentofylline, indicating that the drug has minimal effects on adenosine mechanisms under basal physiological conditions. This also suggests that tolerance to adenosine-related effects of the drug is less likely to occur.

Differences in the regional and cellular localization of c-fos messenger RNA induced by amphetamine, cocaine and caffeine in the rat.

Male rats were treated i.p. with either 5 mg/kg amphetamine, 3 and 30 mg/kg cocaine or 100 mg/kg caffeine and killed after 30 min. Brains were sectioned and processed for radioactive in situ hybridization histochemistry for the labelling of either c-fos, enkephalin, substance P, neurokinin B, choline acetyltransferase, somatostatin or adenosine A2A receptor messenger RNA. The distribution of c-fos messenger RNA was investigated both at the regional level using film autoradiography, and at the cellular level using emulsion autoradiography. All drug treatments except 3 mg/kg cocaine induced an increased level of c-fos messenger RNA in cells that had a neuron-like morphology. The cells that contained the c-fos messenger RNA were identified by making pairs of 5-microns sections in which one section was processed for c-fos messenger RNA and the other was processed for one of the other messenger RNA species. After amphetamine treatment, only some 10% of the cells in the striatum were labelled, and to a variable extent. Instead there was prominent labelling of a band in the cortex that runs parallel to the cortical surface. There was also a moderate degree of labelling in the nucleus accumbens. c-fos-positive cells were substance P-positive and negative for enkephalin or A2A receptor messenger RNA. Cocaine (30 mg/kg) induced a modest labelling in the caudate-putamen, as well as in the accumbens. With cocaine treatment (30 mg/kg), about 30% of striatal neuron-like cells were c-fos labelled. Most c-fos-positive cells were substance P-positive, but none of the c-fos-positive cells were enkephalin-positive or A2A-receptor-positive. Cocaine (3 mg/kg) had no significant effect on c-fos. Caffeine gave rise to a strong hybridization signal in the caudate-putamen, particularly the dorsolateral part. No other region examined differed significantly from control. With caffeine treatment, about 73% of neuron-like cells were c-fos labelled in the lateral striatum, but labelling was much less pronounced in the medial part or in the accumbens. c-fos-labelled cells were found in enkephalin-positive and enkephalin-negative, substance P-positive and substance P-negative, neurokinin B-positive and neurokinin B-negative groups. No choline acetyltransferase-positive or somatostatin-positive cells were found that were also c-fos-positive with any of the treatments. We conclude that each of the different CNS stimulant drugs induces a highly specific pattern of c-fos messenger RNA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The effects of testosterone on a viral infection in greenfinches (Carduelis chloris): an experimental test of the immunocompetence-handicap hypothesis.

The immunocompetence-handicap hypothesis suggests that the honesty of quality signals could be guaranteed if testosterone (T) suppresses immune function while enhancing male ornaments. In addition, it has been proposed that the cost of enhancing ornaments should be highest for males with small ornaments. Recently, the assertion that T causes obligate immunosuppression has been questioned. In this study, we tested whether elevated T levels would increase susceptibility to a viral infection, and whether this hypothesized effect would be most pronounced in males with small ornaments. We surgically inserted T implants into 15 male greenfinches (Carduelis chloris) and control implants into a further 15 males. All birds were then infected with a naturally occurring virus (Sindbis virus, Alphavirus genus), and each bird's daily viraemia (blood virus concentration) was measured for seven days. The specific antibody response was measured for eight weeks. T-implanted males did not exhibit increased viraemia or decreased antibody response, and males with small and large ornaments did not respond differently to T implantation. We did, however, find that T implantation decreased viraemia early in the course of the infection and increased viraemia late in the infection. Thus, our results demonstrate that T may act both to increase and to decrease viraemia.

Treatment with N-ethylmaleimide selectively reduces adenosine receptor-mediated decreases in cyclic AMP accumulation in rat hippocampal slices.

N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) has been reported to interact with the GTP-binding Ni-protein; we have examined its effect on adenosine receptor binding in feline cortical membranes and on adenosine-receptor mediated effects on cyclic AMP accumulation in rat hippocampal slices. Treatment of cortical membranes with NEM (100 microM for 5 min) altered the binding of [3H]-phenylisopropyladenosine (PIA) from being almost exclusively to a single class of high affinity sites (KD = 1.65 nM) to binding at two classes of sites (KDH = 2.1 nM, KDL = 102 nM). The total number of binding sites was similar (825-845 fmol mg-1 in control membranes, 944-1428 fmol mg-1 in NEM-treated membranes). In rat hippocampal slices treated with forskolin (0.3 microM) L-PIA produced a biphasic effect on cyclic AMP accumulation: an inhibition at 0.03 to 1 microM and at higher concentrations, a stimulation. Treatment with 50 microM NEM selectively inhibited the inhibitory phase, causing stimulation at lower concentrations of L-PIA. At 50 microM, NEM did not alter basal or forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation but at higher concentrations inhibition was observed. It is concluded that NEM can, in certain doses, selectively block adenosine A1-receptor-mediated effects without affecting A2-receptor-mediated actions in the same tissue. It is suggested that this is due to NEM affecting the Ni guanine nucleotide binding protein.