Enhanced nicotine-seeking behavior following pre-exposure to repeated cocaine is accompanied by changes in BDNF in the nucleus accumbens of rats

We investigated the behavioral and molecular interactions between cocaine and nicotine, through evaluating locomotor activity, nicotine intravenous self-administration and gene expression. Locomotor sensitization was induced in male Wistar rats by repeated cocaine (20 mg/kg; i.p.) or saline injections once a day over 7 days. Three days after the last injection, rats were challenged with either saline or cocaine (15 mg/kg; i.p.) and the locomotor activity was measured. The very next day animals received either saline or nicotine (0.4 mg/kg; s.c.) and the locomotor cross-sensitization was tested. Animals were then prepared with intrajugular catheters for nicotine self-administration. Nicotine self-administration patterns were evaluated using fixed or progressive ratio schedules of reinforcement and a 24-h unlimited access binge. Immediately after the binge sessions animals were decapitated, the brains were removed and the nucleus accumbens was dissected. The dynorphin (DYN), μ-opioid receptor (mu opioid), neuropeptide Y (NPY), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tropomyosin-related tyrosine kinase B receptor (TrkB) and corticotropin- releasing factor receptor type 1 (CRF-R1) gene expression were measured by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Pretreatment with cocaine caused sensitization of cocaine motor response and locomotor cross-sensitization with nicotine. In the self-administration experiments repeated cocaine administration caused an increase in the nicotine break point and nicotine intake during a 24 h binge session. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

Identification of duplicated and stress-inducible Aox2b gene co-expressed with Aox1 in species of the Medicago genus reveals a regulation linked to gene rearrangement in leguminous genomes

In flowering plants, alternative oxidase (Aox) is encoded by 3-5 genes distributed in 2 subfamilies (Aox1 and Aox2). In several species only Aox1 is reported as a stress-responsive gene, but in the leguminous Vigna unguiculata Aox2b is also induced by stress. In this work we investigated the Aox genes from two leguminous species of the Medicago genus (Medicago sativa and Medicago truncatula) which present one Aox1, one Aox2a and an Aox2b duplication (named here Aox2b1 and Aox2b2). Expression analyses by semi-quantitative RT-PCR in M. sativa revealed that Aox1, Aox2b1 and Aox2b2 transcripts increased during seed germination. Similar analyses in leaves and roots under different treatments (SA, PEG, H2O2 and cysteine) revealed that these genes are also induced by stress, but with peculiar spatio-temporal differences. Aox1 and Aox2b1 showed basal levels of expression under control conditions and were induced by stress in leaves and roots. Aox2b2 presented a dual behavior, i.e., it was expressed only under stress conditions in leaves, and showed basal expression levels in roots that were induced by stress. Moreover, Aox2a was expressed at higher levels in leaves and during seed germination than in roots and appeared to be not responsive to stress. The Aox expression profiles obtained from a M. truncatula microarray dataset also revealed a stress-induced co-expression of Aox1, Aox2b1 and Aox2b2 in leaves and roots. These results reinforce the stress-inducible co-expression of Aox1/Aox2b in some leguminous plants. Comparative genomic analysis indicates that this regulation is linked to Aox1/Aox2b proximity in the genome as a result of the gene rearrangement that occurred in some leguminous plants during evolution. The differential expression of Aox2b1/2b2 suggests that a second gene has been originated by recent gene duplication with neofunctionalization. © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Discretização de Euler para controle impulsivo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Purificação e caracterização de proteínas de venenos de serpentes que interferem na cascata de coagulação sanguínea

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Níveis de clinoptilolita e cálcio na dieta de poedeiras comerciais no final do primeiro ciclo de produção

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Raízes e sombras: luta e resistência na formação da identidade quilombola

Pós-graduação em Serviço Social - FCHS

Identificação de proteínas ligantes de CRABP2, proteína envolvida na via de sinalização celular por ácido retinóico

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Influência do interior do inibidor da enzina conversora da angiotensina na remodelação cardíaca induzida pela exposição á fumaça do cigarro

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Respostas de frangos de corte às ingestões de metionina+cistina e treonina: desempenho, impacto ambiental e econômico

Pós-graduação em Zootecnia - FCAV

Temperatura ambiente e nutrição de codornas japonesas

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Comportamento térmico, mecânico e morfológico dos compósitos de polietileno de alta densidade reforçados com fibras de celulose do bagaço de cana de açucar

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Políticas de segurança pública no estado de São Paulo: situação e perspectivas a partir das pesquisas do observatório de segurança pública da Unesp

Pós-graduação em Ciências Sociais - FFC

Descrição do potencial de retenção de nitrogênio em frangas de postura por diferentes metodologias: mínima retenção

The objectives of this study were to describe the potential for nitrogen retention by two techniques: comparative slaughter and nitrogen balance; compare the adjusted models for each technique and estimate the maintenance requirement for pullets. Assays were performed during 14 to 28, 56-70 and 98 to 112 days of age, using 168 pullets. The design was completely randomized with seven treatments and eight replications. Treatments consisted of protein levels ranging from 75 to 435gkg-1 of dry matter. The variables were collected by comparative slaughter and nitrogen ingested and deposited in nitrogen balance technique intake and nitrogen excretion. The intercept of the exponential relationship between ingested and excreted nitrogen was considered a requirement for maintenance. The adjusted models were compared by using the maximum likelihood ratio. The techniques described differently compared the requirement for maintenance of nitrogen. For comparative slaughter requiring maintenance was estimated at 342, 372 and 543mg/kgPC0,67 and for nitrogen balance was 342, 225 and 284mg/kgPC0,67 for the period of 14 to 28, 56-70 and 98 to 112 days of age, respectively.

Produção de anticorpo monoclonal reativo com leveduras do gênero candida

The aim of this study was to obtain a reactive monoclonal antibody against Candida albicans. Spleen celIs of BALB/c mice previously immunized withCandida were fused in vitro with mielorna cells Sp2-0Ag14. The resultant hybridcells were kept in culture medium at 5% C02.The suspension growing cells were tested by ELISA to check the antibodies titer. The positive colonies were cloned to achieve the monoclonal antibody and further expanded in mice peritoneum. The antibody produced was purified and isotope. The monoclonal antibody was denominated 76C. The 76C was directed against mannoprotein molecules from Candida cell surface, which has not yet been completely investigated to find outlhe specific nature of epitope. The antibody 76C was analyzed by DOT BLOTagainst different Candida species and there were positives results in 87,5% of the tested samples_ The monoclonal antibody 76C will be a useful tool to investigate oligomannoside epitope from mannan and could be applied in sera diagnosis in invasive candidiasis and in studies of glicidic epitope.

Feed type for induced molting of commercial layer hens

An experiment employing three hundred and twenty 81-week-old Lohmann LSL commercial-breed hens was conducted to compare alternative induced-molting methods with the conventional method (fasting). Induced molting lasted 28 days at most, production and quality being monitored for four periods of 28 days thereafter. A completely randomized experimental design with five treatments, eight replicates of eight birds each per plot was adopted. The following experimental treatments were applied until a loss of 26% of body weight was reached: T1 - fasting, T2 - wheat bran ad libitum, T3 - rice bran ad libitum, T4 - cracked rice ad libitum, T5 - ground alfalfa ad libitum. Birds were then fed production diet ad libitum, except for those on treatment T1 (fasting) which received 30, 60 and 100 g/bird/day and then feed ad libitum. During induced molting the birds were exposed to a natural photoperiod and at day 28 that period was increased by 30 minutes/week until reaching 16 hours of light/day. The characteristics evaluated during induced molting were: feed intake, body weight changes and laying percentage. In the post-molt period, performance (feed intake, laying percentage, egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion ratio per dozen and per egg mass and percentage of broken eggs) and egg quality (specific gravity, eggshell breaking strength, percentages of eggshell, yolk, and albumen, eggshell thickness, yolk color and Haugh unit) were evaluated. Every 28 days one egg was collected from each repetition for three consecutive days for quality assessment. The use of rice bran and wheat bran is viable as molting inducers since the birds given those treatments display performance and egg quality similar to those fasted during the induced molting and also because these ingredients promote easier handling, eliminates the need for grinding and feed-mixing equipment and, being less aggressive, provide greater bird welfare.