80, 95% CI 1.06-3.05), and social support (OR = 2.28, 95% CI 1.29-4.03) remained statistically significant. In addition, a minority-by-depressive symptoms interaction term also reached statistical significance.

Conclusion. Functional status, depressive symptoms, and social support were important predictors of hospital readmission. These variables are not included in most administrative data sets. Future research to develop useful risk-adjustment WZB117 mw models for rehospitalization following postacute inpatient rehabilitation services should

include large diverse samples and explore practical sources for additional meaningful information.”
“The SAP domain from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae THO1 protein contains a hydrophobic core and just two alpha-helices. Citarinostat mouse It could provide a system for studying protein folding that bridges the gap between studies on isolated helices and those on larger protein domains. We have engineered the SAP domain for protein folding studies by inserting a tryptophan residue into the hydrophobic core (L31W) and solved its structure. The helical regions had a backbone root mean-squared deviation of 0.9 A from those of wild type. The mutation L31W destabilised wild type by 0.8 +/- 0.1 kcal mol(-1). The mutant folded in a reversible, apparent two-state manner with a microscopic folding rate constant of around 3700 s(-1) and is suitable for extended studies of folding.”
“Activation

of inflammatory processes has been observed within the brain as well as periphery of subjects with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Among several putative neuroinflammatory mechanisms, Mephenoxalone the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) signaling system plays a central role. TNF-alpha converting enzyme (TACE) does not only cleave pro-TNF-alpha but also TNF receptors, however, whether the TACE activity and soluble TNF receptors (sTNFRs) were changed in the plasma were not clear. The aim of this study was to determine whether the levels of TACE activity and sTNFRs are sufficiently

altered in the plasma of AD patients to be helpful in AD diagnosis. We examined TACE levels in the plasma of 153 patients with AD, 98 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), 53 patients with vascular dementia (VaD), and 120 age-matched healthy control subjects, and found TACE activity and sTNFRs were significantly higher in patients with AD and aMCI compared with control subjects (TACE: P < 0.001, P < 0.01; sTNFR1: P < 0.001, P < 0.001; sTNFR2: P < 0.001, P < 0.01, respectively). The TACE activity and sTNFRs levels in VaD patients were significantly higher than the levels observed in AD patients (TACE activity: P < 0.001, sTNFR1: P < 0.01, sTNFR2: P < 0.01). In the plasma of AD patients, the levels of both TACE activity and sTNFRs positively correlated with the levels of A beta 40 and negatively correlated with the ratio of A beta 42/A beta 40.

Materials and Methods: A total of 280 patients were randomly treated with plasmakinetic Volasertib resection or holmium laser enucleation of the prostate. Perioperative and postoperative outcome data were obtained during a 2-year followup.

Results: No significant differences between the 2 surgical groups were observed in the preoperative data. Both groups displayed significant improvements after surgery. However, we identified no significant differences between the 2 groups in the 2-year followup data for I-PSS (International Prostate

Symptom Score), quality of life scores or maximum flow rate values. Patients in the holmium laser enucleation group displayed a lower risk of hemorrhage, shorter bladder irrigation and catheter times, and shorter hospital stays. A larger amount of prostate tissue was retrieved in the holmium laser enucleation group, but the operation time was longer for this group than for the plasmakinetic resection group.

Conclusions: Plasmakinetic resection and holmium laser enucleation of the prostate are effective and safe treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate can be applied to prostates of all sizes, and involves less risk of hemorrhage, decreased bladder irrigation and catheter times, as well as reduced hospital stay. Thus, we believe holmium laser enucleation of the

prostate should be proposed as a potential new gold standard surgical therapy instead of transurethral resection

of the prostate for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.”
“It is generally thought CH5183284 manufacturer that orientation selectivity first appears in the primary visual cortex (V1), whereas neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), an input source for V1, are thought to be insensitive Selleckchem RAD001 to stimulus orientation. Here we show that increasing both the spatial frequency and size of the grating stimuli beyond their respective optimal values strongly enhance the orientation tuning of LGN neurons. The resulting orientation tuning was clearly contrast-invariant. Furthermore, blocking intrathalamic inhibition by iontophoretically administering gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)(A) receptor antagonists, such as bicuculline and GABAzine, slightly but significantly weakened the contrast invariance. Our results suggest that orientation tuning in the LGN is caused by an elliptical classical receptive field and orientation-tuned surround suppression, and that its contrast invariance is ensured by local GABA(A) inhibition. This contrast-invariant orientation tuning in LGN neurons may contribute to the contrast-invariant orientation tuning seen in V1 neurons. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.”
“Purpose: We evaluated the retrieval rates and reproductive outcomes of percutaneous sperm retrieval according to the cause of obstructive azoospermia.

We identified de novo truncating mutations (K138X,

R579X, and L813RfsX22) in three of these patients. In contrast, we observed no de novo or truncating mutations in SYNGAP1 in samples from 142 subjects with autism spectrum disorders, 143 subjects with schizophrenia, and 190 control subjects. These results indicate that SYNGAP1 disruption is a cause of autosomal Tariquidar research buy dominant nonsyndromic mental retardation.”
“Continuing antigenic drift allows influenza viruses to escape antibody-mediated recognition, and as a consequence, the vaccine currently in use needs to be altered annually. Highly conserved epitopes recognized by effector T cells may represent an alternative approach for the generation of a more universal influenza virus vaccine. Relatively few highly conserved epitopes are currently known in humans, and relatively few epitopes have been identified from proteins other than hemagglutinin and nucleoprotein. This prompted us to perform a study aimed at identifying a set of human T-cell epitopes that would provide broad coverage against different virus strains and subtypes. To provide coverage across different ethnicities, seven different HLA supertypes were considered. More than 4,000 check details peptides were selected from a panel of 23 influenza A virus strains based on predicted high-affinity binding to HLA class I or class II and high conservancy levels. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 44 healthy human blood donors were

tested for reactivity against HLA-matched peptides by using gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunospot assays. Interestingly, we found that PB1 was the major target for both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell responses. The 54 nonredundant epitopes (38 class I and 16 class II) identified herein provided high coverage among different ethnicities, were

conserved in the majority of the strains analyzed, and were consistently recognized in multiple individuals. These results enable further functional studies of T-cell responses during influenza virus learn more infection and provide a potential base for the development of a universal influenza vaccine.”
“A 30- year- old woman presents with a history of no menses since she stopped taking oral contraceptives 6 months ago in order to conceive. She had undergone puberty that was normal in both timing and development, with menarche at 12 years of age. At 18 years of age, she started taking oral contraceptives for irregular menses. She reports stress at work. Her weight is 59 kg, and her height 1.66 m; her body- mass index ( the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) is 21.3. There is no galactorrhea, hirsutism, or acne. The pelvic examination is normal, a pregnancy test is negative, the prolactin level is normal, and the follicle- stimulating hormone ( FSH) level is in the menopausal range. How should she be evaluated and treated?”
“Single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses induce the biogenesis of cytoplasmic membranous vesicles, where viral replication takes place.

Second order verbal stories and a non-verbal picture-sequencing task were used as ToM Measures. Results Showed no differences in ToM performance between patients and controls on either measure. Subsequent Subgrouping of patients into remitted and non-remitted showed a worse performance of non-remitted patients Selleck AG14699 only on second order ToM tasks. Specific ToM deficits were found associated with delusions. Association with negative symptoms was found to be less specific and accounted for by illness chronicity and general cognitive impairment. The results from the present Study are in line with models which hypothesise that specific ToM

deficits in schizophrenia are state dependent and associated with delusions. Such associations may also be task specific. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive and common kind of primary brain tumor in adults, and is thought to be driven by a subpopulation of glioma stem cells (GSCs). GSCs reside in a specialized hypoxic niche, which can regulate the tumorigenic capacity of GSCs primarily through the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), HIF1 alpha and HIF2 alpha. ZNF217 is an oncogene frequently amplified in many kinds of tumors. It

is associated with aggressive tumor behavior and poor clinical prognosis, but its role in gliomas is poorly known. Gene expression and copy number analysis from TCGA data reveal that ZNF217 is amplified in 32% and overexpressed in 71.2% of GBMs. Quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting of a cohort of glioma samples showed that ZNF217 was highly expressed in gliomas BIBF 1120 and increased with tumor grade. Analysis of a molecular database demonstrated that ZNF217 expression correlated with poor survival of glioma patients. Investigation of ZNF217 expression in GSCs, non-GSCs and normal neural stem cells (NSCs) indicated that ZNF217 was more highly expressed in GSCs than in non-GSCs and NSCs. Knockdown of ZNF217 in GSCs by small-interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibited their growth and promoted their differentiation. Interestingly, ZNF217 was

upregulated in GSCs and the GBM cell line U87 when exposed to the hypoxic environment of 1% oxygen. Knockdown of either HIF1 alpha or HIF2 alpha, which has a central PX-478 nmr role in the hypoxia-induced responses of these cells, inhibited ZNF217 expression. In addition, ZNF217 upregulation was compromised under hypoxia in U87 and GSCs when either HIF1 alpha or HIF2 alpha was targeted by siRNA. HIF2 alpha knockdown inhibited ZNF217 expression more efficiently in both normoxia and hypoxia than HIF1 alpha knockdown. Therefore, ZNF217 is overexpressed in GBMs and contributes to the maintenance of GSCs, which is regulated by HIFs released by the hypoxic environment of the tumor. Laboratory Investigation (2011) 91, 1068-1078; doi:10.1038labinvest.2011.

Conclusions: There are strong indicators that Rho-kinase signaling pathways have a significant role in prostatic

smooth muscle contractility, most likely independent of cytosolic Ca2+ levels. JIB04 Features of the rho-kinase pathway may well represent alternative, novel future therapeutic targets to reduce prostatic contractility, thereby alleviating the lower urinary tract symptoms arising from benign prostatic hyperplasia.”
“Distinct psychological processes have been proposed to unfold in decision-making. The time course of neural mechanisms supporting these processes has not been fully identified. The present MEG study examined spatio-temporal activity related to components of decision-making proposed to support reward valuation, reward

prediction, and outcome evaluation. Each trial presented information on reward value (10 or 50 cents) and reward probability (10%, 50%, or 90%). Brain activity related to those inputs and to outcome feedback was evaluated via electromagnetic responses in source space. Distributed dipole activity reflected reward value and reward probability 150-350 ms after information arrival. Neural responses to reward-value information peaked earlier than those to reward-probability information. Results suggest that valuation, prediction, and outcome evaluation share neural structures and mechanisms even on a relatively fine AZD4547 purchase time scale.”
“Purpose: Bilateral cavernous nerve injury results in up-regulation of ROCK signaling in

the penis. This is linked to erectile dysfunction in an animal model of post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction. We evaluated whether daily treatment with the ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 (Tocris Bioscience, Ellisville, Missouri) would prevent erectile dysfunction in a rat model of bilateral cavernous nerve injury.

Materials and Methods: Sprague-Dawley(R) rats underwent surgery to create sham (14) or bilateral (27) cavernous nerve injury. In the injury group 13 rats received treatment with Y-27632 (5 mg/kg twice daily) and selleck 14 received vehicle. At 14 days after injury, rats underwent cavernous nerve stimulation to determine erectile function. Penes were assessed for neuronal and nitric oxide synthase membrane-endothelial nitric oxide synthase. ROCK2 was assessed by Western blot. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cavernous homogenates were tested for ROCK and protein kinase G enzymatic activity. Penile apoptosis was evaluated using the Apostain technique (Alexis, San Diego, California). Data were analyzed on ROCK using ANOVA and the t test.

Results: While erectile function was decreased in rats with bilateral cavernous nerve injury, daily administration of Y-27632 improved erectile responses.

(C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All fights reserved.”
“The cannabinoid receptor subtype (CB I) antagonist rimonabant (SR141716) has been shown to decrease nicotine self-administration and attenuate nicotine-evoked

dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens; effects that support recent findings on its clinical efficacy as a smoking cessation aid. The present experiments aim to advance our understanding on the role of CB1 receptors in rodent models of nicotine dependence. AM251. a selective antagonist at CB1 receptors dose-dependently (1, 3 and 10 mg/kg IP) suppressed https://www.selleckchem.com/products/lb-100.html intravenous nicotine (0.03 mg/kg per infusion) self-administration in rats during three successive days of pre-treatment. This

reduction was short lasting since behaviour was reinstated by suspending AM251 pre-treatment. This was relatively specific to nicotine LY2874455 mw self-administration since the profile of these reductions produced by AM251 was significantly different from the responses maintained by food pellets. In a model of nicotine-seeking behaviour, rats that had been extinguished by removal of nicotine and associated cues, and presented with a priming dose of nicotine (0.2 mg/kg SC) with the cues, showed robustly reinstated responses to nicotine-seeking behaviour. Acute pre-treatment with AM251 (1-10 mg/kg IP) dose-dependently attenuated the reinstatement effects produced by nicotine and the contingently presented cues. These preclinical findings support the use of rimonabant as a smoking cessation aid and highlight the

CB1 receptor as a viable target to control intake of nicotine and prevent relapse. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) is the principal integrating relay in the processing of visceral sensory and gustatory information. In the present study, patch-clamp electrophysiological experiments were conducted using rat horizontal brainstem sections. Pre-synaptic and somatic/dendritic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) expressed in neurons of the caudal NTS (cNTS) were Stattic cell line found to be randomly distributed between pre-synaptic and somatic/dendritic sites (chi(2) = 0.72, df = 3, p > 0.87, n = 200). Pre-synaptic nAChRs were detected by their facilitating effects on glutamatergic neurotransmission of a sub-population of cNTS neurons (categorized as “”effect-positive”") upon brief picospritzer applications of 0.1-0.5 mM nicotine. These effects were resistant to inhibition by 20 nM methyllycaconitine (MLA) and 4 mu M dihydro-beta-erythroidine (DH beta E), and were replicated by brief picospritzer applications of 0.2-1 mM cytisine. Picospritzer applications of 0.2 mM RJR-2403, a potent agonist of alpha 4 beta 2 nAChRs, did not facilitate synaptic release of glutamate in effect-positive cNTS neurons.

Prepulse inhibition is heritable and has been associated with polymorphisms in serotonin and dopamine system genes. Prepulse inhibition can be enhanced by nicotine, and therefore it has been proposed that schizophrenia patients smoke to ameliorate their early attentional deficits. The PPI-enhancing effects of nicotine in rodents are strain dependent, suggesting a genetic contribution to PPI within the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ( nAChR) system. Recent human genetic studies also imply that tobacco dependence is affected by polymorphisms check details in the alpha 3/alpha 5 subunits of the nAChR (CHRNA3/CHRNA5) gene cluster. We, therefore, investigated the

impact of two common CHRNA3 polymorphisms (rs1051730/rs1317286) on PPI, startle reactivity, and habituation of the ASR in two independent samples of 107 healthy British volunteers and 73 schizophrenia patients hailing from Germany. In both samples, PPI was influenced by both CHRNA3 polymorphisms (combined p-value Selonsertib in vivo = 0.0027), which

were strongly linked. Moreover, CHRNA3 genotype was associated with chronicity, treatment, and negative symptoms in the schizophrenia sample. These results suggest that sensorimotor gating is influenced by variations of the CHRNA3 gene, which might also have an impact on the course and severity of schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology (2010) 35, 1429-1439; doi: 10.1038/npp.2010.12; published online 10 March 2010″
“Behaviorally sensitizing regimen of amphetamine ( AMPH) exposure has diverse effects on learning, memory, and selleck kinase inhibitor cognition that are likely to be a consequence of long-term neural adaptations occurring in the cortico-limbic-striatal circuitry. In particular, altered dopamine signaling in the nucleus

accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex has been implicated to underlie AMPH-induced changes in behavior. This study sought to test the hypothesis that repeated AMPH exposure disrupts the regulation of limbic information processing and the balance of competing limbic control over appetitive behavior. Mice received seven intraperitoneal injections of D-AMPH (2.5 mg/kg or 5 mg/kg) or vehicle solution ( saline) and were trained in ( 1) a simultaneous conditioned cue and place preference task using a six-arm radial maze, found to depend on the integrity of the hippocampus (HPC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA), respectively and ( 2) a conditional BLA-dependent cue, and HPC-dependent place learning task using an elevated T-maze. In both tasks, the vehicle pretreatment group initially acquired cue learning, followed by the emergence of significant place/spatial learning. In contrast, pretreatment with repeated AMPH caused marked deviations from normal acquisition patterns of place and cue conditioning, significantly facilitating HPC-dependent place conditioning in the first task while attenuating BLA-dependent cue conditioning in both tasks.

8 +/- 0.09 vs. 1.4 +/- 0.36 ml . 100 ml(-1) . min(-1), respectively, p < 0.05). Forearm blood flow response to adenosine and acetylcholine with or without insulin stimulation did not differ between groups. Whole-body glucose uptake was lower in LBW than controls (8.7 +/- 0.5 and 9.1 +/- 0.6 mg . min(-1) . kg(-1) lean body mass); however, this was not significant. Conclusions: Forearm blood flow response to insulin is impaired in LBW, whereas the response 3-Methyladenine in vitro to adenosine and acetylcholine is preserved. The impaired insulin-mediated increase in bulk flow in LBW may be due to an impairment of insulin-mediated capillary recruitment independent of – or preceding whole-body insulin

resistance in LBW subjects. Copyright (C) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel”
“Artemin and its receptors are upregulated in the auditory

nerve of deafened rats as a possible intrinsic protective mechanism against ototoxicity-related apoptosis. Consequently, we examined the effect of artemin on spiral ganglion neurons in vitro and in vivo. Spiral ganglion neurons were isolated from neonatal rats and cultured in serum-free medium supplemented with artemin and/or brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In vitro, the survival rate of spiral ganglion neurons cultivated with artemin or BDNF was significantly VE-822 ic50 improved compared with negative controls. In addition, artemin was delivered to the inner ear of deafened guinea pigs for 28 days. In-vivo artemin was as effective as BDNF in spiral ganglion neuron protection. Therefore, artemin promotes the survival of spiral ganglion neurons in vitro and in vivo. NeuroReport 21:517-521 (C) 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health vertical bar Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.”
“Background/Aims: ATP can activate several Ca2+ influx channels in vascular endothelial cells. For example, it stimulates TRPC channels via capacitative and noncapacitative Ca2+ entry (CCE and non-CCE, respectively) mechanisms;

it also directly acts on P2X purinoceptors, resulting in Ca2+ influx. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels also contribute to ATP-induced non-CCE. Methods: Two selective inhibitors of CNG channels, L-cis-diltiazem and LY-83583, and CNGA2-specific siRNA were used to study the involvement of CNGA2 in ATP-induced non-CCE in endothelial cells. Blasticidin S mw Ca2+ influx was studied using Ca2+-sensitive fluorescence dyes Fluo-3 and Fluo-4. Results/Conclusion: L-cis-diltiazem and LY-83583 markedly reduced ATP-induced non-CCE in 3 types of endothelial cells including the H5V endothelial cell line, the primary cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells and the endothelial cells within isolated mouse aortic strips. The CNGA2-specific siRNA also reduced the ATP-induced non-CCE in H5V endothelial cells. The Ca2+ influx was inhibited by Rp-8-CPT-cAMPS, MDL-12330A, SQ-22536 and MRS-2179, but not by ODQ or NF-157.

“
“We determined the fatty acid compositions of six species of freshwater microalgae belonging to the Chlorophyta, which were isolated from freshwater bodies in Assam, India. All six microalgae – Desmodesmus sp. DRLMA7, Desmodesmus elegans DRLMA13, Scenedesmus sp. DRLMA5, Scenedesmus sp. DRLMA9 Chlorella sp. DRLMA3 and Chlorococcum macrostigmatum DRLMA12-showed similar fatty acid profiles 16:0,

16:4, 18:1, 18:2, and 18:3 as major components. We also compared fatty acid compositions during the late exponential and stationary growth phases of D. elegans DRLMA13 and Scenedesmus sp. DRLMA9 in BG11 medium. We observed enhanced percentages of total saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids with a concomitant decrease in polyunsaturated fatty acid content upon the prolonged selleck chemicals cultivation of both microalgae. Distinct morphological features of microalgal

isolates were determined by ISRIB clinical trial scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies. An ornamented cell wall was found in D. elegans DRLMA13, which is characteristic of small spineless species of Desmodesmus. The isolated microalgae were further distinguished through analysis of internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) secondary structures and compensatory base changes (CBCs). Analysis of CBCs showed the relatedness of Chlorella sp. DRLMA3 with other Chlorella-like organisms, but it does not belong to the clade comprising Chlorella sensu stricto, which includes Chlorella vulgaris. The CBC count between Scenedesmus sp. DRLMA9 and other species of Scenedesmus provides evidence that this isolate represents a new species.”
“Theories of embodied cognition abound in the literature, but it is often unclear how to understand them. We offer several interpretations of embodiment, the most interesting being the thesis that mental representations in bodily formats (B-formats) have an important https://www.selleck.cn/products/Ispinesib-mesilate(SB-715992).html role in cognition. Potential B-formats include motoric, somatosensory,

affective and interoceptive formats. The literature on mirroring and related phenomena provides support for a limited-scope version of embodied social cognition under the B-format interpretation. It is questionable, however, whether such a thesis can be extended. We show the limits of embodiment in social cognition.”
“Objective: Quality of life has been shown to be influenced by aortic valve replacement, particularly in younger patients. Aortic valve repair is a recent alternative to replacement. We investigated quality of life and anxiety and depression after aortic valve repair and compared with 2 established replacement alternatives, mechanical valve and pulmonary autograft.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 166 patients (age, 18-45 years) were studied after isolated elective aortic valve surgery.

In the cortex samples of ovx animals, NCAM 180 was overall lower than the intact control values (P<0.05). Noradrenaline, C59 wnt in vivo dopamine and their metabolites were decreased in the hippocampus of the letrozole-treated group (P<0.01). Letrozole had differential effects on noradrenaline and dopamine

content in the cortex. It appears that inhibition of estrogen synthesis in the brain may have beneficial effects on spatial memory. We suggest that structural changes such as NCAM expression and catecholaminergic neurotransmitters in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex may be the neural basis for estrogen-dependent alterations in cognitive functions. (C) 2008 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Background: Cystatin C is a major inhibitor of the elastin- and collagen-degrading cysteine proteases and may therefore have an important role in preserving atherosclerotic plaque stability. In this study we analyzed the associations between human carotid plaque cystatin C expression and the plaque content of collagen and elastin. Methods: Thirty-one plaques were removed by endarterectomy and homogenized. Cystatin C levels were analyzed by densitometry

of Western blots and elastin and collagen levels were determined colorimetrically. Results: The plaque content of cystatin C Selleck Fedratinib correlated with total elastin (r = 0.58, p = 0.001) and collagen (r = 0.50, p = 0.004), as well as with cross-linked forms of elastin (r = 0.42, p = 0.022) and collagen AG-120 (r = 0.52, p = 0.003). Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that cystatin C colocalized with elastin and collagen. No correlation was seen between cystatin C and the amount of degraded elastin or collagen in plaques. Conclusion: The positive correlation between cystatin C levels and collagen and elastin levels in plaques supports the notion that cystatin C plays an important role in maintaining atherosclerotic plaque stability. Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.”
“Genetically selected for high or low two-way active avoidance, Roman high-avoidance (RHA) and Roman low-avoidance (RLA) rats differ in their central dopaminergic activity, sensation/novelty- and substance-seeking profiles. These animals

are, therefore, well suited to identify anatomical and neurochemical concomitants of behavioral sensitization, a phenomenon linked to addictive liability. We submitted inbred RHA (RHA-I), inbred RLA (RLA-I) and Sprague-Dawley-OFA (SD-OFA) rats to a sensitization regimen with amphetamine and studied the behavioral response to an amphetamine challenge after a 2-week withdrawal period. The expression patterns of nerve growth factor inducible clone A (NGFI-A), secretogranin, post-synaptic density protein of 95 Kd (PSD-95), prodynorphin and proenkephalin mRNA were also analyzed using in situ hybridization, after the challenge with amphetamine. RHA-I rats showed stronger sensitization than SD-OFA rats. RLA-I rats did not show sensitization but were hyper-reactive to amphetamine.