Search results for "cyclic"
showing 10 items of 2439 documents
Increased Connexin 43 Expression as a Potential Mediator of the Neuroprotective Activity of the Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone
2009
CRH is a major central stress mediator, but also a potent neuroprotective effector. The mechanisms by which CRH mediates its neuroprotective actions are largely unknown. Here, we describe that the gap junction molecule connexin43 (Cx43) mediates neuroprotective effects of CRH toward experimentally induced oxidative stress. An enhanced gap junction communication has been reported to contribute to neuroprotection after neurotoxic insults. We show that CRH treatment up-regulates Cx43 expression and gap junctional communication in a CRH receptor-dependent manner in IMR32 neuroblastoma cells, primary astrocytes, and organotypic hippocampal slice cultures. MAPKs and protein kinase A-cAMP response…
Phosphodiesterase10A: abundance and circadian regulation in the retina and photoreceptor of the rat.
2011
Phosphodiesterase10A (PDE10A) is a dual specific cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase that is specifically enriched in striatum and which has gained attention as a therapeutic target for psychiatric disorders. The present study shows that PDE10A is also highly expressed in retinal neurons including photoreceptors. The levels of PDE10A transcript and protein display daily rhythms which could be seen in preparations of the whole retina. Corresponding changes in PDE10A mRNA were seen in photoreceptors isolated using laser microdissection. This suggests that the expressional control of the photoreceptor Pde10a gene contributes to the observed cyclicity in the amount of retinal PDE10A. The daily …
Predictors of visually induced motion sickness in women
2019
Abstract Background Visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) is commonly experienced when visual motion information is in conflict with motion information provided by the vestibular system and/or tactile and kinesthetic senses. According to some studies, women experience higher levels of VIMS than men, whereas other studies do not find this to be the case. Hypothesis This study investigated whether gender differences can be attributed to changes in VIMS-susceptibility due to the menstrual cycle and perceived menstrual pain. We hypothesized that higher perceived menstrual pain correlates positively with VIMS susceptibility. Methods We measured the influence of estimated concentrations of four…
Subclinical hypothyroidism and erectile dysfunction: The potential nexus
2020
Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the link between subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and erectile dysfunction (ED). Materials and Methods: Seventy-two male patients aged 23–41 years with SCH compared with 25 healthy matched subjects were recruited, and they were divided into Group A: healthy controls (n = 25), Group B: patients with SCH with ED (n = 43), and Group C: patients with SCH without ED (n = 29). Thyroid function test and hormonal assay included total testosterone (TT), sex hormone-binding globulin, free androgen index, and prolactin (PRL) were measured; erectile function was assessed by the 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) question…
CHF2819: Pharmacological profile of a novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
2002
CHF2819 is a novel orally active acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) developed for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). CHF2819 is a selective inhibitor of AChE, it is 115 times more potent against this enzyme than against butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). Moreover, CHF2819 is more selective for inhibition of central (brain) AChE than peripheral (heart) AChE. In vivo CHF2819, 0.5, 1.5, and 4.5 mg/kg p.o., significantly and in dose-dependent manner increased acetylcholine (ACh) levels in hippocampus of young adult rats. Moreover, aging animals, with lower basal ACh levels than young adult rats, also exhibit a marked increase in hippocampal levels of this neurotransmitter after administ…
Activation of mGlu3 Receptors Stimulates the Production of GDNF in Striatal Neurons
2009
Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors have been considered potential targets for the therapy of experimental parkinsonism. One hypothetical advantage associated with the use of mGlu receptor ligands is the lack of the adverse effects typically induced by ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists, such as sedation, ataxia, and severe learning impairment. Low doses of the mGlu2/3 metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist, LY379268 (0.25-3 mg/kg, i.p.) increased glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) mRNA and protein levels in the mouse brain, as assessed by in situ hybridization, real-time PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry. This increase was prominent in the striatum, …
Early improvement as a resilience signal predicting later remission to antidepressant treatment in patients with Major Depressive Disorder: Systemati…
2017
Early improvement of depressive symptoms during the first two weeks of antidepressant treatment has been discussed to be a resilience signal predicting a later positive treatment outcome in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). However, the predictive value of early improvement varies between studies, and the use of different antidepressants may explain heterogeneous results. The objective of this review was to assess the predictive value of early improvement on later response and remission and to identify antidepressants with the highest chance of early improvement. We included 17 randomized controlled trials investigating early improvement in 14,779 adult patients with MDD compar…
Cardiac pacemaker function of HCN4 channels in mice is confined to embryonic development and requires cyclic AMP.
2008
Important targets for cAMP signalling in the heart are hyperpolarization-activated and cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels that underlie the depolarizing 'pacemaker' current, I(f). We studied the role of I(f) in mice, in which binding of cAMP to HCN4 channels was abolished by a single amino-acid exchange (R669Q). Homozygous HCN4(R669Q/R669Q) mice die during embryonic development. Prior to E12, homozygous and heterozygous embryos display reduced heart rates and show no or attenuated responses to catecholaminergic stimulation. Adult heterozygous mice display normal heart rates at rest and during exercise. However, following beta-adrenergic stimulation, hearts exhibit pauses and sino-atrial…
Polypeptides controlling hematopoietic blood cell development and activation
1989
Colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) have entered the clinical arena. Several investigators have explored, in first clinical phase I studies, different routes of administration to define the optimum biological dose, maximum tolerated dose, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics of these reagents. It has been demonstrated that recombinant human (rh) granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF) and granulocyte CSF (G-CSF) can be safely administered over a broad dose range to increase number of circulating granulocytes in man. More recently, GM-CSF and G-CSF have been involved in phase Ib/II studies to assess the granulopoietic responses of patients with granulocytopenia due to various underlying disease states i…
Use of Cepheid Xpert Carba-R® for rapid detection of carbapenemase-producing bacteria in critically ill, abdominal surgical patients: first report of…
2015
Introduction Xpert Carba-R® (Cepheid®, USA) is a PCR-based assay for rapid (<1 hour) detection of bacteria carrying carbapenem-resistance genes (KPC, NDM, VIM, OXA-48, IMP-1). The aim of the study is to compare PCR with microbiological cultures in critically ill, abdominal surgical patients. Methods We performed an observational study at University Hospital 'P. Giaccone' Palermo. We enrolled abdominal surgical patients admitted to the ICU with suspected abdominal sepsis or developing sepsis during the ICU stay. We obtained two rectal swab specimens and two drainage samples to perform PCR assay and classic culture tests. We used Cohen's K to test concordance of results. We considered conc…