Specific blockade of morphine- and cocaine-induced reinforcing effects in conditioned place preference by nitrous oxide in mice

Nitrous oxide (N(2)O), a pharmacological active gas and an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptors, has been reported to be effective in the treatment of alcohol and tobacco withdrawal syndrome. However, the neurobiological bases of N(2)O effects are unknown. The aim of the present studies was to examine the effect of N(2)O on acquisition and expression of morphine- (10 mg/kg; s.c.) and cocaine- (20 mg/kg; i.p.) induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in mice. Unbiased place conditioning method was used. Mice were exposed to N(2)O during the conditioning phase (acquisition of CPP) or during postconditioning phase (expression of CPP). The same protocol was used to evaluate the impact of N(2)O on locomotor activity, two-trial recognition task (memory), spontaneous alternation, sucrose consumption (anhedonic state), forced swim (depressive state) and elevated O-maze tests (anxiety state). In all these tests, mice were treated with morphine (10 mg/kg, s.c.) the first day, the following day mice were given saline. This sequence alternated during the next 4 days. Control animals received saline every day. The behavior of animals was evaluated on day 8. N(2)O did not induce CPP but impaired the acquisition of morphine-induced CPP and blocked the expression of cocaine- and morphine-induced CPP. The effects of the gas were long lasting and persist 4 days following the exposure. Moreover no behavioral modifications in tests usually used to investigated emotional state as compared with control mice were observed in animals exposed to N(2)O, ruling out an effect of this gas on attention, anxiety, depression, locomotion and anhedonia. These studies raise the possibility that N(2)O could have a clinical benefit in the management of morphine and cocaine addiction.     

Epinephrine-induced enhancement of memory retrieval for inhibitory avoidance conditioning in preweanling Sprague-Dawley rats

Developmental research on memory is commonly conducted using preweanling rats, but the extent to which these animals are susceptible to hormone-induced memory retrieval is unclear. This study examined the effects of epinephrine (.001, .01, or .1 mg/kg) on retrieval of IA conditioning in 17-day-old infants. Animals tested 24 hr following training performed significantly worse than infants tested 5 min after training and adults tested 24 hr later, indicating that infantile amnesia had occurred. Epinephrine attenuated this deficit in a dose-dependent manner, with a significant improvement in performance at doses of .01 mg/kg for latency and at .01 and .1 mg/kg for safe side-dependent measures. The role of epinephrine as a memory modulator is discussed in terms of its neurobiological and internal contextual effects.     

Obesity and place: Chronic disease in the 500 largest U.S. cities

ObjectivesExtant research clearly points to a correlation between place and health, specifically as it pertains to chronic diseases like obesity. The present study examines this relationship among a diverse set of compositional place indicators and obesity rates across census tracts in the 500 largest cities in the United States.MethodsUsing data compiled from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 500 Cities project and the Census’ American Community Survey, the analyses examined aggregate relationships between sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and housing characteristics of census tracts and crude prevalence obesity rates in over 27,000 census tracts located in the 500 largest cities in the United States.ResultsMultivariate analysis confirms the place-chronic health connection. Regardless of variable groups, deteriorating places with higher concentrations of low-income, minority populations reported more obesity prevalence.ConclusionsPlace matters. The continuing burden of zip code in the United States for disenfranchised populations will likely continue to force policymakers to examine the role that place-based prevention and place-focused medical care plays in the future health and well-being of U.S. residents.     

Old and new synthetic cannabinoids: lessons from animal models

Abstract

Synthetic cannabinoids have long been studied for their therapeutic potentials. However, during the last decade, new generations of synthetic cannabinoid agonists appeared on the drug market. These new psychoactive substances are currently sold as ‘marijuana-like’ products as they claim to mimic the effects of the psychoactive component of cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Yet, their effects are more intense and potent than THC, typically last longer and are often associated to serious psychiatric consequences. Animal models of drug addiction are frequently used in preclinical research to assess the abuse potential of new compounds, evaluate drug positive reinforcing effects and analyze drug-induced behaviors. Some of these protocols have been used recently to study the newly synthesized cannabinoid agonists and have started elucidating their pharmacology and actions in the brain. The aim of this review is to summarize the major findings reported by animal studies that tested synthetic cannabinoids of first, second, and third generation by using self-administration and reinstatement models, drug discrimination and conditioned place preference procedures. Altogether, behavioral studies clearly indicate that synthetic cannabinoids possess abuse liability, are likely to activate the brain reward circuit and induce positive subjective and reinforcing effects.     

新型常压室温等离子体-紫外复合诱变选育埃莎霉素I高产菌株#br#

目的 通过对埃莎霉素Ⅰ产生菌WSJ-IA进行诱变选育研究,以期获得埃莎霉素Ⅰ高产菌株。方法 使用多功能等离子体诱变系统(multifunctional plasma mutagenesis system, MPMS)对出发菌株的孢子进行等离子体和紫外复合诱变,设定不同的诱变时间处理孢子悬液,通过致死率确定合适的诱变条件,利用突变株摇瓶发酵效价筛选出正突变菌株。结果 在MPMS射频功率为100W,处理距离5mm,气体流量12.5SLM,等离子体-紫外辐射时间为50s时,菌株致死率为96.08%。在此诱变条件下,以突变株的初筛效价为指标的突变率、正突变率分别达到63.96%和22.52%,复筛效价是出发菌株1.5倍以上的有5株,占复筛菌株的9%。最终筛选出一株发酵单位比出发菌株提高221%、埃莎霉素Ⅰ组分含量提高192%的正突变株IA-425。42L自动发酵罐发酵结果表明,该菌株埃莎霉素Ⅰ产量达到(2000±200)μg/mL左右。结论 新型等离子体复合紫外诱变方式,可有效提高菌株的埃莎霉素Ⅰ发酵产量和组分含量。这为埃莎霉素Ⅰ的大规模发酵和临床前研究奠定了良好基础。     

微生物来源的缩肽类化合物enopeptin A的研究(I)：菌种选育及发酵工艺研究

Enopeptin A是一种缩酚酸肽类化合物,具有抗菌、抗病毒等生物活性。以本实验室保藏的链霉菌SIIA-H7264为出发菌,通过紫外(UV)照射、甲基磺酸乙酯(EMS)诱变、亚硝基胍(NTG)诱变以及常压室温等离子体(ARTP)诱变,获得1株高产突变株A-21,其发酵产物Enopeptin A的产量较出发菌株提高了3倍。对发酵条件、发酵培养基组分进行单因素及响应面优化试验,最终Enopeptin A的产量达到1750μg/mL,较初始工艺提高了2.98倍。     

Young Urban Adolescents' Activity Spaces,Close Peers,and the Risk of Cannabis Use: A Social–Spatial Longitudinal Analysis

Background: An understudied, yet important area of youth development research is the examination of how place affects critical psychosocial processes such as identity formation, problem solving, emotional regulation, and in particular with adolescents, belongingness, autonomy, social competency, and behavioral health. A growing spatially informed literature indicates that youth interact with meaningful places as environmental strategies, shaping developmental trajectories related to behavioral health. Objectives: The objective is to investigate the relationship between place preference and health behavior among adolescents, with a focus on substance use behavior, specifically, cannabis use. We theorize that cannabis use is associated with place preference for urban, city types of places, and that this particular place preference interacts with close peer network behaviors. Methods: To understand the role of preferred locations, close peer relations, and mental health on cannabis use, 248 adolescents (ages 13 to 14) were studied longitudinally. Logistic regression models tested the moderating effects of peer network health (sum of close friends risk and protective behaviors) on selecting city locations (urban stress/neighborhoods) as preferred places, and subsequent cannabis use. Results: Results indicated that peer network health moderated the effects of choosing city locations as favorite, increasing the odds of cannabis use more than eight-fold at 24 months. Conclusions: Favorite places located in city environments appear to interact with peer risk behaviors influencing the cannabis use of young urban adolescents, even after controlling for the influence of baseline cannabis use, neighborhood disorder the home neighborhood, age, gender, and mental health effects.     

“I think I could have designed it better,but I didn’t think that it was my place”: a critical review of home modification practices from the perspectives of health and of design

Abstract

Purpose: The research presented demonstrates the disharmony between end user goals and their consideration in service outcomes within ageing-in-place and asks “what can design offer health” within this domain.

Methods: Data was collected using semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders within the context of ageing in place. All data are thematically analysed through a theoretical lens of control theory.

Results: The results demonstrate a contrast between purported patient-centred care models, and a human-centred design model. This contrast in cultures causes a disconnect between the health practitioners and the end users, with a lack of clarity about the end user's intended engagement within the modification of their environment. Consequently, the goals of older adults are inadequately represented as typical home modification design processes often fail to support the reflection of goals in practice, in turn, restricting client engagement and control. Reviewing occupational therapy practices through the critical lens of control has highlighted opportunities for service improvements.

Conclusion: The consideration of co-design methodologies within home modification design is a way to reinforce client engagement and provide better pathways for older adults to remain in control and raise acceptability of modification through a better-informed decision-making process.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• The following points detail the implications of this research upon the rehabilitation practice and theory:

• Compliance with recommendations is deeply connected to a person’s intrinsic sense of control within the clinical decision-making process.

• Co-design practices between practitioners and clients provide and novel pathway to achieve truly person-centred care and create better service experiences and clinical outcomes.

• The human-centred design methodology is highly applicable within clinical practice and provides an opportunity for clinicians to see and learn about their patients through a holistic lens centred around goals and motivations rather than physical impairments.

• The scoping of health literacy should be inclusive of all service artefacts and touchpoints that a client may encounter throughout the entire duration of experience, this includes design artefacts such as architectural drawings and other home modification designs.

     

癌症晚期患者及家属对预前指示态度的一致性研究

目的 调查并分析癌症晚期患者及家属对预前指示及预前指示所含的生命维持治疗、死亡地点、诊断告知等态度的一致性。方法 便利抽取北京市某三甲医院肿瘤科268对癌症晚期患者及家属,采用预前指示态度及终末生命意愿量表调查患者及家属对预前指示及生命维持治疗、死亡地点、诊断告知的态度。结果 59.0%的患者愿意做预前指示,有88.4%的家属愿意遵守患者制定的预前指示意愿,患者及家属对预前指示态度的一致性系数Kappa值为0.010。患者及家属对生命维持治疗、死亡地点及诊断告知态度的Kappa值分别为0.158~0.235,0.227,0.056,一致性较差。结论 癌症晚期患者及家属对预前指示态度一致性较差,家属对生命维持治疗、死亡地点、诊断告知的态度不能代表患者本人的意愿。临床医护人员应加强与患者及家属的沟通,提高患者及家属对预前指示态度的一致性。