The Role of Culture/Ethnicity in Communicating with Cancer Patients About Mental Health Distress and Suicidality

Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry - To explore the role of culture in communicating with cancer patients about mental health distress and suicidality. The Grounded Theory method of data collection...     

Development and characterization of an oat TILLING-population and identification of mutations in lignin and β-glucan biosynthesis genes

Background  

Oat, Avena sativa is the sixth most important cereal in the world. Presently oat is mostly used as feed for animals. However, oat also has special properties that make it beneficial for human consumption and has seen a growing importance as a food crop in recent decades. Increased demand for novel oat products has also put pressure on oat breeders to produce new oat varieties with specific properties such as increased or improved β-glucan-, antioxidant- and omega-3 fatty acid levels, as well as modified starch and protein content. To facilitate this development we have produced a TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes) population of the spring oat cultivar SW Belinda.     

Serotonin-mediated increases in the extracellular levels of beta-endorphin in the arcuate nucleus and nucleus accumbens: a microdialysis study

Although the involvement of both endogenous opioid and serotonergic systems in modulation of pain and emotion was suggested, the neurochemical interaction between these systems in the brain has not previously been studied directly. Herein, the effects of the local application of serotonin (5-HT) and fluoxetine (a 5-HT reuptake inhibitor) on extracellular levels of beta-endorphin in the arcuate nucleus and nucleus accumbens were assessed in freely moving rats using in vivo microdialysis. The mean basal concentrations of beta-endorphin in dialysates obtained from the arcuate nucleus and nucleus accumbens were 259.9 and 143.3 pM, respectively. Specific lesion of the serotonergic system by 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) caused a significant decrease in these dialysate beta-endorphin levels. When 5-HT (0.25-5 microM) was added to the perfusion solution, the levels of beta-endorphin in the dialysate from the arcuate nucleus increased (186-296% of baseline), in a concentration-dependent manner. In the nucleus accumbens, 0.5 and 2 microM 5-HT in the perfusion fluid did not affect the levels of beta-endorphin in the dialysate, whereas 5 and 10 microM 5-HT caused an increase of approximately 190% of baseline. When fluoxetine (250 microM) was present in the perfusing solution, the levels of beta-endorphin in the dialysates from the arcuate nucleus and nucleus accumbens increased two- to threefold. This effect was not obtained in the 5,7-DHT-lesioned rats. Thus, 5-HT, either endogenously or exogenously delivered, appears to facilitate the release of beta-endorphin in the arcuate nucleus and nucleus accumbens. This indication of an interaction between serotonergic and endorphinic systems may be relevant for assessing pain and mood disorder circuits and the mode of action of antidepressant drugs.     

Elevated Urine Heparanase Levels Are Associated with Proteinuria and Decreased Renal Allograft Function

Heparanase is an endo-β-glucuronidase that cleaves heparan sulfate side chains, leading to structural modifications that loosen the extracellular matrix barrier and associated with tumor metastasis, inflammation and angiogenesis. In addition, the highly sulfated heparan sulfate proteoglycans are important constituents of the glomerular basement membrane and its permselective properties. Recent studies suggest a role for heparanase in several experimental and human glomerular diseases associated with proteinuria such as diabetes, minimal change disease, and membranous nephropathy. Here, we quantified blood and urine heparanase levels in renal transplant recipients and patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and assessed whether alterations in heparanase levels correlate with proteinuria and renal function. We report that in transplanted patients, urinary heparanase was markedly elevated, inversely associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), suggesting a relationship between heparanase and graft function. In CKD patients, urinary heparanase was markedly elevated and associated with proteinuria, but not with eGFR. In addition, urinary heparanase correlated significantly with plasma heparanase in transplanted patients. Such a systemic spread of heparanase may lead to damage of cells and tissues alongside the kidney.The newly described association between heparanase, proteinuria and decreased renal function is expected to pave the way for new therapeutic options aimed at attenuating chronic renal allograft nephropathy, leading to improved graft survival and patient outcome.     

Effect of experimenter-delivered and self-administered cocaine on extracellular beta-endorphin levels in the nucleus accumbens

Beta-endorphin is an endogenous opioid peptide that has been hypothesized to be involved in the behavioral effects of drugs of abuse including psychostimulants. Using microdialysis, we studied the effect of cocaine on extracellular levels of beta-endorphin in the nucleus accumbens, a brain region involved in the reinforcing effects of psychostimulant drugs. Experimenter-delivered cocaine (2 mg/kg, i.v.) increased extracellular beta-endorphin immunoreactive levels in the nucleus accumbens, an effect attenuated by 6-hydroxy-dopamine lesions or systemic administration of the D1-like receptor antagonist, SCH-23390 (0.25 mg/kg, i.p.). The effect of cocaine on beta-endorphin release in the nucleus accumbens was mimicked by a local perfusion of dopamine (5 microm) and was blocked by coadministration of SCH-23390 (10 microm). Self-administered cocaine (1 mg/kg/infusion, i.v.) also increased extracellular beta-endorphin levels in the nucleus accumbens. In addition, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that cocaine (1 mg/kg, i.v.) increases regional brain activity in the nucleus accumbens and arcuate nucleus. We demonstrate an increase in beta-endorphin release in the nucleus accumbens following experimenter-delivered and self-administered cocaine mediated by the local dopaminergic system. These findings suggest that activation of the beta-endorphin neurons within the arcuate nucleus-nucleus accumbens pathway may be important in the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the behavioral effects of cocaine.     

Evaluation of the efficacy of the entomopathogenic nematodes Heterorhabditis sp. against sap beetles (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae)

Absract Nitidulid beetles (Coleoptera) are considered serious pests of date palms throughout the world. They attack the ripe fruit, causing it to rot, and damage is reflected in both reduced yield and lower fruit quality. Previous studies demonstrated the susceptibility of larvae of this pest to entomopathogenic nematodes from the genus Heterorhabditidis. In the present study nematode efficacy was evaluated in greenhouse and field. In containers filled with soil, moderate reduction in insect emergence was achieved when the nematodes were applied at concentrations of 25 and 50 IJs/cm². However, the highest concentration (100 IJs/cm²) treatment resulted in a drastic reduction (by 70–90%) in emergence of the beetles. The lowest emergence was achieved by the IS-19 and IS-21 strains (>10%). Efficacy of the IS-19 strain was retained up to 7 days after application at a rate of 100 IJs/cm². When the insect larvae were introduced to the soil 2 weeks after nematode application, the percentage emergence of insects increased by 2–2.5 fold as compared to previous introductions but was still lower than in the control. Insect density per container did not have an effect on efficacy of the nematodes when the strains IS-19 and IS-12 were used. Two field trials were conducted in different sites in Israel. In the first trail, conducted in date palm orchard, four strains of Heterorhabditis sp. were tested. No significant difference in insect emergence was recorded among the various treatments or the control. Whereas in the second trial conducted in a fig orchard, substantial reduction (by 50–70%) in insect emergence was recorded following nematode treatment. Further studies, under natural conditions, are needed to optimize application efficiency and evaluate the commercial utilization of these biological control agents.