The role of CA1 α-adrenoceptor on scopolamine induced memory impairment in male rats

Introduction: Similarities in the memory impairment between Alzheimer patients and scopolamine treated animals have been reported. In the present study, the possible role of α-adrenergic receptors of the dorsal hippocampus on scopolamine state-dependent memory in adult male Wistar rats was evaluated. Methods: The animals were bilaterally implanted with chronic cannulae in the CA1 regions of the dorsal hippocampus, trained in a step-through type inhibitory avoidance task, and tested 24 h after training to measure step-through latency. Results: Post-training intra-CA1 administration of scopolamine (0.5 and 2μg/rat) dose-dependently reduced the step-through latency, showing an amnestic response. Amnesia produced by post-training scopolamine (2 μg/rat) was reversed by pre-test administration of the scopolamine (0.5 and 2 μg/rat) that is due to a state-dependent effect. Pre-test intra-CA1 injection of α1-adrenoceptor agonist, phenylephrine (0.25, 0.5 μg/rat) in the dose range that we used, could not affect memory impairment induced by post-training injection of scopolamine (2 μg/rat). However intra-CA1 pretest injection of α2-adrenoceptor agonist, clonidine (0.5 μg/rat) improved post-training scopolamine (2 μg/rat) intra-CA1 injection induced retrieval impairment. Furthermore, pre-test intra-CA1 microinjection of phenylephrine (0.25 and 0.5 μg/rat) or clonidine (0.25 and 0.5 μg/rat) with an ineffective dose of scopolamine (0.25 μg/rat), synergistically improved memory performance impaired by post-training scopolamine (2 μg/rat). Our results also showed that, pre-test injection of α1-receptor antagonist prazosin (1, 2 μg/rat) or α2-receptors antagonist yohimbine (1, 2 μg/rat) before effective dose of scopolamine (2 μg/rat) prevented the improvement of memory by pre-test scopolamine. Conclusion: These results suggest that α1- and α2-adrenergic receptors of the dorsal hippocampal CA1 region may play an important role in scopolamine-induced amnesia and scopolamine state-dependent memory

Involvement of dorsal hippocampal α-adrenergic receptors in the effect of scopolamine on memory retrieval in inhibitory avoidance task

The present study evaluated the possible role of α-adrenergic receptors of the dorsal hippocampus on scopolamine-induced amnesia and scopolamine state-dependent memory in adult male Wistar rats. The animals were bilaterally implanted with chronic cannulae in the CA1 regions of the dorsal hippocampus, trained in a step-through type inhibitory avoidance task, and tested 24. h after training to measure step-through latency. Results indicate that post-training or pre-test intra-CA1 administration of scopolamine (1 and 2μg/rat) dose-dependently reduced the step-through latency, showing an amnestic response. Amnesia produced by post-training scopolamine (2μg/rat) was reversed by pre-test administration of the scopolamine that is due to a state-dependent effect. Interestingly, pre-test intra-CA1 microinjection of α1-adrenergic agonist, phenylephrine (1 and 2μg/rat) or α2-adrenergic agonist, clonidine improved post-training scopolamine (2μg/rat)-induced retrieval impairment. Furthermore, pre-test intra-CA1 microinjection of phenylephrine (0.25, 0.5 and 1 μg/rat) or clonidine (0.25, 0.5 and 1 μg/rat) with an ineffective dose of scopolamine (0.25 μg/rat), synergistically improved memory performance impaired by post-training scopolamine. On the other hand, pre-test injection of α1-receptors antagonist prazosin (1 and 2 μg/rat) or α2-receptors antagonist yohimbine (1 and 2 μg/rat) prevented the restoration of memory by pre-test scopolamine. It is important to note that pre-test intra-CA1 administration of the same doses of prazosin or yohimbine, alone did not affect memory retrieval. These results suggest that α1- and α2-adrenergic receptors of the dorsal hippocampal CA1 regions may play an important role in scopolamine-induced amnesia and scopolamine state-dependent memory. © 2010 Elsevier Inc

The impact of maternal emotional intelligence and parenting style on child anxiety and behavior in the dental setting

Objective. The present study investigated the correlations between maternal emotional intelligence (EQ), parenting style, child trait anxiety and child behavior in the dental setting. Study design. One-hundred seventeen children, aged 4-6 years old (mean 5.24 years), and their mothers participated in the study. The BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory and Bumrind's parenting style questionnaire were used to quantify maternal emotional intelligence and parenting style. Children's anxiety and behavior was evaluated using the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) and Frankl behavior scale. Results. Significant correlation was found between maternal EQ and child behavior (r=0.330; p<0.01); but not between parenting style and child behavior. There was no significant correlation between mother's total EQ and child's total anxiety; however, some subscales of EQ and anxiety showed significant correlations. There were significant correlations between authoritarian parenting style and separation anxiety (r=0.186; p<0.05) as well as authoritative parenting style and mother's EQ (r=0.286; p<0.01). There was no significant correlation between child anxiety and behavior (r = -0.81). Regression analysis revealed maternal EQ is effective in predicting child behavior (B=0.340; p<0.01). Conclusion. This study provides preliminary evidence that the child's behavior in the dental setting is correlated to mother's emotional intelligence. Emotionally intelligent mothers were found to have predominantly authoritative parenting styl

Study of CdI2{\rm CdI_2} nanocrystals dispersed in amorphous Sb2S3{\rm Sb_2S_3} matrix

Crystalline nanoparticles of cadmium iodide where suspended in the amorphous matrix of antimony trisulphide. Both materials are layered structured and have large band-gaps however cadmium iodide exhibits polytypism, i.e. it exists in various different crystalline states. Different crystalline states are marked by wholely different dielectric constants which give rise to sharp surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks in the UV-visible. The manuscript details the variation in SPR's with heat-treatment of the films.Comment: 10 pages 8 figures submitted to PR

Epidemiology of infective endocarditis in patients referred to Ardabil city hospital, 2010-2015

Background: Infectious endocarditis is caused by bacterial or fungal infections of the endocardial surface of the heart, with high morbidity and mortality. Information on infective endocarditis is low in a developing country, and in Iran, the situation is similar, and so far no accurate research on the epidemiology of endocarditis has been carried out. The aim of study is to epidemiological evaluation of Infective endocarditis.Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on 32 patients with infectious endocarditis who referred during 2011-20166 in Ardabil city Hospital. Data from blood culture, urine test, and other diagnostic procedures were extracted from the records. Information on age, sex, the most common cause of referral, culture and positive culture, mitral valve, tricuspid and pulmonary valve involvement, underlying condition of injecting drug addiction, duration of hospitalization, clinical symptoms, type of treatment, response to Treatment, status of hospital discharge and mortality rate of patients were collected and then analyzed.Results: Of all patients, 14 (43.75%) were male and 18 (56.25%) were female. The mean age of patients was 55.6±9.4 years with a range of 21-72 years old. Patients were treated at an average of 2.2±1.4 weeks. 9 patients (28.12%) had skeletal-muscular manifestations. 26 patients (81.25%) had fever. The most prevalent microorganism was klebsiella with 71.87% that was sensitive in 13 patients (56.5%) to methicillin.Conclusions: Fever with musculoskeletal manifestations in young men with a history of injectable addiction is a common manifestation of infectious endocarditis

Policies in Activity-based Flexible Offices -‘I am sloppy with clean-desking. We don’t really know the rules.’

Activity-based Flexible Offices (A-FOs) are offices with unassigned desks that provide a variety of workspaces. This paper presents desk-sharing and speech rules identified in A-FOs in four Swedish organisations, the emergence of and compliance with these rules, and their consequences for work conditions. Data collection involved 105 semi-structured interviews, document analyses, and observations. The identified rules were: (1) to remove belongings, (2) temporal restrictions on using the same workstations, (3) temporal restrictions on using scarce zones, (4) restrictions on verbal interactions, and (5) restrictions on phone conversations. The cases with extensive user involvement in their planning process had explicit unambiguous rules. A better compliance with rules occurred when (i) the employees were well-prepared and had a unified understanding regarding how and why to follow the rules, (ii) the rules were explicitly communicated and were regarded as easy to follow, and (iii) following the rules facilitated work and improved work conditions

Policies for sharing workspaces in activity-based flex offices

Policies for maintaining non-territoriality (desk-sharing and clean desk policies) and for maintaining zones with different sound levels vary between activity-based flex offices. Five policies were identified as crucial for making the activity-based office concept work. In cases without explicitly expressed policies employees reported uncertainties and interpretations of how to act in the office