Pharmacological profiles of opioid ligands at Kappa opioid receptors

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to describe the activity of a set of opioid drugs, including partial agonists, in a human embryonic kidney cell system stably expressing only the mouse κ-opioid receptors. Receptor activation was assessed by measuring the inhibition of cyclic adenosine mono phosphate (cAMP) production stimulated by 5 μM forskolin. Intrinsic activities and potencies of these ligands were determined relative to the endogenous ligand dynorphin and the κ agonist with the highest intrinsic activity that was identified in this study, fentanyl. RESULTS: Among the ligands studied naltrexone, WIN 44,441 and dezocine, were classified as antagonists, while the remaining ligands were agonists. Intrinsic activity of agonists was assessed by determining the extent of inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP production. The absolute levels of inhibition of cAMP production by each ligand was used to describe the rank order of intrinsic activity of the agonists; fentanyl = lofentanil ≥ hydromorphone = morphine = nalorphine ≥ etorphine ≥ xorphanol ≥ metazocine ≥ SKF 10047 = cyclazocine ≥ butorphanol > nalbuphine. The rank order of affinity of these ligands was; cyclazocine > naltrexone ≥ SKF 10047 ≥ xorphanol ≥ WIN 44,441 > nalorphine > butorphanol > nalbuphine ≥ lofentanil > dezocine ≥ metazocine ≥ morphine > hydromorphone > fentanyl. CONCLUSION: These results elucidate the relative activities of a set of opioid ligands at κ-opioid receptor and can serve as the initial step in a systematic study leading to understanding of the mode of action of these opioid ligands at this receptor

Behavioural and Developmental Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Clinical Systematic Review

Background: Much controversy exists regarding the clinical efficacy of behavioural and developmental interventions for improving the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We conducted a systematic review to summarize the evidence on the effectiveness of behavioural and developmental interventions for ASD. Methods and Findings: Comprehensive searches were conducted in 22 electronic databases through May 2007. Further information was obtained through hand searching journals, searching reference lists, databases of theses and dissertations, and contacting experts in the field. Experimental and observational analytic studies were included if they were written in English and reported the efficacy of any behavioural or developmental intervention for individuals with ASD. Two independent reviewers made the final study selection, extracted data, and reached consensus on study quality. Results were summarized descriptively and, where possible, meta-analyses of the study results were conducted. One-hundred-and-one studies at predominantly high risk of bias that reported inconsistent results across various interventions were included in the review. Meta-analyses of three controlled clinical trials showed that Lovaas treatment was superior to special education on measures of adaptive behaviour, communication and interaction, comprehensive language, daily living skills, expressive language, overall intellectual functioning and socialization. High-intensity Lovaas was superior to low-intensity Lovaas on measures of intellectual functioning in two retrospective cohort studies. Pooling the results of two randomized controlle

Who Said or What Said? Estimating Ideological Bias in Views Among Economists

There exists a long-standing debate about the influence of ideology in economics. Surprisingly, however, there is no concrete empirical evidence to examine this critical issue. Using an online randomized controlled experiment involving economists in 19 countries, we examine the effect of ideological bias on views among economists. Participants were asked to evaluate statements from prominent economists on different topics, while source attribution for each statement was randomized without participants’ knowledge. For each statement, participants either received a mainstream source, an ideologically different less-/non-mainstream source, or no source. We find that changing source attributions from mainstream to less-/non-mainstream, or removing them, significantly reduces economists’ reported agreement with statements. Using a model of Bayesian updating we examine two competing hypotheses as potential explanations for these results: unbiased Bayesian updating versus ideologically-biased Bayesian updating. While we find no evidence in support of unbiased updating, our results are consistent with biased Bayesian updating. More specifically, we find that changing/removing sources (1) has no impact on economists’ reported confidence with their evaluations; (2) similarly affects experts/non-experts in relevant areas; and (3) affects those at the far right of the political spectrum much more significantly than those at the far left. Finally, we find significant heterogeneity in our results by gender, country, PhD completion country, research area, and undergraduate major, with patterns consistent with the existence of ideological bias

Effect of Grape seed oil (Vitis vinifera) on serum gonadotropins and testosterone levels in adult rats exposed to lead acetate

Background and Objective: Lead exposure induced toxic effects on reproductive system. This study was done to evaluate the effect of Grape seed oil (Vitis vinifera) on serum gonadotropins and testosterone level in toxicited adult male rats by lead acetate. Methods: In this experimental study, 56 adult male Wistar rats were randomly allocated equally into 7 groups. Animals in control group did not receive any matter. Animals in the sham, experimental 1 and experimental 2 groups were received orally distilled water, 8ml/kg Grape seed oil (GSO) and 0.1 mmol/lit lead acetate for 21 days, respectively. Animals in the experimental group 3, 4 and 5 were received 0.1 mmol/lit lead acetate for 21 days and then 2 ml/kg/bw, 4 ml/kg/bw and 8ml/kg/bw GSO from day 22 up to day 42, recpectively. Blood samples were taken from control, sham and experimental groups 1 and 2 at the end of day 21. At the end of day 42, blood samples were taken from experimental groups 3, 4 and 5. Serum level of LH, FSH and testosterone were measured by Radioimmunoassay. Results: Serum level of LH, FSH and testosterone were significantly reduced in the experimental group 2 in compared to control group. Serum level of LH, FSH and testosterone were significantly increased in experimental group 4 and 5 in comparision with the experimental group 2. Conclusion: Grape seed oil extract at doses of 4 and 8ml/kg/bw increased serum level of LH, FSH and testosterone in lead acetate exposed male rats

As Funny As Neologisms: A Case of 'Friends' TV Series

Abstract Neologism, as one of the most important morphological processes, plays a significant role in the generation of new words. The present paper investigated, categorized and elaborated the humorous neologisms in a popular American comic TV series called Friends. This study showed that neologisms can be interestingly hilarious at times and that they can be creatively used in sitcoms and in everyday language. Findings revealed that many new interesting expressions can be coined within the regular framework of the English language and word formation regulations. This study shows that, contrary to George Yule`s opinion (1998), coinages were not only not "the least common process of word formation", but they were frequently used in this TV series. The paper concludes with unveiling the concept of "comic license" in the generation of neologisms

Gracilariopsis mclachlanii sp nov and Gracilariopsis persica sp nov of the Gracilariaceae (Gracilariales, Rhodophyceae) from the Indian Ocean

Two new species of Gracilariopsis from the Indian Ocean are proposed-Gracilariopsis (Gp.) mclachlanii Buriyo, Bellorin et M. C. Oliveira sp. nov. from Tanzania and Gracilariopsis persica Bellorin, Sohrabipour et E. C. Oliveira sp. nov. from Iran-based on morphology and DNA sequence data (rbcL gene and SSU rDNA). Both species fit the typical features of Gracilariopsis: axes cylindrical throughout, freely and loosely ramified up to four orders, with an abrupt transition in cell size from medulla to cortex, cystocarps lacking tubular nutritive cells and superficial spermatangia. Nucleotide sequence comparisons of rbcL and SSU rDNA placed both species into the Gracilariopsis clade as distinct species from all the accepted species for this genus, forming a deeply divergent lineage together with some species from the Pacific. The new species are very difficult to distinguish on morphological grounds from other species of Gracilariopsis, stressing the importance of homologous molecular marker comparisons for the species recognition in this character-poor genus

Using participatory methods to build an mHealth intervention for female entertainment workers in Cambodia: the development of the Mobile Link project

10.21037/mhealth.2019.07.02mHealth524-2