Neuroendocrine and Behavioral Responses and Brain Pattern of c- fos Induction Associated with Audiogenic Stress

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72579/1/j.1365-2826.1997.00593.x.pd

Technology Transfer in the People\u27s Republic of China: An Assessment

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the trading relationship between the United States and the People\u27s Republic of China is its explosive growth over the last fifteen years. In 1973, the total value of bilateral trade between the U.S. and China was $805 million (up from a mere$5 million just two years earlier). In 1987, this figure reached $10.4 billion - an increase of over 1000 per cent. This growth notwithstanding, the United States is not a commanding presence in the PRC\u27s overall trade picture. The U.S. share of total PRC imports in 1986 (almost$43 billion) is only 7 .2 percent, and the PRC accounted for only slightly over 1 percent of U.S. imports

Analysing co-evolution among artificial 3D creatures

This paper is concerned with the analysis of coevolutionary dynamics among 3D artificial creatures, similar to those introduced by Sims (1). Coevolution is subject to complex dynamics which are notoriously difficult to analyse. We introduce an improved analysis method based on Master Tournament matrices [2], which we argue is both less costly to compute and more informative than the original method. Based on visible features of the resulting graphs, we can identify particular trends and incidents in the dynamics of coevolution and look for their causes. Finally, considering that coevolutionary progress is not necessarily identical to global overall progress, we extend this analysis by cross-validating individuals from different evolutionary runs, which we argue is more appropriate than single-record analysis method for evaluating the global performance of individuals

Stress systems in the brain: molecules, nuclei and circuits

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/31355/1/0000266.pd

Changes in Proopiomelanocortin Primary Transcript Levels in the Anterior Pituitary Accompany Increased Adrenocorticotropin Secretion During the Diurnal Surge

Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene transcription in the anterior pituitary varies during stress and glucocorticoid feedback. These changes appear to parallel alterations in peptide release. The diurnal rhythm of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis also involves the periodic excursion of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) levels in plasma, but it is not clear whether the diurnal release is accompanied by changes at the transcriptional level. In the present study, we have initially characterized the heteronuclear species of POMC (hnPOMC) RNA found in the anterior pituitary by a Northern blot analysis and subsequently used this method to quantitate relative changes in the levels of heteronuclear transcript during diurnal stimulation. Two species of RNA migrating at 6.0 kb and 4.1 kb were found in the nuclear fraction of the anterior pituitary. Successive probing by various POMC cRNAs indicated that the 6.0 kb fragment was the primary transcript and the 4.1 kb fragment corresponded to the intron A-containing processing intermediate of POMC. The nuclear species were quantitated after acute swim stress and during the diurnal ACTH secretion. Acute swim increased plasma ACTH levels by 243% after 30 min. This was paralleled by a 214% increase in the primary transcript RNA levels. Endogenous circadian stimulation in the evening produced a smaller rise of plasma ACTH (79%), and was accompanied by a 34% increase in POMC hnRNA levels. Nuclear processing intermediate (4.1 kb) and the mRNA levels did not vary during the evening. These results suggest that the diurnal mechanism transiently increases ACTH release as well as POMC gene transcription in the anterior pituitary. Release and transcription appear to be tightly coupled during circadian activation as well as during stress.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75121/1/j.1365-2826.1992.tb00340.x.pd

Teaching what Society Needs:“Hacking” an Introductory Marketing Course with Sustainability and Macromarketing

Marketing classes are often focused on the micro level, failing to account for wider societal issues. In this article, we argue for the inclusion of a wider macro-sustainability focus, one that "hacks" marketing education. With that objective in mind, we developed and delivered an introductory marketing course that integrated both the micro and the macro, thus infusing the course with macro-sustainability. This was done through an "expanded voice" perspective that included alternate complementary micro and macro class sessions while using a traditional managerial marketing textbook supplemented by macro-sustainability materials. We also integrated a controversies approach to support discussion and learning. We taught this course to 150 undergraduate students and conducted both quantitative and qualitative assessments of the course, including comparing results with an "unhacked" marketing course. Findings indicated increased awareness of macro-sustainability topics and movement on appreciation of sustainability and the role marketing can have in achieving this awareness. Finally, we offer a model of how marketing classes at all levels can be "hacked" with a macro-sustainability approach

Relationship of presympathetic-premotor neurons to the serotonergic transmitter system in the rat brainstem

Numerous physiological conditions and emotionally motivated behaviors require concomitant activation of somatomotor and sympathetic efferents. Using a virally mediated retrograde transsynaptic tract-tracing approach, we have previously determined locations of presympathetic-premotor neurons (PSPMNs) in the rat brainstem. These putative dual-function neurons send projections to somatomotor and sympathetic targets and likely participate in sympatho-somatomotor integration. A significant portion of these neurons is found within brainstem areas known to contain serotonergic neurons. Thus, we hypothesized that some of the PSPMNs utilize serotonin as their neurotransmitter. To test this hypothesis we first produced an antibody against TPH2, a brain-specific isoform of tryptophan hydroxylase (serotonin synthetic enzyme). We identified PSPMNs by using recombinant strains of the pseudorabies virus (PRV) for transsynaptic tract-tracing. PRV-152, a strain that expresses enhanced green fluorescent protein, was injected into sympathectomized gastrocnemius muscle, while PRV-BaBlu, which expresses Β-galactosidase, was injected into the adrenal gland in the same animals. Using immunofluorescent methods we determined whether coinfected neurons expressed TPH2. Our findings demonstrate that TPH2-positive PSPMNs are present at different rostrocaudal levels of the brainstem. Just over half of them are found at the pontomedullary junction within raphe obscurus, raphe magnus, and gigantocellular nucleus pars alpha. These cells may play a role in mediating responses to acute pain stimuli and/or participate in the central control of exercise. Overactivity of these serotonergic sympatho-somatomotor circuits may also play a role in the pathophysiology of serotonin syndrome. J. Comp. Neurol. 499:882–896, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/55829/1/21129_ftp.pd

Some perspectives on monoamine-opioid peptide interaction in rat central nervous system

Light microscopic immunocytochemistry was employed to investigate possible sites of interaction between the endogenous opioid peptides and monoamines in the rat central nervous system. The opioid and related peptides examined included beta-endorphin ([beta]-END), alpha-MSH ([alpha]-MSH) and leucine-enkephalin (Leu-ENK). The monoamines were examined using antisera generated against tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine-[beta]-hydroxylase as well as serotonin. Due to the long-tract nature of the central monoamine projections as well as [beta]-END/[alpha]-MSH fiber systems, serial section analyses were performed utilizing parasagittal brain sections. Many areas rich in both the monoamines as well as opioid peptides were investigated. These included several thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei, several limbic structures, mesencephalic periaqueductal gray, brain stem noradrenergic cell groups and their rostral projections, the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system, and the serotonergic raphe nuclei and their projections. The results suggest a more intimate linkage between the monoamines and the opioid peptides than previously realized. Some of the intricacies of monoamine-opioid peptide interaction, in particular those pertaining to their possible role in pain and analgesia, catalepsy, and neuroendocrine effects are also discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/23945/1/0000192.pd