Histochemical Distribution of Carbonic Anhydrase in Rat and Rabbit Lacrimal Gland

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the histochemical distribution of carbonic anhydrase (CA) in lacrimal glands from rats and rabbits; and to determine if age-and/or sex-related differences exist in the amount and distribution of CA in the rat lacrimal gland. Methods. Lacrimal glands from young (3-12 wk) and aged (2-2.5 yr), male and female F344 rats and male rabbits were fixed in 1% paraformaldehyde and embedded in glycolmethacrylate. CA histochemistry was performed on 2-Mm sections. The distribution of CA activity was determined by morphometric analysis

The Effects of Cocaine on Different Redox Forms of Cysteine and Homocysteine, and on Labile, Reduced Sulfur in the Rat Plasma Following Active versus Passive Drug Injections

Received: 28 November 2012 / Revised: 19 April 2013 / Accepted: 6 May 2013 / Published online: 16 May 2013 The Author(s) 2013. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.comThe aim of the present studies was to evaluate cocaine-induced changes in the concentrations of different redox forms of cysteine (Cys) and homocysteine (Hcy), and products of anaerobic Cys metabolism, i.e., labile, reduced sulfur (LS) in the rat plasma. The above-mentioned parameters were determined after i.p. acute and subchronic cocaine treatment as well as following i.v. cocaine self-administration using the yoked procedure. Additionally, Cys, Hcy, and LS levels were measured during the 10-day extinction training in rats that underwent i.v. cocaine administration. Acute i.p. cocaine treatment increased the total and protein-bound Hcy contents, decreased LS, and did not change the concentrations of Cys fractions in the rat plasma. In turn, subchronic i.p. cocaine administration significantly increased free Hcy and lowered the total and protein-bound Cys concentrations while LS level was unchanged. Cocaine self-administration enhanced the total and protein-bound Hcy levels, decreased LS content, and did not affect the Cys fractions. On the other hand, yoked cocaine infusions did not alter the concentration of Hcy fractions while decreased the total and protein-bound Cys and LS content. This extinction training resulted in the lack of changes in the examined parameters in rats with a history of cocaine self-administration while in the yoked cocaine group an increase in the plasma free Cys fraction and LS was seen. Our results demonstrate for the first time that cocaine does evoke significant changes in homeostasis of thiol amino acids Cys and Hcy, and in some products of anaerobic Cys metabolism, which are dependent on the way of cocaine administration

Snake venomics of crotalus tigris: the minimalist toxin arsenal of the deadliest neartic rattlesnake venom: evolutionary clues for generating a pan-specific antivenom against crotalid type II venoms

artículo (arbitrado)-- Universidad de Costa Rica, Instituto de Investigaciones Clodomiro Picado. 2012. This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Journal of Proteome Research, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work seehttp://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/pr201021dWe report the proteomic and antivenomic characterization of Crotalus tigris venom. This venom exhibits the highest lethality for mice among rattlesnakes and the simplest toxin proteome reported to date. The venom proteome of C. tigris comprises 7–8 gene products from 6 toxin families: the presynaptic β-neurotoxic heterodimeric PLA2, Mojave toxin, and two serine proteinases comprise, respectively, 66% and 27% of the C. tigris toxin arsenal, whereas a VEGF-like protein, a CRISP molecule, a medium-sized disintegrin, and 1–2 PIII-SVMPs, each represents 0.1–5% of the total venom proteome. This toxin profile really explains the systemic neuro- and myotoxic effects observed in envenomated animals. In addition, we found that venom lethality of C. tigris and other North American rattlesnake type II venoms correlates with the concentration of Mojave toxin A subunit, supporting the view that the neurotoxic venom phenotype of crotalid type II venoms may be described as a single-allele adaptation. Our data suggest that the evolutionary trend towards neurotoxicity, which has been also reported for the South American rattlesnakes, may have resulted by paedomorphism. The ability of an experimental antivenom to effectively immunodeplete proteins from the type II venoms of C. tigris, C. horridus, C. oreganus helleri, C. scutulatus scutulatus, and S. catenatus catenatus, indicated the feasibility of generating a pan-American anti-Crotalus type II antivenom, suggested by the identification of shared evolutionary trends among South American and North American Crotalus.Financed by grants BFU2010-17373 (from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Madrid, Spain), CRUSA-CSIC (project 2009CR0021), and PROMETEO/2010/005 from the Generalitat Valenciana (Valencia, Spain), NIH/VIPER resource grant (#5 P40 RR018300-09), and Texas A&M University-Kingsville.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto Clodomiro Picado (ICP

Design of an operational personnel development and evaluation system

The purpose of this research project was to develop and implement a management system to more effectively utilize civilian professionals. Two "test bed" activities were selected--Naval Supply Center and Naval Regional Finance Center, both in San Diego, California. The project has four parts: 1. Establishing a Group Appraisal System. 2. Developing a Goal Setting System. 3. Constructing Performance Rating Scales. 4. Developing Career LaddersPrepared for: Office of the Chief of Naval Material Command Pentagon, Washington, D.C.http://archive.org/details/designofoperatio00githN

Design of an operational management development manual

This report describes the management development program established at the Naval Regional Finance-Center, San Diego, and the Naval Supply-Center, San Diego. The program includes elements of management by objectives, group performance appraisal and performance counseling.This research was supported by the Office of the Chief of Naval Material and monitored by the Office of the Vice Commander, Naval Systems Supply Command.http://archive.org/details/designofoperatio62githNaval Supply Systems Command HQN

Design of an operational rating manual

This report presents the results of efforts aimed at developing behaviorally anchored rating scales for selected Civil Service career occupations in Supply and Finance. Instructions and rating scales are presented for use by the line manager.supported by the Office of the Chief of Naval Material and monitored by the Office of the Vice Commander, Naval Systems Supply Command.http://archive.org/details/designofoperatio63githN