Showing papers by "University of Cagliari published in 1981"
137 citations
TL;DR: The results indicate that stress causes a rapid decrease in GABA receptor binding in the central system and that the GABA binding values which are usually considered as normal are, in fact, values decreased by the handling manoeuvers preceding sacrifice.
120 citations
TL;DR: The results indicate that GABAergic mechanisms in the MRF-DLSC are of primary importance in the expression of motor and behavioural syndromes arising from the striatum.
99 citations
TL;DR: Patients suffering from primary headache are characterized by low βLPH and βEP plasma levels and by a poor reactivity of circulating opioids to non-stressful stimuli.
Abstract: Eleven patients affected by common migraine (CM), eleven affected by daily chronic headache (DCH), and eight healthy volunteers were studied. Plasma levels of beta-endorphin (beta EP), beta-lipotropin (beta LPH). ACTH and cortisol were measured in basal conditions and after traditional Chinese acupuncture (TCA). Basal beta LPH and beta EP plasma levels (pg/ml) in the DCH patients (57.6 +/- 9.5 and 16.8 +/- 2.5, respectively; M +/- SE) were lower than those found in the controls (83.6 +/- 13.7 and 26.0 +/- 6.1; p less than 0.001), while those found in the CM cases showed inter-mediate values (75.3 +/- 12.0 and 24.4 +/- 5.8). ACTH and cortisol concentrations in both the CM and DCH patients were in the same range as those of the control group. TCA caused an increase in beta LPH and beta EP plasma concentrations in the control group (beta LPH: 117 +/- 16.9; beta EP: 44.1 +/- 6.7). Opioid plasma levels, however, remained unmodified after TCA in both the CM and DCH groups. ACTH plasma levels remained stable after TCA in all three subject groups. Patients suffering from primary headache are characterized by low beta LPH and beta EP plasma levels and by a poor reactivity of circulating opioids to non-stressful stimuli.
80 citations
TL;DR: The results suggest that repeated ECS may lead to the development of subsensitivity in DA receptors that mediate sedation and that these receptors are differentiated from those controlling DA synthesis.
Abstract: Repeated electroconvulsive shock (ECS) (one shock daily for 8 days), but not single ECS, eliminates the sedative response to small doses of apomorphine (25–100 μg/kg) and potentiates the stimulant response to high doses (200 μg/kg) of the drug in rats. This effect is observed 1 and 4 days after the last ECS. However, repeated ECS does not prevent the inhibitory effect of apomorphine on dopamine (DA) synthesis. The results suggest that repeated ECS may lead to the development of subsensitivity in DA receptors that mediate sedation and that these receptors are differentiated from those controlling DA synthesis.
77 citations
TL;DR: The hormonal responses to ACTH of the family members with cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency were determined and compared to the responses of patients with CAH, patients with acquired adrenal hyperplasia, family members predicted to be heterozygous forCAH, family member predictions to be unaffected, and the general population.
Abstract: Cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency has been previously described in asymptomatic family members of patients with classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). These family members were detected by high baseline 17-hydroxyprogesterone levels found in the course of family studies. The hormonal responses to ACTH of the family members with cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency were determined and compared to the responses of patients with CAH, patients with acquired adrenal hyperplasia, family members predicted to be heterozygous for CAH, family members predicted to be unaffected, and the general population. The ACTH-stimulated levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone and delta 4-androstenedione in the cryptic family members were elevated above the level of the general population or family members heterozygous for classical CAH, but below that of patients with CAH. The hormonal profile of patients with cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency is similar to that of patients with acquired adrenal hyperplasia. The response of family members heterozygous for the cryptic gene (21-OH CRYPTIC/21-OH NORMAL) was indistinguishable from that of family members heterozygous for the classical CAH gene (21-OH CAH/21-OH NORMAL). These studies support our previous proposal that patients with cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency are genetic compounds, having one gene for a severe enzyme deficiency and one gene for a mild 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Thus, the 21-hydroxylase genotype in cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency is 21-OH CAH/21-OH CRYPTIC.
71 citations
TL;DR: The clinical findings confirm that patients with inv dup(15) have mental and developmental retardation and are frequently affected by seizures, while severe physical malformations are absent.
Abstract: Eight patients are reported with a de nov extra inverted duplicated chromosome 15. The abnormal chromosome was considered to be the same in all cases, but its precise delineation remained uncertain and was defined as either 15qter→15q12::15q12→15pter or 15pter→15q11::15q13→15pter. Analysis with various techniques of the satellite regions of the bisatellited chromosomes demonstrated maternal derivation in six and paternal derivation in one of the seven families. A nonsister chromatid exchange between the two homologous chromosomes 15 is considered a likely origin of the inv dup(15) in the cases with maternal derivation; in the only case of paternal derivation, however, the abnormal chromosome originated from one single chromosome 15. The clinical findings confirm that patients with inv dup(15) have mental and developmental retardation and are frequently affected by seizures, while severe physical malformations are absent.
63 citations
TL;DR: Results seem to indicate that β-LPH, β-EP and ACTH secretion patterns in chronic schizophrenia, PAD and SAD may help in revealing specific groups of patients with different biochemical substrates.
62 citations
TL;DR: The results suggest that REM sleep deprivation may lead to the development of subsensitivity in DA receptors that mediate sedation and that these receptors are differentiated from those controlling DA synthesis.
54 citations
TL;DR: The stimulation of sexual behavior of male rats by short-term hyperprolactinaemia might be due to an enhancement of dopaminergic transmission in specific brain areas by prolactin (PRL).
49 citations
TL;DR: The results indicate that the MRF-DLSC complex is an essential area for the expression of motor behaviour elicited from the substantia nigra.
TL;DR: The results indicate that the MRF and DLSC play a primary role in the expression of turning originated from the striatum.
TL;DR: The current model of poliovirus morphogenesis postulates a fundamental role for procapsid, 80S shells that, upon interaction with viral RNA and subsequent proteolytic cleavage, give rise to complete virus particles.
Abstract: The current model of poliovirus morphogenesis postulates a fundamental role for procapsid, 80S shells that, upon interaction with viral RNA and subsequent proteolytic cleavage, give rise to complete virus particles. Although 80S sedimenting particles can, indeed, be isolated from cytoplasmic extracts of infected cells, their physical properties differ from those reported for procapsids. Far from being stable structures, they can be dissociated by pH 8.5 and 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate into slower-sedimenting subunits. The reasons for this discrepancy were investigated, and two main modalities leading to the appearance of procapsids in vitro were identified. The first involves a temperature-mediated conversion of dissociable 80S particles into stable 80S procapsids, and the second involves the self-assembly of endogenous 14S subunits, also primed by an increase in the temperature of cytoplasmic extracts.
TL;DR: The results suggest that changes in β-LPH and β-EP plasma levels may be important in explaining modifications in behavior and mood frequently found in postmenopausal females and in patients undergoing surgical castration in the fertile age.
Abstract: β-lipotropin (β-LPH) and β-endorphin (β-EP) plasma levels were characterized by a significant decrease in postmenopausal females (22 subjects aged from 56 to 70 yr) when compared to fertile women (22 subjects from 31 to 45 yr). On the contrary, ACTH plasma levels determined in 10 of the premenopausal and 13 of the postmenopausal subjects reported above showed constant levels in both groups. A significant increase in the β-LPH/β-EP molar ratio was observed in postmenopausal females. The plasma β-LPH and β-EP levels, studied before and 6 months after ovariectomy, showed a significant decrease in 8 out of 10 patients, while they remained constant in the other 2. Two subjects, in whom postsurgical samples were taken during a flushing episode, showed β-LPH and β-EP plasma levels which were both higher than the corresponding preovariectomy values. The results suggest that these changes may be important in explaining modifications in behavior and mood frequently found in postmenopausal females and in patients undergoing surgical castration in the fertile age.
TL;DR: An understanding of the relevance of the apparent alteration in coupling between GABA and benzodiazepine receptors must permit a better definition of the behavioral manifestation of their biochemical phenomenon.
TL;DR: The results indicate that the dorsal mesencephalic reticular formation plays an essential role as an output station for striatal postural functions.
TL;DR: Since intranigral kainate, in contrast to 6-OHDA, destroys pars reticulata neurons it appears that these neurons are essential for the expression of haloperidol-catalepsy.
TL;DR: In this paper, the reliability of K and ϵ estimates for 1:1 molecular complexes has been studied and the error matrix is examined and a new variable G = K−1((a+b+K−1)2−4ab)− 1 2 (where a and b are the concentrations of the reagents) is introduced.
TL;DR: In this article, the X-ray scattering intensities from indium(III) sulphate aqueous solution have been measured and analyzed and a peak at 3.35 A in the correlation function reveals inner indium-sulphate complexes of mean formula In(H2O)6-z(OSO3)+3-2z.
TL;DR: The results obtained support the hypothesis that ACTH 1–24 and β-endorphin might interact antagonistically at CNS level.
TL;DR: The results indicate that benzodiazepine binding sites in the substantia nigra are partly located on kainic acid sensitive elements (probably interneurons) and, partly, on k Cainic acid resistant ones, which become supersensitive after degeneration of striato-nigral pathways.
TL;DR: The data strengthen the idea that melanocortin peptides (corticotropin and melanotropins) play an important role in nociception and in opiate tolerance and withdrawal.
TL;DR: In this article, the inhibitory activity on the membrane-bonded ATP-ase of the M(L)2X2 complexes was investigated, and the results showed that the complexes with isox and its methyl and phenyl derivatives have a much stronger inhibitory effect than the corresponding free ligands; in the 4-ADI compounds this activity drops.
TL;DR: The results suggest that GABA and benzodiazepine receptors are involved in the physiological mechanisms of vision in dark-adapted rats.
TL;DR: It is concluded that basal insulin secretion is lower in young children than in older children and the hepatic extraction of insulin seems to be diminished in neonates, leading to a low molar ratio of C-peptide to insulin in the peripheral circulation.
TL;DR: Spectrophotometric studies on the charge transfer complexes between molecular iodine and some pentaatomic rings containing the selenoamido entity have been carried out in CCl 4 and CH 2 Cl 2 solutions as discussed by the authors.
TL;DR: X-ray diffraction data from a 3.5 m solution of (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 and a 1.5 M solution of NH 4 ClO 4 were examined in this paper.
TL;DR: The experimental data reported make it possible to give a complete picture of the functional behaviour of newt hemoglobins, making a contribution to clarifying the dependence of the sign of the Bohr effect on the acclimatization temperature of the animals that has been previously reported.
Abstract: The functional properties of hemoglobins from Triturus cristatus carnifex have been characterized both from an equilibrium and a kinetic point of view. A special attention has been given to the effect of organic phosphates in view of their role in the modulation of the hemoglobin function. Under stripped conditions newt hemoglobins display a negative Bohr effect which becomes much less pronounced in the presence of 0.2 M inorganic phosphates. The effect of organic phosphates involves not only a drop in the O2 affinity but also a large change in the shape of the O2 Bohr effect which becomes markedly positive in the presence of myo-inositol hexakis(phosphate). The experimental data reported make it possible to give a complete picture of the functional behaviour of newt hemoglobins, making a contribution to clarifying the dependence of the sign of the Bohr effect on the acclimatization temperature of the animals that has been previously reported [Morpurgo, G., Battaglia, P. A. and Leggio, T. (1970) Nature (Lond.) 225, 76--77].