University of Rouen

About: University of Rouen is a education organization based out in Rouen, France. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Receptor. The organization has 7299 authors who have published 13209 publications receiving 313477 citations.

Distribution of somatostatin receptors in the brain of the frog Rana ridibunda: Correlation with the localization of somatostatin-containing neurons

Abstract: The biochemical characterization and anatomical distribution of somatostatin binding sites were examined in the brain of the frog Rana ridibunda, and the distribution of the receptors was compared with the location of somatostatin immunoreactive neurons. The pharmacological profile of somatostatin receptors was determined in the frog brain by means of an iodinated superagonist of somatostatin, [125I-Tyr0,DTrp8]S-14. Membrane-enriched preparations from frog brain homogenates were shown to contain high-affinity receptors (KD = 0.78 ± 0.34 nM; Bmax = 103 + 12.7 fmoles /mg protein) with pharmacological specificity for [DTrp] substituted S14 and S28 analogs. The distribution of somatostatin-binding sites was studied by autoradiography on coronal sections of frog brain. Various densities of somatostatin receptors were detected in discrete areas of the brain. The highest concentration of binding sites was observed in the olfactory bulb, in the pallium, and in the superficial tectum. Moderate binding was observed in the striatum, amygdaloid complex, preoptic area, and cerebellum. Immunocytochemical studies of the distribution of somatostatin-28 (S28) related peptides were also conducted in the frog brain. Two antisera that recognize distinct epitopes of the somatostatin molecule have been used for immunohistochemical mapping of the peptide. Antiserum SS9 recognizes both S28 and somatostatin-14 (S14) and allowed the labelling of perikarya. Antiserum S320 recognizes the N-terminal fragment (1–12) resulting from enzymatic cleavage of S28. This latter antiserum, which does not cross-react with S28, stained mainly neuronal processes. At the infundibular level, however, both antisera stained cell bodies and fibers. Immunoreactive somatostatin-related peptides were detected in many areas of the frog brain. In the diencephalon, a heavy accumulation of perikarya and fibers was seen in the preoptic nucleus, the dorsal and ventral infundibular nuclei, and the median eminence. Immunoreactive perikarya were also observed in the telencephalon, especially in the pallium and in thalamic nuclei. Immunostained processes were detected in many telencephalic areas and in the tectum. There was good correlation between the distribution of somatostatin-immunoreactive elements and the location of somatostatin-binding sites in several areas of the brain, in particular in the median pallium, the tectum, and the interpeduncular nucleus. In contrast, mismatching was observed in the olfactory bulb, lateral pallium, and the cerebellum (which contained moderate to high levels of binding sites but virtually no somatostatin-immunoreactive fibers) and the hypothalamic areas (preoptic area and infundibular nuclei), in which a low concentration of binding sites but a high density of immunoreactive perikarya and fibers were detected. The present data provide the first pharmacological characterization and anatomical distribution of somatostatin-binding sites in the brain of a non-mammalian vertebrate species. The present results suggest that many of the major features of somatostatinergic systems described in mammals (e.g., the wide distribution of somatostatinergic neurons and somatostatin-binding sites; pharmacological characteristics of somatostatin receptors) had already arisen in tetrapod ancestors. Such findings suggest that both neuroendocrine and extrahypothalamic somatostatinergic systems have important functions throughout the vertebrate phylum.

Wheat flour thermoplastic matrix reinforced by waste cotton fibre : Agro-green-composites

Abstract: New composites materials, 100% ecofriendly, having waste cotton fibre as reinforcement in wheat flour based thermoplastic matrix were prepared by extrusion method. The fibre content in the composite varied from 0 to 15% w/w. Using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, the structure and morphology of the composites have been analysed. This investigation is focused on the effects of the fibre content on the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites. Addition of the waste cotton fibre to the matrix increased the tensile properties. For the composite with 10% w/w of fibre the values of the tensile stress are found maximum. We also show that thermal conductivity and resistivity are not affected by the fibre content. By thermogravimetry we show that the addition of fibres to the matrix has no significant influence on the thermal stability of the composites. Finally, to analyse the efficiency of the present system, a comparative study of the mechanical properties obtained with flax and cotton fibres is performed.

Reflection Ideals and mappings between generic submanifolds in complex space

Abstract: Results on finite determination and convergence of formal mappings between smooth generic submanifolds inC N are established in this article. The finite determination result gives suffi- cient conditions to guarantee that a formal map is uniquely determined by its jet, of a preassigned order, at a point. Convergence of formal mappings for real-analytic generic submanifolds under appropriate assumptions is proved, and natural geometric conditions are given to assure that if two germs of such submanifolds are formally equivalent, then, they are necessarily biholomorphically equivalent. It is also shown that if two real-algebraic hypersurfaces inC N are biholomorphically equivalent, then, they are algebraically equivalent. All the results are first proved in the more general context of "reflection ideals" associated to formal mappings between formal as well as real-analytic and real-algebraic manifolds. 1. Introduction and main results In this article, we study formal mappings between smooth generic submanifolds in C N and establish results on finite determination, convergence and local biholomorphic, and algebraic equivalence. Our finite determination result gives sufficient conditions to guarantee that a formal map as above is uniquely determined by its jet (of a preassigned order) at a point. For real-analytic generic submanifolds, we prove convergence of formal mappings under appropriate assumptions and also give natural geometric conditions to assure that if two germs of such submanifolds are formally equivalent, then they are necessarily biholomorphically equivalent. If the submanifolds are moreover real-algebraic, we address the question of deciding when biholomorphic equivalence implies algebraic equivalence. In particular, we prove that if two real-algebraic hypersurfaces in C N are biholomorphically equivalent, then they are in fact algebraically equivalent. All the results are first proved in the more general context of "reflection ideals" associated to formal mappings between formal as well as real-analytic and real-algebraic manifolds. We now give precise definitions in order to state some of our main results. Let p 2 C N and

A comparison of an atypical and typical antipsychotic, zotepine versus haloperidol in patients with acute exacerbation of schizophrenia: a parallel-group double-blind trial.

Abstract: The atypical antipsychotic zotepine was compared to haloperidol in 126 patients suffering from acute exacerbation of schizophrenia (DSM-III-R) in a randomized, double-blind study. After 8-weeks, 150 to 300 mg zotepine improved scores on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) more than 10 to 20 mg haloperidol (-17.03 versus -13.45; 95%CI for zotepine-haloperidol -9.34/2.04). BPRS subscores and Clinical Global impressions (CGI) Severity and improvement subscales showed comparable gains, but scores on the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) improved significantly more with zotepine (-23.82) than haloperidol (-15.15; P < .05; 95%CI for zotepine haloperidol -18.03/-0.18). Adverse events were reported by 71 percent of zotepine and 78 percent of haloperidol patients. Extrapyramidal side effect (EPMS) scores decreased with zotepine (-0.34) but increased with haloperidol (+2.32; P < .05). Seven haloperidol patients reported akathisia but no zotepine patients did (p < .05). Uric acid reductions (which appear to have no clinical consequence) and transient raised liver enzymes were recorded with zotepine. Weight increased on zotepine (2.32 kg; P < .001) and a small increase in pulse rate occurred (P < .05). Both drugs were effective in reducing positive symptoms of schizophrenia; zotepine was significantly more effective against negative symptoms and reduced EPMS.