Recessively inherited loss-of-function mutations in the PTEN-induced putative kinase 1(Pink1), DJ-1 (Park7) and Parkin (Park2) genes are linked to familial cases of early-onset Parkinson's disease (PD). As part of its strategy to provide more tools for the research community, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) funded the generation of novel rat models with targeted disruption ofPink1, DJ-1 or Parkin genes and determined if the loss of these proteins would result in a progressive PD-like phenotype. Pathological, neurochemical and behavioral outcome measures were collected at 4, 6 and 8months of age in homozygous KO rats and compared to wild-type (WT) rats. Both Pink1 and DJ-1 KO rats showed progressive nigral neurodegeneration with about 50% dopaminergic cell loss observed at 8 months of age. ThePink1 KO and DJ-1 KO rats also showed a two to three fold increase in striatal dopamine and serotonin content at 8 months of age. Both Pink1 KO and DJ-1 KO rats exhibited significant motor deficits starting at 4months of age. However, Parkin KO rats displayed normal behaviors with no neurochemical or pathological changes. These results demonstrate that inactivation of the Pink1 or DJ-1 genes in the rat produces progressive neurodegeneration and early behavioral deficits, suggesting that these recessive genes may be essential for the survival of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). These MJFF-generated novel rat models will assist the research community to elucidate the mechanisms by which these recessive genes produce PD pathology and potentially aid in therapeutic development.
Although it is seen by many as a form of leisure and recreation, gambling can have serious repercussions for individuals, families, and society as a whole. The harmful effects of gambling have been studied for decades in an attempt to understand individual differences in gambling engagement and the lifecourse of gambling-related problems. In this publication, we present a comprehensive, internationally relevant conceptual framework of "harmful gambling" that moves beyond a symptoms-based view of harm and addresses a broad set of factors related to population risk, community, and societal effects. Factors included in the framework represent major topics relating to gambling that range from specific (gambling environment, exposure, types, and resources) to general (cultural, social, psychological, and biological). The framework has been created by international, interdisciplinary experts in order to facilitate an understanding of harmful gambling. It reflects the state of knowledge related to factors influencing harmful gambling, and serves a secondary purpose as a guide for the development of future research programs and to educate policy makers on issues related to harmful gambling. Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (GREO) (formerly the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre (OPGRC) located in Guelph, Ontario, Canada) has facilitated the development of the Conceptual Framework of Harmful Gambling and retains responsibility for keeping it up-to-date.
Many states facing recent fiscal crises have looked to legalized gambling in an attempt to ease fiscal constraints. Although there has been some research on the economic effects of gambling, no study has offered a comprehensive analysis of the interindustry relationships of lotteries, casinos, horse racing, and greyhound racing. In this article, we use seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) estimation to analyze the relationships among gambling industries in the United States. Our results indicate that some industries “cannibalize” each other (e.g., casinos and lotteries, and horse and dog racing), whereas other industries help each other (e.g., casinos and horse racing, dog racing and lotteries, and horse racing and lotteries). The study also examines the effects of adjacent-state gambling and a variety of demographic variables. This analysis provides a foundation for further research on how to optimize tax revenues from legalized gambling.
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