RationaleSeveral studies have suggested that modulation of the glutamatergic system via metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu) could be a new and efficient way to achieve antipsychotic-like activity.ObjectivesHere, we decided to investigate the possible role of the group III mGlu receptor ligands, LSP1-2111, the group III mGlu receptor orthosteric agonist, preferentially stimulating mGlu4 receptors especially in low doses, and AMN082, the mGlu7 receptor positive modulator. We used MK-801- and amphetamine-induced hyperactivity tests, as well as DOI-induced head twitches in mice as models for positive symptoms of psychosis. The C57Bl/6J mGlu7 receptor knockout mice were used to confirm that AMN082-induced effect was receptor specific. A non-selective antagonist of the group II/III mGlu receptors, LY341495, was used to block LSP1-2111-induced effects.ResultsLSP1-2111 (1, 2, and 5 mg kg−1) dose dependently inhibited both MK-801- and amphetamine-induced hyperactivities. Moreover, the drug antagonized DOI-induced head twitches. The effects of the drug were antagonized by LY341495 administration (1.5 mg kg-1, i.p.). In contrast, AMN082 (3 and 6 mg kg−1) had no effect on amphetamine-induced hyperactivity but induced an enhancement of MK-801-induced hyperactivity and DOI-induced head twitches in mice. In C57Bl/6J mGlu7 receptor knockout animals (KO), those effects of AMN082 were not observed. Moreover, mGlu7 KO animals were less sensitive for DOI-induced effect than their wild type littermates.ConclusionsAltogether, we propose that among group III mGlu receptors, mGlu4 receptor may be a promising target for the development of novel antipsychotic drugs.

Data on the concentration of the elements in the human body are important, for example, to estimate the amounts required to maintain a good healthy state or find their connections with morbidity and mortality. In this paper, the concentration of copper (by flame atomic absorption spectrometry) in material obtained from autopsy cases of nonpoisoned people (n = 130), aged from 14 to 80 years, between 1990-2006, is presented. The following values were found (mean +/- SD in micrograms of copper per gram or per milliliter): brain 3.32 +/- 1.50 (n = 43), liver 3.47 +/- 1.51 (n = 79), kidney 2.15 +/- 0.90 (n = 76), stomach 1.10 +/- 0.76 (n = 65), intestines 1.54 +/- 1.19 (n = 25), lung 1.91 +/- 1.30 (n = 27), spleen 1.23 +/- 0.28 (n = 3), heart 3.26 +/- 0.59 (n = 5), bile 3.60 +/- 1.67 (n = 13), and blood 0.85 +/- 0.19 (n = 73).

The literature of environmental microbiology broadly discusses issues associated with microbial hazards in archives, but these publications are mainly devoted to paper documents. There are few articles on historical parchment documents, which used to be very important for the development of literature and the art of writing. These studies present a broad spectrum of methods for the assessment of biodeterioration hazards of the parchment document in question. They are based on both conventional microbiological methods and advanced techniques of molecular biology. Here, a qualitative analysis was conducted, based on genetic identification of bacteria and fungi present on the document as well as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiling and examining the destructive potential of isolated microbes. Moreover, the study involved a quantitative and qualitative microbiological assessment of the indoor air in the room where the parchment was kept. The microbes with the highest destructive potential that were isolated from the investigated item were Bacillus cereus and Acinetobacter lwoffii bacteria and Penicillium chrysogenum, Chaetomium globosum, and Trichoderma longibrachiatum fungi. The presence of the B. cereus strain was particularly interesting since, under appropriate conditions, it leads to complete parchment degradation within several days.

No abstract