Migradollars and development: a reconsideration of the Mexican case

"Economic arguments, quantitative data, and ethnographic case studies are presented to counter popular misconceptions about international labor migration and its economic consequences in Mexico. The prevailing view is that Mexico-U.S. migration discourages autonomous economic growth within Mexico, at both the local and national levels, and that it promotes economic dependency. However, results estimated from a multiplier model suggest that the inflow of migradollars stimulates economic activity, both directly and indirectly, and that it leads to significantly higher levels of employment, investment, and income within specific communities and the nation as a whole. The annual arrival of around $2 billion migradollars generates economic activity that accounts for 10 percent of Mexico's output and 3 percent of its Gross Domestic Product."

Endothelin-receptor antagonist bosentan prevents and reverses hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats

The current study examined the effects of bosentan, an orally active antagonist of endothelin-A and -B receptors, on the development and maintenance of hypoxia (10% O2)-induced pulmonary hypertension and vascular remodeling in the rat. Pretreatment with bosentan (100 mg.kg-1.day-1, 1 gavage/day for 2 days) completely blocked the pulmonary vasoconstrictor response to acute hypoxia. Chronic bosentan treatment (100 mg.kg-1.day-1 po in the food) instituted 48 h before hypoxic exposure prevented the subsequent development of pulmonary hypertension, attenuated the associated right heart hypertrophy, and prevented the remodeling of small (50-100 microns) pulmonary arteries without altering systemic arterial pressure. Institution of bosentan treatment (for 4 wk) after 2 wk of hypoxia produced a significant reversal of established hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (from 36 +/- 1 to 25 +/- 1 mmHg), right heart hypertrophy, and pulmonary vascular remodeling despite continuing hypoxic exposure. These findings support the hypothesis that endogenous endothelin-1 plays a major role in hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction and/or hypertension, right heart hypertrophy, and pulmonary vascular remodeling and suggest that endothelin-receptor blockade may be useful in the treatment of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension humans.

ETA-receptor antagonist prevents and reverses chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in rat

The selective endothelin-A (ETA)-receptor antagonist BQ-123 has been shown to prevent chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in the rat. Therefore in the current study we utilized BQ-123 to test the hypothesis that blockade of the ETA receptor can reverse as well as prevent the increase in mean pulmonary artery pressure, right ventricle-to-left ventricle plus septum ratio, and percent wall thickness in small (50-100 microns) pulmonary arteries observed in male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to normobaric hypoxia (10% O2, 2 wk). Infusion of BQ-123 (0.4 mg.0.5 microliter-1.h-1 for 2 wk in 10% O2) begun after 2 wk of hypoxia significantly reversed the established pulmonary hypertension and prevented further progression of right ventricular hypertrophy during the third and fourth week of hypoxia. BQ-123 infusion instituted before exposure to hypoxia completely prevented the hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular hypertrophy, and pulmonary vascular remodeling. These findings suggest that, in the lung, hypoxia induced an increase synthesis of endothelin-1, which acts locally on ETA receptors to cause pulmonary hypertension, right heart hypertrophy, and pulmonary vascular remodeling, while ETA-receptor blockade can both prevent and reverse these processes.

Sensitive method for quantitation of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in tissue

A novel sensitive and specific method for the measurement of tissue angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity utilizing HPLC is described. ACE activity was determined in detergent-extracted canine hearts utilizing the synthetic ACE-specific substrate hippuryl histidyl leucine (HHL), both in the presence and the absence of the site-specific inhibitor captopril. Tissue ACE activity was quantitated from the moles of hippuric acid (HA) formed, in time-fixed assays, utilizing HPLC separation of HA from HHL and UV-spectrophotometry for quantitation of HA as in the standard Cushman and Cheung assay (Cushman DW and Cheung HS, Biochem Pharmacol 20: 1637-1648, 1971). Separation of HA from HHL was performed by reverse phase HPLC on a phenyl silica gel column with an eluent consisting of 20% acetonitrile in 0.1 M aqueous ammonium phosphate buffer, pH 6.8. After the standard liquid/liquid extraction procedure with ethyl acetate, HPLC analysis revealed the presence of unreacted substrate, HHL, in amounts comparable to the product of interest, HA, in the final assay; moreover, the amount of HA formed did not fall completely to zero in the presence of captopril. Regional studies of canine cardiac ACE activity utilizing the HPLC-based assay and the standard assay method showed a significantly higher ACE activity in the right ventricle compared with the left ventricle (2.37 +/- 0.7 vs 1.24 +/- 0.18 mU/g, P < 0.05 [N = 6], respectively) in the HPLC-based assay, but no difference in right and left ventricular ACE activities by the standard assay (0.25 +/- 0.08 vs 0.31 +/- 0.09 mU/g [N = 6], respectively). Kinetic studies utilizing the HPLC-based assay coupled with the use of captopril showed Km (1.34 +/- 0.08 mM) and Vmax (36.8 +/- 11.5 x 10(-10) M/min) values in agreement with those in the literature. Our results demonstrate that the application of HPLC to the standard Cushman and Cheung assay improves the sensitivity and specificity of the standard assay and enables the use of much smaller amounts (approximately 4 vs approximately 400 mg for the Cushman and Cheung assay) of tissue for ACE activity assay.

Effects of dietary salt on angiotensin peptides in kidney

This study used a novel simple method for the extraction, separation, identification, and quantitation of angiotensin-like immunoactivity from tissue to examine the effects of altering dietary NaCl intake on intrarenal angiotensin I, II, and III levels in salt-sensitive, spontaneously hypertensive rats, salt-resistant Wistar-Kyoto rats, and Sprague-Dawley rats. Seven-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats, Wistar-Kyoto rats, and Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned randomly to a diet containing either 8% (high) or 1% (basal) salt and were maintained on these diets for 3 wk. Rats were then decapitated without prior anesthesia, and kidneys were rapidly (< 30 s) removed, snap frozen in liquid nitrogen, and stored at -80 degrees C. Frozen tissue was extracted in 2 M acetic acid and then subjected to solid-phase extraction with the cation exchange resin AG 50W X4. Angiotensin peptides were separated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on a phenyl silica gel column with an eluent consisting of 20% acetonitrile in 0.1 M ammonium phosphate buffer, pH 4.9, and quantitated by radioimmunoassay. The elution of standard peptides under isocratic conditions revealed clear resolution of angiotensin I, II, and III and the (1-7) and (3-8) peptides. Recoveries of both labeled and unlabeled angiotensin peptide standards from the extraction step were > 90%. Renal angiotensin II stores were significantly higher in spontaneously hypertensive rats than in Wistar-Kyoto or Sprague-Dawley rats, independent of diet. Renal angiotensin II and III were further suppressed during dietary salt supplementation in both salt-resistant strains but not in the spontaneously hypertensive rat. These findings are consistent with an enhanced (compared with Wistar-Kyoto and Sprague-Dawley rats) role for angiotensin II in the kidney of the salt-sensitive, spontaneously hypertensive rat, particularly under conditions of dietary salt supplementation.

Central nervous system demyelination after vaccination against hepatitis B and HLA haplotype

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Distribution and spatial geometry of dopamine interplexiform cells in the retina. II. External arborizations in the adult rat and monkey

The morphology and distribution of dopaminergic interplexiform cells in adult rat and monkey retinas were analyzed to determine any correlation with the function of dopamine in the outer retinal layers. The retinas were processed as whole mounts for tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry. There was a network formed by the sclerally directed processes of interplexiform cells in the inner nuclear, outer plexiform, and outer nuclear layers running throughout the retina. Their density was higher in the superior retina than in the inferior retina of the rat and was especially high in the superior temporal quadrant. The external network in this quadrant was significantly less dense in the monkey than in the rat, as are the interplexiform cells. The somata of interplexiform and other dopaminergic cells were about the same size in both rats and monkeys. Computer-assisted reconstruction of external arborizations of individual cells showed that external processes lay very close to horizontal and photoreceptor cells and also to blood capillaries. Because they were long, thin, and highly varicose; branched at right angles; and often arose from an axon hillock, the external processes were identified as axons. Therefore, we define the dopaminergic interplexiform cells as multiaxonal neurons, with at least one outwardly directed axon that reaches the outer plexiform layer. The function of the network of external processes from the interplexiform dopaminergic cells is discussed in terms of modulating the release of dopamine to external layers.

Control of inositol phosphate turnover in human airways during histamine stimulation

The control of inositol phosphate (IP) turnover was investigated in intact human airway smooth muscle cells (SMC) during a brief exposure to a bronchoconstrictor agonist. The pool of membrane phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate was labelled by incubating SMC with myo-[3H]inositol and the [3H]IPs synthetized ([3H]1,4-IP2, [3H]1,3,4,-IP3, [3H]1,4,5,-IP3 and [3H]1,3,4,5-IP4) were separated by HPLC. We examined the role of protein kinase C (PKC) and of Ca2+ on IP turnover during a 5 sec application of histamine. Activation of PKC with the phorbol ester PMA (0.2 microM) decreased, whereas inhibition of PKC with 1 microM staurosporine increased the production of the 4 IPs examined in unstimulated and in histamine-stimulated SMC. Decreasing [Ca2+]i with 5 microM ionomycin in the absence of external Ca2+ diminished the IP production whereas in the presence of Ca2+, ionomycin exalted it and potentiated the response to histamine. Thapsigargin, 5 microM, which depletes the 1,4,5-IP3-sensitive Ca2+ stores, reduced the IP production due to histamine. The effects of PMA, staurosporine and thapsigargin were also tested on [Ca2+]i in fura-2-loaded single SMC. These results reveal that PKC exerts a negative and Ca2+ a positive feedback control on phospholipase C, that operate within 5 sec of agonist stimulation.

Use of denaturing gradient electrophoresis to determine the distributions of polymorphisms in entire genes in natural populations

We show here that the method of genomic denaturing gradient electrophoresis (gDGGE) can be used to examine any gene that has been previously cloned and sequenced, and to detect and approximately localize within the gene the majority of its polymorphisms. By using pooled-DNA gDGGE, many different samples can be scanned on a single gel. Further, the patterns on the gels and results from sequencing of some of the alleles shows that a variety of different kinds of polymorphism, ranging from single base changes to more substantial allelic differences, can be distinguished. The extramacrochaetae (emc) gene of Drosophila melanogaster exhibits no polymorphism in its ORF that can be detected by this method, although a rearrangement polymorphism was detected in the 3' downstream region of the gene. The suppressor-of-hairless (Su(H)) gene of D. melanogaster, however, exhibits a variety of polymorphisms in its ORF. Some are small deletions or insertions in a glutamine-rich part of the gene product that would not have been detectable by ordinary screening methods. Many of the polymorphisms detected in this preliminary survey are likely to have an impact on the function of the Su(H) gene product.

Involvement of AMPA receptors in trigeminal post-synaptic potentials recorded in rat abducens motoneurons in vivo

The pharmacology of trigeminal excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) evoked by electrical stimulation of the vibrissal pad was investigated in vivo in rat abducens motoneurons using intracellular recordings combined with microionophoretic applications of excitatory amino acid agonists [alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA), NMDA, kainate] and a selective non-NMDA receptor antagonist (GYKI-52466). Intravenous applications of GYKI-52466 were also performed during synaptic and amino acid excitations. GYKI-52466, applied intravenously or microionophoretically, reversibly antagonized AMPA-induced depolarizations and trigeminal EPSPs in rat abducens motoneurons without affecting NMDA and kainate responses. The inhibition of AMPA-induced depolarizations was similar following i.v. and ionophoretic applications of GYKI-52466. Intravenous applications of GYKI-52466 (0.3-4 mg/kg) reversibly and dose-dependently reduced trigeminal EPSPs, which could be totally suppressed at the highest doses of GYKI-52466 (2-4 mg/kg). The antagonist effect, which developed very quickly, could last several minutes and recovered gradually. The effect of GYKI-52466 on the EPSPs and AMPA responses were compared in the same motoneurons. The partial inhibition of trigeminal EPSPs during microionophoretic applications of GYKI-52466 was probably due to the distribution of the synapses in the dendritic arborization of abducens motoneurons. Our results show that AMPA receptors are involved in the generation of trigeminal EPSPs in rat abducens motoneurons in vivo.

Expression of the alpha-5(IV) collagen chain in the fetal human small intestine

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The basement membrane type IV collagen is a family composed of at least five genetically distinct but structurally similar polypeptide chains, alpha 1-alpha 5. The alpha 1(IV) and alpha 2(IV) chains are ubiquitous components of basement membranes, whereas the alpha 3(IV), alpha 4(IV), and alpha 5(IV) chains have a restricted tissue distribution. The aim of this study was to analyze the presence of these minor type IV collagen chains in the small intestinal mucosa.

METHODS

The expression of type IV collagen chains in the developing and adult human small intestine was determined by indirect immunofluorescence with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. Western blotting and Northern hybridization analysis were also used to additionally investigate the expression of the alpha 1(IV) and alpha 5(IV) chains.

RESULTS

The alpha 3-alpha 5(IV) chains were absent from the adult epithelium, but, surprisingly, the alpha 5(IV) chain was consistently detected in the fetal mucosa. Its expression was confirmed by Western blotting, complementary DNA polymerase chain-reaction amplification, and Northern hybridization analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The alpha 5(IV) chain of collagen is expressed in the fetal but not adult human intestinal epithelium. Its position at the basolateral domain of epithelial cells suggests a potential role for this molecule during development.

Enhanced endothelin-1 and endothelin receptor gene expression in chronic hypoxia

To test the hypothesis that endothelin (ET)-1 synthesis and ET receptor levels are increased selectively in the lung of rats with chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension, the current study examined the effects of exposure to chronic hypoxia (10% O2, 1 atm, 4 wk) on pulmonary arterial pressure, ET-1 levels in plasma and lung, and ET-1 and ETA and ETB receptor mRNA levels in lung, heart, pulmonary artery, aorta, kidney, spleen, and liver. Hypoxic exposure was associated with increases in pulmonary arterial pressure, plasma ET-1 levels, ET-1 mRNA in lung and pulmonary artery, and ET-1 stores and ETA and ETB receptor mRNA levels in lung. In thoracic aorta and the four heart chambers, ETA and ETB receptor mRNA levels were increased, but ET-1 mRNA levels were unchanged from air control levels. No change in ET-1 or ET receptor mRNA levels was seen in organs perfused by the systemic vascular bed, except in liver, where ETA receptor mRNA levels were decreased. The findings of concomitant increases in gene transcript levels for ET-1 and the ETA and ETB receptors in lung, but not in the great vessels or any other organ examined, are consistent with the hypothesis that increased ET-1 synthesis in the lung contributes to pulmonary vascular remodeling and the maintenance of chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.

Arachidonic acid induces [Ca2+]i oscillations in smooth muscle cells from human airways

The role of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in mediating agonist-stimulation of bronchial contraction has not yet been studied at a cellular level. The aim of the present work was to examine the Ca2+ signal elicited in human bronchial smooth muscle cells by exogenous arachidonic acid (AA), a first product of PLA2 activity. To study the effect of AA (2-20 microM) on [Ca2+]i, a single cell video imaging technique was used. AA induced various patterns of [Ca2+]i increase; most frequently, [Ca2+]i oscillations were observed. The amplitude of [Ca2+]i repetitive peaks, but not the frequency, was dependent on AA concentration. In the absence of external Ca2+, AA evoked a slower and reduced transient increase in [Ca2+]i. It is concluded that AA or some of its metabolites release Ca2+ from intracellular stores and that a contribution of extracellular Ca2+ is essential for [Ca2+]i oscillations.

Agonist-induced production of inositol phosphates in human airway smooth muscle cells in culture

Smooth muscle cells (SMC) from human bronchi were isolated by elastase treatment, subcultured, and characterized by their positive reaction with a monoclonal antibody against alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha SMA). In each cell line tested, at least 95% of the cells were positively stained. The functional properties of these cells were examined by measuring the metabolism of inositol phosphates (IPs). For that purpose, cells were incubated for 3 days before reaching confluency in the presence of myo-[3H]inositol in order to label the phosphoinositide pool, and the various [3H]IPs were separated by HPLC on a SAX column with a phosphate gradient. IP1 isomers were separated in three peaks; IP2, IP3, IP4, IP5 and IP6 (phytic acid) were each eluted as single peaks. The identity of the [3H]peaks was verified with corresponding [3H]IP standards. The accumulation of [3H]IPs was measured by incubating cells up to 30 min in the presence of 10 mM LiCl, with or without a bronchoconstrictor agent (carbachol, histamine, PGF2 alpha). Histamine, 10(-4) M, elicited a four times larger IP accumulation than carbachol, 10(-4) M, and than PGF2 alpha, 5 10(-5) M. Dose-response curves were established for histamine and carbachol in the range 10(-7)-10(-4) M. At 10(-7) M, carbachol was more effective than histamine in stimulating the IP metabolism. Atropine blocked the response to carbachol, and diphenhydramine inhibited the effect of histamine, indicating the specificity of the response to the agonists. These results indicate that cultured human bronchial SMC are a suitable preparation for studying physiological aspects of membrane transduction in the airways.

Caldesmon, calponin and alpha-smooth muscle actin expression in subcultured smooth muscle cells from human airways

Calponin and caldesmon are two proteins considered to play a regulatory role in smooth muscle contraction, which have never previously been found to be expressed in subcultured cells. In the present study, immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting were performed to identify these proteins in smooth muscle cells (SMC) from human bronchi. It was found that human airway SMC, kept in a non-proliferative state, continued to express caldesmon and calponin at least until the 8th passage. The expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin studied under the same conditions was also shown to be preserved in subcultured bronchial SMC.

Pleiotropic effects of heterozygosity at the mating-type locus of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae on repair, recombination and transformation

Sexual (MAT a/alpha) and asexual (MAT a/a) strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which are completely isogenic except at the MAT locus, were compared in their response to ultraviolet radiation. The effects of UV on survival, mitotic intragenic recombination, photoreactivation, and transformation efficiency with UV-irradiated plasmid DNA were examined. The sexual strain had enhanced survival and higher rates of mitotic intragenic recombination compared with the asexual strain. Exposure to visible light subsequent to irradiation increased the survival of both sexual and asexual strains, and decreased their rates of mitotic intragenic recombination. Similar results were obtained by Haladus and Zuk (1980) in their examination of sexual strains homozygous for rad6-1, and wild-type sexuals. Our sexual strain was also consistently more proficient at transforming plasmid DNA, whether that DNA had been irradiated or not. When pre-irradiated with 25 J/m2 of UV, MAT a/alpha cells transformed more efficiently than MAT a/a cells. When subsequently exposed to light, the ability of these pre-irradiated cells to transform decreased for both strains with increasing irradiation of the plasmid. A smaller decrease in transformation efficiency occurred when cells of both strains were kept in the dark. When pre-irradiated with 100 J/m2, the MAT a/alpha cells showed a 2-fold increase in their transformation efficiency of both irradiated and unirradiated plasmids by up to 2-fold, a phenomenon not seen in the MAT a/a cells even when pre-irradiated with much higher doses of UV. This increase in transformation efficiency was not, however, seen in the MAT a/alpha cells when they were exposed to visible light after UV irradiation. These results suggest that cells with the MAT a/alpha genotype have a UV-inducible system that increases the efficiency of transformation in the absence of visible light. This increase in transformation is not an induced increase in the repair of plasmid DNA, but rather an increase in the ability of pre-irradiated MAT a/alpha cells to take up exogenous DNA. MAT a/a cells do not appear to have a similarly inducible system. To the best of our knowledge, this phenomenon has not been previously reported.

Synaptic excitation triggers oscillations during NMDA receptor activation in rat abducens motoneurons

Rat abducens motoneurons were intracellularly recorded in vivo during synaptic excitation and extracellular microionophoretic application of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). Trigeminal excitatory post-synaptic potentials (EPSPs) evoked in abducens motoneurons were studied during intracellular current injection. They were not sensitive to hyperpolarization or depolarization of the membrane potential in the range of -75 mV to -55 mV using current pulse intensities between -3 nA and +1 nA. Microionophoretic applications of aminophosphonovalerate (APV), MK801 and i.v. injections of MK801 (1-3 mg/kg) or ketamine (10 mg/kg) did not modify trigeminal EPSPs, suggesting that NMDA receptors are not involved in this synaptic transmission. However, microionophoretic applications of NMDA on abducens motoneurons enhanced trigeminal EPSPs and gave rise to regenerative oscillations. The co-activation of NMDA receptors and trigeminal synapses induced these oscillations. The trigeminal EPSP may delay and reset the oscillations depending on where it was evoked in the oscillatory cycle. Depolarizing current pulses intracellularly applied to abducens motoneurons could trigger a post-hyperpolarization followed by rebound depolarization during NMDA application, confirming the activation of active membrane properties. However, depolarizing current pulses could not trigger oscillations similar to those entrained by the EPSPs. The importance of the location of trigeminal synapses in relation to those of NMDA receptors in the dendritic arborization of abducens motoneurons is discussed. Our results show that the same sensory stimulus may have different post-synaptic effects on abducens motoneurons during the co-activation of NMDA receptors. A complete modification of the motor output during NMDA receptor activation strongly supports an active role of abducens motoneurons provided that NMDA receptors are physiologically activated during motor pattern generation.