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Behavioral and pharmacological testing in mice has been revamped following the development of new tools for the manipulation of genetic information. We present the results from the peak procedure, an operant test that assesses the capacity to perceive, remember, and act upon temporal information. We studied the basic timing abilities in two different strains of mice, the C57Bl/6J and C3H/HeJ, and their response to psychoactive substances. Scopolamine and high doses of d-amphetamine disrupted performance by increasing response variability. The effect of d-amphetamine was particularly clear in C3H mice. Whereas scopolamine did not seem to affect the location of the response, the effect of a low dose of d-amphetamine, a leftward shift, was consistent with the hypothesis that it accelerates the internal time keeping mechanism. Physostigmine alone improved performance by reducing variability between trials without affecting the response location. Pretreatment with physostigmine partially blocked the deleterious effects of scopolamine. Methylphenidate did not have major effects on timing behavior in C57 but in the highest dose shifted the response of C3H mice to the left. The higher sensitivity of the C3H strain to the effects of d-amphetamine and methylphenidate support its value as an animal model of attention deficit disorder. The performance of mice in this temporal task was comparable to that observed in rats and pigeons, and seemed exquisitely sensitive to pharmacological manipulation.

The metal-mediated L-leucinephosphonic acid peptide hydrolysis, catalyzed by the Aminopeptidase of Aeromonas proteolytica, is discussed in conjunction with the X-ray crystallographic and spectroscopic analyses. Results show that the peptide interacts with the two metal centers in the active site of the enzyme as an eta-1,2-micron-phosphonate.

A study investigated the inhibition of the aminopeptidase from Aeromonas proteolytica by fluoride ion to gain insights into the role of fluoride and chloride metal ions in dinuclear hydrolases and determine if one or both metal ions function as Lewis acids. Data provide new insights into the roles of both metal ions in catalysis as well as the position of the hydroxylating agent in AAP. Experimental materials, methods and results are presented.

Presents a study for the determination of the treatment and prevention of inflammation. Description of the inflammatory process; Effect of lifestyle factors and dietary on inflammation; Potential mechanisms whereby inflammation may be a key etiological factor in various disease states; Identification of key studies using natural ingredients for prevention and or treatment of pain and inflammation.