Synergistic Action of Ampicillin and Erythromycin Against Nocardia asteroides: Effect of Time of Incubation

Ampicillin and erythromycin were shown to act synergistically in vitro against the majority of strains of Nocardia asteroides tested. With these strains, the minimal inhibiting concentration (MIC) of each drug when combined was reduced 4- to more than 512-fold as compared with the MIC of each antibiotic acting individually against the same strains. The combined action against other strains was at least additive, and occasionally indifferent, but antagonism was not observed. The duration of incubation greatly influenced the MIC of erythromycin but had less effect on the action of ampicillin. Synergistic action was still demonstrable, although less frequently, when the period of incubation was increased from 48 to 72 h.     

Beiträge zur Symptomatologie, Ätiologie und Therapie der äußeren allergischen Augenerkrankungen

Ohne ZusammenfassungVorgetragen an der Tagung der Ungarsichen ophthalmologischen Gesellschaft in Budapest am 7.10.1960.     

Melanocytoblastom, wahrscheinlich aus blauem Zellnaevus hervorgehend

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Oral glucose tolerance test in 100 normal children

Summary Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) were conducted in 100 normal, non-obese children aged 4 to 15 years with a negative family history for diabetes. Glucose was administered in a 20% solution (1.75 g/kg body weight), and blood glucose levels were determined by the o-toluidine technique (capillary microglycemia in whole blood). The following results were obtained: fasting: 79±26 mg/100 ml ( ±2 SD); 30 min: 121±54 mg/100 ml; 60 min: 103 ± 42 mg/100 ml; 90 min: 98±36 mg/100 ml; 120 min: 90±36 mg/100 ml. Individually, 70 children showed peak blood glucose at 30 min (sub-group A), 19 at 60 min (sub-group B); 5 at 90 min (sub-group C), and 6 showed flat curves (sub-group D). The +2 SD values of some of these sub-groups slightly exceeded that of the whole 100-children group. This suggests that normal curves pertaining to these sub-groups might be considered pathologic if referred to the statistical values of the whole groups. Out of the 100 children, 4 showed one value above +2 SD, and 3 showed two values above that limit. At 120 min, however, none of the individual or group values were above ±2 SD (126 mg/100 ml), which supports other authors’ criteria regarding the importance of the 120-min value in this test. On the basis of the present findings, normal OGTT’s were defined as those in which all values except for one, which must not be the 120-min value, fall within the ±2 SD range calculated for the whole group. Normal children may present two values, except for the 120-min value, slightly above +2 SD, although we consider retesting advisable in such cases. Supported byConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (Argentina), F.L.I.P. — Casa Cuna andQuímica Hoechst Argentina.     

Effect of pyrithioxine (Encephabol) on growth and exploratory behaviour of rats malnourished in early life

Effects of pyrithioxine (Encephabol Merck) on growth, mortality and exploratory activity were studied in groups of rats kept on a low protein (LP) diet from birth to day 42 of life. In the first experiment pyrithioxine (40 mg/kg b.w.) was administered i.p. from day 35 to day 48, in the second experiment from day 100 to day 115.Pyrithioxine given to young rats by injection reduced mortality during protein deprivation and during the first weeks of nutritional rehabilitation as compared with malnourished rats injected with NaCl solution. Between days 90 and 140 better growth was recorded in the LP group treated with pyrithioxine. Pyrithioxine normalized behavioral symptoms of early malnutrition both during the period of deprivation and after realimentation. On day 150 of life these rats did not differ behaviorally from the well nourished group.Pyrithioxine injected in adult age did not affect the body weight of the LP group, and its the favorable effect on exploratory activity was transient. In normal rats pyrithioxine did not influence growth or behavior either in the first or in the second experiment.Presented in part at the annual Psychopharmacological meeting, Jeseník Spa, January 1971 (Fraková and Beneová, 1971).     

Beiträge zur Entwicklungsgeschichte der Augenheilkunde in Rußland und der Sowjetunion

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

N-Acetylserotonin in the central nervous system

1. N-acetylserotonin has been identified by immunohistochemistry in specific brain areas separate from melatonin and serotonin. N-acetylserotonin is widely distributed within the brain stem, cerebellum and hippocampus and in the brain stem it is contained within reticular formation nuclei and motor nuclei. Like serotonin, N-acetylserotonin appears to be derived from tryptophan as tryptophan hydroxylase inhibition leads to a lowering in innunoreactive N-acetylserotonin in brain and blood. Beta adrenergic drugs influence N-acetylserotonin neurons with beta adrenergic agonists causing a rise in immunoreactive N-acetylserotonin. The presence of N-acetylserotonin in brain has been confirmed by gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and radioimmunoassay.

2. At this point little is known of the possible role of N-acetylserotonin in the brain. In the hippocampus N-acetylserotonin is present in granule cells and its appearance parallels the appearance of those cells. High affinity binding of tritiated N-acetylserotonin is found in brain and in various brain areas and this radioligand appears to label serotonergic receptors. Preliminary iontophoretic studies performed on hippocampal slices indicate an inhibitory action of N-acetylserotonin on glutamate induced firing of pyramidal cells.

3. Taken together these findings suggest that N-acetylserotonin may have a role in the central nervous system distinct from that of being a precursor for melatonin. If this hypothesis is correct it would suggest that indoleamines have certain similarities to catecholamines. Thus for the catecholamines, dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine form a synthetic sequence and yet have independent roles as neurotransmitters and/or hormones. The three indoleamines serotonin, N-acetylserotonin and melatonin also form a synthetic sequence and these three substances may also have independent roles as neurotransmitters and/or hormones.     

Isolation and characterization of the internal elastic lamina from calf thoracic aorta

A procedure is described for the mechanical isolation of the internal elastic lamina (IEL) of calf thoracic aorta. Chemical properties of the isolated IEL are examined and compared to the underlying aortic medial layer. The IEL is an acellular structure consisting of elastin (79%), insoluble collagen (17%), and about 4% of a heterogenous mixture of proteins soluble in 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 0.33 M mercaptoethanol. IEL contains less than 1% carbohydrate. Closely similar distribution of collagen and elastin is found in the adjacent medial layer, suggesting a common biosynthetic origin for the extracellular matrix of both structures.     

Membrane-bound choline acetyltransferase is a cell surface marker of the differentiated NS-20Y cholinergic cell line

When differentiated cells of the cholinergic NS-20Y type were incubated with an antiserum to choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), in the presence of complement, immunolysis occurred as demonstrated by release of 20% of total lactate dehydrogenase and 70% of total ChAT. No significant immunolytic effects were observed when either undifferentiated (dividing or non-dividing) or partially differentiated cells were incubated under identical conditions. When the Triton X-114 phase separation technique was employed using membranes from differentiated cells, a small but significant proportion of choline acetyltransferase was recovered in the detergent-rich phase. These results suggest that a membrane-bound form of ChAT is a surface marker of the NS-20Y cell line.