The fine structure of lamellated receptors in the skin of Rana Esculenta

Summary Lamellated encapsulated nerve terminals up to 0.4 mm in length are located in the skin in the outer part of the zona compacta. In the palmar side of the fingers the receptors are abundant and relatively small in size. In larger corpuscles a capsular space is evident. One main axon posesses up to six lamellated encapsulated corpuscles, as shown by reconstructions of serial sections. These axons (diameter 8–12 ) belong to the largest fibers in cutaneous nerves. We assume these lamellated encapsulated corpuscles to be rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors.This investigation has been supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the SFB Bionach.     

Different kinds of axon terminals forming symmetric synapses with the cell bodies and initial axon segments of layer II/III pyramidal cells. I. Morphometric analysis

Summary An examination of material prepared for conventional electron microscopy has indicated that there are at least four different types of axon terminals forming symmetric synapses with the cell bodies and initial axon segments of layer II/III pyramidal cells in the rat visual cortex. One type of terminal synapses with the initial axon segment and it is derived from the chandelier cell. Because the location and features of these terminals allow them to be readily recognized, chandelier cell terminals were used to determine the extent of morphometric variability that can exist among terminals originating from one cell type. It was found that there is a wide range of mean synaptic vesicle size among chandelier terminals, so that calculated mean vesicle profile diameters for individual terminals can be between 32 and 39 run. Similar ranges of mean synaptic vesicle sizes also exist among populations of the other three axon terminal types. These terminal types are referred to as large, medium-sized, and dense terminals. The large terminals synapse with the cell bodies of layer II/III pyramids and their profiles often measure 1.5 × 0.8 m. The large terminals contain rather loosely packed pleomorphic vesicles and they frequently synapse with a second neuronal element. The medium-sized terminals are smaller, being 1.0 × 0.6–0.8 m in size, and their synaptic vesicles are usually more closely packed than those within the large terminals. The medium-sized terminals are the ones encountered most frequently on the cell bodies of pyramidal cells and they can also occur on the axon hillock and initial axon segment. The dense terminals are usually flattened against the cell body, and they contain rather rounded and closely packed synaptic vesicles, which often seem to be enmeshed in a rather dark cytoplasmic matrix. This matrix and the close packing of the vesicles makes these terminals appear to be more dense than the others. It is now necessary to determine the origins of the large, medium and dense terminals, and to ascertain if they all use GABA as their neurotransmitter.     

On the regulation of the expressed L-type calcium channel by cAMP-dependent phosphorylation

The Ca²⁺ channel subunits _1C-a and _1C-b were stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. The peak Ba²⁺ current (I _Ba) of these cells was not affected significantly by internal dialysis with 0.1 mM cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor peptide (mPKI), 25 M cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (PKA), or a combination of 25 M PKA and 1 M okadaic acid. The activity of the _1C-b channel subunit expressed stably in HEK 293 cells was depressed by 1 M H 89 and was not increased by superfusion with 5 M forskolin plus 20 M isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX). The _1C-a·₂·₂/ complex was transiently expressed in HEK 293 cells; it was inhibited by internal dialysis of the cells with 1 M H 89, but was not affected by internal dialysis with mPKI, PKA or microcystin. Internal dialysis of cells expressing the _1C-a·₂·₂/ channel with 10 M PKA did not induce facilitation after a 150-ms prepulse to +50 mV. The Ca²⁺ current (I _Ca) of cardiac myocytes increased threefold during internal dialysis with 5 M PKA or 25 M microcystin and during external superfusion with 0.1 M isoproterenol or 5 M forskolin plus 50 M IBMX. These results indicate that the L-type Ca²⁺ channel expressed is not modulated by cAMP-dependent phosphorylation to the same extent as in native cardiac myocytes.     

Pyramidal tract of the cat: axon size and morphology

Summary The purpose of this work was to determine the number and morphology of pyramidal tract (PT) axons in the cat, using electron microscopy, modern methods of fixation, and computer-assisted morphometric analysis. Sections taken at the level of the medullary pyramids in three animals were fixed and magnified up to 10,000 x to produce photomicrographs. Morphological data were entered into computer files for analysis by tracing axon perimeters on micrographs mounted on a digitizer tablet. The number of axons per PT averaged 415,000, of which 88% were myelinated and 12% were unmyelinated. 90% of the myelinated axons fell in the diameter range 0.5–4.5 m. Axons larger than 9 m diameter accounted for 1% of the total; the largest were 20–23 m. Myelinated axon mean diameter was 1.98 m; because of the skewed distribution, with many small axons and a few very large axons, median diameter was 1.60 m. Size distribution was relatively uniform throughout the PT cross section, with all sizes represented in all regions. However, the more medial regions had a higher proportion of small fibers than the more lateral regions: mean medial diameter was 1.85 m while mean lateral diameter was 2.09 m. Myelin sheath thickness averaged 7.9% of fiber diameter for axons up to 11 m, but was constant at 0.9 m for larger fibers. Myelinated fibers were distorted from the circular shape in cross section, with a mean circularity index (or form factor) of 0.85, which implies that the fibers could swell about 15% without rupture of the cell membrane. Unmyelinated fibers averaged 0.18 m diameter (range 0.05–0.6 m); the largest unmyelinated axons were larger than the smallest myelinated axons. It is concluded that previous work greatly underestimated the number of axons in the cat pyramidal tract.     

Comparison of disk diffusion,the E test,and detection ofmecA for determination of methicillin resistance in coagulase-negative staphylococci

The aim of this study was to find a reliable, fast, and simple alternative to the methicillin disk method for determination of methicillin resistance in coagulase-negative staphylococci, since results of this method are often difficult to read due to growth within the zone of inhibition. The sensitivity of 319 strains of coagulase-negative Staphylococci to a 5 g methicillin disk on Mueller-Hinton agar using an incubation period of 48 h was compared with that of 1 (1 g and 5 g oxacillin disks on Mueller-Hinton agar with or without 2% NaCl, using an incubation period of 24 h. The detection ofmecA (MecAgen) by the polymerase chain reaction was used as a standard. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by means of the E test. Of the 225mecA-positive strains, 190, 215, and 193 were resistant to 5 g methicillin, 1 g oxacillin and 5 g oxacillin disks on Mueller-Hinton agar, respectively, and 216, 218, and 223 were resistant on Mueller-Hinton agar with 2% NaCl. Of the 94mecA-negative strains, 89, 93, and 94 were susceptible to 5 g methicillin, 1 g oxacillin, and 5 g oxacillin disks on Mueller-Hinton agar, respectively, and 92, 93, and 94 were susceptible on Mueller-Hinton agar with 2% NaCl. Using breakpoints of 2 g/ml for oxacillin resistance and 8 g/ml for methicillin resistance, the E test yielded sensitivities of 99.6 and 99.1% and specificities of 97.9 and 98.9% after 48 h of incubation. The 5 g oxacillin disk was faster and easier to read than the methicillin disk and correlated better with detection ofmecA than the methicillin disk or the 1 g oxacillin disk.     

Interaction of the novel penem CGP 31 608 and Its enantiomer with type Id beta-lactamase and penicillin-binding proteins

The novel penem CGP 31 608 (5R, 6S, 8R) and its enantiomer CGP 32 879 (5S, 6R, 8S) were shown to be essentially stable against hydrolysis by type Id -lactamase isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa 18S/H. CGP 31 608 was a potent progressive inhibitor of this enzyme (I50=32 M), which was only weakly inhibited by CGP 32 879 (I50=460 M). CGP 31 608 had the highest affinity for penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 4 from Escherichia coli K-12 (I50= 1 g/ml), followed by PBPs 2 (10 g/ml) and 1A/1Bs (100 g/ml); CGP 32 879 did not inhibit binding of ¹⁴ C-benzylpenicillin to the PBPs. The steric configuration of the -lactam nucleus of penems appears to strongly influence their affinity for -Iactamases and target PBPs. The balanced spectrum of CGP 31 608 may be explained by its -lactamase stability and affinity for several vital PBPs.     

Effects of inhibitors and ion substitutions on oscillations of cell membrane potential in cells expressing the RAS oncogene

Previous studies revealed that in NIH fibroblasts expressing the ras oncogene but not in other NIH fibroblasts, bradykinin leads to sustained, calcium dependent oscillations of cell membrane potential by repetitive activation of calcium-sensitive K⁺ channels. The present study has been performed to test for ion and inhibitor sensitivity of these oscillations. Both, Lys-bradykinin (kallidin) and bradykinin, but not any shorter peptide tested, maintained the oscillations. The oscillations are abolished in the presence of the K⁺ channel blocker barium (10 nmol/l). The amplitude but not the frequency of the oscillations is dependent on the extracellular potassium concentration. The oscillations are not dependent on the presence of extracellular sodium, bicarbonate or chloride. The oscillations are abolished in the absence of extracellular calcium and their frequency is significantly decreased at reduced extracellular calcium (to 0.2 mmol/l). The oscillations are not inhibited by acute administration of ouabain (0.1 mmol/l), by dimethylamiloride (100 mol/l), furosemide (1 mmol/l) and hydrochlorothiazide (100 mol/l), by cobalt (100 mol/l), zinc (100 mol/l), gadolinium (100 mol/l), verapamil (10 mol/l) and diltiazem (10 mol/l), but are abolished in the presence of 100 mol/l lanthanum, 1 mmol/l cadmium, 10 mol/l nifedipine, 25 mol/l SK & F 96365 and 200 mol/l TMB-8. Stimulation of calcium entry by 10 mol/l ionomycin is frequently followed by oscillations of cell membrane potential even in the absence of bradykinin. In conclusion, in cells expressing the ras oncogene bradykinin leads to sustained activation of calcium channels at the cell membrane, which cause oscillations of the cell membrane potential by triggering intracellular calcium release.     

Lichtmikroskopische Untersuchungen über die Entwicklung vonTheileria annulata (Dschunkowsky und Luhs, 1904) inHyalomma anatolicum excavatum (Koch, 1844)

Summary Fully differentiated kinetes, average length 17.6m, appeared in the haemolymph of engorged nymphs usually 17 to 20 days after repletion. Kinetes were observed at first in the salivary glands on day 18 after repletion. The kinetes then transformed into fission bodies of about 10m in diameter, mainly in type III alveoli and less frequently in type II alveoli. The fission bodies grew up to a size of about 20m after several divisions of their nucleus. At this time the ticks moulted and no further development occurred until activation. Shortly before infestation the salivary glands began to proliferate, and rapid growth of the fission bodies was observed, especially in young ticks where development of infective particles (sporozoites) was concluded within two days. Development in feeding adult ticks apparently occurred in four major steps: (1) Division of primary fission bodies (sporonts) into numerous secondary fission bodies (primary sporoblasts), (2) division of secondary fission bodies into tertiary fission bodies (secondary sporoblasts), (3) production of particles (sporozoites) by tertiary fission bodies and release of particles into the saliva, and (4) degeneration of fission bodies and their host cell but further release of particles.The host cell was stimulated to giant growth, thus its diameter increased, on average, from 15 to 110 m. Heavy infections resulting from parasitaemias of >40% caused disease and mortality in the tick population. Development was much retarded by aging. In ticks starved for six months sporozoites did not develop before day five to seven of infestation. Sporozoites may not develop at all in six to nine month old female ticks during the infestation period. The significance of the described developmental stages ofT. annulata was discussed and a sexual generation postulated. The hypothetic development ofT. annulata in its tick vector was illustrated.

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Gefördert von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)     

Mutagen-induced diploid human lymphoblast variants containing altered hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase

The human lymphoblast line MGL8 was treated with HAT and subsequently mutagenized with EMS (200 g/ml) to give 15% survival, and 6-thioguanine-resistant cells were selected by cloning in soft agarose containing the drug (1 g/ml). Eighteen sublines of independently derived resistant clones were isolated and studied in detail. One subline had a low residual HGPRT activity of about 1% of the parental cells. The HGPRT of this subline had a higher K_m for PRPP, was more sensitive to heat, and was degraded faster by trypsin than the enzyme in extracts of MGL8 cells. This resistant subline and three others contained CRM levels of 1-38%, compared to the wild-type, so they probably represent true structural mutants of the HGPRT gene. All the variants maintained the karyotype of the parental line (46, XY, 6p^–).     

Antibody response inPlasmodium vinckei malaria after treatment with chloroquine and adjuvant interferon-γ

The antibody response of mice infected withPlasmodium vinckei after treatment with chloroquine either alone or in combination with interferon- (IFN-) was determined. Sequential serum samples were drawn from BALB/c mice receiving either 240 g chloroquine on the day of infection or 120 g chloroquine plus 10⁴ units IFN- daily for 11 days beginning on day 3 prior to infection. Mice treated with additional IFN- showed an early induction of IgG2a response and a reduction in IgG1 antibodies as detected by the immunofluorescence technique at between 10 and 16 days after infection as compared with mice treated with chloroquine alone. Thus, IFN- may partly exert its antimalarial activity via the induction of IgG2a antibody formation. At 4–6 weeks after infection, when mice from both groups resisted homologous re-infection, the predominant antibody isotypes found in both groups were IgG1 and IgG2a. Serum samples obtained from mice in both treatment groups at 6 weeks after infection were used for serum transfer experiments. When parasitised erythrocytes were preincubated with such immune serum, a retardation of the course of parasitaemia by 2 days was observed.     

Beitrag zur Frage einer gestörten Nierenfunktion bei exogen-alimentärer Fettsucht

Zusammenfassung Bei 15 nierengesunden Fettsüchtigen und 17 normalgewichtigen Personen bestimmten wir simultan Inulin- und Paraaminohippursäure-Clearance. Außerdem untersuchten wir die Beziehung zwischen den absoluten Clearance-Werten einerseits sowie tatsächlicher und idealer Körperoberfläche andererseits.Nach unseren Untersuchungen werden die Werte der Nieren-Clearance (ml/min/1,73 m²) Adipöser erheblich von der gewählten Bezugsgröße — der tatsächlichen oder idealen Körperoberfläche — beeinflußt. Durch Regressionsanalysen ließ sich zeigen, daß bei überernährten Probanden zwischen Glomerulumfiltrat und ihrer idealen Körperoberfläche ein signifikanter Zusammenhang bestand. Keinerlei Beziehung ergab sich für Inulin-Clearance und tatsächliche Körperoberfläche sowie für den effektiven Nierenplasmastrom einerseits und tatsächliche bzw. ideale Körperoberfläche andererseits. Die Frage, welche der Bezugsgrößen bei klinischen Clearance-Bestimmungen Fettsüchtiger zu verwenden ist, beantworteten wir sowohl für Inulin- als auch PAH-Clearance zugunsten der idealen Körperoberfläche.Unter Berücksichtigung der idealen Körperoberfläche lag das Glomerulumfiltrat der Fettsüchtigen im Mittel signifikant über dem des Vergleichskollektivs, während ihre PAH-Clearance durchschnittlich normal, bei 2 von 15 Adipösen erniedrigt ausfiel. Die Filtrationsfraktion war gegenüber der normalgewichtiger Personen im Mittel signifikant erhöht. Als Grund der veränderten Nieren-Clearance Fettsüchtiger werden funktionelle Einflüsse diskutiert.

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Summary Renal clearance rates (ml/min) of inulin (C_In) and paraamino-hippuric acid (C_PAH) were determined simultaneously in 15 obese patients with healthy kidneys and 17 persons of normal weight. C_In and C_PAH were computed to the standard unit 1,73 m² body surface area. Individual surface areas are calculated on the basis of real and ideal body weight. Our investigations show that the rates of renal clearance (ml/min/1,73 m²) depend to a considerable extent upon the selected surface area-actual or ideal body surface. Analysis indicates that in obese patients a significant connection exists between glomerulum filtration (C_In) and the ideal surface area. No connection was established for inulin clearance (C_In) and actual surface area, nor for C_PAH and real and ideal body surface area. In the determination of clinical clearance rates C_In and C_PAH both should in cases of obesity be computed to the ideal surface area. The mean glomerular filtration of obese persons was found to lie significantly above the mean value of persons of normal weight. C_PAH was normal except in two patients which had lowered paraamino-hippuric acid clearances. The filtration fraction was on average significantly above that of the persons of normal weight. Functional influences are discussed as the reason for the different renal clearance values of obese persons.

     

Alterations in axons and synapses of olfactory cortex following olfactory bulb lesions in newborn rats

Summary The olfactory cortex of rats is being studied at various survival times following deafferentating olfactory bulb ablation on the day of birth. The neonatal axons and synaptic terminals undergo rapid, flocculent degeneration and fragmentation. Most are not electron-dense and therefore probably not argyrophilic at this particular age of the lesion. The degeneration and removal of debris is far more rapid than in adults, yielding a markedly enlarged extracellular space with a relative absence of glia at the vacated postsynaptic thickenings. Denervated postsynaptic thickenings become occupied by neuronal and nonneuronal profiles and profiles of uncertain origin, singly or in various combinations, or the sites may remain partially vacant. One or more axons with synaptic vesicles often aggregated at the site are commonly involved. Certain terminals form contacts on progressively greater lengths of the thickening until typical synaptic contacts predominate by 14 days survival. The results suggest a competitive reinnervation process and provide a fine structural explanation for the events leading to alterations in this pathway following neonatal deafferentation.This project was supported in part by NIH Research Grants DE 04942, awarded by the National Institute of Dental Research, and Grants NS 09678 and NS 04053 from the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, PHS/DHEWDr. Westrum is also an affiliate of the Child Development and Mental Retardation Center, University of Washington     

Ablation of primary afferent terminals reduces nicotinic receptor expression and the nociceptive responses to nicotinic agonists in the spinal cord

A variety of studies indicate that spinal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors modulate the behavioral and autonomic responses elicited by afferent stimuli. To examine the location of and role played by particular subtypes of nicotinic receptors in mediating cardiovascular and nociceptive responses, we treated neonatal and adult rats with capsaicin to destroy C-fibers in primary afferent terminals. Reduction of C-fiber terminals was ascertained by the loss of isolectin B4, CGRP and vanilloid receptors as monitored by immunofluorescence. Receptor autoradiography shows a reduction in number of epibatidine binding sites following capsaicin treatment. The reduction is particularly marked in the dorsal horn and primarily affects the class of high affinity epibatidine binding sites thought to modulate nociceptive responses. Accompanying the loss of terminals and nicotinic binding sites were significant reductions in the expression of 3, 4, 5, 2 and 4 nicotinic receptor subunits in the superficial layers of the spinal cord as determined by antibody staining and confocal microscopy. The loss of nicotinic receptors that follows capsaicin treatment results in attenuation of the nociceptive responses to both spinal cytisine and epibatidine. Capsaicin treatment also diminishes the capacity of cytisine to desensitize nicotinic receptors mediating nociception, but it shows little effect on intrathecal nicotinic agonist elicited pressor and heart rate responses. Hence, our data suggest that 3, 4, 5, 2 and 4 subunits of nicotinic receptors are localized in the spinal cord on primary afferent terminals that mediate nociceptive input. A variety of convergent data based on functional studies and subunit expression suggest that 3 and 4, in combination with 2 and 5 subunits, form the majority of functional nicotinic receptors on C-fiber primary afferent terminals. Conversely, spinal nicotinic receptors not located on C-fibers play a primary role in the spinal pathways evoking spinally coordinated autonomic cardiovascular responses.     

Direct immuno-electron microscopy and some morphological features of hog cholera virus

Summary Characteristic particles of hog cholera virus were identified by direct immuno-electron microscopy. The virion is 40–50m, often asymmetrically shaped, and is enveloped in a membrane that bears 12–15 m surface projections. The surface projections are shear-sensitive and are antigenically different from the virion's envelope. They may represent hog cholera virus soluble antigen.     

Characterization of the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of AL-5898 and related benzopyranyl esters and amides

Selected ester- (AL-5898 and AL-8417) and amide-linked benzopyran analogues (AL-7538 and AL-12615) were evaluated in vitro for their ability to inhibit key enzymes/processes of the inflammatory response. AL-7538 and AL-12615 exhibited weak intrinsic cyclooxygenase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 13 M, 37 M). In contrast, 5-HETE and LTB₄ synthesis in A₂₃₁₈₇-stimulated neutrophils was effectively inhibited by both ester and amide analogs (IC₅₀ = 2–3 M). While there was some indication for differing sensitivities among benzopyran esters and amides in the suppression of cytokine synthesis in stimulated U-937 cells, there appeared to be no great discrimination when assessing their effect on U-937 cell adhesion to IL-1 activated HMVEC-L cells. Inhibition of cell adhesion was concentration-dependent, with IC₅₀ values ranging between 18 M and 30 M for AL-5898. Concentration-dependent inhibition of inflammatory cytokine production (i.e., IL-1, TNF-, GM-CSF and IL-6) was also apparent in LPS-stimulated, cultured PBMC as well as in PMA/A₂₃₁₈₇ activated U-937 cells monitoring the synthesis of IL-1, IL-8, TNF-, and MCP-1. Notably, the hydrolysis products of the benzopyranyl ester, AL-5692 and (S)-6-methoxy--methyl-2-naphthaleneacetic acid, were devoid of pharmacological activity when assessed for inhibition of monocyte adhesion or IL-1 synthesis. Collectively, our data demonstrate the unique in vitro polypharmacology of a novel series of benzopyran analogs that suppress pivotal enzymes and processes in the inflammatory response.     

Characterization of two components of the N-like,high-threshold-activated calcium channel current in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells

Retinoic acid differentiated SH-SY5Y cells exhibit only a high-threshold-activated (–30 to –20 mV) whole cell calcium channel current. When barium was used as the charge carrier, the high-threshold-activated current showed bi-exponential inactivation kinetics during a 500 ms voltage step from –90 to +10mV. The time constants of inactivation were approximately 75 and 750 ms. The fast inactivating component was more sensitive than the slow inactivating component to steady-state inactivation at depolarized holding potentials. The calcium channel current was inhibited by externally applied cadmium (10–300 M) and gadolinium (10–30 M) as well as by high concentrations of nickel and cobalt, Conus toxin (1 M) irreversibly blocked the calcium channel current. However, the dihydropyridine agonist, BAY K 8644 (3–10 M) and antagonists, nifedipine (3–10 M) and nimodipine (10 M) did not affect either component of the calcium channel current. Agents which blocked the calcium channel current did not exhibit any selectivity for the fast inactivating over the slow inactivating component of the current. These results indicate that whilst the calcium channel current recorded in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells can be classified on the basis of the blocking agents as being of the N type, the current shows more than one form of inactivation.     

Transformation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with plasmids containing fragments of yeast 2 μ DNA and a suppressor tRNA gene

Hybrid plasmids have been constructed containing segments of the yeast plasmid 2 DNA, the yeast ochre-suppressing SUP4.0 gene and the bacterial plasmid pBR322. Yeast transformation is detected with a host containing multiple ochre auxotrophic mutations. The transformed SUP4.0 gene is active and can promote growth in the absence of all the requirements. Plasmids containing different fragments of 2 DNA all appear to be active in high frequency transformation of yeast containing 2 DNA, except those containing the HindlII-D fragment. The transforming plasmids undergo recombination with the indigenous 2 DNA. Integration of the transforming plasmid into the host chromosome has been detected by hybridization of restriction enzyme cleaved DNA with labelled pBR322. The plasmids contain restriction enzyme sites which can be used for cloning other genes into yeast.Abbreviations kb kilobase pair - 2 the yeast plasmid of 6.2 kb size     

Neuron Activity in the Prefrontal Cortex of the Brain in Rats with Different Typological Characteristics in Conditions of Emotional Stimulation

Male Wistar rats were separated according to the emotional resonance method (groups of animals avoiding (altruists) and not avoiding (egotists) the pain cries of partner rats) and neuron activity in the prefrontal areas of the cortex was studied in the right and left hemispheres. Assessments were made of changes in the frequency of nerve cell spike activity (in relation to the baseline activity of neurons in sated animals) in rats subjected to one day of food deprivation and after electrical stimulation of emotionally positive (lateral hypothalamus) and negative (tegmentum of the midbrain) brain structures and after exposure to the pain cries of partner rats. The results of these experiments revealed a series of differences in the cell activities of the two groups of rats. In conditions of hunger, the discharge frequency in the altruists was higher than that in egotists. Cortical neuron responses to positive stimulation were greater than those to negative stimulation in rats of both groups. Intracerebral stimulation produced significantly greater increases in discharge frequency in neurons of both prefrontal areas of the cortex in altruists than in egotists. In both groups of rats, neurons in the right hemisphere responded to emotionally negative stimulation with significantly greater activation than cells in the left hemisphere, while activity in the left hemisphere was greater in conditions of emotionally positive stimulation. Altruists showed significantly greater neuron responses during exposure to pain cries from victim rats in both the right and left hemispheres. The responses of egotists to victim cries were not significantly different from baseline activity levels.     

Morphology of the lamina propria in the human esophagus with special reference to the proprial papillae

The three-dimensional configurations of the proprial papillae in the human esophagus were observed by light microscopy, routine transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy combined with NaOH maceration. Numerous finger-like or filiform papillae with a height of about 100m and a width at the base of approximately 30m were clearly distributed in the uppermost proprial layer at approximately equal intervals. The adepithelial surface of the proprial papillae was bordered by a reticular fiber sheet that was stained a deep black color by silver staining. The papillae possessed blood capillaries with fenestration, nerve fibers, and free cells such as lymphocytes, eosinophils, mast cells, and Langerhans-like cells. These findings clearly demonstrate characteristic three-dimensional features of proprial papillae, and their constituent cellular and structural elements in human esophagus.