Biochemical and immunochemical studies on chick brain neurostenin

The KCl-extraction procedure employed for the isolation of actomyosin from muscle was applied to chick forebrain, the isolated fraction being termed chick neurostenin. This fraction was found to have Mg²⁺- or Ca²⁺ -ATPase activity, electrophoretic mobility on disc gel electrophoresis and immunochemical properties on immunodiffusion gels in general agreement with those reported for mammalian neurostenin. Immunofluorescence histochemistry indicated that antisera raised against chick neurostenin reacted specifically with central and peripheral nervous tissue, principally with neuronal and glial surfaces. Examination of preparative fractions by enzymic (Mg²⁺- or Ca²⁺ -ATPase) and immunochemical (microcomplement fixation) assays showed neurostenin to be associated with particulate materials. Staining profiles on sodium dodecyl sulphate-acrylamide gels confirmed chick neurostenin to be heterogenous and to contain lipid. Investigations of the chick neurostenin fraction for mechanochemical properties could not provide adequate support for an actomyosin-like nature.The results indicate that brain proteins with contractile or mechanochemical properties cannot be isolated with any significant degree of purification by applying a single cycle of extraction of chick brain into high ionic strength media (0.6M KG).     

Bilateral enzymic changes in rat nodose ganglia following unilateral cervical vagotomy.

Aspects of the metabolism of the nodose ganglia of the rat and their relationship to chromatolysis induced by unilateral cervical vagotomy were examined. The development of chromatolysis in the vagotomized ganglion followed a typical pattern. The changes in nucleic acid metabolism were elucidated by measurement of the activity of the pyrimidine biosynthesis specific enzyme: glutamine dependent carbamoyl phosphate synthetase. The activity of this enzyme showed a biphasic response supporting the conclusion that the first rapid increase in the rate of synthesis of ribosomal RNA may be a result of increased activity of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway; a biphasic response also occurred in the enzyme activity in the contralateral ganglion. Lysosomal activity during the response was investigated by measuring the activity of acid phosphatase. There was also a bilateral change in the acid phosphatase activities of the two ganglia. This was more marked in the vagotomized ganglion, but followed a biphasic time response.The bilateral nature of the response observed in enzyme activities may reflect the similarities in metabolic requirements of axon regrowth in the vagotomized ganglion and axon collateral growth in the contralateral ganglion.     

Neuropeptide FF receptor 2 (NPFF2) is localized to pain-processing regions in the primate spinal cord and the lower level of the medulla oblongata

Studies have suggested that NPFF-like peptides and their receptors play important roles in physiological and pathological conditions. Here, we show, using multiple expression modalities, that the type 2 NPFF receptor (hNPFF2) is expressed in regions of the primate spinal cord and brainstem mediating pain sensation. In situ hybridization using an NPFF2 riboprobe, and immunohistochemistry using a novel NPFF2 antibody, demonstrated strong NPFF2 expression in the superficial layer of the dorsal horn, and in the spinal trigeminal nucleus of the brainstem of the African green monkey (AGM). In addition, autoradiography using a radiolabeled NPFF analog ([¹²⁵I]1DMe) revealed dense binding signal in the superficial layer of the dorsal horn in the spinal cord. The distribution pattern of hNPFF2 in the AGM spinal cord and the lower level of the brainstem are consistent with a hypothesized potential role for NPFF peptides in modulation of sensory input, opioid analgesia and morphine tolerance through spinal and supraspinal mechanisms.     

The influence of anxiety as a risk to early onset major depression.

OBJECTIVE: we seek to identify and quantify any risk provided by several expressions of "anxiety" to major depression overall, and to separate melancholic and non-melancholic sub-types. METHOD: a sample of 269 patients with a current major depressive episode was assessed for rates of separate formalised anxiety disorders, both for lifetime and prior to the initial depressive episode. We also sought for evidence of familial anxiety and, early childhood expression of anxiety forerunners, measured both state and trait anxiety levels as well as anxiety at a "personality" level, and assessed use of anxiolytic medications. Depressive sub-typing was undertaken using DSM-IV criteria, while "early onset" (EO) depression was defined as an initial onset at 25 years or less, and subsequently re-examined with a cut-off age of 20 years or less. RESULTS: overall. 42% of our sample were assigned as having EO depression, with there being a higher representation of non-melancholic than melancholic EO subjects (i.e., 51% vs. 29%), arguing for sub-type status being respected in the analyses. For both melancholic and non-melancholic subjects two trait anxiety items ("tense"; "keyed up/on edge") were over-represented, suggesting that such a tense anxiety style may provide an antecedent risk to depression (of either sub-type) or be a consequence of depression. Specificity was most evident in the non-melancholic sub-sample, where EO depression was associated with a family history of anxiety, early childhood expressions of anxiety and with two lifetime anxiety disorders (social phobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder). Broadly similar results were returned when "EO" definition was reduced to 20 years or less. CONCLUSIONS: our study is consistent with previous research in identifying anxiety in the form of social inhibition or social avoidance as being particularly likely to precede and perhaps be a conduit to early onset non-melancholic major depression. This conclusion both sharpens risk factor research and indicates an important fulcrum that could be used to assist primary prevention of the depressive disorders.     

Incontinentia pigmenti in Arizona Indians including transmission from mother to son inconsistent with the half chromatid mutation model

Incontinentia pigmenti (IP) is an X-linked dominant disease, usually lethal to males. To explain occasional sporadic IP males, the half chromatid mutation model (Gartler & Francke 1975) has been invoked (Lenz 1975). We here report four cases of American Indians with IP. Two girls had sporadic IP. One affected boy's mother had IP. This is the first report of mother-to-son transmission of IP, indicating that a male with an inherited whole chromatid mutation for IP can escape lethality.     

Development of primary cell cultures from Nephrops norvegicus

This paper reports the first attempt to develop primary cell cultures from tissues (ovary, testes, hepatopancreas, haematopoietic tissue, heart, gut, gill, eye-stalk and nerve tissues) of the Dublin Bay prawn (also known as the Norwegian squat lobster and scampi) Nephrops norvegicus (L.) using Leibovitz's L-15, MEM and M199 media supplemented with 5, 10 or 20 percent (w/v) foetal bovine serum (FBS). The best results were achieved with ovary tissues in 2× Leibovitz's L-15. Also, primary cell cultures were developed with testicular and haematopoietic tissues. With ovary tissues, results with 5 percent (w/v) FBS at an osmolality of 800 mOsm/kg were superior for the maintenance of epithelial-type cells, and enabled longer survival, i.e. more than 3 months. Little success was achieved with M199 and MEM media. One subculture of ovary cells was obtained.     

Development of the Child Attitude Toward Illness Scale

Described the development of the Child Attitude Toward IllnessScale (CATIS), a short self-report instrument designed to providea systematic assessment of how favorably or unfavorably childrenfeel about having a chronic physical condition. Subjects werechildren (N = 269), ages 8–12 years, who had either epilepsy(n = 136) or asthma (n = 133). Results of confirmatory factoranalysis and predicted relationships with scores on the ChildBehavior Checklist and the Piers-Harris Children's Self-ConceptScale provided support for construct validity of the scale.Good internal consistency and test-retest reliability were alsofound.