Phenomenology and family history in DSM-III psychotic depression

Depressed inpatients with psychotic features were compared to those without them in terms of demographic features, depressive symptoms at intake and family history. These variables were then used to compare patients with mood-congruent psychotic features to those with mood-incongruent psychotic features. Patterns of familial psychopathology were similar for psychotic and non-psychotic patients. In accord with other studies, the families of mood-incongruent patients had slightly more schizophrenia and significantly less depression than did the families of mood-congruent patients. Depressive symptoms, particularly those used to define major depression and melancholia, were more severe in psychotic patients. Moreover, these particular depressive symptoms were more likely to distinguish mood-congruent from mood-incongruent patients than were other depressive symptoms. Thus mood-congruent psychotic features accompanied a more typical depressive syndrome than did mood-incongruent psychotic features.     

Untersuchungen über den Kohlenhydrat- und Fettstoffwechsel bei körperlicher Arbeit

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Gene transfer by adenovirus-mimetic peptides in the presence of a cationic lipid and/or adenovirus. Analysis of the contribution of the viral and nonviral components

Summary.  Peptide and cationic lipid-based gene transfer vectors have shown promise for gene therapy but are still less efficient than viral gene transfer vectors. We have examined the mechanism of gene transfer of different adenovirus-mimetic peptides in the presence and absence of a cationic lipid, lipofectamine and/or adenovirus with the aim of improving the design of nonviral vectors for efficient gene transfer. Three polylysine-adenovirus-mimetic peptides were synthesised and examined for their efficacy for gene transfer. Transfection levels in four cell lines: adenovirus permissive human tracheal epithelial (56FHTE8o⁻), human lung carcinoma (A549), human colon carcinoma (Caco-2) cells, and adenovirus low-permissive Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, were examined. The polylysine-adenovirus-mimetic peptides increased the level of transfection of a reporter transgene in all cell lines. Transfection was substantially increased when an adenovirus was added to cells after pre-incubation with the vector complexes. Formulation of the peptide vector complexes with lipofectamine increased their transfection efficacy and the subsequent addition of an adenovirus increased transfection levels even further but only in permissive cells. Pre-incubation of cells with lipofectamine-peptide vector complexes increased cell binding of the adenovirus but uptake was only increased in intermediate- or non-permissive cells. The addition of lipofectamine increased transgene expression of a recombinant adenovirus in non-permissive cells but not in permissive cells. Enhancement with an adenovirus of peptide vector gene transfer is probably due to more efficient endosome escape while enhancement of gene transfer by peptide vectors complexed to lipofectamine is due to an increase in cellular binding and/or internalisation of the adenovirus. Received February 8, 2002; accepted August 23, 2002     

A comparative immunohistological study of cerebellar enolases

Summary A comparative immunohistological study of the neurone-specific enolase and enolase, demonstrates the exclusive neuronal localization of enolase and its absence from glial cells. In contrast, enolase is located in astroglial cells. The validity of enolase as a neuronal marker and enolase as an astrocytic marker, is confirmed both by a double labelling technique, using antibodies to and to revealed with fluorescence or peroxidase in the same tissue sections, and by immunoelectronmicroscopy.     

Callosal connections of suprasylvian visual areas in the cat

After horseradish peroxidase injections in cat's lateral suprasylvian visual area and in areas 17 and 18, labeled callosal neurons are found within the various subdivisions of the lateral suprasylvian area, mostly in regions where the area centralis and vertical meridian are represented. The homotopic callosal projections from lateral suprasylvian area to lateral suprasylvian area originate almost exclusively from layer III. The heterotopic callosal projections from the lateral suprasylvian area to areas 17 and 18 originate mainly from layer VI but also from layer III. Callosal neurons in the lateral suprasylvian area are pyramidal cells (layers III and VI), fusiform and triangular cells (layer VI).The distribution of callosal neurons in the lateral suprasylvian area is similar to that previously found in areas 17 and 18 in the sense that in all these areas callosal neurons are preferentially located near the vertical meridian representation within two radially separated laminae. However, the preponderance of layer VI neurons in the projection from the lateral suprasylvian area to contralateral areas 17 and 18 is different from what was observed in other callosal connections. Since layer VI usually gives rise to corticothalamic projections it is possible that similar feed-back mechanisms may modulate the information sent to the lateral suprasylvian area from the thalamus and the primary visual areas.     

Low plasma level of adiponectin is associated with stavudine treatment and lipodystrophy in HIV-infected patients

This study tested the hypothesis that in patients with HIV-associated lipodystrophy, adiponectin levels were related to insulin resistance, TNF-alpha and IL-6 and treatment with nucleoside analogues. HIV seropositive men undergoing highly active antiretroviral treatment were enrolled into three predetermined clinical groups: lipodystrophy with central fat accumulation (n = 12); lipodystrophy without central fat accumulation (n = 15); no lipodystrophy (n = 15). HIV-negative healthy men served as controls (n = 12). Both lipodystrophic groups had a low percentage of limb fat compared to the two control groups. Patients with lipodystrophy with fat accumulation had increased truncal fat compared with controls. Levels of adiponectin did not correlate with either TNF-alpha or IL-6. Low levels of adiponectin were found in both lipodystrophic groups and were associated with current or previous treatment with stavudine. Furthermore, the adiponectin level correlated with the percentage of limb fat. Patients with lipodystrophy with fat accumulation were more insulin resistant, measured by HOMA-IR, compared with controls. However, HOMA-IR did no correlate to adiponectin or other cytokines. In conclusion, the finding of no difference between the two lipodystrophic groups with regard to adiponectin, indicates that low levels of adiponectin reflects fat atrophy, whereas the insulin resistance was best explained by increased truncal fat mass.     

A radioimmunoassay for herpes simplex virus (HSV) thymidine kinase

A sensitive RIA for HSV-1 thymidine kinase (TK) has been developed. This assay is based on competition for the binding site of a rabbit antibody against purified HSV-1 TK, between a purified ³H-labeled HSV-1 TK and a sample containing an unknown amount of viral TK. The assay is capable of detecting 8 ng or more of the HSV enzyme. Purified HSV-1 TK denatured to <1% of its original kinase activity is as effective in binding to the antibody as is native HSV-1 TK. Viral TK is detectable at ranges of 150–460 ng/mg protein of cell extract from infected cells or cells transformed by HSV or HSV genetic material. HSV-2 TK appears highly cross-reactive, VZV TK is slightly less so, and the vaccinia TK shows little or no cross-reactivity. This RIA may serve as a tool for monitoring the expression of the HSV TK during an active herpes virus infection, a latent ganglionic infection, or in neoplastic cells which may have arisen by viral transformation.     

Interaction between α- and β-adrenoceptors in rat pineal adenosine cyclic 3′,5′-monophosphate phosphodiesterase activation

Summary The adrenergic regulation of the low-Km pineal cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity was studied in adult female rats. PDE activity showed a transient enhancement (up to 42%) during the process of degeneration of pineal sympathetic nerve terminals that followed superior cervical ganglionectomy (SCGx), thus confirming the neural modulation of the enzyme. Treatment with isoproterenol (0.3–5.0 mg/Kg) increased significantly PDE activity within 2 hours. Phenylephrine induced a significant increase of pineal PDE only at a 10 mg/Kg dose, while at a lower dose (1 mg/Kg) it potenciated the stimulatory effect of isoproterenol. Treatment of pineal organ cultures with 100 M propranolol inhibited norepinephrine (NE)-induced PDE activity while 100 M phentolamine had no significant effect. Propranolol at doses unable to alter thein vitro NE-induced stimulation of pineal PDE activity (1 M), antagonized such NE effect when used in combination with 1 uM phentolamine. At equimolecular concentrations (1 M) the mixed --adrenergic agonist NE was more effective than the -adrenergic agonist isoproterenol to increase pineal PDEin vitro. These resultsSupported by grant no. 6638, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Técnicas de la RepÚblica Argentina (CONICET), Argentina.Established Investigator, CONICET.     

Selective kainic acid lesions in cultured explants of rat hippocampus

Summary The influence of the excitotoxin kainic acid (KA) on cultivated explants of rat hippocampus was investigated. Addition of 3 M KA to the culture medium over 24–48 h induced a destruction of the pyramidal cells in the CA3 region, whereas the CA1 pyramidal cells and the granule cells were left undamaged. Higher concentrations (10–100 M) of KA destroyed also the latter cell groups. The selectivity of the KA lesion at 3 M was further indicated by the fact that the acetylcholinesterase-positive neurons in the hippocampus were not destroyed through KA administration and that the stereoisomer dihydrokainic acid was ineffective in inducing lesions. Application of tetrodotoxin did not protect the CA3 pyramidal cells from KA lesion, whereas -glutamylaminomethylsulphonic acid (GAMS) only offered a very small, statistically not significant, protection. Baclofen protected the cultures slightly from KA lesions but not when added together with GAMS. Possible mechanisms responsible for the KA lesions in these cultures are discussed.Supported in part by a grant from the Swiss National Foundation for Scientific Research (No. 3.528.-0.83)