A method for the determination of projection areas of GABA immunoreactive neurons in the invertebrate nervous system.

Axonal transport of metallic salts (nickel or cobalt chloride) has been widely used for the anatomical mapping of neural pathways. We show here that when nickel is introduced into GABAergic neurons it completely eliminates GABA immunolabelling. We have used this property to determine the axonal projections of GABAergic neurons in the stomatogastric system of Crustacea. For example, following nickel backfills from either cut axons or from terminals, GABA immunostaining labels only those GABA-immunoreactive neurons which had not been retrogradely labelled with nickel and hence did not project in the cut nerve or to the neuropile uptake site. By comparing such immunolabelled preparations with those not pretreated with nickel the projection patterns of all the GABA immunoreactive neurons in a given system can be revealed. This effect of nickel appears to be selective for GABA immunostaining, insofar as it does not interfere with the immunodetection of either the peptide proctolin or a FMRFamide-like peptide. This method may prove to be a useful tool for analyzing GABAergic neuronal pathways in the nervous systems of invertebrates.     

Transfer of 45Ca and 36Cl at the blood-nerve barrier of the sciatic nerve in rats fed low or high calcium diets

Unidirectional fluxes of 45Ca, 36Cl, and of [3H]mannitol from blood into the sciatic nerve and cerebral cortex were determined from 5- and 15-min uptakes of these tracers after an intravenous (i.v.) bolus injection in awake rats. Rats were fed diets for 8 wk, that had either a low (0.01% wt/wt), normal (0.67%), or high (3%) Ca content. Plasma [Ca] was 32% less and 11% more in rats fed low (LOCA) and high Ca diets (HICA), respectively, than in rats fed a normal Ca diet (CONT). The mean permeability-surface area product (PA) of 45Ca at the blood-nerve barrier was about eightfold higher than at the blood-brain barrier in the same animals and did not differ significantly between groups (greater than 0.05). Mean PA ratios of 45Ca/36Cl for the blood-nerve and blood-brain barriers in CONT rats, 0.52 +/- 0.04 and 0.40 +/- 0.02, respectively, were not significantly different from corresponding ratios in LOCA and HICA groups, and corresponded to the aqueous limiting diffusion ratio (0.45). Our results show no evidence for concentration-dependent transport of Ca over a plasma [Ca] range of 0.8-1.4 mmol/liter at the blood-nerve barrier of the rat peripheral nerve, and suggest that Ca and Cl exchange slowly between nerve and blood via paracellular pathways.     

The determination of alpha-tocopherol in blood serum]

A modified method for measuring vitamin E is described, making use of thin-layer chromatography with Silufol plates. Effects of various storage conditions of the blood serum on its vitamin E levels were examined. Vitamin E proved to be sufficiently stable at storage at -10 degrees C and defrosting under 20 degrees C. Comparison of this mode of storage with other ones has demonstrated its advantages. The method was tried in clinical practice in examinations of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic alcoholism, females suffering from infertility due to inflammations and healthy ones (controls) and found to be accurate, reproducible, and informative.     

Common origin of inferior mesenteric and main renal artery

The first case of a common origin of both the inferior mesenteric and single main renal artery, angiographically documented in a patient with primary ipsilateral ectopic kidney, is reported. Embryologic as well as surgical aspects are mentioned.     

The effect of bismuth subnitrate on cisplatin toxicity

Bismuth subnitrate (BSN), a bismuth compound medically used for antidiarrheics, was orally administered to see whether it can reduce CDDP nephrotoxicity or not. Thirteen patients aged 19 approximately 60 with ovarian cancer entered this BSN-CDDP trial. A total of thirty three courses of BSN-CDDP treatment was undergone. BSN was administered orally at a dose of 50 mg/kg for five days before CDDP therapy. CDDP was infused for two hours. No vigorous hydration or diuresis was performed. Only 2,000 ml of saline with 20 mEq per liter of KCl was given for post-hydration. The median dose of CDDP was 100 mg/m2. The renal toxicity of BSN-CDDP treatment was minimum. 82% of the courses at the sixth day after the treatment had creatinine clearance levels which were more than 80% of those before the treatment. But twenty-four hour NAG and beta 2-microglobulin excretion were significantly increased. Bone marrow suppression and gastrointestinal disturbance were commonly observed. The results of our study indicate that BSN pretreatment reduces the renal toxicity of CDDP to some extent.     

Ethanol levels in honeybee hemolymph resulting from alcohol ingestion.

Our previous work on a social insect model of ethanol-induced behavior focused on behavioral studies of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.). We now investigate the dependence of honeybee blood ethanol concentration on both the amount of ethanol consumed and time elapsed since ingestion. Blood ethanol level was determined using gas chromatograph using hemolymph taken from harnessed bees. Significantly increased levels of ethanol in honeybee hemolymph were detected within 15 min of feeding bees alcohol. Within 30 min, ethanol concentration increased 2.7 times. The concentration of ethanol ingested also had a significant effect on blood ethanol level. However, postfeeding times greater than 30 min did not significantly increase ethanol concentration in bee hemolymph. This study integrates with our behavioral data on the effect of ethanol on honeybees. Our laboratory and field experiments show a correlation between the time frame for behavioral changes and significant increases of blood ethanol levels shown in this study.     

Cystic medial necrosis in coarctation of the aorta: a potential factor contributing to adverse consequences observed after percutaneous balloon angioplasty of coarctation sites

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty has been shown to be both feasible and efficacious for the treatment of aortic coarctation. Recent reports, however, have indicated that the development of aortic aneurysms at or near the coarctation segment may complicate attempts to treat this lesion by catheter-based intervention. Accordingly, we examined the light microscopic features of coarctation segments excised at surgery (n = 31) or obtained at autopsy (n = 2) in 33 patients with coarctation of the aorta. Cystic medial necrosis, defined as depletion and disarray of elastic tissue, was observed in each of the 33 specimens. In the majority of coarctation specimens (22 of 33 or 67%) the extent of cystic medial necrosis, graded semiquantitatively on a scale of 0 (normal aorta) to 3+, was severe (3+). The finding that cystic medial necrosis represents a consistent histologic feature of coarctation of the aorta provides a pathologic basis for the formation of aneurysms observed after balloon angioplasty of coarctation sites.     

Synthesis and antiviral activity of benzisatin β-oximes

Translated from Khimiko-farmatsevticheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 23, No. 11, pp. 1349–1352, November, 1989.