Quantification of D-aspartate in normal and Alzheimer brains.

Using a new procedure to hydrolyze proteins without provoking racemization of the amino acids and using enzymatic methods to determine D- and L-aspartate (Asp), we have quantified the content of protein-bound D-aspartate (both D-aspartic acid and D-asparagine) of human brain white and gray matter proteins from normal and Alzheimer subjects. The D-enantiomer is present in brain proteins at mean concentrations between 0.48 and 0.90 mumol/g of wet tissue, corresponding to concentrations 34-82 times lower than that of L-aspartate. The highest levels of D-aspartate were found in Alzheimer gray matter (0.60-0.90, mean 0.69 mumol/g of wet tissue). When expressed as the percentage of total (i.e. D- plus L-) aspartate, %D = [D/(D + L)] x 100, the Alzheimer brains show a significantly higher content of D-aspartate in both gray matter (2.08%) and white matter (1.80%) than in the corresponding tissues of normal brains (1.65% in gray, 1.58% in white).     

Enzyme spectrum of the pancreas in chronic stress

The enzyme spectrum of pancreatic homogenate was studied in acute experiments on male albino rats during adaptation for 30 days to muscular exertion (forced swimming in water at a temperature of 32±1°C), heat (hyperthermia to 40–41°C), and cold (cooling to 3–4°C) for 3 h. The initial periods of adaptation to these factors (second-twelfth day) were shown to be characterized by a considerable decrease in activity of all the enzymes studied, but later, with adaptation of the animals to these factors, enzyme activity was restored to its original level (18th–24th day), and remained more or less constant until the end of the experiment (30th day). It is suggested that changes in the enzyme spectrum of the pancreas are brought about through the participation of the hypothalamo-hypophyseo-adrenal system in accordance with the principle of the general adaptation syndrome.Laboratory of the Physiology of Digestion and Laboratory of General Physiology, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR O. G. Gazenko.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 87, No. 5, pp. 412–414, May, 1979.     

Detection and characterization of gastric carcinoma associated with epstein-barr herpes virus

The present investigation was carried out to estimate the incidence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated cases among gastric carcinoma (GC) patients in Russia. Carcinoma specimens from 184 patients with GC treated at the Cancer Research Center were investigated by EBV encoded RNA-1 (EBER-1) in situ hybridization. Seventeen (9.24%) cases showed uniform EBER-1 expression restricted to the carcinoma cells. Hybridized signals were not detected in the non-neoplastic gastric epithelium. EBV involvement was significantly more frequent among males, especially in the tumors belonging to less differentiated types (moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinomas and poorly differentiated solid adenocarcinomas) and located in the upper stomach (cardia and middle part). Most EBV-positive GCs were characterized by great lymphoid compartment involvement. The findings of the distribution of EBV-positive. GCs by sex, site, and histology are similar to those in Japan; however, the detection rate of EBV-positive cases in Russia is higher than that in Japan (6.7%) and lower than that in the USA (16%).     

Aktivitätsverminderung der post-Heparin-Lipoproteinlipase bei azidotischem Blut-pH

Summary Diseases associated with acidotic blood-pH, such as chronic renal disease, diabetes mellitus or chronic alcoholism, show a marked impairment of lipoprotein lipase. Therefore we influenced blood-pH in 3 healthy subjects by infusions to get alkalotic, neutral and acidotic blood-pH on three days in series. On each day blood-pH from capillary blood and post-heparin lipoprotein lipase from fasting plasma was determined. In comparison to neutral blood-pH in vivo, alkalosis did not influence lipoprotein lipase. In contrast, during artificial acidosis, lipoprotein lipase was impaired significantly (p<0.01). Therefore, it seems, that acidosis inhibits lipoprotein lipase in vivo.

     

A simple rosette assay for demonstration of complement receptor sites using complement-coated zymosan beads.

In the present article we describe a simple rosette assay for detection of C3 receptor-bearing B lymphocytes with complement (C)-coated zymosan (Zy) beads. Zy coated with murine or human C bound to a distinct population of human and mouse lymphocytes as well as to the majority of lymphoblastoid cells of several human established cell lines. Rosette formation was also observed with human red blood cells, with human monocytes and neutrophils. Experiments with anti-immunoglobulin sera, with other B and T cell markers and with mouse thymocytes proved that the capacity to bind C-coated Zy is primarily a feature of B lymphocytes. The following findings suggested that C-coated Zy is bound via receptor sites for the activated components of C3: (a) Zy coated with C3-deficient serum failed to bind, (b) comparable percentages of various lymphoid and nonlymphoid cells formed rosettes with C-coated Zy as well as with antibody and C-coated sheep red blood cells, and (c) antibodies against human or murine C3 inhibited the binding of C-coated Zy.     

Macroscopic study of the adult thymus

Summary The dissection of. 48 cadaveric specimens has been compared with operative findings for a review of the shape, size and site of this gland in the adult. The structure of the thymic compartment and the relations of the thymus, particularly with the vessels of the superior mediastinum and the base of the neck, were studied. The relative positions of the inferior parathyroid glands and the thymus were identified, with respect to the influence of this topography on the surgery of these glands. The arterial suply to the thymus, which is still very abundant in the adult, presupposes a functional organ whose physiologic involution is slow.

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Etude macroscopique du thymus de l'adulte

Résumé La dissection de 48 pièces cadavériques, confrontée à des données opératoires, permet de rappeler la forme, la taille et la situation de cette glande chez l'adulte. La constitution de la loge thymique puis les rapports du thymus avec, en particulier, les vaisseaux du médiastin supérieur et la base du cou sont étudiés. Les positions respectives des glandes parathyroïdes inférieures et du thymus avec l'incidence de cette topographie dans la chirurgie de ces glandes, sont précisées. La vascularisation artérielle de la glande, encore très riche chez l'adulte est en faveur d'un organe fonctionnel dont l'involution physiologique est lente.

     

Alternative methods to analyse the impact of HIV mutations on virological response to antiviral therapy

Background  

Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least square (PLS) regression may be useful to summarize the HIV genotypic information. Without pre-selection each mutation presented in at least one patient is considered with a different weight. We compared these two strategies with the construction of a usual genotypic score.     

Correlations of Soluble Interleukin-2 and Tumor Necrosis Factor Type II Receptors with Immunologic and Virologic Responses Under HAART

We assessed the correlations between some plasma markers of immune activation (soluble receptors of interleukin 2 (sIL2-R) and TNFp75 (sTNFII-R) and usual markers of HIV infection in patients treated with protease-inhibitors (PI). Forty-six PI-naive HIV-1-infected adults were included in a 1-year prospective cohort from the initiation of a PI-containing regimen (M0). Measurements of CD4+cell count, plasma HIV-RNA, sIL2-R and sTNFII-R were performed at M0, M6, and M12. The evolution of sIL2-R from baseline to M12 was significantly different between immunological responders (IR) (CD4+count above 200/mm³ for subject having less than 200 CD4 +/mm³ at inclusion, or increase of at least 50 CD4+/mm³ for others) (58 UI/ml) and non-IR (+28 UI/ml) (P =0.01). The evolution of sTNFII-R between M0 and M12 was significantly different between virological responders (VR) (plasma HIV-1 RNA less than 500 copies/ml at M12) (–2.5 ng/ml) and non-VR (+0.2 ng/ml) (P =0.02). Our study shows significative correlations between the evolutions of soluble interleukin-2 and TNFR-II receptors and those of CD4+T-lymphocytes or HIV-RNA responses in patients under HAART.     

Effects of unilateral electrical stimulation of various thalamic nuclei on the release of dopamine from dendrites and nerve terminals of neurons of the two nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathways

The role of several motor and intralaminar thalamic nuclei in the regulation of dopamine release from terminals and dendrites of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons was investigated in halothane-anaesthetized cats. For this purpose, the effects of the unilateral electrical stimulation of various thalamic nuclei on the release of newly synthesized [3H]dopamine were simultaneously determined in both substantiae nigrae and caudate nuclei using the push-pull cannula method. The electrical stimulation of the motor nuclei was the only one to induce asymmetric changes in the four structures since [3H]dopamine release was enhanced in the ipsilateral caudate nucleus and reduced in the contralateral structure while opposite responses were observed in the corresponding substantiae nigrae. A reduction of [3H]dopamine release occurred in the four structures or only in the contralateral substantia nigra and caudate nucleus following the stimulation of the parafascicularis nucleus and the adjacent posterior part of the nucleus centrum medianum or of the nucleus centralis lateralis and the adjacent paralaminar part of the nucleus medialis dorsalis, respectively. The stimulation of the anterior part of the nucleus centrum medianum, which in contrast to other thalamic nuclei examined, receives few nigral inputs, selectively enhanced [3H]dopamine release in the contralateral substantia nigra. No significant changes in [3H]dopamine release were seen either in the substantiae nigrae or in the caudate nuclei following the stimulation of midline thalamic nuclei. These results indicate that the motor and intralaminar thalamic nuclei exert multiple and selective influences on the release of dopamine from terminals and/or dendrites of the dopaminergic neurons. They also further support a role of thalamic nuclei in the transfer of information from one substantia nigra to the contralateral dopaminergic neurons. The possible involvement of connections between paired thalamic nuclei was underlined by the observations of evoked potentials in contralateral homologous nuclei following unilateral stimulation of motor, or some intralaminar, nuclei. The present report provides new insights on the mechanisms contributing to the reciprocal and/or bilateral regulations of nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathways.