Reflex control of the retractor bulbi muscle in the cat

The effects of vestibular and trigeminal stimulation on reflex responses of each slip of the retractor bulbi muscle were tested by recording the electromyogram.

1. In “encéphale isolé” cat, phasic electrical stimulation of the horizontal canal induced no response in the RB slips. Repetitive vestibular stimulation did not produce nystagmus in the RB muscle while strong muscular discharges were observed in the nystagmus lateral rectus muscle.
2. In anaesthetized cats, three trigeminal inputs elicited strong reflex responses in each slip of the RB muscle. Electrical stimulation of the vibrissae or the infra-orbital nerve evoked a two component reflex response (latencies: 5ms±0.5 and 14ms±2). Electrical stimulation of the supraorbital nerve elicited a single component reflex response (latency: 6ms±0.5). Electrical stimulation of the long ciliary nerves evoked a complex response with four components (latencies: 7.5ms±0.5, 10ms±2,15ms±2,20ms±2)
3. Pentobarbital and morphine produced lasting depression of the reflex responses of the RB muscle. The depressive effect of morphine was reversed by naloxone.

     

Effect of physical exertion on the biological monitoring of exposure to various solvents following exposure by inhalation in human volunteers: II. n-Hexane

This study evaluated the impact of physical exertion on two n-hexane (HEX) exposure indicators in human volunteers exposed under controlled conditions in an inhalation chamber. A group of four volunteers (two women, two men) were exposed to HEX (50 ppm; 176 mg/m(3)) according to several scenarios involving several periods when volunteers performed either aerobic (AERO), muscular (MUSC), or both AERO/MUSC types of exercise. The target intensities for 30-min exercise periods separated by 15-min rest periods were the following: REST, 50W AERO [time-weighted average intensity including resting period (TWAI): 38W], 50W AERO/MUSC (TWAI: 34W), 100W AERO/MUSC (TWAI: 63W), and 100W AERO (TWAI: 71W) for 7 hr (two 3-hr exposure periods separated by 1 hr without exposure) and 50W MUSC for 3 hr (TWAI: 31W). Alveolar air and urine samples were collected at different time intervals before, during, and after exposure to measure unchanged HEX in expired air (HEX-A) and urinary 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD). HEX-A levels during exposures involving AERO activities (TWAI: 38W and 71W) were significantly enhanced (approximately +14%) compared with exposure at rest. MUSC or AERO/MUSC exercises were also associated with higher HEX-A levels but only at some sampling times. In contrast, end-of-exposure (7 hr) urinary 2,5-HD (mean +/- SD) was not modified by physical exertion: 4.14 +/- 1.51 micromol/L (REST), 4.02 +/- 1.52 micromol/L (TWAI 34W), 4.25 +/- 1.53 micromol/L (TWAI 38W), 3.73 +/- 2.09 micromol/L (TWAI 63W), 3.6 +/- 1.34 micromol/L (TWAI 71W) even though a downward trend was observed. Overall, this study showed that HEX kinetics is practically insensitive to moderate variations in workload intensity; only HEX-A levels increased slightly, and urinary 2,5-HD levels remained unchanged despite the fact that all types of physical exercise increased the pulmonary ventilation rate.     

Chondroprotective effect of intraarticular injections of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in experimental osteoarthritis. Suppression of collagenase-1 expression

Objective. To investigate the in vivo effect of recombinant human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (rHuIL-1Ra) on the development of lesions and the expression of metalloproteases in the canine experimental osteoarthritis (OA) model. Methods. The right anterior cruciate ligament was sectioned percutaneously in 3 groups of dogs. The control group (n = 5) received an intraarticular injection of sterile physiologic saline (1 ml) twice weekly for 4 weeks starting on the day of surgery. The remaining 2 groups received intraarticular injections of either 2 mg (n = 6) or 4 mg (n = 5) rHuIL-1Ra in 1 ml of physiologic saline according to the same schedule as the first group. All dogs were killed 4 weeks after surgery. The macroscopic appearance of femoral condyle osteophytes and the size and severity of cartilage lesions on femoral condyles and tibial plateaus were evaluated, as were the histologic features of cartilage and synovial membrane. Levels of collagenase-1 and stromelysin-1 messenger RNA expression in cartilage and synovium were determined by Northern blotting. Results. Recombinant human IL-1Ra exerted a dose-dependent protective effect on the development of osteophytes and cartilage lesions in vivo. Treatment with rHuIL-1Ra reduced the incidence (saline-treated group 70%, 2 mg rHuIL-1Ra–treated group 42%, 4 mg rHuIL-1Ra–treated group 20%) and size (saline-treated group 2.3 ± 0.7 mm [mean ± SEM], 2 mg rHuIL-1Ra–treated group 0.7 ± 0.3 mm, 4 mg rHuIL-1Ra–treated group 0.5 ± 0.3 mm) of femoral condyle osteophytes. In addition, a dose-dependent decrease in the size (saline-treated group 24.40 ± 8.17 mm², 2 mg rHuIL-1Ra–treated group 20.90 ± 8.01 mm², 4 mg rHuIL-1Ra–treated group 7.70 ± 5.16 mm²) and the grade (0–4 scale; saline-treated group 1.20 ± 0.29, 2 mg rHuIL-1Ra–treated group 1.00 ± 0.26, 4 mg rHuIL-1Ra–treated group 0.30 ± 0.21) of the tibial plateau cartilage lesions was found, with a significant difference (P < 0.04) reached only with 4 mg rHuIL-1Ra. Similarly, the histologic lesions in dogs treated with 4 mg rHuIL-1Ra (Mankin scale; mean ± SEM 2.95 ± 0.53) were significantly less severe (P < 0.002) compared with those in the saline-treated group (4.95 ± 0.54). Importantly, rHuIL-1Ra treatment led to a significant reduction (P < 0.005) of collagenase-1 expression in OA cartilage. Conclusion. This study demonstrated that intraarticular injections of rHuIL-1Ra can protect against the development of experimentally induced OA lesions. This effect could result, at least in part, from a reduction of collagenase-1 expression. However, other catabolic processes involved in the degradation of OA cartilage may also be affected.