Babinski-Nageotte syndrome on magnetic resonance imaging

A 70-year-old woman developed left hypoglossal nerve palsy, a right hemiparesis sparing the face, and a typical left Wallenberg's syndrome. These symptoms resulted from a lesion in the left half of the medulla oblongata, suggesting Babinski-Nageotte syndrome, a rare cerebrovascular disease. This is the first case of ischemic infarction in the territory of the left vertebral artery and posterior inferior cerebellar artery demonstrated on magnetic resonance imaging. Severe bilateral lesions of the distal vertebral arteries demonstrated on digital subtraction angiography may have contributed to the development of this syndrome.     

Double-blind, placebo-controlled comparison of clonazepam and alprazolam for panic disorder

To test the reported antipanic efficacy of clonazepam, the authors randomized 72 subjects with panic disorder to 6 weeks of treatment with either alprazolam, clonazepam, or placebo. Endpoint analysis demonstrated a significant beneficial effect of both active treatments, but not placebo treatment, on the frequency of panic attacks, overall phobia ratings, and the extent of disability. Comparison of the two active treatments revealed no significant differences and no consistent tendency for one agent to be favored over another, although power to detect small differences was limited. Sedation and ataxia were the most common side effects reported, but these effects were mild and transient and did not interfere with treatment outcome. The results of this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial are consistent with previous reports of clonazepam's antipanic efficacy.     

Toxoplasma encephalitis of immunocompetent and nude mice: immunohistochemical characterisation of Toxoplasma antigen, infiltrates and major histocompatibility complex gene products

The experimental infection of immunocompetent and immunodeficient athymic mice with an avirulent encephalitogenic Toxoplasma strain (DX strain) was employed to study the ensuing encephalitic process by use of histological and immunocytochemical methods. In the acute phase of the infection Toxoplasma cysts and tachyzoites were accompanied by an infiltrate composed of macrophages, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. In the chronic stage a granulomatous encephalitis developed. In contrast to immunocompetent NMRI mice, athymic nude NMRI mice died 3 weeks post-infection because of a generalized toxoplasmosis with predominant involvement of the brain. A salient feature of murine Toxoplasma encephalitis was up-regulation of class I and II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene products. Class I antigen was widely expressed on microglial cells and astrocytes. Class II antigen was only expressed on microglial cells despite a considerable astrogliosis. Our results indicate a differential expression of MHC-determined antigens on brain cells in acute and chronic murine Toxoplasma encephalitis.     

Cytochrome P-45011 beta in rat brain

The presence of cytochrome P-45011 beta in rat brain was studied by immunohistochemistry using polyclonal rabbit antibodies raised against purified bovine adrenocortical P-45011 beta, which is involved in the steroid 11 beta-hydroxylation and glucocorticoid formation. The results showed that cytochrome P-45011 beta immunoreactivity is selectively localized to the tracts of myelinated fibers throughout the brain. The specificity of immunohistochemical stainings with P-45011 beta antibodies was established by control tests including nonimmune rabbit immunoglobulin Gs and P-45011 beta antibodies absorbed with purified antigen. Western immunoblots of homogenates from different brain areas with P-45011 beta antibodies, together with biochemical enzymatic assays for cytochrome P-45011 beta monooxygenase activity in these homogenates, confirmed the selective localization of this enzyme observed with immunohistochemistry. Cytochrome P-45011 beta and 11 beta-hydroxylase activity were detected in a homogenate from the cortical white matter (brain area rich in myelinated fibers) as in that from the rat adrenal, but were not detectable in a homogenate from the cerebral cortex (brain area poor in myelinated fibers). Furthermore, quantitation of the P-45011 beta bands on the immunoblots by the areal density revealed that the cortical white matter contains approximately 1.4 pmol of cytochrome P-45011 beta/mg of tissue protein, the value of which was about one sixth of the corresponding value estimated in the rat adrenal. This relatively high content of cytochrome P-45011 beta was also reflected in a relatively high level of 11 beta-hydroxylase activity measured in a homogenate of this brain area by biochemical enzymatic assays using [4-14C]-11-deoxycorticosterone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Comparative evaluation of acute toxicity and antitumor activity of IF-XXV preparation and holoxan

The alkylating agent ifosfamide synthesized according to own method at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Warsaw, was compared in biological evaluations with Holoxan (Asta-Werke's ifosfamide). No significant differences between tested compounds were found in respect of acute toxicity and antitumor activity in experimental systems in mice.     

Maternal factors influencing development of embryos from mice superovulated with gonadotropins

In NMRI mice superovulation with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) increased mating rate, number of implantation sites, rate of advanced and delayed resorptions, as well as retarded sternebral ossification and cleft palate. On day 3 of gestation in preimplantation embryos, cell number and mitotic index were lower after superovulation than after spontaneous ovulation. However, when preimplantation embryos from superovulated and control females were transferred on day 3 of pregnancy to pseudopregnant recipients (10 embryos per female) no differences could be detected between the two groups of fetuses at term. The results of the embryo transfer experiments indicate that abnormal embryonic development after superovulation with gonadotropins is predominantly induced by effects of the hormone treatment on the maternal uterine environment.     

The complex nature of the mechanism of toxicity of antibiotic dithiacyclohexadiene polyines (thiarubrines) from the asteraceae

Thiarubrine A, a dithiacyclohexadiene polyine from the roots of Chaenactis douglasii, and a related dithiacyclohexadiene from Rudbeckia hirta exhibit strong light-independent antibacterial and antifungal activity. This activity is enhanced by exposure to visible light. Visible light also converts the compounds to the corresponding thiophenes. These are antibiotic only when irradiated with UV-A. Dithiacyclohexadienes are the first polyines to exhibit such complex mechanisms of toxicity towards microorganisms.     

Impairment of acid-neutralizing capacity and lesion formation in the rat duodenum during hemorrhagic shock: comparative study with indomethacin

The effects of hemorrhagic shock (HE) on duodenal pH, acid-neutralizing capacity and mucosal tolerance to acid were investigated in anesthetized rats, and they were compared with those of indomethacin. HE was performed by bleeding from the carotid artery to reduce arterial blood pressure to about 55 mmHg (3 ml of bleeding per 200 g of body weight), and indomethacin was given s.c. in a dose of 5 mg/kg. Duodenal pH was determined in the outflow from the proximal duodenum (1.7 cm) which was perfused with 10(-4) M HCl, and acid-neutralizing capacity was measured by back-titration of the perfusate to pH 4.0 with 10 mM HCl. Under these conditions, duodenal pH was kept at around 6.0 as the result of neutralization in the loop (approximately 8 microEq/hr). Both HE and indomethacin significantly decreased the pH and acid-neutralizing capacity. Administration of 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (16-dmPGE2: 30 micrograms/kg, s.c.) significantly increased both pH and acid-neutralizing capacity in normal and indomethacin-treated rats, but failed to affect these parameters in rats under HE conditions. When the duodenal loop was perfused with 50 mM HCl for 1.5 hr, both HE and indomethacin induced extensive damage in the mucosa. Pretreatment with 16-dmPGE2 significantly reduced the formation of duodenal lesions induced by indomethacin but not by HE. These results suggest that HE as well as indomethacin impaired duodenal acid-neutralizing capacity to reduce the tolerance to acid of the mucosa. The deleterious effects of HE on the mucosa may be mainly due to a decreased mucosal blood flow, but not due to a deficiency of endogenous prostaglandins.