The cytoarchitectonic boundaries of the monocular and binocular areas of the rat primary visual cortex

We describe the cytoarchitectonic characteristics of the monocular (Oc1M) and the binocular (Oc1B) areas of the rat visual cortex and their boundaries in Nissl-stained sections. This formulation, which draws upon the computer image analysis of these areas by Zilles et al. (J. Comp. Neurol., 226 (1984) 391–402), can aid in the delineation of Oc1M from Oc1B in quantitative studies requiring a volumetric analysis of both subfields.     

Evolution of structural changes leading to haemolysis in human erythrocytes treated with SK&F 95018, an antihypertensive compound with combined vasodilator and β-adrenoceptor antagonist properties

SK&F 95018 is an antihypertensive compound with combined vasodilator and β-adrenoceptor antagonist properties, which, when given to dogs by intravenous infusion, rapidly produced symptoms of intravascular haemolysis. The haemolytic potency of SK&F 95018 was confirmed in vitro using human erythrocytes, was concentration dependent and was associated with dose-specific morphological changes as determined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Treatment of washed human erythrocytes with 0.5 mm-SK&F 95018 for up to 30 min resulted in gradual transformation from the biconcave discocyte to stomatocyte forms. Stomatocytes developed more rapidly on exposure to 2 mm-SK&F 95018, exhibited unilateral, multifocal invaginations by 2 min and evolved into spherocytic erythrocytes showing many membrane protuberances and invaginations. At the highest treatment level (10 mm) the crenated erythrocytes seen at time 0 transformed rapidly into spherocytes with many membrane-bound, surface projections that were retained in erythrocyte membrane ‘ghosts’. The membrane-active properties of SK&F 95018 were investigated in a phospholipid-membrane model (an aqueous dispersion of side-chain perdeuterated dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine) by proton and deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The results suggest that SK&F 95018, with its molecular dual polarity, inserts into and effectively disrupts the intergrity of biological membranes by micellar reorganization of the bilayer plasmalemma. The slow change in shape from discocyte to stomatospherocyte at the lowest concentration (without the development of membrane-associated protuberances) suggests a disruptive effect on the erythrocyte osmotic balance by gradual cumulative drug insertion into the membrane. At higher concentrations this initial effect (leading to cell swelling) appears to proceed contemporaneously with micellar membrane reordering, producing membrane protuberances.     

Psychometric differentiation of dementia. Replication and extension of the findings of Storandt and coworkers

In a previous investigation by Storandt and coworkers, a brief battery of four neuropsychological tests was found to accurately distinguish a sample of patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT) from normal elderly persons. The present study examined the value of these tests in the distinction between SDAT and dementias of other etiologies. Our results replicated those of Storandt and coworkers in that these tests did distinguish normal persons from patients with both SDAT and other dementias. These tests, however, did not accurately differentiate among the dementias. These results indicate that assessment batteries utilizing additional procedures to supplement cognitive testing are indicated to more accurately discriminate among the dementias.     

Haemodynamic and humoral effects of oral perindopril, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, in man.

The tolerance to and dynamic effects of 1 week's oral treatment with the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, perindopril, were assessed in a placebo controlled, parallel group study in 36 normotensive males. The daily dose of perindopril was 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 mg. The drug was well tolerated and produced no change in routine haematology or serum biochemistry tests. Dose related inhibition of plasma angiotensin converting enzyme was observed. Perindopril 16 mg produced 90% inhibition 4 h after dosing and 60% after 24 h. A dose related rise in plasma renin activity followed doses of 4 mg and over. The renin remained above the normal range for 24 h. Perindopril caused a modest lowering of plasma aldosterone levels but had no effect on plasma adrenaline or noradrenaline levels. Standing diastolic blood pressure was lowered, particularly with 16 mg daily of perindopril but only a slight rise in heart rate occurred. Perindopril appears to be a well tolerated inhibitor of plasma angiotensin converting enzyme, with predictable effects on the renin angiotensin system and blood pressure. An appropriate dose range for further study would appear to be 4 to 16 mg daily.     

Migration of Irganox 1010 from ethylene-vinyl acetate films to foods and food-simulating liquids

In a series of experiments on the migration of the antioxidant Irganox 1010 from ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) films into food-simulating liquids and foods, the antioxidant was found to migrate rapidly from EVA film into n-heptane, 100% ethanol and corn oil. The rate of migration into these media was greater from EVA than from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) under comparable conditions. In contrast, little migration of Irganox 1010 was recorded on exposure of the EVA film to aqueous media, whereas migration from LDPE into such media was relatively high.     

Immunopathology of early graft-versus-host disease--a prospective study of skin, rectum, and peripheral blood in allogeneic and autologous bone marrow transplant recipients.

The immunopathological appearances of skin and rectum in 64 autologous and allogeneic recipients were determined before and after bone marrow transplantation. Patients who developed acute graft-versus-host disease were biopsied as soon as a clinical diagnosis was made. At the same time peripheral blood samples were collected for comparative analysis. Immunohistological and morphometric techniques were employed using a panel of monoclonal antibodies to T lymphocytes and subsets, B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, macrophages, and Langerhans cells. A reduction in the CD4/CD8 ratio after BMT was seen in skin and rectal biopsies from both autologous and allogeneic recipients with or without GVHD. The same pattern was observed in blood samples taken at the same time. Langerhans cells were reduced in the skin in all patients after BMT, probably by the conditioning regimen. Only a few cells expressing activation or natural killer cell markers were present and there were no changes observed in the macrophage population. This study has provided no evidence to implicate either CD4- or CD8-positive T lymphocytes as the initiators of the cellular damage in acute GVHD. The distribution of lymphocyte subsets in the blood was similar to that in the tissues, suggesting that the tissue changes reflect the pattern of lymphocyte repopulation after BMT and may have little bearing on the pathogenesis of GVHD.     

Acute cervical lymphadenitis in children

A retrospective study of 78 children with acute cervical lymphadenitis treated in Newcastle over the last 9 years revealed that abscesses formed in 50 children despite antibiotic treatment. Children under 2 years of age were more likely to form an abscess than older children. The commonest organism isolated was penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus. Beta-haemolytic Streptococcus was isolated less commonly and isolation of penicillin-sensitive staphylococci was rare. Penicillin and amoxycillin alone are unsuitable as first line antibiotics. Severe infections and those failing to respond rapidly to initial antibiotic treatment should be admitted to a paediatric unit for intravenous beta-lactamase-resistant antibiotics.     

Increased glucose improves recovery of neuronal function after cerebral hypoxia in vitro

The rat hippocampal slice preparation was used to evaluate the effect of increasing glucose levels in the perfusion medium on the recovery of synaptic function after a standardized hypoxic insult. Slices exposed to low glucose (5 mM) did not recover from a standard hypoxic insult (10 min of 95% N₂/5% CO₂ atmosphere). Following the same insult, 39% of the control (10 mM glucose) slices recovered their synaptic function, while 93% of the slices provided with high glucose level (20 mM) exhibited recovery of synaptic function. Thus, a dose-dependent effect of glucose on recovery of neuronal function following an intermediate period (10 min) of oxygen deprivation was found. The high-glucose-treated slices could tolerate a severe hypoxic insult of 15 min or even 20 min from which 94% and 81% of them recovered, respectively. Only 21% of the control (10 mM glucose) slices recovered their synaptic activity following 15 min of hypoxia, and none survived 20 min of that insult.The adverse effects of hyperglycemia reported in vivo were not seen in our study. This may be due to the sustained perfusion of the brain slice preparation, which could limit accumulation of lactic acid during hypoxia. However, treatment of slices with lactic acid prior to and during the hypoxic insult did not worsen the outcome. Alternatively, glucose may protect against the damaging effects of oxygen free radicals formed during reoxygenation. Nevertheless, the antihypoxic effect of glucose appears to be a metabolic one, since l-glucose (the non-metabolic analog of d-glucose) was innocuous in this respect.     

Outcome for West Syndrome Following Surgical Treatment

We report the case of an 18-month-old child with infantile spasms and a hypsarrhythmic electroencephalogram (EEG) pattern associated with a porencephalic cyst. Surgical removal of the cyst and its surrounding tissue was performed following failure of medical therapy. Postoperatively, the patient has been free of infantile spasms for 12 months and the EEG has normalized. He has been maintained on the same preoperative antiepileptic medications. This case suggests that surgical treatment is helpful in selected patients with infantile spasms and focal CNS lesions.     

Inhibition by omeprazole of adrenocortical response to ACTH: clinical studies and experiments on bovine adrenal cortex in vitro

Omeprazole, a substituted benzimidazole, is a potent inhibitor of gastric acid secretion which is currently being evaluated in patients with peptic ulcer and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Drugs which possess an imidazole nucleus have previously been shown to inhibit cortisol release from the adrenal cortex, secondary to inhibition of mitochondrial cytochrome P-450 dependent hydroxylation reactions. In a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study in healthy male volunteers, omeprazole (60 mg daily for 7 days) did not alter basal cortisol levels. The peak cortisol response to ACTH stimulation was significantly reduced. Cortisol levels 60 min after ACTH were 824 +/- 27 nmol/l on omeprazole (mean +/- SEM), and 929 +/- 35 on placebo (P less than 0.005). In vitro, omeprazole caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of ACTH-stimulated cortisol release from isolated bovine adrenal cells (ED50 = 20 micrograms/ml). This was associated with a decrease in deoxycortisol synthesis. Therefore, unlike some other imidazole-containing drugs, the inhibitory effects of omeprazole are not entirely due to steroid 11 beta-hydroxylase inhibition. Substantial inhibition occurred at omeprazole concentrations which are higher than plasma levels normally achieved in clinical use. However, impairment of adrenocortical function may occur in patients on long-term high dose omeprazole treatment for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.