Substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide: immunohistochemical localisation and microvascular effects in rabbit skeletal muscle

Summary 1. The distribution and microvascular effects of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were studied in the rabbit tenuissimus muscle using immunohistochemistry and intravital microscopy. 2. Individual fibers within nerve bundles and along blood vessels in the muscle were found to be immunoreactive (IR) for both SP and CGRP, thus showing an apparently complete coexistence for these peptides. In dorsal root ganglia most SP-positive cells were also CGRP-IR, but the latter cells were somewhat more numerous than SP-IR cells. 3. When applied topically to the muscle, both SP and CGRP increased blood flow in a dose-dependent manner, but CGRP was more potent and caused responses of longer duration. Both SP and CGRP dilated transverse arterioles, but they had little or no effect on the smaller terminal arterioles. This resulted in a redistribution of blood flow to the connective tissue adjacent to the muscle. 4. SP, but not CGRP, elicited vigorous vasomotion in larger arterioles and caused the formation of aggregates of platelets and leukocytes in the venules. Neither flow increase, nor vasomotion or aggregate formation were influenced by pretreatment of the animals with mepyramine, cimetidine or indomethacin. Capsaicin (1 M) had a powerful effect on transverse arterioles resembling that of both SP and CGRP. 5. It is concluded that some of the vascular effects hitherto ascribed to SP on the basis of nerve stimulation and application of capsaicin might, at least in part, be due to release of CGRP. Send offprint requests to: A. Ohlen, Department of Physiology, Karolinska Institutet, S-104 01 Stockholm, Sweden     

The effect of acute zimeldine and alaproclate administration on the acquisition of two-way active avoidance: Comparison with other antidepressant agents,test of selectivity and sub-chronic studies

The dose-dependent effect of acute zimeldine and alaproclate treatment upon the acquisition of two-way and one-way active avoidance in the rat was studied in a single-session and in a repeated-sessions design. Zimeldine (5–20 mg/kg, IP), but not alaproclate, caused disruptions of two-way avoidance acquisition. Acquisition deficits were also caused by citalopram and fluoxetine but not the other antidepressant drugs tested. Zimeldine, but not alaproclate or desipramine, caused a slight but non-significant impairment of one-way active avoidance; neither zimeldine nor alaproclate produced any effects upon fear conditioning and retention testing. The long-term action of p-chloroamphetamine (2×10 mg/kg) antagonised the acute zimeldine effect totally, and chronic treatment with zimeldine (15 days, 1×50 mol/kg) and chlorimipramine (15 days, 2×10 mol/kg) also caused some partial blockade of the two-way avoidance deficit. These data seem to suggest some involvement of serotonin (5-HT) in the observed disruptions of two-way active avoidance caused by acute zimeldine treatment.     

Clinical and ethical perspective of neurosurgical care in patients from beyond the southern border of Turkey: challenges of patients in war

Journal of Public Health - Because an increasing number of patients travel internationally to seek medical care, Turkey offers comprehensive and outstanding services under extraordinary conditions...     

Kidney biopsy in the elderly: diagnostic adequacy and yield

International Urology and Nephrology - The number of kidney biopsies (KB) performed in elderly patients has been increasing. Safety and usefulness of elderly KB have been well established, whereas...     

Determination of oxidative stress parameters and DNA fragmentation on post-thawed buck semen in the presence of ram seminal plasma and fetal calf serum

The aim of the study was to investigate the efficiency of ram seminal plasma and fetal calf serum on freezing of buck semen. Twenty ejaculates were collected using an electro-ejaculator and split into six groups. While FCS additive was not used in A1, A2 and A3 groups, 10% FCS was added to B1, B2 and B3 groups. These groups were then edited according to whether the buck or ram SP was involved. The design of the groups was done as follows: Group A1 (control 1), group A2 without buck SP, group A3 containing ram SP instead of buck SP. Groups B1 (control 2), B2 and B3 were the FCS added forms of these groups. Progressive sperm motility percentages in Group A1 and Group B2 were found to be higher when compared to the lowest Group B3. There were no significant differences between the groups in neither the levels of reactive oxygen species nor the enzyme and glutathione activities. In conclusion, the lack of statistical difference between the groups suggested that despite the supplements used but only when the buck spermatozoa structure was healthy, the cell could preserve acrosome, DNA and the integrity of membrane.     

Carbamazepine-induced sperm disorders can be associated with the altered expressions of testicular KCNJ11/miR-let-7a and spermatozoal CFTR/miR-27a

Male infertility is a global health problem, and the underlying molecular mechanisms are not clearly known. Ion channels and microRNAs (miRNAs), known to function in many vital functions in cells, have been shown to play a significant role in male infertility through changes in their expressions. The study aimed to evaluate the alterations of testicular and/or spermatozoal potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily J member 11 (KCNJ11), Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), miR-let-7a and miR-27a expressions in carbamazepine-related male infertility. Here, we showed that carbamazepine reduced sperm motility, increased abnormal sperm morphology, and impaired hormonal balance as well as increased relative testis weight and decreased relative seminal vesicle weight. On the other hand, downregulated KCNJ11 and upregulated miR-let-7a expressions were determined in testis (p < .05). Also, downregulated KCNJ11 and upregulated CFTR and miR-27a expressions were found in spermatozoa (p < .05). Interestingly, altered testicular KCNJ11 and miR-let-7a expressions were correlated with decreased sperm motility and elevated sperm tail defect. Besides, spermatozoal CFTR and miR-27a expressions positively correlated with sperm tail defects. The results indicated a significant relationship between ion channel and/or miRNA expression alterations and impaired sperm parameters due to carbamazepine usage.     

A closer look at iatrogenic hypospadias

Almost all surgical repair techniques for hypospadias include dissection of the glans penis, and covering the neo-urethra with the glans tissue circumferentially. Surprisingly, the presence of the “septum glandis” in the ventral midline has been overlooked for decades. A careful examination of six patients with iatrogenic hypospadias (IH) revealed direct indications of the septum glandis. All patients were treated with long-term urethral catheterisation in the paediatric intensive care unit due to neurologic and/or metabolic diseases. The glans was disrupted in all patients due to ventral midline compression of the urethral catheter, which resulted in a tear in the septum glandis. A remnant of the septum glandis was clearly observed in patients with an incomplete tear. Further injuries caused tear in the frenulum and corpus spongiosum, exposed the glanular urethra and made its vertical elliptical shape, the “fossa navicularis”, visible. Intact contours of the separated glans wings were observed in all patients. The glans wings merge ventrally in the midline, but are separated by a fine connective tissue (septum glandis) in conjunction with the frenulum, which is involved in the formation of the ventral wall of the glanular urethra. IH provides further insight into the structural anatomy of the normal human glans and glanular urethra.     

Accumulation and Elimination of Cadmium by the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in differing Temperatures and Responses of Oxidative Stress Biomarkers

The aims of this study were to investigate the accumulation (15 days) and elimination (15 and 30 days) of cadmium (Cd) in the liver, gill, kidney and muscle of Oreochromis niloticus following exposures to different concentrations (1 and 2 mg/L) of Cd at different water temperatures (20, 25, 30 ^oC). Additionally, responses of oxidative stress biomarkers (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase CAT; glutathione peroxidase, GPx and malondialdehyde, MDA) of the liver were determined following Cd exposures. In accumulation period, Cd levels increased significantly in all the tissues at all temperatures and tissue accumulation order was kidney?>?liver?>?gill. All tissues, except the muscle, accumulated Cd in relation to exposure concentrations and water temperatures. There was no measurable level of Cd accumulation in the muscle, except in fish exposed to 2 mg Cd/L at 30 ^oC. Likewise, elimination of Cd from the tissues also increased in depends on periods and water temperatures. The order of Cd elimination from the tissues was gill?>?liver?>?kidney. The oxidative stress biomarkers also responded to both Cd exposure and temperature increases. The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, CAT, GPx and MDA levels in the liver increased in relation to increases in Cd concentrations and water temperatures.

     

Structure and evolution of neuronal wiring receptors and ligands

One of the fundamental properties of a neuronal circuit is the map of its connections. The cellular and developmental processes that allow for the growth of axons and dendrites, selection of synaptic targets, and formation of functional synapses use neuronal surface receptors and their interactions with other surface receptors, secreted ligands, and matrix molecules. Spatiotemporal regulation of the expression of these receptors and cues allows for specificity in the developmental pathways that wire stereotyped circuits. The families of molecules controlling axon guidance and synapse formation are generally conserved across animals, with some important exceptions, which have consequences for neuronal connectivity. Here, we summarize the distribution of such molecules across multiple taxa, with a focus on model organisms, evolutionary processes that led to the multitude of such molecules, and functional consequences for the diversification or loss of these receptors.