Retained ability to extract gist in childhood-acquired amnesia: Insights from a single case

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the performance of a young amnesic person (CJ) in the DRM task. CJ was found to be sensitive to the DRM manipulation at a level comparable to controls in recognition and at a level higher than controls in free recall. Detailed analyses of recall intrusions lent further support to the finding that CJ is able to extract gist on the basis of semantic associations. Results are discussed with reference to relevant theory as well as the potential role of an impaired and immature cognitive system in adopting a semantic gist strategy in the absence of episodic memory.     

In vitro study of emulsions containing methoxsalen

Vitiligo is an acute disease of skin with inflammation which means damage of melanocites, their defined partial paint lack. It is a frequent sickness which is very conspicuous and disturbing illness. For its treatment, systematically and topically psoralen-derivatives, UV-A radiation and other possibilities are used. Metoxsalen is one of them which is practically insoluble in water. Authors planned to increase the solubility of the pharmacon, and they studied with in vitro diffusion method, how the type of the emulsions influence the liberation and diffusion of metoxsalen.     

CT-guided percutaneous drainage in the treatment of acute necrotizing pancreatitis

The authors analysed the results of the treatment of 24 patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis. Besides intensive and operative treatment prophylactic antibiotics, early naso-jejunal feeding, CT guided percutaneous peripancreatic drainage are favourable to avoid septic complications and to postpone the first operation. In 11 patients percutaneous drainage was performed. Using percutaneous drainage three patients (33.3%) recovered without operation, the mean drainage time was 23.4 days. The first operation could be postponed in the other 8 patients after percutaneous drainage. No complications occurred as result of the interventions, although in one patient the drain slipped out spontaneously. Due to the complex treatment the total mortality rate was 12.5%.     

Effect of ergot alkaloids on sulfonylurea-stimulated insulin secretion in dogs.

The insulinogenic response to a standard i.v. dose of a sulfonylurea can be markedly augmented in normal, conscious dogs if they are given 30 min earlier a single i.v. dose of dihydroergotamine (DHE). Since the parent substance ergotamine posssed no such amplifying properties, further experiments were conducted to clarify the essential structural requirements that have to be fulfilled for an ergot alkaloid to act as an amplifier of sulfonylurea-stimulated insulin secretion. Amine alkaloids ergonovine, dihydroergonovone and dihydromethylergonovine had no amplifying potency, but the hydrogenated amino acid alkaloids dihydroergocornine, dihydroergocristine and dihydroergokryptine (Hydergine) were almost as potent amplifiers as was DHE. The data indicate that (a) DHE, Hydergine and by inference all hydrogenated amino acid alkaloids are potent amplifiers of sulfonylurea-stimulated insulin secretion; (b) saturation of the double bond at C9 and C10 of the lysergic acid moiety and the pressence of an amino acid side chain are essential structual requirements for an ergot alkaloid to function as an amplifier of the action of sulfonylureas; and (c) it appears that these compounds are acting chiefly by mechanisms other than alpha-adrenergic and serotonergic receptor blockade, perhaps as regulatory molecules inducing positive cooperative changes in integral proteins of the plasma membrane of beta cells.     

Galanin increases membrane excitability and enhances Ca(2+) currents in adult, acutely dissociated dorsal root ganglion neurons

We examined the effect of galanin (10(-15) - 10(-7) M) on dispersed, mainly small-sized dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in adult rats using whole-cell patch-clamp. Galanin and AR-M1896, a selective galanin type 2 receptor (GalR2) agonist, both significantly increased the number of action potentials in response to current pulses in 77% of the neurons, indicating an increase in excitability. Galanin also caused a rise in input resistance, decreased the holding current for -60 mV and depolarized the resting potential. In addition, Ca(2+) currents elicited by voltage steps were significantly increased by both galanin and AR-M1896 in nearly 70% of the cells. This enhancement was observed in 30% of the neurons in the presence of nimodipine or omega-conotoxin, but in each case approximately 60% less than without blocking either N- or L-type Ca(2+) channels, indicating modulation of both types of Ca(2+) channels. The percentage of small- and medium-sized neurons expressing GalR2 mRNA in DRGs in situ was similar to that showing increased excitability and Ca(2+) current after galanin application, i.e. approximately 70-80% of the neurons. The findings suggest that GalR2 has a role in controlling both the excitability, probably by inhibition of GIRK or leak K(+) channels, and Ca(2+) entry in a large population of presumably nociceptive neurons. The combination of the two effects, which possibly arise from separate biochemical pathways, would increase excitability and enhance intracellular Ca(2+) signalling which would enhance sensory transmission. These mechanisms involving GalR2 receptors may underlie the pronociceptive effects of galanin described in the literature.     

Novel linear diamine disubstituted polycyclic 'cage' derivatives as potential antimycobacterial candidates

As a part of an ongoing project to develop highly potent antituberculosis therapeutics, a series novel polycyclic ‘cage’ tetra‐amines were synthesized and screened for in‐vitro antituberculosis activities against the H₃₇Rv strain of tuberculosis. Three disubstituted polycyclic moieties, namely pentacyclodecane, pentacycloundecane, and tricyclodecane, were used in this study. Compounds 5 and 7 showed similar activity to SQ109 at a MIC of 1 μm while compounds 4 , 6 and 8 displayed MIC activity at 1 < MIC<10 μm against H₃₇Rv strain of tuberculosis. Compounds 5 , 7 and SQ109 were selected for further screening against, multi‐drug resistant, (R1097) and extensively drug resistant, (X149) strains of tuberculosis. Compound 5 showed anti‐TB activity of a MIC = 1 μm against multi‐drug resistant strain (R1097) and <1 μM against extensively drug resistant strain (X149) while compound 7 and SQ109 showed excellent anti‐TB activity against both drug‐resistant strains at a MIC <1 μm . This study demonstrates the first reported analysis of pentacyclo[5.3.0.0^2,5.0^3,9.0^4,8]decane as a potential therapeutic agent.