A comparison between taste avoidance and conditioned disgust reactions induced by ethanol and lithium chloride in preweanling rats

Adult rats display taste avoidance and disgust reactions when stimulated with gustatory stimuli previously paired with aversive agents such as lithium chloride (LiCl). By the second postnatal week of life, preweanling rats also display specific behaviors in response to a tastant conditioned stimulus (CS) that predicts LiCl‐induced malaise. The present study compared conditioned disgust reactions induced by LiCl or ethanol (EtOH) in preweanling rats. In Experiment 1 we determined doses of ethanol and LiCl that exert similar levels of conditioned taste avoidance. After having equated drug dosage in terms of conditioned taste avoidance, 13‐day‐old rats were given a single pairing of a novel taste (saccharin) and either LiCl or ethanol (2.5 g/kg; Experiment 2). Saccharin intake and emission of disgust reactions were assessed 24 and 48 hr after training. Pups given paired presentations of saccharin and the aversive agents (ethanol or LiCl) consumed less saccharin during the first testing day than controls. These pups also showed more aversive behavioral reactions to the gustatory CS than controls. Specifically, increased amounts of grooming, general activity, head shaking, and wall climbing as well as reduced mouthing were observed in response to the CS. Conditioned aversive reactions but not taste avoidance were still evident on the second testing day. In conclusion, a taste CS paired with postabsorptive effects of EtOH and LiCl elicited a similar pattern of conditioned rejection reactions in preweanling rats. These results suggest that similar mechanisms may be underlying CTAs induced by LiCl and a relatively high EtOH dose. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 52: 545–557, 2010.     

海藻酸钙微胶珠的载药性能优化

利用高压静电法制备了海藻酸钙微胶珠,以牛血红蛋白作为模型药物,考察了牛血红蛋白（Hb）的稳定性、制备条件对微胶珠载药的影响。结果表明：Hb在10℃下能稳定存在,1．8％（w／v）Na-Alg与4．5％（w／v）CaCl2制备的微胶珠载药量较大,真空干燥的微胶殊彼此粘连破坏严重,冷冻干燥则表面出现明显的内陷,乙醇梯度洗脱-真空干燥球形度较好。水凝胶态的微胶珠载药后球形度完好,是理想的载药方式,24h时载药量达28．4％,为干燥后的2～3倍。     

Ontogeny of ethanol intake in alcohol preferring (P) and alcohol nonpreferring (NP) rats

There is a scarcity of research on ethanol affinity in alcohol‐preferring (P) rats before weaning and it is unknown if neonate P rats exhibit ethanol intake preferences comparable to those observed in adult P rats. This study examined ethanol intake in P and alcohol‐nonpreferring (NP) rats 3 hr after birth (Experiment 1, surrogate nipple test), at postnatal days (PD) 8, 12, and 18 (Experiment 2, consumption from the floor procedure) and at adolescence (Experiment 3, two‐bottle choice test at PD32). The high‐preference genotype was readily expressed 3 hr after birth. P neonates drank twice as much ethanol as their NP counterparts. This heightened ethanol preference transiently reversed at P8, reemerged as weaning approached (P18) and was fully expressed during adolescence. These results help to clarify the ontogeny of genetic predisposition for ethanol. Genetic predisposition for higher ethanol intake in P than in NP rats seems to be present immediately following birth. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 53:234–245, 2011.     

Neuropeptide Y polymorphism and alcohol consumption in middle‐aged men

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) plays an important role in the hypothalamic regulation of food intake and energy balance. According to recent findings in animals, NPY also seems to be a potent regulator of alcohol consumption. We used the recently identified Leu(7) to Pro(7) polymorphism in the signal peptide part of NPY to investigate whether the NPY system is associated with alcohol consumption in humans. The subjects (N = 889) were an ethnically homogenous, nonselected population sample of middle‐aged men from Eastern Finland. The gene variant producing Pro(7) substitution was associated with a 34% higher average alcohol consumption, even after adjustment for a number of covariates (P = 0.03). The proportion of heavy drinkers (over 230 g of ethanol/week) was also somewhat higher in this group (13.1% vs. 8.2%, P = 0.10). Our study provides the first evidence that alcohol preference in humans is likely to be regulated by the NPY system. Am. J. Med. Genet. 93:117–121, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Percutaneous Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunts

Purpose To assess the role of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS). Methods Between January 1999 and September 2004, 6 patients with HCC and TIPS were treated with either TACE (n = 3) or TACE in combination with PEI (n = 3). One patient had a known advanced, untreated HCC prior to TIPS. In the remaining 5 patients HCC was diagnosed 14, 17, 51, 69, and 76 months respectively after elective TIPS. TACE was performed using a mixture of 30–60 mg of epirubicin and 10 ml of lipiodol following superselective catheterization of tumor-feeding vessels. PEI was performed under CT guidance. Methods The mean follow-up time after treatment of HCC was 26.2 months (range 7–46 months). During follow-up, all patients were free of rebleeding. Two patients died 7 and 38 months after one session of TACE and PEI (77 months after TIPS) and three sessions of TACE (91 months after TIPS), respectively. The cause of death was liver failure (Child-Pugh class C) and peritonitis, respectively. A third patient underwent liver transplantation 24 months after TIPS and several sessions of TACE. In the remaining 3 patients, the HCC is well controlled 13, 30, and 46 months after repetitive percutaneous treatment without signs of hepatic deterioration or metastasis. Conclusion Transcatheter arterial superselective chemoembolization and percutaneous ethanol injection seems to be beneficial even in HCC patients treated with TIPS, provided that the liver function is adequate.     

啤酒与乙醇对γ射线诱发小鼠骨髓细胞染色体畸变的影响

目的 观察啤酒及乙醇对不同剂量γ射线照射小鼠所诱发的骨髓细胞染色体畸变的影响.方法 雄性健康BALB/c小鼠,随机分成对照组、啤酒组和乙醇稀释液组,分别用1 ml灭菌生理盐水、啤酒及乙醇稀释液灌胃.30 min后给予不同剂量γ射线1次全身照射.照射后24 h颈椎离断法处死动物(处死前4 h按4 μg/g体重腹腔注射秋水仙胺),立即取双侧股骨,进行骨髓细胞常规染色体制片、染色.每一剂量点选取5个个体进行染色体畸变观察.每只动物镜检分析100个细胞分裂相.结果 啤酒组及乙醇稀释液组染色体畸变率在照射剂量达0.5 Gy以上时明显降低(P＜0.05或P＜0.01),其中啤酒组的下降比乙醇稀释液组更明显.结论 啤酒中除乙醇以外的其他成份(如酚类化合物等)也发挥了降低染色体畸变的作用.     

Substance abuse and movement disorders

An array of movement disorders is associated with ethanol, illicit drugs, and tobacco. Heavy ethanol users experience withdrawal tremor and, less often, withdrawal parkinsonism, chorea, and myoclonus. Asterixis is a feature of hepatic failure. On the other hand, ethanol can ameliorate essential tremor and myoclonus‐dystonia. Among opioid drugs, meperidine can precipitate myoclonus. Severe parkinsonism affected users of a synthetic meperidine analog contaminated with 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine. Spongiform leukoencephalopathy, sometimes with chorea and myoclonus, occurred in inhalers of heroin vapor (chasing the dragon). Psychostimulants including cocaine acutely cause stereotypies and dyskinesias. Phencyclidine toxicity causes myoclonus. Tobacco use, on the other hand, protects against Parkinson's disease. Clinicians need to consider substance abuse in patients with unexplained movement disorders. © 2010 Movement Disorder Society.     

Influence of chlorhexidine and ethanol on the bond strength and durability of the adhesion of the fiber posts to root dentin using a total etching adhesive system

Introduction

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pretreatment of gel chlorhexidine (CHX) and ethanol (EtOH) on the bond strength and durability of the adhesion of the fiber post relined with resin composite to the root dentin using a total etch adhesive system.

Methods

Forty bovine incisor roots were divided into four groups after phosphoric acid etching: irrigation with physiologic solution (control), 5 minutes with CHX, 1 minute with EtOH, and 5 minutes with chlorhexidine followed by 1 minute with EtOH. Fiber posts relined with resin composite were cemented with either RelyX ARC (3M ESPE, St Paul, MN) and a total etch adhesive system Scotchbond Multi-Purpose (3M ESPE). Each group was randomly divided into two subgroups: 24 hours of storage and 12 months of storage. All roots were sectioned transversely, and the push-out test was performed. Failure modes were observed, and the bond strength means were analyzed by analysis of variance and the Tukey test (α = 0.05).

Results

CHX irrigation resulted in homogeneous bond strength values at 24 hours and 12 months of storage (P < .05). A significant bond strength decrease was noticed after 12 months of storage when irrigations were performed with physiologic solution and EtOH application only or associated with CHX (P < .05).

Conclusions

The use of CHX pretreatment could preserve the bond strength of the fiber post relined with resin composite to root dentin for 12 months. The use of EtOH and CHX followed by EtOH did not preserve the bond strength of the total etch adhesive system Scotchbond Multi-Purpose.     

Effects of hemorrhagic shock, aspirin, and ethanol on secretagogue-induced experimental pancreatitis

The effects of hemorrhagic shock, aspirin, and ethanol on the biochemical and morphologic changes of experimental pancreatitis were evaluated. Pancreatitis was induced by infusing rats with a supramaximally stimulating dose (5 μg/kg/h) of caerulein. Hemorrhagic shock was established by removing sufficient blood to reduce mean arterial pressure by 30%, where it was maintained for 30 min. Aspirin (25 mg/kg) and ethanol (2 g/kg) were administered through an orogastric tube at 8-h intervals for 48 h. Hemorrhagic shock did not alter the degree of hyperamylasemia, pancreatic edema, cathepsin subcellular redistribution, or in vitro LDH leakage that characterize this model of pancreatitis. Hemorrhagic shock did, however, worsen the morphologic evidence of pancreatic injury. Administration of aspirin with ethanol did not alter the degree of hyperamy-lasemia, pancreatic edema, or subcellular cathepsin redistribution. Aspirin-ethanol pretreatment also did not alter the morphologic severity of pancreatitis.     

Effects of alcohol on lectin binding affinity in rat gastric mucosa

Fluoresceinated lectins were employed to qualitatively evaluate cell surface carbohydrates, with and without ethanol exposure, in rat stomach mucosae. Rats received 1 ml of saline, or 50% or 100% ethanol orally. After 30 min, tissue samples of the glandular stomach were retrieved, cryosectioned, and incubated with one of a panel of lectins. Another set of sections was preincubated with neuraminidase to remove sialic acid residues. Qualitative evaluation of lectin binding showed that although several different sites stained, concanavalin A was the only lectin to stain the extracellular matrix, and soybean agglutinin the only lectin to stain chief cells. Neuraminidase preincubation enhanced lectin binding to both stained and previously unstained sites. Ethanol, both 50% and 100%, produced changes in both neuraminidase-treated and untreated tissues, increasing the specific binding of concanavalin A, Ulex europaeusagglutinin I, and wheat germ agglutinin, while decreasing Helix pomatiaagglutinin and soybean agglutinin. These results suggest that ethanol can, through unknown mechanisms, alter carbohydrate binding affinity.Supported by NIAAA grant AA 06887 and NIH grant DK 25838.