Effect of electric and chemical stimulation of the raphe obscurus on phrenic nerve activity in the cat

The effect of electrical and chemical (l-glutamate) stimulation of the raphe obscurus on phrenic nerve activity was examined in the cat. Phrenic nerve activity was recorded from a C5 nerve root in anesthetized, paralyzed and artificially ventilated cats. Neural discharge was quantitated by integrating the phrenic nerve activity. The respiratory frequency was determined from the integrated nerve signal. Focal electrical stimulation (18–144 μA; 5–40 Hz; 100 μs pulse duration) resulted in significant (P < 0.05) increases in both integrated phrenic nerve (IPN) amplitude and respiratory frequency. These changes were dependent upon current intensity and frequency of stimulation. The largest increases in IPN amplitude and respiratory frequency were47 ± 17%and146 ± 8%, respectively. To insure that the changes in integrated phrenic nerve activity (IPNA) were the result of stimulation of cell bodies and not axons of passage,l-glutamate (100, 200 nmol) was microinjected (100 nl) into the raphe obscurus. Significant (P < 0.05) dose-related changes occurred in integrated phrenic nerve amplitude with an increase of44 ± 13% at 100 nmol and80 ± 13% at 200 nmoll-glutamate. No significant increase in respiratory frequency was observed withl-glutamate microinjection. The results suggest that the raphe obscurus may be involved in respiratory control.     

Relationship of sperm superoxide dismutase-like activity with other sperm-specific enzymes and experimentally induced lipid peroxidation in infertile men

Summary. Superoxide dismutase-like activity (SOD-like), isoenzyme lactate dehydrogenase-C4 (LDH-C4) and NADH-diaphorase activities in spermatozoa have been investigated from 58 normozoospermic and 27 oligozoospermic men. Significantly higher SOD-like, LDH-C4 and diaphorase activities ( P <0.01, P <0.005 and P <0.0001, respectively) were detected in spermatozoa from oligozoospermic men, compared to the activities found in normozoospermic samples. SOD-like activity (mean±SE) in oligozoospermic samples amounted to 8.3±1.6 U 10⁻⁸ spermatozoa, while in spermatozoa in normozoospermic men with a sperm concentration above 20 million of spermatozoa per ml amounted to 4.2±0.5 U 10⁻⁸. There was a close correlation between the SOD-like activity and biochemical indicators of the presence of residual cytoplasm i.e. isoenzyme LDH-C4 and NADH-diaphorase (r = 0.53 and r = 0.66 in normozoospermic and r = 0.63 and r = 0.54 in oligozoospermic men, respectively). A positive relationship between SOD-like activity and experimentally-induced lipid peroxidation was detected in 54 infertile men (r = 0.30; P <0.05). These findings suggest that a higher level of superoxide dismutase-like activity may reflect a defect in the development or maturation of spermatozoa and, thereby, a decreased fertility potential. Hence, determination of SOD-like activity may give information on the state of maturity of human spermatozoa, while its role in the antioxidative protection remains to be determined.     

Injections of -amphetamine into the ventral pallidum increase locomotor activity and responding for conditioned reward: a comparison with injections into the nucleus accumbens

The nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum receive dopamine (DA) projections from the mesencephalon. Although DA inputs to the nucleus accumbens are implicated in both locomotion and reward processes, little is known of the behavioural significance of DA in the ventral pallidum. These studies examined the effects of -amphetamine injected into the nucleus accumbens or ventral pallidum on locomotor activity and responding for a conditioned reward (CR). In the nucleus accumbens -amphetamine dose dependently (1, 3 and 10 μg) increased locomotion within 5–10 min of injection. Intra-ventral pallidum microinjections of -amphetamine also increased activity in this dose range, but the effect occurred with a longer latency (5–20 min). The magnitude of the response evoked by ventral pallidum injections was lower than that evoked by nucleus accumbens injections. The GABA_A antagonist picrotoxin (0.1 μg) stimulated activity when injected into the ventral pallidum but not the nucleus accumbens, providing a pharmacological dissociation between the two injection sites. In the CR studies, -amphetamine injected into both sites potentiated responding for a CR previously paired with food delivery, without altering responding on an inactive lever. Picrotoxin injected into the ventral pallidum reduced responding and abolished the selectivity of responding for CR. The results show that DA release in the ventral pallidum enhances locomotion and responding for a CR, providing evidence that DA in the ventral pallidum plays a significant role in the mediation of the effects of -amphetamine. The failure of picrotoxin to elevate responding for CR despite increasing locomotor activity indicates that pharmacologically-induced blockade of GABA_A receptors in the ventral pallidum disrupts goal-directed responding.     

Synthesis and Antitumour Activity of New Derivatives of Flavone-8-acetic Acid (FAA). Part 1: 6-Methyl Derivatives

A range of 17 derivatives of flavone-8-acetic acid (FAA) with a 6-methyl substituent have been prepared and their anti-tumour activity evaluated in vitro against a panel of human and murine tumour cell lines and in vivo against MAC 15A. While many of the compounds show activity comparable to FAA in vitro, this essentially disappears in vivo, possibly due to degradation before the compounds can reach the tumour site.     

聚合酶链反应诊断单纯疱疹病毒性脑炎

用聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）扩增患者脑脊液（ＣｈＦ）中病毒特异性ＤＮＡ可早期快速诊断单纯疱疹病毒性脑炎（ＨＳＥ）。１９例临床确诊的病毒性脑炎患者，经ＰＣＲ在ＣＳＦ中检出单纯疱疹病毒（ＨＳＶ）１３例，全部阳性标本均经分子杂交证实为ＨＳＶ－ＤＮＡ，而１４例其他神经疾病（ＯＮＤ）对照组均为阴性，显示了这一方法的特异性。其中７例病毒性脑炎ＣＳＦ标本分别用ＰＣＲ分子杂交和病毒分离等三种方法检测ＨＳＶ；显示ＰＣＲ最为敏感。表明ＰＣＲ技术的广泛应用将提高ＨＳＥ的早期诊断水平，指导临床正确治疗。     

Herpetic croup: two case reports and a review of the literature

Croup is an acute infectious illness usually occurring in children; it is characterized by brassy cough and stridor. The main pathogens include mainly parainfluenza and influenza viruses. Recently there have been reports of prolonged croup caused by the herpes simplex viruses. We report two cases of prolonged croup due to herpes simplex types 1 and 2. We also review and summarize the reported pediatric cases of herpetic croup.     

Changes of circadian blood pressure patterns and cardiovascular parameters indicate lateralization of sympathetic activation following hemispheric brain infarction

The effects of left- and right-sided hemispheric brain infarction on variability in circadian blood pressure and cardiovascular measures were investigated in 35 patients to test for asymmetry of the sympathetic consequences of stroke. No significant differences regarding age, size of infarction or extent and frequency of damage to the insular cortex could be detected between the two groups. Patients with right-sided infarction showed a significantly reduced circadian blood pressure variability [diastolic: -1% (95% CI -4 to 1) vs -6% (-9 to -2);P < 0.05] and a higher frequency of nocturnal blood pressure increase (47% vs 35%;P < 0.05) as compared with patients with left-sided infarction. Right-sided infarction was also associated with higher serum noradrenaline concentrations [546 pg/ml (95% CI 415–677) vs 405 pg/ml (266–544);P < 0.05], and ECG more frequently showed QT prolongation (53% vs 35%;P < 0.05) and cardiac arrhythmias (67% vs 20%;P < 0.005). However, irrespective of the hemisphere damaged, patients with insular infarction showed the most pronounced changes of these parameters. In addition, two patients with right-sided strokes (13%) involving the insula, but none with a left-sided infarction, developed myocardial infarction. These findings suggest lateralization of sympathetic activation with right-sided dominance for sympathetic effects following hemispheric stroke.Supported by the Friedrich-Schiedel-Stiftung     

The role of Na+/K+ ATPase activity during low flow ischemia in preventing myocardial injury: A 31P, 23Na and 87Rb NMR spectroscopic study

An increase in intracellular Na⁺ during ischaemia has been associated with myocardial injury. In this study, we determined whether inhibition of Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity contributes to this increase and whether Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity can be maintained by provision of glucose to perfused rat hearts during low flow, 0.5 ml/min, ischemia. We used ³¹P NMR spectroscopy to determine changes in myocardial energetics and intracellular and extracellular volumes. ²³Na NMR spectroscopy, with DyTTHA^3- present as a shift reagent, was used to measure changes in intracellular Na⁺ and ⁸⁷Rb NMR spectroscopy was used to estimate Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity from Rb⁺ influx rates, Rb⁺ being an NMR-sensitive congener of K⁺. In hearts provided with 11 mM glucose throughout ischemia, glycolysis continued and ATP was twofold higher than in hearts without glucose. In the glucose-hearts, Rb⁺ influx rate was threefold higher, intracellular Na⁺ was fivefold lower at the end of ischemia and functional recovery during reperfusion was twofold higher. We propose that continuation of glycolysis throughout low flow ischemia allowed maintenance of sufficient Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity to prevent the increase in intracellular Na⁺ that would otherwise have led to myocardial injury.     

Effects of cocaine on the EEG power spectrum of rats are significantly altered after its repeated administration: do they reflect sensitization phenomena?

It was previously shown that a moderate dose of cocaine (10 mg/kg i.p.) produces a pattern in the EEG power spectrum which indicates a preferential activation of dopamine D₁-like receptors, namely a decrease of power in most of the frequency bands. In contrast, a large dose of cocaine (30 mg/kg i.p.) produces a decrease of power in most of the frequency bands as well, but a selective increase in the alpha-1 band, characteristic for an additional activation of dopamine D₂-like receptors.In the present experiments, it was studied in rats, if in the course of sensitization, a shift from D₁-like to additional D₂-like receptor activation will occur or not. For this study, the animals were treated 10 times with cocaine (either 10 or 20 mg/kg) and, after a drug free interval of 4 days, tested with the same dose administered previously. Acute administration of 10 mg/kg of cocaine increased the Locomotor activity slightly and its effect tended to be enhanced after repeated administration. Twenty mg/kg cocaine increased the locomotor activity more than the 10 mg/kg dose and its effect was significantly enhanced after repeated treatment. In addition, it was shown that the dose of 10 mg/kg of cocaine which activates D₁- but not D₂-like receptors is sufficient to elicit conditioned place preference.Ten mg/kg of cocaine produced a decrease of power in most of the frequency bands and this effect was slightly more pronounced after repeated treatment. Twenty mg/kg of cocaine acutely also produced a decrease in power in most of the frequency bands, but did not decrease the power in the alpha-1 band, being just at the threshold of activating D₂-like receptors as well. Repeated administration led to a significant increase in power in the alpha-1 band and a less pronounced one in the alpha-2 band. This observation demonstrates that sensitization to cocaine can be manifest in the EEG and that after a certain dosage, a shift from an activation of D₁-like dopamine receptors to an additional activation of D₂-like receptors becomes obvious.     

Pharmacological properties of a lyophilizate from Galeopsis ladanum on the central nervous system of rodents

The influence of a fraction obtained from Galeopsis ladanum L. on the central nervous system of rodents was examined. The results of these investigations show that the fraction impeded CNS activity. It is practically nontoxic and at a dose of 2000 mg/kg i.p. it does not have a soporific influence on mice. It reduces considerably the spontaneous locomotor activity of mice as well as the locomotor activity of mice stimulated by caffeine, but did not influence the locomotor activity induced by amphetamine. The extract did not exhibit a synergetic effect with barbiturates. The results suggest that the pharmacological activity of the extract resembled the activity of drugs which generally depress the CNS, being on the border between ataractic and sedative drugs.