Relationship of some open-field behaviors to amygdaloid kindled convulsions in Wistar rats

Repeated low-intensity electrical stimulation (kindling) of the amygdala eventually produces convulsive behavior in animals. The present study examined the relationship between behaviors displayed in a novel open-field situation with behavioral characteristics of the kindled clonic convulsion (CC). Wistar rats were given two open-field tests and were subsequently kindled to clonic convulsions. A multiple regression analysis indicated that rats which urinated more often in the open-field tests tended to show longer latencies to CC onset. Thus, open-field urination was a significant predictor of latency to CC onset. It is suggested that an emotionality construct may be related to rate of kindling.     

Stress-induced impairment of inhibitory avoidance learning in female neuromedin B receptor-deficient mice

Neuromedin B (NMB) is a mammalian bombesin (BN)-like peptide that exerts its function via the neuromedin B receptor (NMB-R). The NMB/NMB-R system is involved in stress response, and therefore we examined behavioral properties in female mice lacking NMB-R using a restraint-induced stress paradigm. Thirty minutes of restraint in a wire mesh cage constituted a sufficient stress stimulus for mice as evidenced by elevated blood glucose concentrations in stressed wild-type and NMB-R-deficient mice. Using a one-trial passive avoidance test, stressed NMB-R-deficient mice exhibited a marked reduction in memory performance. NMB-R-deficient mice exhibited elevated spontaneous activity in a novel environment compared to non-stressed mutant mice after 30-min stress, and a similar difference was also observed between stressed/non-stressed wild-type mice. An elevated plus maze test showed that the stress stimulus had no effect on anxiety in either wild-type or NMB-R-deficient mice. Furthermore, pain response of wild-type and NMB-R-deficient mice induced by electric foot shock was not affected under either stressed or non-stressed conditions. These results indicate that impaired memory performance in stressed NMB-R-deficient mice is not a consequence of changes in spontaneous activity, anxiety, or pain response, and suggest that the NMB/NMB-R pathway may play a role in regulating the stress response via the neural system that controls learning and memory.     

单侧外周伤害性刺激诱发大鼠脊髓中转录因子CREB的双侧磷酸化(英文)

c AMP反应成分结合蛋白 (c AMP response elem ent-binding protein,CREB)是一种转录因子 ,它在磷酸化之后可调节靶基因的转录。 CREB在 13 3位置的丝氨酸的磷酸化 ,与脊髓中伤害性传入的处理有关 ,本文作者等用特殊抗体对此进行了免疫细胞化学研究。在正常大鼠 ,虽然几乎所有脊髓神经元的核中都可见 CREB的轻度着色 ,但磷酸化的 CREB仅见于双侧腰段脊髓的 ～ 层 (75± 15 vs60± 18)和 层 (9± 3 )。用福尔马林注射引起一侧后脚掌出现炎症时 ,可在双侧腰段脊髓看到磷酸化CREB细胞核的快速 (小于 5 min)和节段性的显著增多 ;它们主要分布在双侧背角表层 ～ 层 (2 5 4± 2 0 vs 2 62± 2 3 )、 层(115± 13 )和双侧 ～ 层 (3 46± 2 0 vs3 2 8± 2 6) ;而在对照和炎症组大鼠的胸段脊髓中均未见磷酸化 CREB的增加。在注射CFA诱发一侧炎症或切断一侧坐骨神经的实验组大鼠 ,也可看到至少延续到第三天的强而双侧性的 CREB的磷酸化。这种由一侧后肢伤害性传入引致腰段脊髓中镜像式双侧 CREB磷酸化的出现 ,与一般看到的损伤传入只在同侧脊髓背角引起某些神经化学改变的结果不同 ,可能是人神经损伤后或在实验动物中出现对侧镜像式疼痛过敏现象的基础     

The atopy patch test -- reproducibility and comparison of different evaluation methods

BACKGROUND: There is still a lack of standardization of the atopy patch test (APT) in test procedures and evaluation methods. Our aim was to examine the reproducibility of APT results and to compare visual evaluation to chromametry and laser Doppler imaging. METHODS: Fifty-two volunteers with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (AEDS) were included. The APT was performed on tape-stripped and unstripped test fields on their backs using cat dander, house dust mite and grass pollen allergens from two different suppliers. Responders were re-tested 4-12 weeks later with the same allergens on their forearms. RESULTS: Using Allergopharma allergens, 14 (26.9%) volunteers showed one or more positive reactions. The reproducibility rate was 56.3%. The Erlangen atopy score in APT-positive and negative volunteers was 19 +/- 6 vs 15 +/- 6. The test agreement in volunteers tested with both allergens, from Allergopharma and Stallergènes, was poor. Correlation of the results between the three evaluation methods was significant (P < or = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The low reproducibility rate of APT results and the poor inter-test-agreement using allergens from different suppliers show that much work remains to make the APT a reliable tool in identifying relevant aeroallergens that lead to flare ups of AEDS. Compared to chromametry and laser Doppler imaging, visual scoring was superior in differentiation between irritative and allergic reactions.     

Purification of bovine conglutinin using pepsin digestion

This paper describes a new method for the purification of bovine conglutinin based on the relative resistance of this protein to pepsin digestion. First, conglutinin is purified by absorption on yeast, then the preparation is treated with 2% pepsin (w/w) at 4°C for 18 hr, and finally gel filtrated on agarose A5m. The yield is 60–75% and conglutinin thus prepared appears physically, immunochemically and functionally intact. This procedure allows for a rapid production of sufficient amounts of conglutinin for immune complex detection or purification methods.     

The reproducibility of the oral glucose tolerance test over long (5 years) and short periods (1 week)

Summary Three oral glucose tolerance tests (oGTT) have been performed in 312 non-diabetic relatives of diabetics over a period of 10 years. In a second study 6 identical oGTT's have been performed at weekly intervals in 55 individuals. In this study the variance, calculated from the logarithmic values, increased in the following order: fasting (0.026), 1 h (0.035), 2 h (0.044) and 3 h values (0.047). The sum of the 1 h and 2 h values showed the lowest variance (0.024). No significant difference of the variances was found in the 43 individuals in whom both the long-term and the short-term studies have been performed. Thus, a great proportion of the total variance of glucose observed over longer periods only represents a random variation. This random variation is much higher than most other factors which might influence the result of an oGTT. A diagnosis based on a single oGTT is of only limited value.Supported by a grant from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Ko 457/8)     

Sinus CT scans and mediator release in nasal secretions after nasal challenge with cypress pollens

BACKGROUND: Involvement of paranasal sinuses has been suggested in allergic rhinitis but not clearly demonstrated. AIMS: To investigate the relationship between intermittent allergic rhinitis and computerized tomography (CT). METHODS: Twenty patients with intermittent rhinitis and sensitized to cypress pollens underwent unilateral nasal provocation tests (NPTs) using increasing concentrations of cypress pollens out of the pollen season. Sinus CT-scans were carried out just before a NPT and 24 h later. Nasal lavage was carried out just before a NPT, 30 min after a positive challenge and again 24 h later. Leucotriene C4/D4, intracellular adhesion molecule-1 and eosinophil cationic protein were measured in nasal secretions. RESULTS: Thirteen patients (65%) showed an alteration in their CT-scans after allergen challenge. Ten of them showed sinus changes controlateral to their allergenic provocation. Radiological changes mainly affected the osteomeatal complex and the ethmoid sinuses. Pre-existing abnormalities (13 of 20 cases) mainly concerned the maxillary sinuses. There was no correlation between CT-scan abnormalities and levels of mediators released in nasal secretions. CONCLUSIONS: We have shown that nasal allergen challenge can produce radiological changes in the paranasal sinuses. This mainly concerned the ethmoid sinuses.     

Primary and recurrent cytomegalovirus infections have different effects on human herpesvirus-6 antibodies in immunosuppressed organ graft recipients: absence of virus cross-reactivity and evidence for virus interaction.

The relationship between serum antibodies to human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was studied in immunosuppressed adult organ graft recipients all of whom had IgG to both HHV-6 and Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen (EBVCA) before operation and who had received an organ or organs from HHV-6 seropositive donors. In primary CMV infection the titre of IgG to HHV-6 rose substantially (between 32- and 512-fold) in eight out of eight patients whereas IgG to EBVCA only rose 32-fold in two patients. Moreover, the HHV-6 responses coincided closely with the CMV seroconversion. Serum absorption studies gave no evidence for antibody cross-reaction between CMV and HHV-6 because the CMV antibody titre could be reduced specifically without affecting HHV-6 antibody titres and vice versa. In recurrent CMV infection, HHV-6 antibody levels rose (32-fold) in three out of eight patients but these changes did not coincide with the CMV antibody response. Similarly, in the complete absence of CMV infection, five out of eight patients showed antibody rises to HHV-6 (between four- and 16-fold). IgG titres to EBVCA were stable in both these groups of patients. It is concluded that there is serological evidence (rising titre greater than or equal to four-fold) for genuine HHV-6 reactivation or, alternatively, for reinfection in 16 out of the 24 patients. This phenomenon was most frequent in primary CMV infection where the largest HHV-6 antibody responses were seen probably because of an, as yet, undetermined interaction between the two viruses.