Localization of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in type 3 cells and demonstration of their source to F2 terminals in the cat lateral geniculate nucleus: a Golgi-electron-microscopic GABA-immunocytochemical study

Postembedding immunocytochemistry with a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) antiserum was done on semithin sections of cat lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) previously processed with the rapid-Golgi and gold-toning procedures, to determine which of the three main morphological types (1, 2,3) of neurons in the A-laminae show immunoreactivity and are, therefore, presumably GABAergic. Only type 3 cells were found to be GABA positive. These cells were characterized by small somata and few, scarcely branched dendrites bearing almost exclusively appendages with long slender stalks. Some of these cells have extensive filiform "axonlike" processes originating from different regions of dendrites and having appendages similar to those originating directly from dendrites. Many of these Golgi gold-toned impregnated dendritic appendages of type 3 cells were analyzed in the electron microscope and were identified as typical F2 terminals by their content of pleomorphic synaptic vesicles; by being postsynaptic to retinal (RLP), cortical (RSD), and perigeniculate (F1) terminals; and by being presynaptic to dendrites. In addition, since it was previously demonstrated that glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and GABA-positive cells are not retrogradely labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) from the visual cortex, the present results, by showing that GABA-positive cells have type 3 morphology, provide supporting evidence for the interneuronal nature of type 3 cells in cat LGN.     

Cervical tissue uptake of all-trans-retinoic acid delivered via a collagen sponge-cervical cap delivery device in patients with cervical dysplasia

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the systemic absorption and cervical tissue uptake of all-transretinoic acid (TRA), delivered via a collagen spongecervical cap delivery device in patients with intraepithelial cervical dysplasia. Ten patients with histologically proven mild or moderate cervical dysplasia were included in this pharmacologic study. The two TRA concentrations (0.05% and 0.372%) selected for study represent the starting and maximally tolerated doses used in phase I clinical trial. All-trans-retinoic-11-³H acid (³H-TRA, 500 Ci) was used to facilitate cervical tissue uptake studies. Cervical biopsies and post-treatment blood samples were obtained from each patient after TRA exposure. The uptake of TRA into cervical tissues four hours after drug administration was significantly increased at the maximally tolerated TRA dose. There was a rapid decrease in cervical tissue concentration of TRA at the 0.372% dose between 4 and 24 h after drug exposure, suggesting a relatively short elimination half-life of TRA in cervical tissues. HPLC analysis of post-treatment blood samples indicate that there was no systemic absorption of TRA after local cervical administration.     

Huntington's disease: biochemical prediction by determination of GABA synthesis of cultured fibroblasts

Summary GABA synthesis in skin fibroblasts from patients with Huntington's chorea was compared with that in a control group by means of the highly specific ³H-muscimol radioreceptor assay. A significantly increased rate of GABA synthesis was found in the group with Huntington's chorea in an early cell passage. The possible use of this method for early diagnosis of Huntington's chorea is considered.

---

Zusammenfassung Die GABA-Synthese in Hautifbroblasten von Chorea Huntington-Patienten im Vergleich zu einer gesunden Kontrollgruppe wurde mittels des hochspezifischen ³H-Muscimol-Radiorezeptoren-Assays untersucht. Wir fanden eine signifikante 8fache Erhöhung der GABA-Synthese bei Chorea Huntington in einer frühen Zellpassage. Es wird erwogen, diese Methode zur Frühdiagnostik von Chorea Huntington einzusetzen.

     

Effect of vibration on red cell metabolism

Summary In investigating the influence of vibrational energy on the metabolism of the erythrocyte, it was hypothesized that under conditions of normal PaO₂ and SaO₂ in arterial blood, vibration induced vasoconstriction would decrease local blood flow and induce hypokinetic hypoxia. This decreased blood flow and therefore decreased delivery of oxygen to the tissue would markedly lower tissue PO₂ (hypokinetic hypoxia), which would influence the energetics and metabolism of the erythrocyte. The metabolism of the red blood cell (RBC) was evaluated by measuring the enzymatic activities of PFK (2.7.1.11), PGI (5.3.1.9), PK (2.7.1.40), and aldolase (4.1.3.13) from the anaerobic glycolytic cycle and D-G-6-P (1.1.1.49) from the pentose cycle. Also measured were the levels of ATP and 2,3 DPG and the in-vitro production of lactic acid. In the group of workers showing early changes (vibration angioneurosis) associated with the vibration syndrome, changes in RBC metabolism were demonstrated. Statistically significant were increases of PFK, PK and the production of lactic acid, indicating the activation of anaerobic glycolysis. Furthermore statistically significant were the increased 2,3 DPG and decreased ATP levels.     

Influence of exposure mode on vinyl chloride action

Rats were subjected to 4 h continuous or intermittent exposure to vinyl chloride (VC) at different time-weighted average concentrations (15, 50, 150, 500 and 15,000 mg/m³). Hepatic non-protein sulfhydryl content (NPSH) and excretion of thiodiglycolic acid (TdGA) in urine were determined. VC at concentrations from 50 mg/m³ to 15,000 mg/m³ caused a dose-dependent depression of NPSH, but no difference in the magnitude of this depression induced by continuous or intermittent exposure at the same average concentration of VC was noted. At average concentrations of 50 mg/m³ and 150 mg/m³, the urinary excretion of TdGA under continuous exposure did not differ from that under intermittent exposure, whereas at VC concentrations of 500 mg/m³ and 15,000 mg/m³ it was higher following continuous exposure.     

Antagonism of the hypermotility response induced by excitatory amino acids in the rat nucleus accumbens

Summary Several compounds have been shown to antagonize the excitation of single neurons produced by excitatory amino acids. This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of these compounds in antagonizing the hypermotility response to excitatory amino acids after intraaccumbens administration. Of the putative antagonists tested, D-aminoadipic acid, diaminopimelic acid and glutamic acid diethyl ester all showed significant inhibitory effects on excitatory amino acid-induced hypermotility while 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid, -D-glutamylglycine, 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid and cis-2,3-piperidine dicarboxylic acid were ineffective. D-Aminoadipic acid decreased N-methyl-aspartic acid-induced hypermotility while having no significant effect on the hypermotility responses induced by kainic or quisqualic acids. Diaminopimelic acid markedly decreased N-methyl-aspartic acid- and kainic acid-induced hypermotility but was totally ineffective on quisqualic acid-induced hypermotility. In contrast to D-aminoadipic acid, glutamic acid diethyl ester antagonized the increase in motility produced by kainic and quisqualic acids but not that produced by N-methyl-aspartic acid. The above data suggests that N-methyl-aspartic acid and quisqualic acid may produce their motor effects through the activation of two different receptors in the nucleus accumbens while kainic acid may mediate its hypermotility response through both N-methyl-aspartic acid and quisqualic acid receptors. However, a third receptor type activated solely by kainic acid cannot be excluded at this time.     

应用核酸分子杂交技术检测心肌炎组织中的肠道病毒RNA

用生物素标记ｐＣＢＩＩＩ／３５和ｐＣＢＩＩＩ／５１肠道病毒属特异性探针，对４５心肌炎和心肮病尸检或心肌活检心脏组织进行原位杂交，结果显示：１２例（２６．６％）存在肠道病毒ＲＮＡ。柯萨基Ｂ３病毒型特异性探针ｐＣＢＩＩＩ／２９进一步杂交表明，１２例经证实存在肠道病毒ＲＮＡ的心肌组织中５例（４１．７％）出现阳性杂交信号。阳性杂信号主要位于单个或多个心肌细胞的胞浆和心肌的间质组织，偶见竽心肌小血管内皮细胞     

Monitoring exercise stress by changes in metabolic and hormonal responses over a 24-h period

Summary Metabolic and endocrine responses of 14 subjects of varying levels of fitness to an intensive anaerobic interval training session were assessed before exercise and at 2 h, 4 h, 8 h and 24 h postexercise. The endocrine response of the same subjects to a control day, where they were required not to exercise, was also assessed and compared with the values obtained on the interval training day. Uric acid, urea, and creatine phosphokinase concentrations still remained elevated above pre-exercise values 24 h postexercise. Lactate, creatinine, testosterone and cortisol concentrations were significantly elevated above pre-exercise values immediately postexercise but these had reversed by 2 h postexercise. Over the remainder of the recovery period testosterone concentrations remained significantly lower than values measured at similar times on the control day. This was shown to be due directly to a change in testosterone as sex hormone binding globulin concentration remained constant throughout the recovery period. The data indicate that when comparisons of data were made to control (rest) days, imbalances in homeostasis, due to intensive training, are not totally reversed within the next 24-h. The data also demonstrate that the parameters measured undergo the same variations in subjects with a wide range of physical fitness, indicating that these parameters could be used to monitor exercise stress and recovery in athletes of a wide range of abilities. The more acute responses to exercise could be mistaken for overtraining if insufficient recovery time were not permitted between the final exercise session and taking blood samples, further emphasising the need to be able to recognise the difference between the fatigue associated with acute exercise and a state of chronic fatigue that may result from too little regeneration time within the training programme.     

Häufigkeit pathologischer Veränderungen des oberen Gastrointestinaltraktes bei Patienten vor Herzoperationen

Resümee Schwerwiegende gastroduodenale Erkrankungen sind bei fast der Hälfte aller Patienten, die sich einer Operation am offenen Herzen unterziehen müssen, auch bei Fehlen von Symptomen nachweisbar. Das erhebliche Überwiegen von Magenläsionen spricht dafür, daß die arteriosklerotisch bedingte Perfusionsminderung der Schleimhaut die entscheidende Ursache hierfür ist. Routinemäßige präoperative Ösophago-Gastro-Duodenoskopien können die nicht unerhebliche durch gastrointestinale Komplikationen bedingte postoperative Mortalität senken helfen.

---

Pathological changes in the upper gastrointestinal tract in patients awaiting open heart surgery

Summary While waiting for open heart surgery, in 153 patients (104 male, 49 female, 22–76 years of age) without gastrointestinal symptoms and/or history esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy was performed. 124 patients suffered from coronary heart disease, 29 from valvular defect, aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva or tumor of the heart.In 47.1% endoscopy revealed serious abnormal findings: in 16.3% gastric ulcer, in 20.9% erosive gastritis, duodenal ulcer and erosive duodenitis in 5.2%, respectively, 1 case of gastric carcinoma, 2 of large polyps and 3 of reflux esophagitis of higher degree (totally 3.9%).In patients with coronary artery disease, the relation of erosive and ulcerous gastric lesions as compared with those of duodenal origin was 41, in patients with other cardiac diseases it was 21, respectively (p<0,001).Compared with a normal population, the incidence of pathological gastric findings was 54-fold higher in our patients, and 1.7-fold concerning duodenal lesions, respectively (p<0.001).51 patients on acethylsalicylic acid (160 mg/ die) showed pathologic findings in 41.2%, and 96 patients without ulcer-inducing therapy in 51%. Thus, low-dose Aspirin does not seem to have serious gastric side effects.The results of the study stress the necessity of routinely performed endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract in patients awaiting open heart surgery. This will lead to a lower incidence of serious gastrointestinal complications postoperatively, which are known to have a high mortality.

---

Abkürzungen ASS Azetylsalizylsäure - J. Jahre - GI-Trakt Gastrointestinaltrakt