Distribution of cytochrome oxidase and parvalbumin in the primary visual cortex of the adult and neonate monkey,Callithrix jacchus

The anatomical distributions of the mitochondrial enzyme cytochrome oxidase (CO) and of the calcium binding protein parvalbumin (PV) were studied in the striate cortex of adult and neonate New World monkeys (Callithrix jacchus). In the adult marmoset, both proteins were found in laminar arrangements similar to those described for the macaque monkey, with prominent bands of PV-like immunoreactive (PV-LI) puncta in layers IV and IIIb, and fairly evenly distributed PV-LI nonpyramidal neurons. Furthermore, the pattern of CO activity in area 17 of the neonate marmoset was almost identical to the CO pattern described in neonate macaque and squirrel monkeys. It came, therefore, as a surprise to find that the adult pattern of PV-like immunoreactivity (PV-LI) in the marmoset striate cortex arises from a neonatal pattern strikingly different from that seen in any developmental stage of the macaque, or in any other mammal studied so far. In the deep layers IV through VI of the neonate marmoset, a large number of PV-LI neurons was stained in bandlike patterns, their number in layers IV and V exceeding the number of PV-LI neurons present in these layers of the adult marmoset area 17. Staining of layers IV and VI was restricted to area 17 and involved nonpyramidal cells and their exceeding the number of PV-LI neurons present in these layers of the adult marmoset area 17. Staining of layers IV and VI was restricted to area 17 and involved nonpyramidal cells and their processes. The stained band of layer V, in contrast, continued throughout most of the neocortex. In area 17, an estimated 10 to 20% of the stained cells in layer V exhibited pyramidal shapes. The findings show that the expression of PV by visual cortical cells occurs before birth and suggest that the comparatively early onset of PV expression is not dependent on the onset of textured vision. The exuberant number of stained cells in some layers, and particularly the staining of pyramidal cells, in the neonate marmoset, suggest that a considerable number of cells possesses the stainability for PV-LI only transiently, i.e., in the marmoset, these cells have a specific demand for parvalbumin during this phase of their development. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Insulin binding to trophoblast plasma membranes and placental glycogen content in well-controlled gestational diabetic women treated with diet or insulin,in well-controlled overt diabetic patients and in healthy control subjects

Summary Insulin binding to trophoblast plasma membranes and the placental glycogen content were measured in twelve healthy women, in eleven well-controlled gestational diabetic women who were treated either with diet alone (n=4) or with insulin (n=7) and in 18 women with well-controlled overt diabetes mellitus (six White B; four White C; eight White D). The competitive binding assay was carried out with 22 concentrations of unlabelled insulin. Binding data were analysed by a non-linear direct model fitting procedure assuming one non-cooperative binding site. Maximum specific binding was unchanged in the total collective of gestational diabetic women, but was decreased by 30% in those treated with diet (6.2±2.2%) and increased by 90% in insulin-treated women (16.4±10.2%) as compared to the control subjects (8.7±2.5%). The diet-treated women had only 40% as many and those treated with insulin had more than twice as many receptors compared to control subjects on a per mg protein basis and if expressed per total placenta. In patients with overt diabetes mellitus maximum specific binding (18.5±10.6 %) was higher (p<0.05) due to more receptors compared to control subjects but was similar to the insulin-treated gestational diabetic patients. Maximum specific binding and receptor concentrations did not correlate linearly with maternal plasma insulin levels. Receptor affinities were virtually similar in all groups (1.8·10⁹ l/mol). The placental glycogen content was reduced (p<0.05) to about 80% of that of control subjects in the diet-treated collective, whereas it was unchanged compared to control subjects in the insulin-treated gestational diabetic women despite a 40% increase (p<0.001) of the maternal-to-cord serum glucose ratio. In overt diabetic patients the maternal-to-cord serum glucose ratio and the placental glycogen content were higher (p<0.05) than in the control subjects. We conclude that trophoblast plasma membranes from gestational diabetic women treated with diet alone express less and those from women treated with insulin express more insulin receptors than those from a healthy control group in vitro. These differences could not have been disclosed without consideration of the mode of treatment. Trophoblast plasma membranes from overt diabetic women have more insulin receptors than those from healthy control subjects.     

Atypical Allergic Colitis in Preterm Infants

ABSTRACT. Two atypical cases of colitis due to cow's milk protein intolerance (CMPI) are reported, affecting preterm infants. One developed a toxic dilatation of the colon and responded well to a casein hydrolysate based feed. The second presented insidiously and failed to tolerate a casein hydrolysate, but responded well to a chicken-based modular feed.     

Chronic ethanol intake may delay the onset of gossypol-induced infertility in the male rat

Summary. Parameters were obtained from the reproductive organs of ethanol-fed, gossypol-treated Sprague Dawley rats. The experimental animals were fed either on a normal (15.17%) or low protein (8.00%) diet. Measurements included reproductive organ weights, seminal characteristics, serum concentration of testosterone and histological, stereological and histomorphometric evaluation of the testis. The testis size, length and diameter of the seminiferous tubule had the least values in the protein-malnourished, gossy-pol-treated rats (3.01±0.26 g, 0.56 ± 0.03 m, 281.34±11.30 μn), in comparison to corresponding animals which had received ethanol simultaneously with gossypol (3.40 ± 0.25, 0.71±0.06m, 314.42 ± 11.61 μn). As gossypol and ethanol are both associated with reduced reproductive capacity, this unexpected but interesting finding lends support to the hypothesis that either a normal dietary protein or ethanol consumption may modify the action of gossypol on body tissues, including the testis. This effect, presumably mediated through changes caused to the bioavailability of gossypol, modifies its antifertility activity. The present observation further highlights the need to consider the concurrent administration of other drugs, such as alcohol, and the nutritional status in the evaluation of gossypol for various potential uses.     

Effect of dipyridamole with or without aspirin on urine protein excretion in patients with membranous glomerulonephritis

Summary The antiproteinuric effect of the antiplatelet agent dipyridamole has been assessed after inhibiton of thromboxane B₂ (TxB₂) synthesis in 8 patients with confirmed membranous glomerulonephritis. There were three study periods, each of 30 days, and 45 days apart, namely a washout period, treatment with dipyridamole 300 mg/d, and dipyridamole 225 mg/d plus aspirin 150 mg/d. On Days 1 and 30 of each study period serum and urine creatinine, 24-h excretion of protein, creatinine clearance, platelet aggregometry on whole blood and serum TxB₂ were measured. Treatment with dipyridamole alone or with aspirin produced significant inhibition of platelet aggregation and a fall in 24-h protein excretion; the latter amounted to 54% with dipyridamole alone and 56 % with dipyridamole plus aspirin (NS). Dipyridamole plus aspirin caused an 82 % reduction in serum TxB₂.     

Soluble Fcγ receptors in periodontal lesions

Soluble Fcγ-binding components were detected in gingival fluid from periodontal lesions by incubation with biotinylated human Fcγ fragments. FcγIII receptor was identified by incubation of gingival fluid with monoclonal antibody. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electophoresis and Western transfer showed that most of the Fcγ-binding components had minimal mobility in a 4–15% gradient gel under nonreducing conditions. Under reducing conditions, the main band of Fcγ-binding components in gingival fluid migrated corresponding to protein A of 49 kDa. The pattern of Fcγ-binding components was similar in serum and gingival fluid except for the observation in gingival fluid of Fcγ-binding components migrating like standard proteins of 19 to 20 kDa, a size that corresponds to the polypeptide part of FcγII receptor and FcγIII receptor.     

四种可溶性载体对骨形态发生蛋白在小鼠体内诱导成骨活性的影响

以四种可溶性物质作为牛骨形态发生蛋白（ｂＢＭＰ）的载体，通过实验观察哪种物质是ｂＢＭＰ的有效缓释载体。将聚乙烯吡咯烷酮（ＰＶＰ）、葡聚糖、羟乙基淀粉（ＨＥＳ）、甘露醇分别与等量ｂＢＭＰ复合后，注射入小鼠股部肌肉，观察组织学成骨及测定标本内钙含量。结果，ｂＢＭＰ／ＰＶＰ有良好成骨，吸收较快，未见炎症及排斥反应，其混悬液较稳定，具有良好的适针性及可注射性，ｂＢＭＰ／甘露醇只有很低成骨率。其余各组未见成骨。ＰＶＰ对ｂＢＭＰ具有满意助溶、助悬及缓释载体作用，对ｂＢＭＰ活性无损害，生物相容性好。     

Inflammation-induced increase in the density of neuropeptide-immunoreactive nerve endings in rat skeletal muscle

The density of substance P (SP)-, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)- and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-immunoreactive (ir) nerve endings was quantitatively evaluated in intact and inflamed gastrocnemius-soleus muscle of the rat. In persistently inflamed muscle (12 days after a single injection of Freund’s adjuvant into the muscle), the density of SP-ir fibres was significantly increased. CGRP- and VIP-ir fibres displayed an insignificant increase in density. The density of fibres ir for nerve growth factor (NGF) and for growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43/B-50), a marker for axonal sprouting, regeneration and synaptic reorganisation, increased significantly in persistently inflamed muscle. The data are consistent with the established contribution of NGF on the expression of SP and GAP-43 in afferent neurones under the influence of a persistent inflammation. Received: 8 September 1997 / Accepted: 12 February 1998     

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: Medical or surgical treatment? Report of an interactive workshop

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common disease of the upper gastrointestinal tract. With the introduction of proton pump inhibitors medical treatment of GERD has been significantly improved. However, the development of laparoscopic antireflux surgery resulted in an increasing interest of surgeons in this disease. An interactive meeting was organized in order to develop an agreement between gastoenterologists and surgeons regarding therapeutic decisions and this is the main topic of this paper.