7 beta-hydroxycholesterol and 7 beta-hydroxycholesteryl-3-esters reduce the extent of reactive gliosis caused by an electrolytic lesion in rat brain.

Electrolytic lesions performed in brain cortex of six-day-old or adult rats resulted in the appearance of many reactive astrocytes around the injury site after a postoperative delay of eight days. They were revealed by immunohistochemistry using antibodies against glial fibrillary acidic protein. Injection of tritiated thymidine 24 h prior to autopsy indicated that, in neonates, 50% of the reactive astrocytes were proliferating. Infusion of 2 microliters of liposome suspension made of phosphatidylcholine and a monosialoganglioside, in the injury site, immediately after the electrolytic lesion did not modify the extent of the reactive gliosis. Liposomes containing 3 nmol of either 7 beta-hydroxycholesterol, 7 beta-hydroxycholesteryl-3-stearate or 7 beta-hydroxycholesteryl-3-oleate reduced by about 50% the intensity of the reactive gliosis in the frontal cortex of six-day-old rats and by 40% the number of dividing astrocytes. In the adult rat cortex the intensity of the glial reaction was also decreased by 30% by 15 nmol 7 beta-hydroxycholesteryl-3-oleate. Further investigations demonstrated that it is the 7 beta-hydroxy function which is needed for the biological activity of these oxysterols. These findings, which demonstrate anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory properties of 7 beta-hydroxycholesterol on astrocytes, facilitate the future investigation of the influence of reactive gliosis on functional recovery following brain injury. This anti-proliferative property could also be used in other kinds of pathologies involving glial cell proliferation, such as glioblastomas.     

Prosthetic needs and demands for services of a group of elderly people in Israel

Abstract Prosthetic needs and demands for care were investigated in a group of the elderly, residing in Romema, Jerusalem, Israel. Of the population aged 60 and above residing in the neighborhood, 34% (n= 116) were selected at random. These were examined under standardized conditions and prosthetic status and denture requirements were recorded. The findings indicate that the prosthetic status was poor and the treatment needs extensive. In all, over 83% of the study population were edentulous, the majority in both arches. Although 86.3% of the edentulous subjects possessed dentures, over 86% of these subjects needed some form of prosthetic treatment. About 60% needed new full or partial dentures and over 25% had dentures whose fit and retention could be improved by rebasing, relining or minor adjustments.     

A behavioural approach in the treatment of elderly patients: a new philosophy

Complete denture prosthodontists are very well aware of the influence of psychological factors in the success of their treatment. Recently, a number of authors tried to ascertain some psychosocial criteria in the predictability of patients' satisfaction. Although special attention was paid to concerns of socio-demographic and educational status, it was demonstrated that there is little relationship between quality of dentures and patients' satisfaction, nor a relationship between satisfaction and anatomical conditions. The purpose of this paper is to give a better understanding of the behavioural problems of this treatment and offer some solutions. Educational programmes should be influenced by behavioural problems in the management of the elderly patient.     

The 43-kDa neuronal growth-associated protein (GAP-43) is present in plasma membranes of rat astrocytes

One of the neuronal growth-associated proteins, GAP-43 (molecular mass, approximately 43 kDa; pI 4.3), is abundant in growth-cone membranes and corresponds to a major protein kinase C substrate, the 46-kDa phosphoprotein (pp46), of a growth-cone-enriched subcellular fraction. This protein has the following additional designations (depending on context): B-50 (phospholipid metabolism), F1 (synaptic plasticity), and p57 (calmodulin binding). We show that a protein with the same molecular mass and isoelectric point as GAP-43, which interacts with anti-GAP-43 antibodies on immunoblots, is present in the plasma membranes of cultured neonatal rat cortical astrocytes. Double-immunofluorescence labeling of cells with a serum against glial fibrillary acidic protein and anti-GAP-43 antibody was observed. Furthermore, astrocytic protein was phosphorylated in vitro by protein kinase C and comigrated in two-dimensional PAGE with GAP-43. The data indicate that GAP-43, heretofore believed to be neuron-specific, is present in at least one class of glial cells.