Effects of neuromuscular blocking agents on excitatory transmission and gamma-aminobutyric acidA-mediated inhibition in the rat hippocampal slice

BACKGROUND: Although neuromuscular blocking agents do not cross the blood-brain barrier, they may penetrate the central nervous system under particular circumstances and eventually cause neurotoxic consequences. METHODS: The effects of neuromuscular blocking agents on excitatory and inhibitory transmission in area CA1 of rat hippocampal slices were investigated using extracellular and intracellular recording techniques. RESULTS: Application of atracurium in the perfusion medium resulted in a dose-dependent enhancement of excitatory synaptic responses averaging 48.7 +/- 4.3% at a concentration of 10 nM. This effect was correlated with an increase in the size of the presynaptic fiber volley. Laudanosine, but not pancuronium bromide or vecuronium bromide, produced similar changes. In addition, atracurium and laudanosine blocked inhibitory transmission and reduced intracellularly recorded gamma-aminobutyric acidA receptor-mediated potentials. These effects were observed only at concentrations >1 microM and were not reproduced by pancuronium bromide and vecuronium bromide. CONCLUSIONS: Atracurium and its metabolite, laudanosine, contrary to pancuronium bromide and vecuronium bromide, produce two distinct effects on hippocampal slices. They enhance excitatory transmission and neuronal excitability and they block inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acidA-mediated synaptic responses.     

Some solar energy programmes in the United Nations system

The report outlines recent activities in the United Nations system concerning solar and wind energy applications, particularly for the benefit of developing countries. Summaries are provided of some of the main programmes undertaken in the field of solar energy by a number of agencies and bodies of the United Nations system such as: the economic and Social Council, the Department of International Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat; the Department of Technical Co-operation for Development and its Centre for Natural Resources, Energy and Transport; the regional commissions; the financial institutions (UNDP and World Bank); the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the United Nations University (UNO); specialized agencies—UNESCO, FAO, WHO, WMO and ITU; the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Some highlights are given on the future United Nations Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy, recently approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations.     

Topography of brain sodium accumulation in progressive multiple sclerosis

Object

Sodium accumulation is involved in neuronal injury occurring in multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to assess sodium accumulation in progressive MS, known to suffer from severe neuronal injury.

Materials and methods

3D-²³Na-MRI was obtained on a 3T-MR-scanner in 20 progressive MS patients [11 primary-progressive (PPMS) and nine secondary-progressive (SPMS)] and 15 controls. Total sodium concentrations (TSC) within grey matter (GM), normal-appearing white matter (WM) and lesions were extracted. Statistical mapping analyses of TSC abnormalities were also performed.

Results

Progressive MS patients presented higher GM–TSC values (48.8 ± 3.1 mmol/l wet tissue vol, p < 0.001) and T₂lesions-TSC values (50.9 ± 2.2 mmol/l wet tissue vol, p = 0.01) compared to GM and WM of controls. Statistical mapping analysis showed TSC increases in PPMS patients confined to motor and somatosensory cortices, prefrontal cortices, pons and cerebellum. In SPMS, TSC increases were associated with areas involving: primary motor, premotor and somatosensory cortices; prefrontal, cingulate and visual cortices; the corpus callosum, thalami, brainstem and cerebellum. Anterior prefrontal and premotor cortices TSC were correlated with disability.

Conclusion

Sodium accumulation is present in progressive MS patients, more restricted to the motor system in PPMS and more widespread in SPMS. Local brain sodium accumulation appears as a promising marker to monitor patients with progressive MS.     

Improving inter-block backtracking with interval Newton

Inter-block backtracking (IBB) computes all the solutions of sparse systems of nonlinear equations over the reals. This algorithm, introduced by Bliek et al. (1998) handles a system of equations previously decomposed into a set of (small) k ×k sub-systems, called blocks. Partial solutions are computed in the different blocks in a certain order and combined together to obtain the set of global solutions. When solutions inside blocks are computed with interval-based techniques, IBB can be viewed as a new interval-based algorithm for solving decomposed systems of nonlinear equations. Previous implementations used Ilog Solver and its IlcInterval library as a black box, which implied several strong limitations. New versions come from the integration of IBB with the interval-based library Ibex. IBB is now reliable (no solution is lost) while still gaining at least one order of magnitude w.r.t. solving the entire system. On a sample of benchmarks, we have compared several variants of IBB that differ in the way the contraction/filtering is performed inside blocks and is shared between blocks. We have observed that the use of interval Newton inside blocks has the most positive impact on the robustness and performance of IBB. This modifies the influence of other features, such as intelligent backtracking. Also, an incremental variant of inter-block filtering makes this feature more often fruitful.     

Antinutritive Compounds in Different Oilseeds

Different oilseeds, usable as renewable resources, are analyzed for their content of condensed tannins, glucosinolates, phytic acid and its degradation products as well as for sinapine, and the results are presented. Seeds of sunflower, flax, coriander, Euphorbia lagascae, iberic. dragon head, safflor, Camelina sativa, soy, mustard, hemp and rapeseeds are used. Apart from hemp, coriander and Euphorbia lagascae different cultivars or genotypes of each species are investigated. The variation of the results of each cultivar or genotype is shown. Tannins and phytic acid are found in different amounts in all oilseeds, whereas sinapine and glucosinolates are limited to seeds from species belonging to the plant family Brassicaceae.     

Local measurements of fluid and particle velocities in a stirred suspension

An experimental approach is proposed for the measurement of the local behaviour of continuous and dispersed phases in a stirred suspension at low particle concentrations (0.5 vol.%). The basic principle involves the simultaneous measurement of the local velocity and particle size with a phase Doppler velocimeter and the separation of the data obtained from large particles (representing the dispersed phase) and very small particles (representing the motion of the continuous liquid phase).This technique was applied to the investigation of a fully baffled cylindrical vessel, with a flat bottom, stirred by an industrial axial propeller. The diameters of the vessel and the propeller and the vertical clearance were 0.3 m, 0.14 m and 0. l m respectively. The liquid was water and spherical glass particles were used as the dispersed phase.In the absence of particles, the circulation pattern created by the propeller in the middle plane between two baffles revealed a major circulation loop in the lower part of the vessel and a minor contra-rotative loop in the wall surface corner. The calculated pumping coefficient, circulation flow number, non-dimensional time of renewal and circulation time were 0.62, 0.89, 11.76 and 8.15 respectively. The tangential velocities remained at values of less than 15% of the impeller tip velocity in the plane of the measurements.Axial, radial and tangential mean and root-mean-square velocities for the carrier liquid phase and particles were measured in the two-phase flow, using particles with a mean diameter of 253 μm. These measurements showed that the particles lagged behind the liquid phase in the upward parts of the flow field, but were ahead in some downward parts. The root-mean-square axial velocities obtained for the particles were always greater than these obtained for the continuous phase. Non-homogeneities in the suspension were observed by the local mean diameter field. The effects of the stirring rate and size of the particles were also checked in the upward part of the flow in the vessel.