Early patterning of prelimbic cortical axons to the striatal patch compartment in the neonatal mouse

The striatum receives excitatory input from virtually the entire cerebral cortex. In the adult, this input is segregated into two functionally distinct compartments of the striatum, the patch (striosome) and matrix regions. This study determined whether the patterning of corticostriatal afferents from the prelimbic cortex to the striatal patch compartment develops during the early period of collateral formation or instead at the time of peak synaptogenesis. Initial formation of corticostriatal axon collaterals was observed by embryonic day (E) 19. Quantification of corticostriatal collaterals revealed a significant increase in the number and complexity of collateral branches at postnatal day 6 as compared to E19. Concomitant with the increase in collateral branching, a heterogeneous pattern of collateralization consisting of parallel rows of corticostriatal collaterals was observed in the medial striatum. In addition to the rows, clusters of corticostriatal axons occurred more laterally. These clusters colocalized with patches of dense tyrosine hydroxylase-positive fibers, a marker for the striatal patch compartment in the neonatal mouse. Together, these data indicate that corticostriatal patterning occurs during the period of early axon collateralization resulting in a segregation of corticostriatal axon collaterals from the prelimbic cortex to the striatal patch compartment.     

A PC program for diagnosing abnormal growth, growth velocity and acceleration from longitudinal observations

A human fibroblastic cell line transformed by the SV40-T antigen sequence and continuously cultured for 7 months displayed large periodic variations in cell proliferation. This contrasted with other characteristics of this cell line that remained constant: mosaic cell shape, absence of cell contact inhibition, and predominance of a hypodiploid population. Similar fluctuations in proliferative capacity were also found during the long-term growth of a transformed but nonimmortalized human fibroblastic line prior to senescence, and in the established hamster fibroblastic Nil cell line. This growth pattern suggests a recurrent stimulation of growth in these three transformed cell lines. The proliferation pattern from cultured transformed cells may thus be complex and requires further investigation. These variations presumably influence major cell functions. This observation has important implications for the analysis of data from such cell lines.     

The effects of pressure on the isothermal fluid behavior of bituminous coals

An investigation into the effects of pressure (helium gas) on the isothermal fluid behavior includes: (1) the effect of pressure on the rate of melting and coking as evidenced by the rate constants k(melt) and k(coke); (2) the effect of pressure on the energies of activation of melting and coking; (3) the effects of pressure on the characteristic times; (4) the effects of pressure on the maximum isothermal fluidity. Results from the effects of pressure on k(melt) revealed that it was generally the high total sulfur, low nitrogen, low reactives/mineral matter ratio, medium rank coals which show the greatest increase in k(melt), whereas the highest rank coals show the least decrease in k(coke). The energies of activation of melting and coking were not significantly affected by pressure. The investigation also reveals increases or decreases in the respective times of softening, maximum fluidity, resolidification and total time of fluid behavior under isothermal pressurized conditions. There appears the possibility that these shifts may be rank dependent. Additionally, the lower rank coals show the largest relative increase in their fluidities when subjected to pressure. Empirical relationships were derived in order to quantitatively predict the maximum isothermal fluidity for most (fluid) coals at a given pressure.     

Sequential batch reactor for eucalypt kraft pulp effluent treatment with Trametes versicolor

BACKGROUND: A sequential batch reactor (SBR) was used for eucalypt kraft pulp effluent treatment with Trametes versicolor. A 2³ full factorial design and response surface methodology were applied to optimise the batch fermentation conditions. Effluent concentration, culture medium and inoculum age were the factors selected for this study in order to optimise the reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD). RESULTS: The presence of Trametes Defined Medium (TDM) in the fermentation was required to obtain a significant COD reduction. Experiments in the batch reactor confirmed, in general, the predicted results of optimisation developed from Erlenmeyer batch assays. The T. versicolor culture remained active during 42 days of study in the SBR, providing approximately 80% of COD reduction. CONCLUSION: Trametes versicolor may be considered as very promising for the biological treatment of effluents from kraft pulp mills in an SBR system instead of the activated sludge mixed cultures traditionally used. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Analytical pyrolysis as a tool for the study of plastic coals

The technique of analytical pyrolysis has been used to characterize 40 similar mid-rank western Kentucky coals of widely differing ASTM Gieseler plasticity. Certain pyrolysis/g.c. variables were shown to correlate well with both ASTM Gieseler and isothermal plasticity. Highly plastic coals were shown to exhibit certain characteristic peaks in the 450 °C pyrogram which were absent in the pyrogram of the non-plastic coals. Two coals, representing the two extremes in plasticity, were selected for further study. After extraction with solvents such as DMF the characteristic peaks were absent in the 450 °C pyrogram of the extraction residue of the highly plastic coal. These peaks were also shown to decrease with increasing severity of air oxidation of the plastic coal. This technique appears to be a useful tool for the analysis of mid-rank plastic coals and supports the view that the substances contained in the bitumen fraction of these coals are involved in the development of the plastic state.     

Cost-effectiveness of preoperative localization studies in primary hyperparathyroid disease

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of preoperative localization studies on the surgical management of patients with primary hyperparathyroid disease (PHPT). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Reported cure rates of initial surgical exploration for PHPT are close to 95%. Preoperative localization studies are frequently obtained to improve surgical success and decrease operative time. METHODS: Initial cervical exploration was performed in 113 patients with PHPT from 1981 to 1993. Twenty-four patients (21%) had surgery without preoperative localization studies. The remaining 89 patients (79%) had 132 noninvasive preoperative localization studies. Success of the localization studies in tumor localization, pathologic findings, postoperative serum calcium levels, and operative times were compared. Patient costs of the studies were calculated. RESULTS: Disease was identified during operation in 23 of 24 patients (96%) having cervical exploration without preoperative localization studies, and they had normal calcium levels after surgery. Eighty-seven of 89 patients (98%) having preoperative localization studies were surgically cured. The highest sensitivity rate (60%) and highest positive predictive value (79%) of the localization studies were found with thallium-technetium scintiscanning. Average cost of the localization studies was $901 per patient. Combination studies were obtained in 32 patients at an average cost of $1,314 per patient without improving sensitivity. Mean operating time did not differ for localized and nonlocalized patients. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative localization studies did not improve parathyroid localization or cure rate and did not substantially shorten operating time in initial cervical exploration for PHPT. The economic burden of routine preoperative localization studies in these patients is not justified.     

Symptom correlates of attentional improvement following hospitalization for a first episode of affective psychosis

BACKGROUND: This study examined patients with a first-episode of affective psychosis during acute and compensated states in order to determine whether changes in attentional functioning over time were accompanied by changes in the severity of psychotic or affective symptoms. METHODS: Attentional performance was measured in patients (n = 27) using the degraded-stimulus continuous Performance Test (CPT) and symptoms were assessed at the time of index hospitalization, and 2 months after discharge. A comparison group of normal volunteers (n = 31) also performed the CPT two months apart. RESULTS: Patients performed significantly worse than controls at the initial testing but not at follow-up. The improvement in attentional performance significantly correlated with decreased severity of manic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest attentional dysfunction is a state-dependent characteristic of mania, and may provide an additional measure of clinical improvement following treatment.     

Acamprosate and alcohol: I. Effects on alcohol intake following alcohol deprivation in the rat

Acamprosate (calcium-acetyl homotaurinate) is a new compound in the treatment of alcoholism. Its efficacy has been proven in several clinical trials and registration is now pending in most European countries. The basic mechanisms by which acamprosate elicits its anti-craving action, thereby leading to reduced relapse rates, is not known at the moment. In the present study we describe a rat model of long-term alcohol-drinking which mimics relapse behavior in human alcoholics. The effect of acamprosate was studied in this model. Wistar rats had a free choice between water and alcohol solutions of different concentrations (5, 10, 20% v/v). After two months of continuous alcohol access, rats were deprived of alcohol for three days. Following this deprivation phase, all alcohol solutions were presented again. This procedure was repeated monthly for the following six months. The rats consumed 3.5 +/- 0.3 g/kg alcohol a day. After alcohol deprivation, alcohol intake rose to 5.2 +/- 0.3 g/kg per day resulting in blood alcohol levels of 30 +/- 6 mg/dl. Interestingly, the addition of quinine to the alcohol solutions or the additional presentation of a 5% sucrose solution did not affect the alcohol-deprivation effect after eight months of this intermittent alcohol exposure. However, when acamprosate (50-200 mg/kg i.p.) was administered twice daily, alcohol-drinking following an alcohol-deprivation phase was decreased dose dependently. Given at the highest dose alcohol intake even dropped significantly below baseline drinking. Together, these results show that acamprosate effectively diminishes the alcohol-deprivation effect. Furthermore, the described model seems to be a suitable animal model to screen compounds for their anti-relapse properties and subsequently for their anti-craving action.     

Metastasis induced by overexpression of p185neu-T after orthotopic injection into a prostatic epithelial cell line (NbE)

The effects of the composition of bacteriological growth media on the light output in a chemiluminometric assay of beta-galactosidase in Escherichia coli using 1,2-dioxetane substrates has been studied. In this assay a basic conflict exists between conditions that promote optimal bacterial growth and those conducive to maximal chemiluminescence. Common medium ingredients such as yeast or beef extract, protein hydrolysates and lactose suppress light emission and/or lead to high backgrounds. Quenching of light emission is probably partly due to light absorption by medium ingredients such as oxgall, and partly to interference with the reaction triggering the chemiluminescent process. Elevated backgrounds are caused by the presence of high concentrations of protein hydrolysates, which interact with the alkali in the accelerator solution. Only two purposely developed media, i.e. ILM and Colicult are shown to reconcile the requirements of growth support with that of optimal luminescent properties.