Analysis of neural crest cell migration in Splotch mice using a neural crest-specific LacZ reporter

In the last decades, several therapies for unipolar depression have been developed, for example cognitive therapy, behavior therapy and pharmacotherapy. A new kind of therapy is bibliotherapy. What is new in this treatment modality is not the content, because bibliotherapy usually uses a cognitive-behavioral approach. Only the form in which it is presented is new. In bibliotherapy the patient takes a standardized treatment home, in book form, and works it through more or less independently. Contacts with therapists are only supportive or facilitative. No traditional relationship between therapist and patient is developed. In this article the relevance of bibliotherapy for the clinical practice is presented and a meta-analysis of the research into bibliotherapy is described.     

Benzodiazepine receptors in the post-mortem brain of suicide victims and schizophrenic subjects

To examine the role of benzodiazepine (BZ) receptors in suicide and schizophrenia, we determined BZ receptors in post-mortem brain (Brodmann's area 10) obtained from suicide victims, schizophrenic patients, and control subjects using [3H]RO15-1788 as the radioligand. The maximum number of binding sites (Bmax) of BZ receptors in the cortex of suicide victims was significantly higher compared with controls, but this increase was mainly due to those suicide victims who died by violent means and whose Bmax was significantly higher than of those who died by non-violent means or control subjects. In schizophrenic patients, Bmax was not significantly different from that of control subjects. When the schizophrenic subjects were separated into two groups, those on neuroleptics and those off neuroleptics for at least 12 months, however, the mean Bmax of BZ receptors in the prefrontal cortex in post-mortem brain obtained from schizophrenic patients on neuroleptics was significantly lower than Bmax in drug-free schizophrenic patients or normal controls. There were no significant differences among groups in values of the apparent dissociation constant (KD) of [3H]RO15-1788 binding. These results suggest that BZ receptors are up-regulated in the cortex of suicide victims, specifically those who used violent means, and that neuroleptic treatment may result in decreased central BZ receptor binding in the cortex of schizophrenic patients. Thus, the method of suicide and previous exposure to neuroleptics should be considered in the interpretation of data on BZ receptors.     

Characterization of recombinant soybean leghemoglobin a and apolar distal histidine mutants

The cDNA for soybean leghemoglobin a (Lba) was cloned from a root nodule cDNA library and expressed in Escherichia coli. The crystal structure of the ferric acetate complex of recombinant wild-type Lba was determined at a resolution of 2.2 A. Rate constants for O2, CO and NO binding to recombinant Lba are identical with those of native soybean Lba. Rate constants for hemin dissociation and auto-oxidation of wild-type Lba were compared with those of sperm whale myoglobin. At 37 degrees C and pH 7, soybean Lba is much less stable than sperm whale myoglobin due both to a fourfold higher rate of auto-oxidation and to a approximately 600-fold lower affinity for hemin. The role of His61(E7) in regulating oxygen binding was examined by site-directed mutagenesis. Replacement of His(E7) with Ala, Val or Leu causes little change in the equilibrium constant for O2 binding to soybean Lba, whereas the same mutations in sperm whale myoglobin cause 50 to 100-fold decreases in K(O2). These results show that, at neutral pH, hydrogen bonding with His(E7) is much less important in regulating O2 binding to the soybean protein. The His(E7) to Phe mutation does cause a significant decrease in K(O2) for Lba, apparently due to steric hindrance of the bound ligand. The rate constants for O2 dissociation from wild-type and native Lba decrease significantly with decreasing pH. In contrast, the O2 dissociation rate constants for mutants with apolar E7 residues are independent of pH, suggesting that hydrogen bonding to the distal histidine residue in the native protein is enhanced under acid conditions. All of these results support the hypothesis that the high affinity of Lba for oxygen and other ligands is determined primarily by enhanced accessibility and reactivity of the heme group.     

Comparative effects of enteric-coated pancreatin microsphere therapy after conventional and pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND: A comparative study was performed between patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency after conventional pancreatoduodenectomy (Whipple's procedure) and pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (PPPD). In these patients the pharmacodynamics of 2-mm enteric-coated pancreatin microspheres (ECPMs) and their gastric transit time in relation to that of a solid meal were investigated. The efficacy of ECPM preparations may differ after Whipple's procedure compared with PPPD, because the latter procedure does not include gastrectomy. METHODS: Gastric transit was assessed by double-isotope scintigraphy. A pancake meal was labelled with 99mTc. ECPMs were cold-labelled with 170Er and neutron activated shortly before ingestion to enable imaging with a gamma camera. Intraluminal pancreatic enzyme activity was assessed during a 6-h period with two indirect tests: the cholesteryl [14C]octanoate breath test and the N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-p-aminobenzoic acid-p-aminosalicylic acid (NBT-PABA-PAS) test. RESULTS: In patients who had Whipple's procedure, the gastric transit time of ECPMs and of the pancake meal was not significantly different. The outcome of the indirect pancreatic function tests during enzyme supplementation was comparable, and not significantly different, from that in healthy volunteers. In patients who had PPPD, however, the gastric transit time of microspheres was greatly delayed compared with that of the pancake meal (P < 0.05). Improvement in the outcome of the indirect pancreatic function tests during enzyme supplementation was much less and remained well below that of healthy volunteers (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In cases of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency after Whipple's procedure, 2-mm ECPM treatment adequately restores pancreatic enzyme activity. Following PPPD, however, ECPM treatment is often ineffective because the microspheres are retained in the stomach. In these patients, use of conventional powdered pancreatin enzyme preparations may improve the efficacy of treatment.     

The effect of activated macrophage products on neurite growth in an organotypic culture of chick embryo sensory ganglia]

Murine peritoneal macrophages, activated by BCG vaccine, and human peripheral blood monocytes, activated by lipopolysaccharides, exerted neurite stimulating or neurite inhibiting effects in various periods of activation. The supernatants of these preparations were active in organotypic culture of chick embryo dorsal root ganglia. The inhibition of neurite growth on the 1st day of cultivation was followed by the neurite-stimulating effect. The fluctuation of neurite-inhibition and neurite-stimulation effect of macrophage supernatants suggest the availability of certain changes in cytokine composition in different periods of macrophage activation.     

The effect of the chronic internal administration of the new Russian n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrate--epaden--on blood coagulation system indices in rabbits

Daily oral 6-week administration of epaden in a dose containing 0.3 g eucosopentanoic acid and 0.05 g docosahexaenoic acid caused decrease in collagen-induced platelet aggregation in rabbits in vivo and in the activity of the tissue type plasminogen activator, as well as reduction in the level of antithrombin III cofactor activity. No changes were encountered in ADP-induced aggregation, in the platelet count, in platelet adhesion to collagen, and in activated partial thromboplastin time.     

Sensory processing in the pallium of a mormyrid fish

To investigate the functional organization of higher brain levels in fish we test the hypothesis that the dorsal gray mantle of the telencephalon of a mormyrid fish has discrete receptive areas for several sensory modalities. Multiunit and compound field potentials evoked by auditory, visual, electrosensory, and water displacement stimuli in this weakly electric fish are recorded with multiple semimicroelectrodes placed in many tracks and depths in or near telencephalic area dorsalis pars medialis (Dm). Most responsive loci are unimodal; some respond to two or more modalities. Each modality dominates a circumscribed area, chiefly separate. Auditory and electrical responses cluster in the dorsal 500 micrometer of rostral and caudolateral Dm, respectively. Two auditory subdivisions underline specialization of this sense. Mechanoreception occupies a caudal area overlapping electroreception but centered 500 micrometer deeper. Visual responses scatter widely through ventral areas. Auditory, electrosensory, and mechanosensory responses are dominated by a negative wave within the first 50 msec, followed by 15-55 Hz oscillations and a slow positive wave with multiunit spikes lasting from 200 to 500 msec. Stimuli can induce shifts in coherence of certain frequency bands between neighboring loci. Every electric organ discharge command is followed within 3 msec by a large, mainly negative but generally biphasic, widespread corollary discharge. At certain loci large, slow ("deltaF") waves usually precede transient shifts in electric organ discharge rate. Sensory-evoked potentials in this fish pallium may be more segregated than in elasmobranchs and anurans and have some surprising similarities to those in mammals.     

The protective effect of the nerve growth factor in exposing a nerve tissue culture to diphtheria toxin

Diphtheria toxin (1.10(-1)-1.10(-6) Lf/ml) was found to inhibit neurite extension in chick embryo dorsal root ganglia in vitro. If the nerve growth factor (60 ng/ml) was added with toxin in culture media the diphtheria toxin effect was decreased and the neurite outgrowth was compared with control. Protective effect of nerve growth factor by influence of diphtheria toxin may be used in new principles of diphtheria treatment.     

Dynamic course of neurological syndromes in very young children with the history of intrauterine growth retardation

90 infants with intrauterine growth retardation (IGR) and 100 normal infants (control group) were followed up from 5 days till 3 years of life. In IGR infants there was a more frequent combination of several neurologic syndromes, an early manifestation of motor disorders (from the very moment of birth), a delay of neuro-psychic development (during the first year of life), a tendency to development of moderate hydrocephalus by the age of 6 months. Autonomic-visceral disorders in them were mostly characterized by the symptoms of abaissement, but not of irritation.