Is hypothalamic GABA involved in immune function in relation to dietary protein during aging?

Hypothalamic GABAergic activity and immune response in spleen were not significantly changed with the increase of age from 3 to 6 months in adult male albino rats. Further increase of age from 6 to 9 months increase the GABAergic activity and decreased the cell viability in spleen without any change in its T-lymphocyte cytotoxicity. Consumption of low protein diet (LPD) for a short-term period (STP; 7 consecutive days) increased the hypothalamic GABAergic activity without changing the immune response in 3 months old rats. When supplemented for a long-term period (LTP; 30 consecutive days) to 3 months old rats, a reduction of hypothalamic GABAergic activity and the immune response was observed. Intake of high protein diet (HPD) for both STP and LTP increased the GABAergic activity and immune response, but the increase of GABAergic activity in hypothalamus under STP was greater than that observed under LTP. In 6 months old rats consumption of LPD for STP reduced the GABAergic activity without any alteration of its immune response. Long-term supplementation of this LPD to the same age group increased GABAergic activity and the mitotic activity of spleen cells without any alteration of the functional activity of the T-cells in spleen. Consumption of HPD for STP failed to produce any change in hypothalamic GABAergic activity and the immune response of 6 months old rats. Supplementation of HPD for LTP reduced the hypothalamic GABAergic activity and the immune response of the same age group. The reduction in hypothalamic GABAergic activity without any change in the immune response was observed following the supplementation of low protein diet to 9 months old rat for STP. Intake of the LPD for LTP also reduced the hypothalamic GABAergic activity and the mitotic activity of the spleen cells without any alteration of the functional activity of the T-cells in spleen of 9 months old rats. Supplementation of HPD for STP to this aged rat, on the other hand, failed to produced any change in hypothalamic GABAergic activity and the immune response. Intake of HPD for LTP by this aged rats increased the hypothalamic GABAergic activity along with the immune response. The results of this study, thus, suggest that hypothalamic GABAergic activity during aging is an index of immune response and it is modulated following the short- and long-term consumption of protein poor and protein rich diet.     

Development of the enkephalin-, neurotensin- and somatostatin-like (ENSLI) amacrine cells in the chicken retina

The development of the enkephalin-, neurotensin- and somatostatin-like immunoreactive (ENSLI) amacrine cells in the chicken retina has been investigated by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunocytochemistry (ICC). By RIA, enkephalin-like immunoreactivity (ENK-LI) was detected at embryonic day (E) 5 at only very low levels, which gradually increased until E17. From E18 to E21, there was a relatively rapid increase in ENK-LI levels, and just after hatching, there was a very steep rise. By ICC, the cell bodies of the ENSLI amacrine cells were first detected in the inner nuclear layer on E18, with no immunostaining in the inner plexiform layer (IPL). On E21, more cells were detected and processes in the IPL were visible, but detailed arborisations were not clear. On postnatal day (P) 1, the ENSLI amacrine cells showed a morphology similar to that in mature retina in both the density of cell bodies and the ramification pattern of processes. Antibodies to neurotensin and somatostatin revealed a similar developmental pattern. Thus, the three peptides appear to follow a similar developmental pattern in the ENSLI amacrine cells, suggesting that the three peptides respond similarly to developmental stimuli, just as they are released in parallel in response to physiological stimulation from mature ENSLI amacrine cells. After hatching, higher levels of ENK-LI were detected by RIA and more ENSLI amacrine cell bodies and processes were detected by ICC in animals kept in the light than in those kept in the dark. In retinas kept in the light for 12 h, it was found that immunoreactive processes in the IPL formed strongly stained patches, but this was not observed in retinas kept in the dark for 12 h.     

The effects of varying dietary n-6 to n-3 fatty acid ratios on platelet reactivity, coagulation screening assays, and antithrombin III activity in dogs

Thirty beagles were placed on diets containing ratios of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids ranging from 5:1 to 100:1 for 12 weeks to determine the effects of these diets on platelet reactivity, coagulation screening assays, and antithrombin III activity. Although small changes were observed in adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-, collagen-, and arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation and 14C-serotonin release, fibrinogen concentrations, and antithrombin III activities during the 12-week study, these changes were not of clinical significance and did not correlate with the varying ratios of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids.     

The cognitive mediation of obsessive-compulsive handwashing

The potential mediating roles of danger expectancies, responsibility, perfectionism, anticipated anxiety and self-efficacy on obsessive-compulsive handwashing were examined. Ratings were obtained from 27 obsessive-compulsive patients before and during a behavioural avoidance test involving a compound stimulus of potting soil, animal hair, food scraps and raw meat. Correlation and partial correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between the cognitive predictor variables and anxiety, urge to wash, time in task and duration of post-test washing. Large and significant relationships between danger expectancies and the dependent measures were obtained, even when alternative mediators were held constant. No other variable remained significantly related to any of the dependent measures when severity of disease ratings were held constant. Results suggest that of the cognitive variables examined, danger expectancies are the most likely mediator of washing-related behaviour in obsessive-compulsive disorder.     

Routine transition zone and seminal vesicle biopsies in all patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsies are not indicated

Metaphors to explain the effects of weak, complex magnetic fields upon the neuromatrices of organisms are suggested. The ratio of the amplitude of the time-varying components to steady-state components for complex magnetic field for effective biological responses may display Weber values that are similar to those for the electrical activity of the brain, the detection of changes in sound pressure by the ear and for more classical sensory thresholds. The nonlinear, suprathreshold characteristic of weak magnetic field effects would be similar to the effective narrow windows of concentrations of ligands values for receptor subtypes with different affinities. Signals composed of trains of between 100 and 1000 successive, fast (1 to 3 msec.) transients, which would contain the most biological information, would require low amplitudes to which the substrates could respond and with which the neuromatrix could resonate.     

A study on 3D Monte Carlo modeling of photon propagation through tissue

Monte Carlo techniques have become popular in modeling of the random events with advantage of powerful computing systems. Especially they have been applied to simulate processes involving random behavior such as diffusion of the Gamma rays through matter and electron concentrations in semiconductors. Recent medical innovations such as Computer Automated Tomography (CAT) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) are ideal for Monte Carlo modeling techniques. This paper presents derivation and results of the three dimensional Monte Carlo simulation. The results are presented for tissue interactions with photons at wavelength of 207 nm X rays and 630 nm red light. Resulting values of model tissue have been interpolated and mapped into two-dimensional pattern in gray tone. Combination of two-dimensional patterns allow a reconstruction in three dimensions.     

Possible involvement of plasmids in degradation of malathion and chlorpyriphos by Micrococcus sp

Culture is the basic method in bacteriology. It allowed the discovery of Helicobacter pylori. Problems in the culture of this fragile, slow-growing bacterium concern transport and processing in the laboratory, but they can be solved. Culture has a 100% specificity. When performed properly, it has a sensitivity in the range of the other best diagnostic methods for Helicobacter pylori. It allows strain typing and, most importantly, susceptibility testing to antibiotics, because an increased rate of acquired resistance of Helicobacter pylori is currently observed. Culture must be performed in clinical trials, at least when antibiotics, to which Helicobacter pylori may be resistant, are used. In clinical practice, culture and susceptibility testing can generally be restricted to treatment failures. However, it is important to monitor Helicobacter pylori susceptibility to antibiotics at a national or regional level in order to give recommendations for primary treatment.