Dual character of plastic changes in neurons of the dorsal hippocampus (field CA1) during extinction of the orienting response in freely moving rabbits

The activity of 63 neurones of the dorsal hippocampus field CA1 was studied in unrestrained rabbits in different behaviour and in the course of repetitive afferent stimulation. It has been found that changes in the mean frequency of spontaneous activity of most neurones (90%) correlate with the kind of the animal's behaviour. Replacement of calm alertness by an active state is primarily attended with enhanced mean frequency of firing. Two types of response dynamics to a repetitive stimulation were revealed: 1) successive decrease of reaction and 2) gradual augmentation and subsequent drop. As stimulation went on most of the neurones revealed a change in the nature of responses: diffuse phasic and tonic reactions were replaced by structured responses of a specific type. The data obtained are regarded as proof of the hippocampus involvement in the organization of integrated orienting behaviour.     

Electron microscopic study of the myocardium of mice with experimental infection caused by Coxsackie virus A13

Diffuse myocarditis with alteation and proliferation was described in adult BALB/c mice infected with Coxsacke A13 virus. A marked tendency to sclerotic processes 30 to 60 days after the infection was noted; this can underly the reduction of the functional activity of the myocardium and lead to the development of cardiomyopathy.     

The antioxidant properties of lycopene

The antioxidant properties of the carotenoid lycopene were compared in three different model oxidative systems. In egg yolk liposomes, in the presence of 2.5 mM FeSO4 and 200 mM ascorbate, lycopene, alpha-tocopherol, and beta-carotene inhibited the accumulation of lipid peroxidation products reacting with 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBARS) in a dose-dependent mode, with the concentration of half-inhibition being 80, 30 and 130 mM, respectively. In the liposomes subjected to illumination with a He-Ne laser (632.8 nm) at a dose of 10.5 J/cm2, in the presence of 32.5 micrograms/ml hematoporphyrin derivatives (Fotogem, NIOPIC, Russia) TBARS accumulated, and this effect was inhibited by lycopene, alpha-tocopherol, and dihydroquercetin with approximately equal efficiencies (the half-inhibition concentrations were 10(-5) mM). In both systems studied, sodium azide at a concentration of 10 mM inhibited the TBARS accumulation by no more than 20%. Apparently, the inhibitory action of not only alpha-tocopherol, but also beta-carotene and lycopene was the result of their antiradical action, rather than quenching of the singlet oxygen in an aqueous medium. The introduction of lycopene, as well as beta-carotene in liposomes subjected to Fe(2+)-induced lipid peroxidation decreased the chemiluminescence (CL) intensity at the stage of CL slow flash, with no essential influence on the lag period. These data suggest that the effect of lycopene on lipid peroxidation was the result of its interaction with free radicals rather than chelating ferrous ions. The antiradical activity of lycopene was also confirmed by the method of luminol photochemiluminescence (PCL). Lycopene increased the PCL lag period (L) and decreased the PCL amplitude (A), which implies its antiradical and SOD-like activity in this system.     

Current aspects in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic cystitis in women

Chronic cystitis (CC) in females is annually encountered now in 15,000-20,000 per 1,000,000. Etiological and pathogenetic factors in CC are closely related. Bacteriologically, CC is represented primarily by Enterobacter. The infection, as a rule, ascends the lower urinary tracts. The contributing factors are: weak local antibacterial mechanisms of the urogenital system, anatomical variants and anomalies of the urethra and introitus, sexual activity, impaired urodynamics of the lower urinary tracts. The diagnosis of chronic inflammation of the bladder is made mainly endoscopically, with obligatory endovesical multifocal biopsy of the bladder followed by histological examination. The treatment of CC includes antibacterial, general and local antiinflammatory therapy, measures to normalize urodynamics of the lower urinary tracts, correction of hygienic and sexual factors, immunostimulation. 16 nonresponders to conservative treatment of interstitial cystitis with progressive contraction of the bladder were subjected to supratrigonal or subtotal resection of the bladder with one-stage ileocystoplasty.     

Assessment of the psychotropic activity of analogs of cholecystokinin tetrapeptide fragment]

BACKGROUND: Both dermabrasion and high-energy pulsed carbon dioxide (CO2) laser resurfacing can improve the appearance of surgical scars. Although the results of these two procedures have been compared using historical data, a prospective evaluation has never been performed in humans. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively compare the clinical effects of dermabrasion and high-energy pulsed CO2 laser resurfacing in the revision of surgical scars. METHODS: Facial surgical scars in four patients were prospectively revised using a split scar model. One half of the scar was dermabraded and the other half was resurfaced with the high-energy pulsed CO2 laser. Comparisons of the two treatment modalities were performed through clinical assessment, photographic evaluation, and textural analysis of the scars. RESULTS: The high-energy pulsed CO2 laser-resurfaced halves of the scar were bloodless with less postoperative crusting in comparison with the dermabraded halves. Reepithelialization time and degree and duration of postoperative erythema were similar for both treatment halves. Photographic evaluation and textural analysis showed comparable improvement in the clinical appearance and surface texture of the scars with both treatment modalities. CONCLUSIONS: Both the high-energy pulsed CO2 laser and dermabrasion can achieve comparable clinical improvement in the revision of surgical scars. The high-energy pulsed CO2 laser offers the advantage of a bloodless field and a more precise method of tissue ablation. Postoperative erythema, however, is an expected finding with both treatment modalities.     

The postoperative monitoring of intracranial pressure in patients in the acute period of aneurysmatic hemorrhage

The influence of serotonin adipinate on the mechanisms of development of tissue hypoxia, disturbances of the microcirculatory bed and smooth muscles before, during and after operative interventions was studied in experiments and clinical practice. The syndrome of serotonin insufficiency is described including smooth muscle insufficiency which can be abolished by serotonin adipinate administered at the early postoperative period irrespective of the cause of surgery, age and sex of the patient. Good results were obtained in treatment of patients after operations on the liver, pancrease, heart, in patients with the diabetic foot and in other diseases. No complications or lethal outcomes resulting from using serotonin adipinate were noted.     

A proposed new mammalian cell protein kinase, associated with microtubules]

The effect of phospholipase A2 treatment on cardiolipin biosynthesis was investigated in intact H9c2 cardiac myoblasts. Treatment of cells with Naja mocambique mocambique phospholipase A2 reduced the pool sizes of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine compared with controls. The pool sizes of lysophosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylethanolamine were elevated, whereas the pool sizes of cardiolipin and other phospholipids were unaffected by phospholipase A2 treatment. Pulse labeling experiments with [1,3-3H]glycerol and pulse-chase labeling experiments with [1,3-3H]glycerol were performed in cells incubated or preincubated in the absence or presence of phospholipase A2. In all experiments, radioactivity incorporated into cardiolipin was reduced in phospholipase A2-treated cells with time compared with controls, indicating attenuated de novo biosynthesis of cardiolipin. The mechanism for the reduction in cardiolipin biosynthesis in phospholipase A2-treated cells was a decrease in the activity of phosphatidic acid:cytidine-5'-triphosphate cytidylyltransferase, the rate-limiting enzyme of cardiolipin biosynthesis, mediated by elevated cellular lysophosphatidylcholine levels. The results suggest that de novo cardiolipin biosynthesis in H9c2 cells may be regulated by the cellular level of lysophosphatidylcholine.