The lateral septal nucleus: its morphological and functional organization and its role in the formation of chronorhythms

The lateral septal nucleus (LSN) is the largest septal nucleus and occupies one of the most strategically important positions in the forebrain, connecting the structures of the limbic system with different sites of the brain stem. Such a situation obliges LSN not only to participate in the regulation, but also to implement overall coordination and modulation of various visceral and somatic functions. The review deals with the general characteristic of the septal complex, the functional morphology, pre- and postnatal ontogenesis, afferent and efferent connections, mediator and modulator nature of LSN fibers. Special attention is paid to the participation of LSN in the neuroendocrine regulation of the sexual system. On the basis of literature and our own experimental findings it is shown that the LSN is a chronoregulatory structure which is responsible for the biorhythmologic organization of the functions of the mammalian organism.     

Nosologic independence and features of the treatment of alcoholic paraphrenia

The report deals with a study of 16 patients with alcoholic paraphrenia and 30 patients where the paraphrenic syndrome was a stage in Gaiie-Wernicke's encephalopathy, alcoholic paranoid state and alcoholic pseudoparalysis. Alcoholic paraphrenia was more frequently expressed in the form of systematized and confabulatory forms with a monotonous and primitive delusion accompanied by a psychoorganic syndrome. In the complex treatment injections of bijochinal (up to 40-50 ml) were used; this brought about a sufficient resocialization of the patients.     

Hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls from the unsaponifiable fraction of anhydrous milk fat

Using a combination of gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, the presence of 39 aliphatic hydrocarbons was firmly established in the unsaponifiable fraction of anhydrous milk fat. The hydrocarbons were the C(14) to C(27) and the C(29) to C(31) straight-chain paraffins, their monoolefin analogs, and the C(25) to C(29) branched alkanes. Phytene (3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-n-hexadec-2-ene), identified for the first time in milk fat, was isolated and identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry and infrared analysis. The total hydrocarbon content amounted to 30 ppm of the milk fat. Polychlorinated biphenyls also were detected in trace amounts in the area of the chromatogram between the C(18) and the C(23) hydrocarbons.     

Tyrosine kinase and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase mediate hypertrophic responses to prostaglandin F2alpha in cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes

RMP-7 is a bradykinin B2 receptor agonist shown to permeabilize the blood-brain barrier, especially that associated with brain tumors, when administered via both intracarotid and intravenous routes. Both routes of administration are currently being tested in human trials in combination with the chemotherapeutic agent carboplatin as therapy for gliomas. As an essential prerequisite to the initial intracarotid clinical trials, the potential neurotoxicity of intra-arterial administration of RMP-7 (at a high or low dose), alone and in combination with carboplatin, was assessed in anesthetized Red Duroc swine. Five treatment groups were evaluated with each pig receiving a series of alternating, intra-arterial infusions of RMP-7 (or saline) followed by carboplatin (or saline), as follows: (1) vehicle control: saline/saline; (2) carboplatin only control: saline/carboplatin (50 mg total); (3) RMP-7 only control: RMP-7 (750 ng/kg)/saline; (4) low dose combination: RMP-7 (75 ng/kg)/carboplatin (50 mg total); and (5) high dose combination: RMP-7 (750 ng/kg)/carboplatin (50 mg total). For each subject, one of the alternating dosing sequences (above) was repeated four times during a single dosing session which lasted approximately 40 minutes. Assessments during the in-life phase of the study in the pre- and post-treatment periods consisted of heart rate, arterial blood pressure (systolic, diastolic, and mean), blood gases, body weight, general clinical observations (including evaluation for neurological deficit) and clinical pathology (including a comprehensive battery of standard blood coagulation, hematological and serum chemistry tests). In addition, during the time of treatment, heart rate and arterial blood pressure were monitored. The animals were terminated two weeks after dosing and the brain and rete mirabile (distal to site of infusion) were evaluated for gross and histopathological abnormalities. The histopathology analysis included a reader-blinded analysis using low and high power light microscopic examination of both H&E and Kluver-Berrera stained sections through several key cortical and subcortical brain regions. Transient decreases in arterial blood pressure (mean of 10-25 mmHg) were observed in both groups receiving the high dose of RMP-7 (i.e., 750 ng/kg). No other side effects attributable to RMP-7 and/or carboplatin were observed, and clinical observations revealed no evidence of neurologic deficits. Post-mortem examination revealed no evidence of CNS or cerebral vascular pathology attributable to carboplatin and RMP-7. This study demonstrates that intracarotid administration of the maximum tolerated dose of RMP-7 (750 ng/kg) alone, or in combination with carboplatin (50 mg) is not accompanied by any serious adverse effect, apparent cerebrovascular abnormality or neuropathologic consequence and offers further evidence for the safety of this novel therapeutic approach for enhancing delivery of chemotherapeutics to brain tumors.     

Role of apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein lipase gene polymorphism in variability of serum lipid levels

The serum lipid level is determined by the complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. The genetic component of this system includes apolipoprotein B (apoB) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) genes. Three RFLP markers (XbaI, MspI, EcoRI) in the apoB gene and PvuII-RFLP in the LPL gene were genotypes and five lipid traits (fasting plasma levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-, LDL-, and VLDL- cholesterol) were measured in 122 unrelated individuals without clinical signs of cardiovascular disease. Several alleles and genotypes which were associated with significant effects on cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-cholesterol levels were identified. Analysis of intragenotypic variance and multivariate measures of the mean values of lipid concentrations indicate that apoB gene variation may contribute both to the level and variability of plasma lipids.     

Interhemispheric interactions following unilateral injury to the cerebral cortex

The object of the study was to examine the time-course of interhemispheral relations under unilateral injury to the somatic or optical cortical pathways. Special attention was paid to the characteristics of the function of the associative parietal cortex and areas that are symmetrical to the location of injury. Transcallosal stimulation allows changing the functional condition of the studied zones. This can be considered as a possible factor inducing development of compensatory-rehabilitative processes in the central nervous system.     

Veterinary science on the border between 2 Five-Year Plans

The authors used the drainage method of treatment in 278 children with acute and 640 with chronic highmoritis, the children being from 15 to 14 years old. The use of teflon drainage introduced into Highmore's antrum by means of Kulikorvsky's needle, in the combined treatment of acute and chronic highmoritis, raises considerably the efficacy of the therapy and shortens the period of its application. The drainage method of treatment makes it possible to avoid surgical intervention on the maxillary sinus in the majority of chronic highmoritis cases.