Positive Effects of Argon Inhalation After Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats.

The noble gas argon is one of the most promising neuroprotective agents for hypoxic-reperfusion injuries of the brain. However, its effect on traumatic injuries has been insufficiently studied. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of the triple inhalation of the argon-oxygen mixture Ar 70%/O 30% on physical and neurological recovery and the degree of brain damage after traumatic brain injury and to investigate the possible molecular mechanisms of the neuroprotective effect.

Modulation of Albumin Esterase Activity by Warfarin and Diazepam.

Data are accumulating on the hydrolytic activity of serum albumin towards esters and organophosphates. Previously, with the help of the technology of proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H NMR) spectroscopy, we observed the yield of acetate in the solution of bovine serum albumin and -nitrophenyl acetate (NPA). Thus, we showed that albumin possesses true esterase activity towards NPA.

Neuroprotective Effects of Krypton Inhalation on Photothrombotic Ischemic Stroke.

This is the first in vivo study to investigate the neuroprotective effects of krypton on focal cerebral ischemia. The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of 2 h of inhalation of a krypton-oxygen mixture (Kr 70%/O 30%) on the recovery of neurological functions and the degree of brain damage in rats after photoinduced ischemic stroke (PIS) and to investigate the possible mechanisms responsible for this neuroprotection. Experiments were performed on male Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g (n = 32).

Positive Neuroprotective Effect of Argon Inhalation after Photochemically Induced Ischemic Stroke Model in Rats.

We studied the effect of 2-h inhalation of argon-oxygen mixture (Ar 70%/O 30%) after photochemically induced stroke and on days 2 and 3 after stroke modeling on the severity of neurological deficit and brain damage (by MRI data) in Wistar rats. Neurological deficit was assessed within 14 days using the limb placement test. MRI and histological study of the brain with an assessment of the size of damage were performed on day 14 after ischemia.

An updated checklist of ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Bulgaria, after 130 years of research.

Background: The Bulgarian myrmecofauna is one of the richest in the Balkans. This is a result of both the physicogeographical and paleoecological features of the area, as well as relatively well-studied fauna. The earliest myrmecological paper on Bulgarian fauna, listing 54 species, was published 130 years ago.

Three-Hour Argon Inhalation Has No Neuroprotective Effect after Open Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats.

In vivo studies of the therapeutic effects of argon in traumatic brain injury (TBI) are limited, and their results are contradictory. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a three-hour inhalation of argon (70%Ar/30%O) after an open TBI on the severity of the neurological deficit and the degree of brain damage in rats. The experiments were performed on male Wistar rats ( = 35).

The role of ant nests in European ground squirrel's () post-reintroduction adaptation in two Bulgarian mountains.

The European ground squirrel () is a vulnerable species, whose populations are declining throughout its entire range in Central and South-Eastern Europe. To a great extent, its conservation depends on habitat restoration, maintenance and protection. In order to improve the conservation status of the species, reintroductions are increasingly applied.

[Ophthalmic manifestations of Huntington's disease].

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the huntingtin gene. The whole nervous system, including visual analyzer, is involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Various ocular sings can be found in both preclinical and clinical stages of HD.

Terrestrial gastropods of Srebarna Nature Reserve, North-Eastern Bulgaria (Gastropoda).

We give the results from the first investigation focused on the land snail fauna in Srebarna Nature Reserve in Bulgaria. A total of 23 localities were studied and 27 species of terrestrial gastropods were found, 23 of which were new observations for the Reserve.

Correlation of radio and gamma emissions in lightning initiation.

The results of simultaneous radio and gamma emission measurements during thunderstorms are presented. A gamma detector situated at the height 3840 m and two radio detectors of Tien-Shan Mountain Scientific Station (altitude 3340 m) registered intensive gamma flashes and radio pulses during the time of lightning initiation. The radio-gamma correlation grows abruptly at the initial moment (a few hundred microseconds), and the correlation coefficient reaches 0.

Strong flux of low-energy neutrons produced by thunderstorms.

We report here for the first time about the registration of an extraordinary high flux of low-energy neutrons generated during thunderstorms. The measured neutron count rate enhancements are directly connected with thunderstorm discharges. The low-energy neutron flux value obtained in our work is a challenge for the photonuclear channel of neutron generation in thunderstorm: the estimated value of the needed high-energy γ-ray flux is about 3 orders of magnitude higher than that one observed.

Catalogue of the ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Bulgaria.

The present catalogue of the ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Bulgaria is made on a base of critical reconsideration of literature (covering the period from 1892 till 2009 and part of 2010) as well as on examination of the authors' and several museum's collections. A lot of data were omitted in the previous Bulgarian monograph on ants, lots of new data were recently added and many important additions and alterations were made due to taxonomic revisions of Eurasian Formicidae during the last three decades. Two new species are reported for the country [Temnothorax graecus (Forel, 1911) and Temnothorax cf.

[Assessment of hazardous chemical substances entering water reservoirs of public and domestic water supply].

The paper gives the evaluation of chemical hazards according to indexes of digestive tract functional state when harmful chemicals enter human body with drinking water and also according to such specific effects as genital, embryotoxic, carcinogenic, allergic and teratogenic ones. The author offers an express method of developing MAC (maximum allowable concentrations) of harmful substances based on reducing the time of chronic experiments with due account of group regulation.

[Estimation of current maximum permissible levels of total specific activity of radionuclide mixture in the liquid forms of drugs and medicinal raw materials].

Algorithm of assessment of allowable levels of the total specific activity of radionuclides in liquid medicaments and medical raw materials was worked up. The key radionuclides were Strontium-90, Caesium-134 and -137.

[The effect of the method of treating samples of dried fungi on the process of extracting cesium radionuclides].

Most effective extraction of Cesium-137 radionuclide (near 100%) is produced by water during 48 h. The addition of salt (20 g/l) is not effective in this process.

[Development of glands of internal secretion in birds and immaturely-born mammals].

Certain general problems on foundation of the hormonal regulation mechanisms during the prenatal and early postnatal ontogenesis are discussed basing on the authors' own results and on the literature data. They concern development of the hypophysis and peripheral target-glands in immaturely-bone Mammalia and fowls. The data on foundation of the endocrine glands functional activity are compared in rats and hens.