Reduced anti-immobility effect of repeated desipramine (DMI) treatment in adult rats undernourished at perinatal age.

Adult rats submitted to a protein deprivation schedule at perinatal age showed a reduced anti-immobility effect following seven days of DMI treatment (20 mg/kg/day) in the forced swimming test. The ineffectiveness of DMI treatment is attributed to the inability of deprived animals to produce neuronal adaptative changes in central monoaminergic pathways.

Reduced apomorphine-induced sedation following chronic stress.

In agreement with previous reports, low doses of apomorphine (10-50 micrograms/kg, 5 min before test) produced a dose-dependent decrease in motor activity of control rats. This effect was markedly attenuated 24 h after a prolonged immobilization stress (2 h daily during 7 days). A single stress session had no effect on motor activity.

Effects of the potentiation of the GABAergic neurotransmission in the olfactory bulbs on mouse-killing behavior.

Intra olfactory bulb administration of three classes of GABA-mimetics (GABAa agonists, inhibitors of reuptake, inhibitors of GABA degradation) clearly inhibit mouse-killing behavior, without sedation. A linear correlation is observed between GABA levels increase in the olfactory bulbs and muricidal inhibition following local injection of valproic acid and gamma-vinyl GABA, two GABA-T inhibitors; the differences observed between these two compounds may be due to the differences in their mechanism of action on GABA-T activity and to the different pool of GABA on which they act. No diffusion to extra bulbar sites were observed after local administration of gamma-vinyl GABA.

Characterization of the 42-S nucleoprotein particles of Cyprinus carpio oocytes.

Previtellogenic oocytes of the fish Cyprinus carpio contain 42S nucleoprotein particles that are composed of two proteins of molecular weights 48,500 and 39,300 (molar ratio 2:1), tRNA and 5S RNA (molar ratio 3:1). The tRNA population embodied in the 42S particle contains all amino acid acceptor species but their distribution differs from that found in tRNA from mature oocytes.

[Perinatal histories of 22 newborns with malformations of the central nervous system].

The authors reviewed the perinatal histories of 22 newborns malformations of the central nervous system, among 9,323 consecutive births in the last five years, with particular emphasis on the incidence and types of malformations, as well as the most important findings of the parents anamnesis. Prenatal ultrasonography is stressed out as an important tool in the precocious diagnosis of such a kind of malformations.

Effects of Mg-pemoline on the central catecholaminergic system.

Acute or repeated treatment with Mg-Pemoline (Mg-Pg) did not modify the endogenous level of brain catecholamines (CA) of rats. However, a single dose (30 mg/kg) produced a significant decrease of brain CA turnover, measured either by the rate of conversion of 14C-tyrosine to CA or by the rate of disappearance of CA after alpha-MT. Mg-Pe (0.

[Pulmonary edema associated with Pseudomonas neonatal sepsis (author's transl)].

Four newborn babies at term, with massive pulmonary haemorrhage associated with fulminant septicemia due to pseudomonas, are presented. The neonates died in the first day of life. The haematocrit and the proteic contents of the pulmonary effluent showed the existence of a pulmonary lesional edema.

ELISA for toxoplasma antibody detection: a comparison with other serodiagnostic tests.

An ELISA method was developed for the measurement of toxoplasma IgG antibodies in human serum using antigen-coated polystyrene beads as a solid phase and anti human IgG-horse radish peroxidase conjugate as an enzymatic tracer. In order to assess ELISA sensitivity and specificity, a between methods comparison was made using 'conventional' serological tests as reference (dye-test, crossover-linked immunoassay, passive haemagglutination, indirect immunofluorescence). From an analysis of the group classifications obtained some considerations emerged: the ELISA specificity looks comparable with that of the 'reference' tests, as no sample classified as negative by all these tests was ELISA-positive, and vice versa; ELISA appears to correlate better with haemagglutination and immunofluorescence, on the basis of the respective class frequencies; in particular, the number of positives, which is much lower for the dye-test and crossover-linked immunoassay, suggests that a higher sensitivity is reached in the former cases.

[Persistance of fetal circulation. a case associated to maternal indomethacin administration (author's transl)].

The case of a neonate born to a mother who was treated with indomethacin in the antenatal period is presented. Newborn presented, immediately after birth, severe respiratory distress syndrome, with cyanosis that remain unmodified by oxigenotherapy and mechanical ventilation. Clinical picture and analitic and radiographic findings, suggested persistent fetal circulation syndrome.

A reliable and sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of dopamine, noradrenaline, 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxy-indolacetic acid in small brain samples.

A sensitive and reliable fluorometric method for the simultaneous determination of dopamine, noradrenaline, 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxy-indol acetic acid in small samples of brain tissues is described. The procedure is based on solvent extraction; catecholamines are oxidized by the Chang's method and 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxy-indol acetic acid determined by reaction with o-phthalaldehyde, alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine causes a negligible interference with the procedure. Results of determination of these amines in different brain areas are reported.

Effects of the administration of artroglobina suppositories in healthy volunteers.

Forty-nine healthy volunteers were treated daily with Artroglobina suppositories (anticartilage antiparathyroid immunoglobulins) for twelve days, in order to prove the absence of side effects. Volunteers were examined daily. Blood and urine samples were taken before the treatment, twelve days, twenty-four days and six months after the beginning of the treatment.

Ventilator modifications for intermittent mandatory ventilation.

A Loosko MK2 ventilator has been modified to provide IMV in newborns. IMV rate can be varied from 3-60/min. The minimum inspiration period can be theoretically as low as 0.

Persistent changes in central catecholaminergic system after recovery of perinatally undernourished rats.

Pregnant rats from day 14 of pregnancy or pups were fed a control diet (24% casein) or a deprived diet (8% casein) in order to obtain the following groups: 1) Control (C-C group); 2) Prenatal deprived (D-C group); 3) Postnatal deprived (C-D group); 4) Pre and postnatal deprived (D-D group). From 50 days of age on, all groups were fed a balanced commercial stock diet until 140 days of age. A significant reduction in corporal and brain weights was observed in C-D and D-D groups during deprivation and after nutritional recovery.

[Fetal alcohol syndrome (author's transl)].

A case of fetal alcohol syndrome is reported in a intrauterine growth retarded female newborn with dysmorphic features and congenital cardiopathy whose mother suffered from a chronic ethylism during pregnancy. Authors compare this case findings with the reported revisions of other authors.

Inhibition of catecholamine biosynthesis and memory processes.

Rats injected with 60 mg/kg of alpha-methyl tyrosine (alpha-MT) immediately after a training in a shuttle box impaired retention of conditioned avoidance response (CAR). DL-Dopa (200 mg/kg) administered 5, 30, 60, and 120 min after alpha-MT treatment counteracted the depressive effect of this drug during the retention test; at longer times it was ineffective. Post-trial injections of 600 mg/kg of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) impaired retention of CAR; at a lower dose (300 mg/kg) it had no effect.