Systemic injections of gastro-intestinal peptides alter behavior in rats.

Twenty-four male albino rats were given daily intraperitoneal injections of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), motilin, human gastrin I (1-17) or the diluent control vehicle at a dose of 100 micrograms/kg for four consecutive days and food intake, water intake, body weight, and running wheel activity were determined every 24 hours. Animals injected with motilin or human gastrin I (1-17) exhibited decreased food intake relative to those injected with VIP or diluent, which did not differ from each other, although food intake increased reliably over days. The mean water consumption followed the same pattern as that of food intake.

MIF-I suppresses deprivation-induced fluid consumption in rats.

Rats were injected IP with a 0.1 mg/kg dose of MIF-I, naloxone, dynorphin, [D-Phe4]-Met-enkephalin, [D-Ala2, F5Phe4]-Met-enkephalin-NH2, or the diluent vehicle, placed in their home cages for ten minutes, and then given ad lib access to either 20% sucrose, 10% sucrose, water, 0.01% quinine, or 0.

Naloxone-induced suppression of food intake in normal and hypothalamic obese rats.

Intraperitoneal injections of naloxone hydrochloride (1, 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg) suppressed food intake in both normal and hypothalamic obese rats maintained on a 4-hr per day feeding schedule. The decrease in feeding was more pronounced in the animals with ventromedial hypothalamic lesions. Appetitively motivated feeding, i.

Possible non-narcotic component to action of opiate peptides on tonic immobility.

Chickens were tested in a tonic immobility paradigm after a single intraperitoneal injection of either 0.0, 0.1, 1.

The effect of ablation of eosinophils on immediate-type hypersensitivity reactions.

The effect of ablation of eosinophils on hypersensitivity reactions in guinea-pigs was tested by administration of rabbit antiserum to the eosinophil (AES) and by administration of glucocorticoids. Both AES and methylprednisolone ablated eosinophils from the blood and peritoneal cavity of test animals. Neither administration of AES nor methylprednisolone, however, altered passive cutaneous or systemic anaphylactic reactions when compared to reactions occurring in control animals treated with normal rabbit serum (NRS).

Effects of an enkephalin analog on complex learning in the rhesus monkey.

Facilitation of the learning of a discrimination reversal task for a reward of food was found in rhesus monkeys after subcutaneous administration of a potent pentafluorinated enkephalin analog. (D-Ala2)-F5-Phe4-enkephalin-NH2. General activity, short-term memory, startle, and analgesia, however, were not significantly affected.

Subclassification of murine T cells by computerized microphotometric analysis.

Splenocytes separated by physical means and classified as T cells bay immunologic tests and computerized microphotometric analysis are differentiated into subgroups by analysis of the distribution patterns of Feulgen-positive nuclear DNA. In like fashion T cells obtained as purified preparations after separation on a nylon column, and accepted as T cells by micromorphometric analysis were subjected to further computerized morphometric analysis of nuclear DNA to form subgroups of cells. In each case, the number and composition of the detected subgroups were consistent.

Characterization of murine T and B cells by computerized microphotometric analysis.

Splenocytes and column-separated T cells are differentiated into subpopulations of T and B cells on the basis of computer-assisted morphometric analysis of Feulgen-positive nuclear DNA. Differentiation is based upon the analysis of computable image information related to DNA distribution patterns. The technique at the present time does not allow immunofluorescent and morphometric measurements to be made on a given cell.

The effect of antiserum to eosinophils and susceptibility and acquired immunity of the guinea-pig to trichostronglyus colubriformis.

There is much experimental evidence to suggest that eosinophils are important in resistance to parasitic infection. We tested this hypothesis by treating guinea-pigs with rabbit anti-eosinophil serum (AES) and determining the effect of treatment on susceptibility and acquired immunity to Trichostrongylus colubriformis. The treatment markedly reduced the number of eosinophils in peripheral blood and in the small intestine.

Effects of influenza, mumps, and western equine encephalitis viruses on fetal rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

Pregnant Rhesus monkeys were infected via instillation of influenza, mumps and western equine encephalomyelitis viruses respectively into the amniotic sacs at approximately 90 days gestation to determine if fetal infections would occur. Virus was recovered from fetal tissues after seven days in 100% of the exposed animals. Thus, the viruses are capable of causing fetal infection.

Ingested mineral fibers: elimination in human urine.

Sediment in human urine examined by transmission electron microscopy contains amphibole fibers which originate from the ingestion of drinking water contaminated with these mineral fibers. The ingestion of filtered water results in the eventual disappearance of amphibole fibers from urine. These observations provide the first direct evidence for the passage of mineral fibers through the human gastro-intestinal mucosa under normal conditions of the alimentary canal.

Avermectins, new family of potent anthelmintic agents: producing organism and fermentation.

The avermectins are a complex of chemically related agents which exhibit extraordinarily potent anthelmintic activity. They are produced by a novel species of actinomycete, NRRL 8165, which we have named Streptomyces avermitilis. The morphological and cultural characteristics which differentiate the producing organism from other species are described.

Computer analysis of defined populations of lymphocytes irradiated in vitro. III. Evaluation of human T and B cells of peripheral blood origin.

The radiosensitivities of lymphocytes of peripheral blood origin obtained from two healthy 45 year old male donors were studied simultaneously at yearly intervals over a three year period. Hypaque-Ficoll purified cells were exposed in vitro to 0, 5, 50, and 500 rads and then evaluated serially for viability of T and B cells, responsiveness to PHA and Con A, and morphologic evidence of injury as documented by standard light microscopy and computer assisted morphometric analysis. The results showed that T cells in both subjects were less radiosensitive than B cells.

Endogenous opiates: through 1978.

The discovery of receptors in the brain for opiates and the structure of the endogenous peptides for these receptors has led to an explosion of interest in this field. The present review is the first of an annual series. It summarizes many of the highlights of research with opiate peptides published with a date of 1978 or earlier.