Formation of Precipitation Ellipsoidal Disks and Spheres in the Wake of a Planar Diffusion Front.

Pattern formation is one of the examples of self-organization. In the generation of patterns, the coupling between the mass transport of the chemical species and their chemical reactions plays an important role. Periodic precipitation (Liesegang phenomenon) is a type of pattern formation in which layered precipitation structures form in the wake of the diffusion front.

Intra-arterial Thrombolysis in Second Trimester of Pregnancy. A Case Report.

Here we present a successful intra-arterial thrombolysis performed in the second trimester of pregnancy (21 weeks). The intervention resulted in complete recanalization of the occluded right middle cerebral artery and favourable clinical and gestational outcome. Together with cases described in respective medical literature our report affirms that in pregnancy acute ischemic stroke could be treated effectively applying intra-arterial thrombolysis (using rt-PA).

Signal transduction pathway activity compensates dopamine D₂/D₃ receptor density changes in Parkinson's disease: a preliminary comparative human brain receptor autoradiography study with [³H]raclopride and [³⁵S]GTPγS.

The degeneration of dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway in Parkinson's disease (PD) results in alterations of the dopamine receptor system. In the present study we have investigated the relationship between the disease related changes of expressed dopamine D₂/D₃ receptor density and the corresponding intracellular signal transduction route in cortical and sub-cortical brain structures in the human brain. Dopamine D₂/D₃ receptor autoradiography (ARG), using [³H]raclopride, and agonist stimulated [³⁵S]GTPγS (guanosine 5'-O-[γ-thio]triphosphate) binding autoradiography have been performed in human striatum, cingulate gyrus and medial frontal gyrus samples obtained from six deceased PD patients and six age matched control subjects.

The decrease of dopamine D₂/D₃ receptor densities in the putamen and nucleus caudatus goes parallel with maintained levels of CB₁ cannabinoid receptors in Parkinson's disease: a preliminary autoradiographic study with the selective dopamine D₂/D₃ antagonist [³H]raclopride and the novel CB₁ inverse agonist [¹²⁵I]SD7015.

Cannabinoid type-1 receptors (CB₁Rs) modulate synaptic neurotransmission by participating in retrograde signaling in the adult brain. Increasing evidence suggests that cannabinoids through CB₁Rs play an important role in the regulation of motor activities in the striatum. In the present study, we used human brain samples to examine the relationship between CB₁R and dopamine receptor density in case of Parkinson's disease (PD).

[¹²⁵I]SD-7015 reveals fine modalities of CB₁ cannabinoid receptor density in the prefrontal cortex during progression of Alzheimer's disease.

The cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB₁R) is one of the most abundant members of the G protein-coupled receptor family in the central nervous system. Once activated by their cognate ligands, endocannabinoids, CB₁Rs generally limit the timing of neurotransmitter release at many cortical synapses. Prior studies have indicated the involvement of CB₁R in neurodegeneration and in various neuronal insults, with an emphasis on their neuroprotective role.

Visualization of the ischemic core on native human brain slices by potassium staining method.

The potassium staining method is based on the formation of potassium cobaltnitrite crystals after the treatment by sodium cobaltnitrite of brain tissue. The degree of staining correlates with the distinct potassium content of infracted and non-infarcted brain areas. The aim of the present study was to prove that potassium staining technique is a reliable method for localization of ischemic core on native whole hemisphere cryosections of stroke patients.