Biochemistry and experimental biology最新文献

A nonspecific increase in serum glycosaminoglycans was observed in mental conditions associated with psychosis, brain trauma and mania but not in depression. Significant elevations also occurred in alcoholics and epileptics. The role of glycosaminoglycans in relation to the blood-brain barrier and mental illness has been discussed.

The authors have studied the antitoxoplasmic antibody behaviour longitudinally in a sample of pregnant women and in one of nonpregnant women, all of them not affected by an active infectious process. No significant difference has been found between the various pregnancy trimesters. The antibody titre in non-pregnant women has proved significantly higher than in the pregnant ones. In a sample of 131 women it has been found that the antibody titre before pregnancy is significantly higher than the one present in the first trimester. The authors conclude that during pregnancy the antitoxoplasmic antibody level is lower as compared to the one of non-pregnant women; and this phenomenon implies various hypothese calling for further discussion.

A fingertip biopsy was made in 18 patients affected by chronic uremia, in order to study the histangic changes. Partial occlusion of the blocking devices, capillary dilation and regressive changes in sensitive corpuscles, especially in Vater-Pacinian ones, were observed. The incidence of dermal necrosis and of calcium deposits was also high.

The responses of the isolated rectum of the domestic chick (Gallus domesticus) to some drugs have been investigated. The tissue was found to be qualitatively and quantitatively similar to conventional mammalian gastrointestinal smooth muscles in its responses to pharmacological agents, and serves as a useful isolated smooth muscle preparation for investigating drug actions and interactions. Acetylcholine and its natural or synthetic analogues induced atropine-sensitive contractions of the tissue, while noradrenaline and other sympathomimetic drugs examined caused phentolamine-sensitive relaxations. 5-hydroxytryptamine contracted the tissue preparation, while histamine evoked a biphasic action (either a contraction or a relaxation, or even both occurring together one after the other). Potassium or barium ions contracted the muscle while magnesium ions relaxed it. Nicotine and dimethylphenylpiperazinium showed no effects on the muscle. The pharmacological implications of these findings are discussed. The receptor types present on the muscle have been classified as muscarinic cholinoceptors; histamine H1-and H2receptors; 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors, and alpha-adrenoceptors respectively.

Effect of partial hepatectomy on serum and its betalipoprotein protein, lipids, triglycerides, free and esterified cholesterol in dogs has been studied up to 48 hrs after surgery. Effect of actinomycin D has also been studied on the serum and betalipoprotein, lipids, triglycerides, free and esterified cholesterol in regenerating dog liver. Partial hepatectomy generally reduced the concentration of above components of serum and betalipoprotein. However, administration of actinomycin D to partially hepatectomized dogs tended to prevent the decrease in serum and betalipoprotein components observed in hepatectomized dogs. The effect of actinomycin D was more pronounced on serum and betalipoprotein esterified cholesterol, concentration which were increased as compared to partially hepatectomized dogs.

Effect of administration of actinomycin D to partially hepatectomized dogs has been studied on various neutral and phospholipid components of serum and its beta-lipoprotein fraction. Partial hepatectomy altered distribution of palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and arachidonic acid in various components of neutral lipids and phospholipids of serum and its dextran sulphate precipitable fraction. Administration of actinomycin D to partially hepatectomized dogs reduced the levels of stearic acid and linoleic acid and increased that of oleic acid in triglyceride component; reduced the levels of oleic and linoleic acids in esterified cholesterol; raised the levels of stearic acid of phosphatidyl choline and reduced the levels of linoleic and palmitic acid of lysophosphatidyl choline.

The mutual basis of the unspecific as well as the specific defense system is the reticular connective tissue which is closely related to the mesenchyma. Its fixed and free elements make up the stroma and "parenchyma" of the lymphatic organs. As carriers of specific defense the immunocompetent T- and B-lymphocytes are "stamped" in the lymphoepithelial organs and the embryonic liver. The proliferation and differentiation of the immunocytes and plasma cells which are responsible for the cellular and humoral immunity ensues in the lymphoreticular organs (lymph nodes and spleen). These "lymphatic organs in a narrow sense" which are also the focal points of the RES and RHS are still of major interest. The topography, macro- and micromorphology of the lymphoreticular organs are therefore the actual topic of this review which also covers the lymph vessel system with due attention. The lymph nodes are of pre-eminent interest: It is the primary intent of this paper to improve the understanding of their practical importance for the pathophysiology of the lymphatic system from the standpoint of normal functional anatomy. For lack of space and time alone, it was impossible to include a discussion of the just so acute and problematic morphobiology of the spleen.

On the basis of the morphological aspects found during a series of experimental investigations on the ultrastructural aspects of the lung under shock in the dog, the authors deny that type II pneumocytes belong to the group of alveolar macrophages and maintain that they are of an epithelial nature. This is confirmed by the presence of desmosomal junctions with the type I pneumocytes. In the "shock lung" induced by Escherichia Coli endotoxin, the type II pneumocytes appear to be severely damaged with particular involvement of the osmiophilic inclusions, sites of synthesis and/or heaping up of the principal phospholipidic constituents of the surfactant system.