The effect of central serotonin administration on the neurogenic damage to the gastric mucosa due to chronic social stress in inbred mice]

A reiterated negative experience of intermale confrontations for 3 and 10 days resulted in aggravation of neurogenic ulceration of gastric mucosa in defeated males from all strains of mice under study, the number of mucosa erosions being 2-3-fold greater than in winners or control animals. Administration of serotonine into the lateral ventricles increased the number of erosions in intact mice of all genotypes. In experimental groups, a considerable diversity was found in respect to the effects of exogenous serotonine on the gastric mucosa. Following 10 days of the stress, both in winners and losers, a decrease of the gastric mucosa sensitivity to central serotonine was revealed.     

Study of the nature of toxic factors in burns on sterile guinea pigs]

Experiments were conducted on sterile and contaminated guinea pigs. The toxicity of the serum and the water-salt extracts of the internal organs after the burn was studied by the action on the leukocyte migration in a culture. Despite the complete absence of the microbial flora, the toxic properties of the serum and of the extracts of the internal organs of the sterile animals were the same as in the contaminated organs. The data obtained pointed to the important role of the histiogenic factors in the development of burn intoxication.     

Effect of temperature on the development of chromosome aberrations in human blood lymphocytes irradiated in pulse and continuous modes at BARS-6 reactor

Summarized results of 5 repeated experiments of comparative study of radiation effects of the pulse reactor BARS-6 either in a single pulse or a continuos irradiation mode on human lymphocytes are presented. Higher efficiency (30-40%) of continuous irradiation (exposure duration 1 h) rather than pulse irradiation with ultra-high dose rates (1-2.5) x 10(6) Gy/min (pulse duration 65 micros) was confirmed. The efficiency ratio did not depend on the temperature, 20 degrees C or 0 degrees C, during the exposure. Cell repair system and chromatin conformation influence on the results obtained is discussed.     

Is dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate an anxiolytic agent?

Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS, 30 mg/kg, i.p., 4 and 28 hours after the injection) were studied in CBA/Lac male mice different in the level of anxiety resulting from repeated social victories (winners) or social defeats (losers) in 10 daily agonistic confrontations. The losers demonstrated high level of anxiety estimated by the "partition" test. The DHEAS and saline injections had different effects on winners, losers, and intact mice. DHEAS prevented the development of anxiety in losers 28 hours after the injection. In these experimental conditions DHEAS exerted no effect on winners. It was concluded that the DHEAS effect depends on the psychoemotional state of an animal. The anxiolytic effect of the exogenous DHEAS may be also characteristic of the endogenous hormone secreted by the adrenal glands and in the central nervous system.