Necessity of a Balance between CN-Sensitive and CN-Resistant Respirations for Germination of Cocklebur Seeds

When applied singly, KCN or NaN3, as inhibitors of the cytochromerespiration path, and benzohydroxamic acid or n-propyl gallate,as inhibitors of the alternative respiration path, were lesseffective and ineffective, respectively, in inducing germinationof secondarily dormant, upper seeds of Xanthium pennsylvanicumWallr. When applied in combination, however, these chemicalswere very effective, producing much higher gemination. Thus,we concluded that an appropriate balance between the cytochromeand alternative path fluxes is required to induce the germinationof secondarily dormant cocklebur seeds. (Received August 30, 1980; Accepted December 2, 1980)     

Antiepileptic and neuroprotective effects of human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells in a pilocarpine-induced epilepsy model

Status epilepticus (SE) is a condition of persistent seizure that leads to brain damage and, frequently, to the establishment of chronic epilepsy. Cord blood is an important source of adult stem cells for the treatment of neurological disorders. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (HUCBC) transplanted into rats after induction of SE by the administration of lithium and pilocarpine chloride. Transplantation of HUCBC into epileptic rats protected against neuronal loss in the hippocampal subfields CA1, CA3 and in the hilus of the dentate gyrus, up to 300 days after SE induction. Moreover, transplanted rats had reduced frequency and duration of spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) 15, 120 and 300 days after the SE. Our study shows that HUCBC provide prominent antiepileptic and neuroprotective effects in the experimental model of epilepsy and reinforces that early interventions can protect the brain against the establishment of epilepsy.