Catatonia as an element of submissive behavior in mice during interspecies agonistic interactions

A catatonia-like state was elicited in male mice with different experience of social interactions, by pinch of scruff of the neck in a suspended state. In submissive males with long experience of defeat the total time of catatonia reaction during test is considerably greater than in aggressive individuals with a long experience of victories. The change of the social status of the individuals resulting from agonistic interactions leads to a change of the catatonia reaction: manifestation of submissive behaviour is accompanied by an increase of total time of catatonia reaction in the test, the aggressive behaviour is accompanied by its decrease.     

Agonistic behavior: model, experiment, perspectives]

Repeated experiences of social victories or defeats in daily agonistic confrontations led to different changes of the brain neurotransmitter activities in male mice with alternative types of social behaviour. Total activation of the brain dopamine metabolism was found in winners. Chronic defeats were accompanied by specific changes in serotonin and noradrenaline metabolism in limbic areas of the brain. Between losers and winners, significant differences were found in emotionality, exploratory activity, locomotion, level of anxiety, communicative behaviour, and alcohol consumption, as well as in immune responses and susceptibility to transplanted Krebs-2 tumour growth, gonadal function, and gastric mucosa damage. A sensory contact technique is proposed for studying the neurophysiological consequences of social conflicts.     

Protein synthesizing cell apparatus in malignant growth and pharmacotherapy by chlofiden

Data on the influence of a new antitumor preparation chlofiden on the general contents of rat liver ribosomes and sarcoma 45 and their division on free and membrane of membrane bound and decrease of free ribosomes during tumor growth supposed synthesis of specific proteins bound are given in the paper. It was shown that in the liver of tumor bearing rats total and membrane bound ribosomes decreased and the level of free ribosomes increased. High contents of free ribosomes in sarcoma 45 may testify increase of intracellular protein synthesis including processes of cell growth and division as well as the tendency for increase. Chlofiden normalized total contents, increased free and decreased liver membrane bound ribosomes contents, during tumor growth supposed synthesis of specific proteins. Increase of free ribosomes and decrease of their specific radioactivity in sarcoma 45 testified membrane damage by chlofiden and inhibition of intracellular protein synthesis which are essential in cell division.     

Cytofluorimetric study of glycogen fractions of the liver cells of patients with chronic viral and alcoholic hepatitis

A cytofluorometric study was made of total glycogen and two glycogen fractions--the one easily soluble (ES) and the other hard soluble (HS) in isolated liver cells (needle aspiration biopsy) of patients in the norm and with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH) and chronic alcoholic hepatitis (CAH). The amount of LS in hepatocytes of patients with CAH was lower than that in patients with the norm or with CVH. This distinction was shown already at the beginning of chronic disease, and then, in spite of a considerable increase in the total glycogen content in hepatocytes, with progression of the disease did not change. The quantitative analysis of glycogen fraction contents in liver cells may be an additional differential diagnostic marker for the etiological distinction of chronic hepatitis.     

The synthesis of immunomodulating peptide alloferon, the active component of the antiviral drug allokine-alpha

Two variants of the synthesis of tridecapeptide alloferon, the active principle of antiviral preparation allokine-alpha, were developed on the basis of fragment condensation in solution or on the Merrifield resin. The solid phase variant of the synthesis was shown to be more technological; it allows the preparation of the product at a higher total yield (40% vs. 17% for conventional synthesis in solution from the starting derivatives of the C-terminal dipeptide). The by-products formed during the synthesis of alloferon were identified.     

Effect of chronic ionizing irradiation on the structural properties of the apical and mitochondrial membranes of small intestine enterocytes

The different ways of the radiation-induced effect were revealed in the investigations of chronic ionizing radiation influence in total doses of 0.3, 0.6 and 1.0 Gy (0.0072 Gy/day) on the structural properties of the apical and of the mitochondrial membranes of small intestine enterocytes. The modification of the physical properties of the membrane surface area, the decrease of the structural order of the lipid component and conformational changes of the proteins were shown to be specific for the apical membrane. The disturbance of the dynamic properties and topography of the internal mitochondria membrane was revealed in the investigation of the inductive-resonance energy transfer between the pairs of the fluorophores: tryptophan-pyrene, tryptophan-ANS, pyrene-ANS.     

Differences in the reactivity of 2 mouse genotypes to zoo-social signals in the partition test

The reaction was studied of male mice of CBA and C57BL/6J lines to zoosocial signals coming from another individual. "Partition" test was used, in which two males of one line were placed in a common cage divided into two sections by a transparent partition with holes; this partition divided the animals but allowed them to see and sniff each other. The number of approaches to partition, summary and average time of staying near it during one approach were recorded. Mice of both lines reacted to presence of unknown partner behind the partition by an increase of activity near the partition; in CBA mice all recorded parameters were greater than in C57BL/6J mice. A greater sensitivity is suggested of CBA animals to perception of pheromonal signals. "Partition" test may be used for estimation of mice reaction to zoosocial signals.