Perinatal development of mammillotegmental connections in rats

Development of direct axonal connections of the hypothalamic mammillary bodies with ventral and dorsal tegmental nuclei of Gudden was studied on fixed rat brains from day 14 of embryonic development until day 10 of postnatal development using the method of diffusion of the lipophilic fluorescent carbocyanine tracer 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate along the neuronal membranes. The tracer was inserted into the mammillary bodies or into the tegmentum and, after incubation in a fixative, fluorescent nerve cells and nerve fibers were visualized in the brain tissue. The mammillotegmental tract was found to start developing earlier than other projection systems of the mammillary bodies. On days 14–15 of embryonic development, it was visualized as a bundle of axons running from the mammillary bodies caudally to the midbrain. A group of neurons in the midbrain tegmentum and their axons going to the mammillary bodies via the mammillary peduncle were first visualized on day 19 of embryonic development. The mammillotegmental tract and mammillary peduncle developed progressively from the moment of birth. Ventral and dorsal tegmental nuclei were formed in the midbrain by day 10 of the postnatal development. Thus, the formation of reciprocal connections of the mammillary bodies with midbrain tegmental nuclei was first described during perinatal development in rats.     

The migratory activity of HIV-infected people in the northwestern region and the routes of the possible spread of the infection]

The epidemic situation in HIV infection in the northwestern region of this country has been analyzed. The ways of the spread of HIV infection among the infected persons, residents of the St. Petersburg region, Kaliningrad, Novgorod and Murmansk, have been studied. The infection is transmitted mainly through sexual contacts, both homosexual and heterosexual. High migration activity of HIV-infected persons, homo- and heterosexuals, has been established, and a great number of unknown (casual) sexual contacts among them was noted. The results of these observations may be useful in the prognostication of the epidemic situation in HIV infection not only in the northwestern region, but also beyond its boundaries, and later in the optimization of screening.     

Specificities of rabbit anti-(2',5')oligoadenylate antibodies towards phosphorothioate and seco analogs of oligoadenylates.

Rabbit antibodies to 2',5'-linked triadenylate were prepared by immunization with (2',5')A3 conjugated via the 2'3'-levulinic group, (2'5')A3-Lev, to BSA. New radioimmunoassay for (2',5')oligoadenylates was developed using 125I thyrosine labeled derivative of (2',5')A3-Lev. Reactivity of antibodies with phosphorothioate and seco analogs of oligoadenylates was studied. It was found that (i) stereospecific substitution of the diastereotopic oxygens with sulfur in the internucleotide phosphodiester linkages changes the immunoreactivity of such analogs; (ii) the seco analogs of oligoadenylates display in some cases a rather high reactivity.     

Laser correlation spectroscopy of the blood serum in assessing the efficacy of hemosorption with myasthenia patients

In 30 patients with myasthenia the authors studied the dynamic of changes of subfraction content of the blood serum using the method of laser correlation spectroscopy. Significant changes of the blood serum homeostasis have been revealed in the process of hemosorption. The obtained results make it possible to develop objective criteria for indications to hemosorption as well as for the assessment of the efficacy of therapy.