Effects of atypical antidepressants on LSD potentiated apomorphine hypermotility in rats

The model of LSD potentiated apomorphine hypermotility [5] was used to classify different atypical antidepressants (danitracen, mianserin, cyproheptadine) and pizotifen. All drugs have been shown to inhibit specifically the locomotor activity potentiating effect of LSD in a low dosage range (0.1-0.5 mg/kg i. p.) without influencing the apomorphine effect. Since there is some evidence that the effect of LSD is due to the inhibition of the activity of serotonergic raphe neurons, the marked antagonizing effects of danitracen, mainserin, cyproheptadine and pizotifen are regarded to be an expression of pronounced antiserotonin activity.     

Characterisation and quantitation of a selenol intermediate in the reaction of ebselen with thiols.

The reaction of ebselen (2-phenyl-1,2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one) with thiols was investigated with particular attention to the formation of an ebselen selenol intermediate. The selenol intermediate could be trapped in a mixture of ebselen and thiols with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and the resulting product displayed unique spectral characteristics. The reaction of authentic, synthesised ebselen selenol with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) was shown to give rise to the same compound (2,4-dinitrophenyl (N-phenyl-2-carboxamido phenyl) selenide as characterized by light spectroscopy, NMR, IR and elemental analysis. The determination of the absorbtion coefficient at 400 nm (E = 7.5 mM-1 cm-1) and the initial rate constant of the reaction (1.4 +/- 0.3 mM-1 min-1) allows for the convenient quantification of ebselen selenol concentrations by initial rate measurements after addition of CDNB. The choice of 400 nm to monitor the reaction excludes the interference of other intermediates in the reaction of ebselen with thiols as well as the reaction of the thiols with CDNB. When the assay is applied to typical incubation conditions used for investigating the glutathione peroxidase-like activity of ebselen it was shown that as much as 10-20% of ebselen is in the selenol form. If a stronger reductant (dithiothreitol) is used 60% is in the selenol form. These data could also be confirmed by the direct determination of ebselen selenol by UV spectroscopy, due to its peak absorption at 370 nm (E = 2 mM-1 cm-1). In conclusion, this investigation demonstrates, for the first time, the identity and quantity of ebselen selenol in the reaction of ebselen with thiols and also describes a convenient assay for its quantification. These observations allow further possibilities for investigation of the molecular species responsible for the antioxidant and peroxidase activities of ebselen.     

Surgical Procedures in Nonagenarians

During the hospital course of 225 nonagenarian patients who underwent 285 major operations—80% on the general, vascular, orthopedic and urologic services—overall morbidity was 37% and mortality 7.5%. The 100 emergency operations were associated with a higher morbidity and mortality rate. Nonsurvivors were more likely to have associated cardiac or cerebral medical conditions, higher utilization of intraoperative invasive hemodynamic monitoring and greater use of surgical intensive care units. Compared with all surgical patients, the nonagenarians were admitted twice as often to the surgical intensive care unit, required twice the number of hospital days, underwent intraoperative hemodynamic monitoring twice as frequently and incurred 200% greater hospital charges. We conclude that with careful evaluation and management, a nonagenarian patient presenting with a surgical condition can safely undergo necessary operative procedures.     

新疆塔里木柯坪地区上奥陶统凯迪阶串管海绵类化石及其滤食选择性探讨北大核心

奥陶纪是串管海绵早期演化的一个关键阶段,记录了该类群的首次大规模辐射演化事件(属级分类单元达15个)。然而,现有大部分奥陶系串管海绵的报道来自澳大利亚东部和北美等地,在中国至今仅发现了两个属,与前述地区相比研究程度偏低。早期研究主要基于形态学特征对串管海绵进行系统分类描述,对其滤食策略知之甚少,因此制约了对此类海绵在奥陶纪底栖生态系统作用的相关探讨。本文系新疆塔里木柯坪地区奥陶纪串管海绵的首次系统古生物学报道,详细描述凯迪阶(上奥陶统)印干组中保存完好的阔室丛花海绵(Corymbospongia amplia)化石的形态学特征,并通过研究标本外壁微孔孔径的大小分布,探讨其滤食选择性。海绵外壁微孔孔径的分析表明:小型和微型浮游生物可能是其食物的主要来源,而多细胞浮游动物因个体尺寸大于海绵外壁微孔,不能被阔室丛花海绵捕获。本研究为奥陶纪串管海绵古生态学及其地球生物学意义的探讨提供了进一步的依据。