Changes in trace reactions of sensorimotor cortex and putamen neurons as affected by haloperidol

Experiments on conscious rabbits were made to elaborate motor conditioned reflexes through pairing stimuli with electrocutaneous reinforcement applied every 30 s. Neuronal activity in the sensorimotor cortex and putamen was recorded during formation and reproduction of the conditioned reflexes before and after haloperidol injection (0.2 mg/kg i. v.). In the putamen, haloperidol increased the number of neurons exhibiting trace conditioned activity and made the intensity and duration of these processes rise. The changes seen in the sensorimotor cortex were opposite in nature. Inhibition of trace conditioned activity in the sensorimotor cortex depended mainly on the decreased amplitude of the reaction conditioned component. The role of the dopaminergic system in the interaction of the neostriatum and sensorimotor cortex and in formation and reproduction of trace conditioned activity of both the structures is discussed.     

Spontaneous fibrinolysis in whole human plasma. Identification of tissue activator-related protein as the major plasminogen activator causing spontaneous activity in vitro

Spontaneous fibrinolysis of plasma clots was studied by following the lysis of the clots formed in 125I-fibrinogen-supplemented citrated plasma. Lysis of the clots invariably follows sigmoidal kinetics with S50 (the time required for 50% clot lysis) ranging from 3.5 to 4.7 days in 8 samples of pooled blood bank plasma and in the majority of apparently healthy donor plasmas. The spontaneous lysis of factor XII-deficient and prekallikrein-deficient plasmas was found to be similar to that of normal plasma. Addition of ellagic acid or antibodies against kallikrein or urokinase to normal pooled plasma did not alter significantly its rate of spontaneous lysis. On the other hand the addition of antibody against tissue activator (t-PA) inhibited over 80% of the spontaneous fibrinolysis in a 7-day incubation period at 37 degrees C, and the clot visually persisted for more than a month. Therefore, the factor XII-dependent components and prourokinase/urokinase system do not contribute significantly in whole plasma fibrinolysis in vitro, while the t-PA-related protein appears to be the major plasminogen activator responsible for initiating spontaneous fibrinolysis in whole plasma. Exogenous addition of increasing amounts of purified HeLa cell t-PA to normal pooled plasma in the ng/ml range cause progressively faster clot lysis. By extrapolation, normal pooled plasma is found to contain endogenous tissue activator in an amount functionally equivalent to 2 ng/ml of purified 60-kDa t-PA. The molecular nature of the t-PA-related proteins in plasma was studied by zymographic and immunological methods. The major t-PA-related protein in plasma was found to have a molecular mass of 100 kDa as determined by zymography. By incubating purified HeLa 60-kDa t-PA with a t-PA-depleted plasma, the 100-kDa component can be generated in plasma, suggesting that the latter is formed as a result of the binding of 60-kDa t-PA to a binding protein in plasma.     

Changes in the properties of adenylate cyclase from guinea pig lungs in tuberculosis

Changes in the properties of adenylate cyclase from the lungs of tuberculotic guinea pigs were revealed. The number of beta-adrenergic receptors in the lungs was found to be reduced by 30% at the second and by 70% at the third stage of the disease. The degree and the value of Ka for adenylate cyclase activation by isoproterenol remained thereby unchanged. The basal activity of adenylate cyclase was increased by 20% against the control level at the second stage and decreased by 20% at the third stage of the disease. At these periods, the stimulating effects of guanylyl imidodiphosphate, NaF and forskolin on lung adenylate cyclase were diminished. The experimental results point to the significant role of the enzymes of cAMP metabolism and reflect the course of the tuberculosis process in experimental animals.     

Obtaining monoclonal antibodies to Bordetella pertussis antigens

The immunization of mice with the protein fraction of B. pertussis strain 305 has made it possible to obtain hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies to B. pertussis antigens. Ascitic fluids containing monoclonal antibodies react in the ELISA in high titers and actively agglutinate B. pertussis strains 305 and 475.     

Anti-My-26: a monoclonal antibody inhibiting human phagocyte chemiluminescence

Anti-My-26, a mouse monoclonal IgG1 antibody, was raised against human granulocytes and has been shown to inhibit luminol-enhanced, glucose-independent chemiluminescence (CL) of human granulocytes (or monocytes) responding to the soluble secretagogues A23187 or ionomycin (calcium ionophores) and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Anti-My-26 inhibition of CL was reversible and was dependent on both secretatogue and monoclonal antibody concentration. This inhibition appeared to be directed at the component of granulocyte CL that is independent of NAD(P)H-oxidase-catalyzed formation of superoxide anion, because neither opsonized zymosan-stimulated CL nor the PMA-induced decrease in NAD (P)H-associated autofluorescence was affected by anti-My-26. In addition, ionomycin, over a wide concentration range, failed to generate any decrease in granulocyte autofluorescence. The A23187-induced CL inhibited by anti-My-26 was correlated with its depression of oxygen consumption. Furthermore, anti-My-26 was not cytotoxic and did not itself induce oxidative metabolism when used as a stimulant. Binding of anti-My-26 to phagocytic cells was not decreased by pre-exposure of cells to either A23187 or PMA. Evidence is presented to suggest that the binding of anti-My-26 to the granulocyte surface inhibits the oxidative response to calcium ionophore and PMA by blocking a common pathway(s) stimulated by these different secretagogues.     

Clinico-epidemiological characteristics of Q fever in the Carpathian region

The study of the specific epidemiological and clinical features of Q fever revealed the existence of an active focus of infection among humans due to their contacts with agricultural animals in one of the districts of the region. The focus was manifested by group morbidity among the cattle-tending personnel of a dairy farm. The source of this infection was cattle. The infection was transferred mainly through the air. The disease took a moderately severe course. The study of the rickettsial contamination of humans, animals and ticks suggested the presence of the active epidemic process and made it possible to work out concrete antiepidemic measures.     

Tunicamycin-resistant mutants of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens are deficient in amylase, protease and penicillinase synthesis and have altered sensitivity to antibiotics and autolysis

Mutants of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens resistant to at least 10 micrograms/ml of tunicamycin were isolated and shown to be pleiotropic. The mutants were more resistant to streptomycin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin and neomycin than was the parent strain but less resistant to penicillin G and tetracycline. They were more autolytic, presumably due to an altered cell wall. The mutants produced reduced levels of amylase, penicillinase and both metal and serine protease besides having an enhanced sporulation frequency and being more motile.     

Neurospecific proteins in human malignant brain tumors

The content of neurospecific proteins S-100, GFA and D2 was measured in malignant cerebral tumors by electrophoresis with the use of monospecific antisera. Concomitant measurement of proteins S-100 and GFA is a more reliable diagnostic criterion as to the tumor histogenesis than study of each protein alone. D2 protein appeared to be the most stable specific marker.