The lateralization of hemispheric control over pain-induced vocalizations in rats

Study was carried out on 232 white rats, male and female, fixed in a hammock and subjected to painful stimulation of the tail. The first impulse of pain vocalization was analyzed. The rats were divided into three groups--with intact brain, with inactivated left or right hemisphere. The first impulses of rats pain vocalizations may be divided into short screams with 40-140 ms duration and long squeals of 140-420 ms duration. Unilateral cortex inactivation led to a reduction of the latency, increase of the peak amplitude and change of the per cent both of the pain screams and pain squeals. After elimination of the left hemisphere as compared with that of the right one, a shorter latency and a greater per cent of the pain screams was observed and a smaller per cent of pain squeals. The obtained data testify to the dominance of the left hemisphere in the control of pain vocalizations in rats.     

Interactions between Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis and Fathead Minnows, Pimephales promelas Rafinesque, under Laboratory Conditions

Interactions between Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis and fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, were studied in laboratory exposures to two commercial formulations, Vectobac-G and Mosquito Attack. Mortality among fatheads exposed to 2.0 × 10⁶ to 6.5 × 10⁶ CFU/ml with both formulations was attributed to severe dissolved oxygen depletion due to formulation ingredients rather than to direct toxicity from the parasporal crystal. No adverse effects were observed at 6.4 × 10⁵ CFU/ml and below. Fathead minnows rapidly accumulated high numbers of spores with 1 h of exposure to 2.2 × 10⁵ CFU of Mosquito Attack per ml, producing whole-body counts of 4.0 × 10⁶ CFU per fish. Comparison of counts on gastrointestinal tract samples and whole-body samples and high numbers of spores in feces indicated that ingestion was the major route of exposure. B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis spore counts decreased rapidly after transfer of fish to clean water, with a drop of over 3 orders of magnitude in 1 day. Spores were rarely detected in fish after 8 days but were detectable in feces for over 2 weeks. These findings suggest that fish could influence the dissemination of B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, and possibly other microbial agents, in the aquatic environment.     

Thyroxine turnover and transport in viral hepatitis

Thyroxine turnover and transport studies were done on 20 patients in the acute phase of viral hepatitis. No significant changes in T4 degradation rate (k), the T4 distribution volume (V), and the metabolic clearance rate (MCR) were found. A significant increase of T4 serum concentration and TBG capacity, and decrease of TBPA capacity were observed. A negative correlation between TBG and TBPA capacities was found. Significant interrelationships between TBG capacity and T4 serum levels as well as T4 turnover parameters were shown. The values of T4/TBG ratio were within normal range.     

(Na-K)ATPase activity along the nephrons in normal and adrenalectomized rats measured by quantitative cytochemistry

A cytochemical method was used to measure total, ouabain insensitive and specific (Na-K)ATPase activities along the rat nephron. Enzyme activity was expressed as per cent of mean integrated extinction with reference to a calibrated filter. The lowest mean values of total, ouabain-insensitive, and (Na-K)ATPase activities were found in the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT). In the distal convoluted tubule (DCT), total and ouabain-insensitive activities (77.8 per cent and 45.8 per cent, respectively) were significantly higher than in the medullary thick ascending limb (MAL) (66.0 per cent and 24.6 per cent, respectively). Mean values of (Na-K)ATPase activity were significantly lower in DCT than in MAL (32.0 per cent and 41.3 per cent, respectively). Using Lineweaver-Burk plots, the KM ATP value for total ATPase activity was found to be 2.33, 1.79, and 3.63 mM in DCT, MAL, and PCT respectively. Maximal velocity was lower in PCT than in MAL and DCT. For (Na-K)ATPase, the smallest KM value was found in MAL (0.95 mM) and was 2.73 and 5.71 mM in DCT and PCT respectively. Maximal velocity was the highest in MAL (49.3 per cent), lower in DCT (36.1 per cent) and least in PCT (22.5 per cent). ATPase was measured in the MAL and DCT from rats fed a normal (N-Na+) or a high (Hi-Na+) sodium diet, and from Hi-Na+ rats one week after adrenalectomy (ADX). In the MAL, (Na-K)ATPase tended to be higher in Hi-Na+ than in rats, but was significantly lower in ADX than in Hi-Na+.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Experience with Saccharomyces boulardii Probiotic in Oncohaematological Patients

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - Very few reports have been published to date on the bloodstream infections caused by Saccharomyces spp. in oncohaematological patients, and there are no...     

Sex dimorphism of the interhemispheric asymmetry in the control of pain vocalizations in rats

First impulses were studied of pain vocalizations, elicited by electrostimulation of the tail root of semirigidly fixed 105 male and 95 female white rats of Wistar line. The rats were divided into three groups: with intact brain, with inactivated cortex of the left hemisphere and with inactivated cortex of the right one. It is shown, that as a result of unilateral decortication both in males and females changes take place in the character of durations distribution and probability of manifestation, as well as a reduction of the latency and an increase of peak amplitude of the recorded impulses. It is important that both in male and female rats the consequences of the left and right hemispheres inactivation differ by the influence on the character of durations distribution, probability of manifestation and the latency of pain vocalizations. At the same time, in males functional interhemispheric asymmetry of the control of probability of pain cries manifestation and latencies of pain squeals is more expressed than in females.