Histochemical and ultrastructural modifications of mice endometrium,vagina and pituitary following zeranol treatment

Summary The histochemical and ultrastructural changes produced by zeranol treatment on the endometrium and the gonadotropic FSH cells of the adenohypophysis have been investigated in mice at the prepuberal and virginal stages. Modifications similar to those induced by estrogen treatment were observed. It is concluded that both estrogens and zeranol share the same activity on the tissues examined.     

Determination of plasma catecholamines in conscious normotensive and hypertensive (sodium and desoxycorticosterone) rats]

Plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline were measured in conscious Rats on 50 microliter samples by a radiometric technique. In normotensive Rats a moderate haemorrhage increased catecholamine levels. In Rats rendered hypertensive by salt loading and by desoxycorticosterone treatment noradrenaline levels were increased.     

微生物燃料电池与常规污水处理技术结合的研究进展

通过总结近年来微生物燃料电池(MFC)与常规污水处理技术的结合案例,发现与MFC结合的污水处理技术主要集中在物理化学法、生物法及高级氧化法三类。与物理化学法的结合侧重于利用MFC的产电特性,如电吸附法和电渗析法;与生物法的结合分为好氧和厌氧法两种方式,主要利用MFC的多重系统特性,大大提升除污性能:与高级氧化法的结合体现在光催化法、电化学法和电Fenton法三方面,其中,与电benton法的结合是研究的热点。将MFC与常规污水处理技术从产能和净化的双重角度进行结合,既为节能型污水处理技术的发展奠定基础,同时也扩大了MFC的应用范围,为今后MFC与其他技术的结合研究提供了借鉴和依据。     

Effects of chronic treatment with ACTH on the intracellular levels of cyclic-AMP and cyclic-GMP in the rat adrenal cortex.

The effects of chronic ACTH treatment on the increase in the intracellular concentration of cyclic-AMP and cyclic-GMP acutely elicited by ACTH in the rat adrenal cortex were investigated. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that chronic ACTH treatment stimulates a) the de novo synthesis of adenylate- and guanylate-cyclase or b) the synthesis of new specific membrane receptors for ACTH.     

碱厂白泥资源化处理技术的进步与展望

白泥是氨碱法生产纯碱过程中产生的废渣,对环境和生态具有巨大危害,对其进行资源化处理可以使白泥在处理的同时被当作二次资源加以利用。近年来,白泥的资源化处理已取得巨大进步,相关技术包括将白泥与粉煤灰、钢渣、海湾泥等固废物复合利用,用白泥制造新型建筑材料、烟气脱硫剂、沥青混凝土填料,以及用白泥降解垃圾等等,这些技术在一定程度上实现了白泥以废制废、变废为宝的目的,但仍有不足之处。未来对白泥的处理,一方面要改进原有纯碱生产工序,减少白泥排放;另一方面要完善现有技术的不足和开创新的处理技术．加大对白泥的处理力度．消除白泥对人类的危害。     

钛合金及其表面处理的现状与展望

钛合金具有抗腐蚀能力强、比强度高、中温性能稳定等一系列优点，另一方面，它也有对粘着磨损和微动磨损非常敏感，耐磨性差，易氧化，对聚合物、金属及陶瓷涂层附着力差等缺点，这些缺点的存在限制了它的进一步应用，为克服钛合金这些缺点采取了一些相应的表面处理对策与手段，如表面微弧氧化、表面合金化、离子注入表面改性等。研究表明在钛合金表面形成TiC、TiN、TiO、(TiAl)N等纳米级，复合，渗、镀、注入层今后仍然是钛合金表面处理的发展方向。     

Vaccination against and treatment of tuberculosis, the leishmaniases and AIDS: perspectives from basic immunology and immunity to chronic intracellular infections

The occurrence of infectious disease represents a failure of the immune system, a failure that must be prevented by effective vaccination or remedied by treatment. Vaccination against acute diseases such as smallpox and polio are very effective, due to the rapid and increased immune response of vaccinated individuals upon natural infection. In contrast, effective vaccination against intracellular pathogens that cause chronic diseases, such as the leishmaniases, tuberculosis and AIDS, has not been achieved. Clinical observations suggest cell-mediated, Th1 responses, exclusive of antibody production and the generation of Th2 cells, are optimally protective against these intracellular pathogens. Effective vaccination must ensure the generation of such a protective response. We explore here whether understanding very broad features of the regulation of the immune response can accommodate modern findings on the immunological features of these diseases, and provide a perspective within which strategies for effective vaccination and treatment can be developed.     

Effects of chronic treatment with ACTH on the intracellular levels of cyclic-AMP and cyclic-GMP in the rat adrenal cortex

Summary The effects of chronic ACTH treatment on the increase in the intracellular concentration of cyclic-AMP and cyclic-GMP acutely elicited by ACTH in the rat adrenal cortex were investigated. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that chronic ACTH treatment stimulates a) the de novo synthesis of adenylate- and guanylate-cyclase or b) the synthesis of new specific membrane receptors for ACTH.Part of this work was presented at the 3rd International Conference on Cyclic Nucleotides, July 1977, New Orleans, Abstr. Book, p. 79.     

Morphine but not fentanyl and methadone affects mitochondrial membrane potential by inducing nitric oxide release in glioma cells

We have observed that treatment of human glioma cells with morphine in the nanomolar range of concentration affects the mitochondrial membrane potential. The effect is specific to morphine and is mediated by naloxone-sensitive receptors, and is thus better observed on glioma cells treated with desipramine; moreover, the mitochondrial impairment is not inducible by fentanyl or methadone treatment and is prevented by the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor L-NAME. We conclude that in cultured glioma cells, the morphine-induced NO release decreases the mitochondrial membrane potential, as one might expect based on the rapid inhibition of the respiratory chain by NO. The identification of new intra-cellular pathways involved in the mechanism of action of morphine opens additional hypotheses, providing a novel rationale relevant to the therapy and toxicology of opioids.Received 19 August 2004; received after revision 16 September 2004; accepted 7 October 2004     

Effects of calcium and daminozide on ethylene production and softening of apple fruits

Summary Ethylene production of McIntosh apples was reduced by both a postharvest treatment with CaCl₂ and a daminozide treatment applied in the field. The CaCl₂ treatment was more effective than daminozide in reducing the rate of softening during storage at 1°C.Acknowledgment. This investigation was supported by the National Research Council, Canada, and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. A gift of Keltrol from the Charles Tennant & Company, Weston, Ontario, is also acknowledged.     

Similarity between the effects of suprachiasmatic nuclei lesions and of pinealectomy on gonadotropin release in ovariectomized,sulpiride-treated and melatonin-replaced rats

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of pineal indole treatments on LH and FSH release in pinealectomized and suprachiasmatic lesioned and ovariectomized rats rendered hyperprolactinemic by acute sulpiride treatment. pinealectomy or suprachiasmatic nuclei lesions in female rats both decreased plasma LH and FHS at 10, but not at 20 d after surgery, whereas the daily afternoon administration of melatonin effectively restored levels of both gonadotropins to control values. In ovariectomized rats, pinealectomy or suprachiasmatic nuclei lesions were ineffective in counteracting the high plasma levels of LH and FSH. However, sulpiride treatment in both pinealectomized and suprachiasmatic nuclei lesioned and castrated female rats significantly decreased the levels of LH and FSH, an effect which was counteracted by daily afternoon melatonin administration. Other pineal indoles tested, i.e., 5-hydroxy- and 5-methoxytryptophol, were ineffective in regulating gonadotropin levels. The results suggest that the pineal gland, through its hormone melatonin, can modulate gonadotropin secretion by acting on a dopamine mechanism independent of hypothalamic suprachiasmatic areas.     

Acetyl-L-carnitine treatment stimulates oxygen consumption and biosynthetic function in perfused liver of young and old rats

The effect of treatment with acetyl-L-carnitine on hepatic mitochondrial respiration and biosynthetic function in perfused liver from young (90 days) and old (22-24 months) rats was studied. Rats were given a 1.5% (w/v) solution of acetyl-L-carnitine in their drinking water for 1 month and oxygen consumption together with the rate of gluconeogenesis, urea synthesis, and ketogenesis with and without added substrates were measured in perfused liver. Mitochondrial oxygen consumption was also assessed in liver homogenate and isolated mitochondria to determine the maximal capacity for oxidative phosphorylation. Acetyl-L-carnitine treatment almost completely restored the age-dependent decline in oxygen consumption, gluconeogenesis, urea synthesis, and ketogenesis found in perfused liver of old rats to the levels found in young rats. In addition, acetyl-L-carnitine treatment increased oxygen consumption and biosynthetic function in perfused liver from young rats. After acetyl-L-carnitine treatment, we found detectable 3-oxoacyl-CoA-transferase activity associated with a consumption of ketone bodies in young and old rats. Finally, oxygen consumption measured in homogenate and isolated mitochondria did not change with age and acetyl-L-carnitine treatment. Our results show that in perfused liver, acetyl-L-carnitine treatment slows the age-associated decline in mitochondrial respiration and biosynthetic function. In addition, treatment of young rats with acetyl-L-carnitine has a stimulating effect on liver metabolism, probably through an increase in ATP production. Received 25 October 2000; received after revision 14 December 2000; accepted 11 January 2001     

Attempt at activating mouse intracisternal type A particles by iododeoxyuridine and dexamethasone]

In this study we have compared the effects of Iododeoxyridine (IUdR) and dexamethasone on different Mouse cell lines to determine any differences in their actions on intracisternal A-type particles (IAP). Among the nine cell lines studied only four responded to IUdR stimulation by a subsequent augmentation of IAP. No similar activating effect was detected with dexamethasome treatment.     

Temperature variation and the function of complement and antibody of amphibia

Summary Temperature treatment of sera of erythrocyte immunized adults of 3 amphibian species has shown that cooling enhances antigen-antibody complexing and does not alter complement function in vitro. These findings bear on understanding in vivo temperature immunosuppression in poikilotherms.This research was partially supported by a grant No. AI-12846 from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md, USA. The authors are grateful for the technical assistance of Ms J. S. Ruben.     

Timed bromocriptine administration reduces body fat stores in obese subjects and hyperglycemia in type II diabetics.

Obese postmenopausal female volunteers were given timed daily oral dosages of bromocriptine, and tested for reduction of body fat stores. This dopamine agonist has been shown to reset circadian rhythms that are altered in obese animals and to reduce body fat levels in several animal models. The participants were instructed not to alter their existing exercise and eating behavior during treatment. Skinfold measurements were taken on 33 subjects as indices of body fat. The measurements (e.g., suprailiac) were reduced after six weeks by about 25%, which represents a reduction of 11.7% of the total body fat. These dramatic decreases in body fat, which are equivalent to that produced by severe caloric restriction, were accompanied by more modest reductions of body weight (2.5%), indicating a possible conservation of protein that is usually lost as a consequence of such caloric restriction. The effects of bromocriptine treatment on body fat and hyperglycemia were also examined in non-insulin dependent diabetics being treated with oral hypoglycemics (7 subjects) or insulin (7 subjects). Total body fat was reduced by 10.7% and 5.1% in diabetics on oral hypoglycemics and insulin, respectively, without any significant reductions in body weight. Hyperglycemia was reduced in most of the 15 diabetic subjects treated leading to euglycemia and even cessation of hypoglycemic drugs in 3 of the 7 subjects during 4-8 weeks of bromocriptine treatment. These findings support the hypothesis that obesity and type II diabetes may be treated effectively with bromocriptine when administered at the proper times and dosages.     

Corticotropin and nonshivering thermogenesis.

Chronic treatment with corticotropin led to reduced calorigenic effect of norepinephrine in cold acclimatized rats, but potentiated its effect in controls. This inhibitory effect was not due to the observed decrease in corticosterone plasma level, as it was shown by metopirone administration. It is concluded that corticotropin could have a competitive action on receptor sites mediating the calorigenic effect of norepinephrine in nonshivering thermogenesis.     

Depression and treatment response: dynamic interplay of signaling pathways and altered neural processes

Since the 1960s, when the first tricyclic and monoamine oxidase inhibitor antidepressant drugs were introduced, most of the ensuing agents were designed to target similar brain pathways that elevate serotonin and/or norepinephrine signaling. Fifty years later, the main goal of the current depression research is to develop faster-acting, more effective therapeutic agents with fewer side effects, as currently available antidepressants are plagued by delayed therapeutic onset and low response rates. Clinical and basic science research studies have made significant progress towards deciphering the pathophysiological events within the brain involved in development, maintenance, and treatment of major depressive disorder. Imaging and postmortem brain studies in depressed human subjects, in combination with animal behavioral models of depression, have identified a number of different cellular events, intracellular signaling pathways, proteins, and target genes that are modulated by stress and are potentially vital mediators of antidepressant action. In this review, we focus on several neural mechanisms, primarily within the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, which have recently been implicated in depression and treatment response.     

Copper and zinc dismetabolism in the mouse brain upon chronic cuprizone treatment

Recent reports describe successful treatment using copper chelation therapy in neurodegenerative animal models. However, the success claimed for chelation therapy in neurodegenerative diseases is still rather controversial. To acquire new information on copper metabolism/homeostasis, we utilized cuprizone, a very sensitive and selective copper-chelating agent with well-known neurotoxic properties, as a relevant chemical model in mice. Upon cuprizone treatment, mice developed a pronounced astrocytosis, with brain oedema and spongiosis characterised by vacuolisations of the neuropil predominantly in the white matter. In addition, cuprizone treatment severely altered copper and zinc homeostasis in the central nervous system (CNS) as well as in all other tissues examined, with increasing metal ion concentrations particularly in the CNS. Concomitant with this increase in the Cu and Zn concentration in the brain, metallothionein-I and -II were also highly immunoreactive in astrocyte, consistent with the astrocytosis and demyelination observed in our and other laboratories.Received 23 February 2005; received after revision 3 May 2005; accepted 13 May 2005     

Timed bromocriptine administration reduces body fat stores in obese subjects and hyperglycemia in type II diabetics

Obese postmenopausal female volunteers were given timed daily oral dosages of bromocriptine, and tested for reduction of body fat stores. This dopamine agonist has been shown to reset circadian rhythms that are altered in obese animals and to reduce body fat levels in several animal models. The participants were instructed not to alter their existing exercise and eating behavior during treatment. Skinfold measurements were taken on 33 subjects as indices of body fat. The measurements (e.g., suprailiac) were reduced after six weeks by about 25%, which represents a reduction of 11.7% of the total body fat. These dramatic decreases in body fat, which are equivalent to that produced by severe caloric restriction, were accompanied by more modest reductions of body weight (2.5%), indicating a possible conservation of protein that is usually lost as a consequence of such caloric restriction. The effects of bromocriptine treatment on body fat and hyperglycemia were also examined in non-insulin dependent diabetics being treated with oral hypoglycemics (7 subjects) or insulin (7 subjects). Total body fat was reduced by 10.7% and 5.1% in diabetics on oral hypoglycemics and insulin, respectively, without any significant reductions in body weight.Hyperglycemia was reduced in most of the 15 diabetic subjects treated leading to euglycemia and even cessation of hypoglycemic drugs in 3 of the 7 subjects during 4–8 weeks of bromocriptine treatment. These findings support the hypothesis that obesity and type II diabetes may be treated effectively with bromocriptine when administered at the proper times and dosages.This is a process patented by Louisiana State University and licensed to Ergo, Inc., Newport, Rhode island. A. H. Meier and A. H. Cincotta have financial interest in the process.