Effects of neuromuscular blockers on carnosine levels in rat skeletal muscle

Summary A 30-min treatment with neuromuscular blocking doses of either physostigmine or d-tubocurarine was associated with a 44% or 36% (respectively) reduction in rat skeletal muscle carnosine levels in vivo.This work was supported by grant NS-06137 of the National Institute of Health.     

Both thermal and nociceptive afferents influence the unit activity of the neurons in the corpus striatum

Summary Both thermal and nociceptive stimulation in the periphery were shown to influence the neuronal activity recorded in the striatal area. Both the thermal and nociceptive sensitivity of the striatal neurons were closely related.The authors are grateful to the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung (Bad Godesberg, Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany) for donations of the necessary equipment for the present study. The research reported here was supported by grants from the National Science Council (Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China)     

Methylation of hippocampal phosphatidylethanolamine and proteins during long-lasting potentiation

Summary Whereas the monomethylation of hippocampal phosphatidylethanolamine is decreased following the induction of long-lasting potentiation of the CA₁ population spike, carboxymethylation of proteins is unaffected.This work was supported by The University of British Columbia.     

The effect of exercise on protein turnover in isolated soleus and extensor digitorium longus muscles

Summary The rate of protein degradation was found to be increased in isolated soleus and extensor digitorum muscles of 60–80 g rats after exercise consisting of running for 120 min. These findings support the hypothesis that exercise causes an increase in skeletal muscle protein degradation, and that both red and white muscles are affected similarly.     

Dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity in adrenal gland and spleen of rats after fasting and cold exposure

Summary Fasting (48 h) results in dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) release both in adrenal gland and spleen, suggestive of an increase in the activity of these organs. Cold exposure (48 h) produces a dissociation of the, sympathoadrenal response. When both stimuli are simultaneously employed, the DBH response suggests the preponderance of the response to fasting. Plasma DBH is decreased in all groups studied, this could be due to its half-life and the splenic DBH depletion.This work was supported by a grant of Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias de la Seguridad Social, No. 83/0905.     

Selective effects of gonadal steroids on the response of peripheral serotonin receptors

Summary The maximal contraction provoked by serotonin (5-HT) in isolated stomach strips of adult rats, a functional index for peripheral 5-HT receptors, was sexually differentiated, androgen-sensitive, and estrogen refractory. This is at variance with the reported sensitivity of central 5-HT receptors to estrogen.     

Fetal hypophysis as the main source of serum TSH in fetal rat

Summary Decapitation performed at days 17–18 leads to a drastic drop (82%) in blood TSH of 19 and 21-day-old rat fetuses below the mother's level.¹²⁵I-TSH injected at 21 days into the mother's bloodstream is not found in fetal blood. The fetal hypophysis is the main source of fetal plasmatic TSH.     

Effect of L-carnitine and stimulated lipolysis on muscle substrates in the exercising rat

Summary To test the effect of L-carnitine on glycogen sparing when fat oxidation is increased, 100 mg/kg/d were given to rats orally for 3 days, resulting in 1.8-fold higher muscle carnitine levels. Even when FFA were raised by heparin-stimulated lipolysis, the rate of glycogen degradation was not reduced during exercise.     

性别因素对大鼠部分血液学,血液生化指标和脏器系数的影响

为探讨性别因素对大鼠部分生理指标的影响，本实验分别测定了３月龄Ｗｉｓｔａｒ（２０只）和ＳＤ（２０只）大鼠的１０项血液学、８－９项血液生化指标和６项脏器系数，所测结果在同品种不同性别之间比较，结果表明，雄性大鼠血液红细胞、血红蛋白和血球比积值较高；血清丙氨酸氨基转换酶、天冬氨酸氨基转换酶及碱性磷酸酶含量较高，而总蛋白和白蛋白含量较低；雌性大鼠脑和肺的相对重量较高．     

大鼠急性心肌缺血模型的制备及相关问题的评价

大鼠急性心肌缺血模型是模拟人类心梗及溶栓再通治疗,研究缺血预适应机制,评价抗心律失常药物疗效常用的动物模型.本文通过较大数量的动物试验,在制备大白鼠心肌缺血模型方面进行尝试,除对目前采用的方法作出改进之外,提出模型制备成功时的心电图表现特点,并就影响造模成功的几个关键问题作出评价.