Antagonism of the anti-conflict effects of phenobarbital, but not diazepam, by the A-1 adenosine agonist l-PIA

The present study examined the effects of the anxiolytics diazepam and phenobarbital, the A-1 adenosine agonist N6-R-phenylisopropyladenosine (l-PIA), and the A-2 adenosine agonist 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) on conflict behavior. Water-restricted rats were trained to drink from a tube that was electrified (0.5 mA intensity) on a FI-29s schedule, electrification being signaled by a tone. After 3 weeks of daily 10-min sessions, the animals accepted a stable number of shocks (punished responding) and consumed a consistent volume of water (unpunished responding) per session. Different doses of l-PIA and NECA were then tested separately at weekly intervals. In addition, the effects of diazepam and phenobarbital were determined in animals pretreated with saline, l-PIA, or NECA. Neither l-PIA (15-250 nmole/kg) nor NECA (2.5-20 nmole/kg) produced a significant anti-conflict effect when administered alone. Diazepam (1.25-10 mg/kg) or phenobarbital (10-40 mg/kg) administration to saline-pretreated rats resulted in a dose-dependent increase in punished responding (shocks received) with minimal effects on unpunished responding (water intake). Neither l-PIA nor NECA pretreatment reliably altered the effects of diazepam on conflict behavior. Pretreatment with l-PIA, but not NECA, significantly reduced the anti-conflict effects of phenobarbital on conflict behavior. These data suggest that phenobarbital, but not diazepam, anti-conflict responses may involve interactions with A-1 adenosine receptors.

Porcine malignant hyperthermia susceptibility: halothane-induced increase in cytoplasmic free calcium in lymphocytes

We tested the hypothesis that lymphocytes from swine with susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia (MH) had increased sensitivity to the membrane-perturbing effects of halothane that increase cytoplasmic calcium. Cytoplasmic concentration of ionized calcium in lymphocytes isolated from blood was determined in the presence and absence of halothane for 10 Pietrain x Poland China swine that were susceptible to MH and 20 Yorkshire swine that were resistant to MH. Calcium was determined by dual-emission spectrofluorometry and by measuring the ratio of free to calcium-bound form of the fluorescent calcium dye Indo-1. Mean values for calcium concentrations in lymphocytes from MH-susceptible (MHS) swine were 80% less than control values (40.5 +/- 38.8 and 185.3 +/- 91.6 nmol/L; P less than 0.01). Untreated lymphocytes from MHS swine accumulated calcium at half the rate observed for controls. Exposure to 1 mmol/L halothane resulted in a 3-fold increase of free calcium concentration to 127.9 +/- 81.3 nmol/L in the lymphocytes of MHS swine, but had no significant effect on lymphocytes from control swine (225.0 +/- 91.4; P less than 0.01). Exposure to 2 mmol/L halothane resulted in a 6-fold increase of free calcium concentration to 255.9 +/- 91.4 nmol/L in lymphocytes from MHS swine and a 63% increase in lymphocytes from controls (303.8 +/- 116). The rate of halothane-induced increase in cytosolic calcium was 13 times greater in lymphocytes from MHS swine, compared with controls. These data indicated that the molecular defect that results in halothane-hypersensitivity and is characteristic of muscle of MHS swine also occurs in lymphocytes from MHS swine.

Pulmonary surfactant. I. In immature and mature babies

Lung surfactant was obtained by postmortem lavage from: (A) premature babies: 34 dying acutely within 2 days of birth from Hyaline Membrane Disease (HMD), 20 dying several days after birth with HMD and its consequences, 8 dying from causes other than HMD; (B) mature babies: 24 dying stillborn, 15 dying soon after birth and 16 dying between 2 weeks and 1 year of age with minimal lung pathology. The phospholipid composition of the surfactant was analysed. Compared to the surfactant of babies dying acutely from HMD, that of the babies dying later from HMD contained significantly higher proportions of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and significantly lower proportions of sphingomyelin while that of the mature babies contained significantly higher proportions of PC and phosphatidylglycerol but significantly lower proportions of sphingomyelin and combined phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine. The surfactant of premature babies dying of causes other than HMD was similar and intermediate to that of both groups of babies dying from HMD. The PC fraction composition of the surfactant of the babies dying acutely from HMD contained significantly lower proportions of the disaturated fraction than those of the babies dying later from HMD, stillborn babies or mature babies.

Pulmonary surfactant. II. In sudden infant death syndrome

The lung surfactant phospholipid composition of lavage samples from 102 babies dying from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) (one-third with minor signs of inflammation) was compared with that of: 34 babies dying from Hyaline Membrane Disease (HMD), 15 mature babies dying soon after birth, 16 mature babies dying in the same age range as the sudden infant death syndrome cases, 13 babies dying from pneumonia and 6 from septicaemia. The surfactant of the two groups of babies dying from SIDS was identical and approximated that obtained from babies dying from HMD, pneumonia or septicaemia. Compared to that obtained from mature babies, the surfactant of babies dying from SIDS contained significantly lower proportions of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and significantly higher proportions of lyso-PC and sphingomyelin. The proportion of disaturated PC was similar to that of the surfactant of the age-matched mature babies. The surfactant composition of the babies dying from SIDS did not change appreciably after death nor vary with age at death. The surfactant phospholipid composition of postmortem samples from mature babies was similar to that of aspirates from living babies and infants and to that of bronchoalveolar lavage samples from living adults.

Evidence for simultaneous derepression of messenger RNA and the guanine nucleotide exchange factor in fertilized sea urchin eggs

Translational control was studied in extracts of Lytechinus pictus eggs and zygotes. We showed that neither mRNA nor initiation factors alone limit translation in these lysates; rather they are together rate limiting. Added globin mRNA was translated in egg and zygote lysates but overall protein synthesis did not increase significantly as the added RNA competed with the endogenous message. The lysates mimicked the in vivo response, since microinjection of globin mRNA into L. pictus eggs similarly competed with endogenous mRNAs. A number of translational components were used to determine if they would stimulate protein synthesis in these lysates. The addition of globin polyribosomes increased the level of protein synthesis. The majority of this increase was due to reinitiation of the globin mRNA, and under these conditions the level of endogenous protein synthesis in both egg and zygote extracts did not change. The addition of crude initiation factors alone did not appreciably alter the rate of protein synthesis in the egg lysates. However, in the presence of added mRNA, these initiation factors stimulated translation two- to fourfold. Of all the initiation factors tested, only the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF, eIF-2B, RF) significantly increased protein synthesis when globin mRNA was present. The addition of an unfractionated initiation factor preparation further stimulated protein synthesis in the presence of added GEF and mRNA, suggesting that a component other than mRNA and GEF was also limiting in these egg lysates. Other initiation factors, including eIF-2, eIF-4A, eIF-4B, and eIF-4F, did not substitute for the component in the unfractionated initiation factor preparation. We propose that alkalinization of the cytoplasm and the subsequent activation of initiation factors and mRNAs contribute to the large stimulation of protein synthesis in echinoid eggs after fertilization. Furthermore, we discuss the possibility that the increase in NADPH at the expense of NAD+, which occurs within 3 min after fertilization, may lead to the activation of GEF.

Lung surfactant composition in puppies dying of fading puppy complex

The composition of surfactant from the lungs of neonatal puppies dying from 'fadding puppy complex' differs from that of neonates dying from other causes. Surfactant from 'fading puppies' contained significantly less phosphatidylcholine than did the surfactant from other puppies, and therefore abnormal surfactant may be implicated in fading puppy complex. Abnormal surfactant has been implicated in the pathogenesis of sudden infant death syndrome in human infants.

Effect of glucose on jejunal water and solute absorption in the presence of glycodeoxycholate and oleate in man

Jejunal perfusion studies were performed in 12 healthy volunteers to study the effects of 14 and 56 mM glucose on fluid secretion induced by 5 mM glycodeoxycholate on 7 mM oleate. Glucose enhanced water absorption under control conditions and reduced water secretion induced by glycodeoxycholate or oleate (P less than 0.01). As has been observed previously, glycodeoxycholate and oleate inhibited glucose absorption (P less than 0.001) and significant linear relationships existed between net water movement and glucose absorption. Glycodeoxycholate also reduced the absorption of 14 mM arabinose (P less than 0.05) and oleate reduced the absorption of 56 mM mannitol (P less than 0.05). Reduced solute absorption in the presence of glycodeoxycholate and oleate, therefore, cannot be attributed to an effect on active transport alone. The relationships between sodium transport and water absorption varied with the glucose concentration in the perfusion solutions. Similarly, the relationships between glucose absorption and sodium absorption varied with glucose concentration. The data suggest that a significant amount of glucose can be absorbed without concomitant absorption of sodium. The data indicate that glucose absorption can stimulate water absorption directly without the mediation of sodium and that water movement follows glucose at a rate which maintains isotonicity.

[Idiopathic intestinal lymphangiectasia with hypoproteinemia. Unusual combination of complete diagnosis and ineffective therapy (author's transl)]

This case illustrates the difficulties which occasionally are encountered in diagnosing and treating small intestinal diseases. The delay in diagnosis was due to the fact that symptoms started in 1950 but the disease was not described until 11 years later. Once the diagnosis was established, there was an unexplained failure of response to appropriate therapy.

Distribution and age-dependent concentration in brain tissue of glycoproteins containing N-acetylgalactosamine

Glycoproteins that yield non-dialyzable, alkali-labile, N-acetylgalactosamine-containing heteropolysaccharides upon proteolytic digestion show a threefold enrichment in white matter relative to gray matter. Approximately 50% of these glycoproteins appear in soluble extracts prepared from rat brain. This distribution contrasts with that of the predominant alkali-stable sialoglycopeptides, which account for 60% of the total brain glycoprotein-carbohydrate. The latter glycopeptides showed a twofold enrichment in gray matter compared with white, and only about 10% of the glycoproteins that yield these glycopeptides could be solubilized by extraction with aqueous solvents. The concentration of the N-acetylgalactosamine-containing glycoproteins in the 3-year-old cerebral gray matter from human brain was respectively 7-15 and 15-30 times greater than in 8- and 72-year-old tissue. Electrophoretic analysis of the non-dialyzable, alkali-stable, acidic glycopeptides that contain NANA, fucose, mannose, galactose, and N-acetylglucosamine, obtained from the microsomal and synaptosomal fractions, revealed that the composition of these glycopeptides in the two fractions was identical.