Localization of chick retinal visinin-like immunoreactivity in the rat forebrain and diencephalon

The present study is an examination, using an indirect immunofluorescence method, of the distribution of visinin, a 24,000 dalton peptide, in the rat forebrain and diencephalon. Immunoreactive structures were localized in the neuronal elements showing an uneven distribution. Immunoreactive neurons were found in the olfactory bulb, anterior olfactory nucleus, cerebral cortex, amygdaloid complex, ventral portion of the nucleus caudatus putamen, septal area, nucleus accumbens, nucleus paratenialis, nucleus rhomboideus, nucleus reuniens, nucleus paraventricularis hypothalami, nucleus supraopticus, nucleus anterior hypothalami, preoptic area, hypothalamic periventricular nucleus, nucleus mammillaris medialis, medial habenular nucleus, zona incerta, nucleus lateralis thalami, nucleus tractus optici and gyrus dentatus. Immunoreactive fibers were observed in the above areas, particularly near the labelled cells, forming fiber plexuses of varying density. In addition, dense plexuses were also seen in the globus pallidus, anteroventral nucleus of the thalamus, substantia nigra and hippocampus. In the former three structures, no labelled cells were present and in the latter, a few scattered neurons were found, indicating that these fibers originate from extrinsic sources.

[Ventricular activation sequence estimated by body surface isochrone map]

This study was performed to evaluate the usefulness of the body surface isochrone map (VAT map) for identifying the ventricular activation sequence, and it was correlated with the isopotential map. Subjects consisted of 42 normal healthy adults, 18 patients with artificial ventricular pacemakers, and 100 patients with ventricular premature beats (VPB). The sites of pacemaker implantations were the right ventricular endocardial apex (nine cases), right ventricular epicardial apex (five cases), right ventricular inflow tract (one case), left ventricular epicardial apex (one case), and posterior base of the left ventricle via the coronary sinus (two cases). An isopotential map was recorded by the mapper HPM-6500 (Chunichi-Denshi Co.) on the basis of an 87 unipolar lead ECG, and a VAT isochrone map was drawn by a minicomputer. The normal VAT map was classified by type according to alignment of isochrone lines, and their frequency was 57.1% for type A, 16.7% for type B, and 26.2% for type C. In the VAT map of ventricular pacing, the body surface area of initial isochrone lines represented well the sites of pacemaker stimuli. In the VAT map of VPB, the sites of origin of VPB agreed well with those as determined by the previous study using an isopotential map. The density of the isochrone lines suggested the mode of conduction via the specialized conduction system or ventricular muscle. The VAT map is a very useful diagnostic method to predict the ventricular activation sequence more directly in a single sheet of the map.

Coexistence of calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P-like peptide in single cells of the trigeminal ganglion of the rat: immunohistochemical analysis

The localization of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) in the rat trigeminal ganglion was examined by means of the indirect immunofluorescent method. About 40% of neurons in the ganglion contained CGRP-like immunoreactivity (CGRPI), while about 20% of neurons showed SP-like immunoreactivity (SPI). In serial sections, nearly all the SPI neurons contained CGRPI.

Immunohistochemical evidence for the coexistence of calcitonin gene-related peptide- and choline acetyltransferase-like immunoreactivity in neurons of the rat hypoglossal, facial and ambiguus nuclei

The present immunocytochemical study demonstrates that calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity (CGRPI) coexists with acetylcholine in single cells of hypoglossal, facial and ambiguus nuclei. The experiments were done using alternate frozen sections from relevant regions of the rat brain. We further show that CGRPI is localized in the nerve terminals that form neuromuscular junctions in the tongue muscles.

Somatostatinergic neurons in the insular cortex project to the spinal cord: combined retrograde axonal transport and immunohistochemical study

A double-labeling method combining immunohistochemistry and a retrograde tracer technique using biotin-horseradish peroxidase (B-HRP) was employed to identify a descending somatostatinergic fiber system from the insular cortex to the spinal cord. Injection of B-HRP into the spinal cord at cervical or lumbar levels resulted in the labeling of a number of neurons in the insular cortex. Simultaneous immunostaining revealed the existence of double-labeled neurons in the insular cortex. The result provides direct evidence for the presence of a descending somatostatinergic pathway from the insular cortex to lumbar levels of the spinal cord.

Localization of chick retinal 24,000 dalton protein (visinin)-like immunoreactivity in the rat lower brain stem

The distribution of visinin, a 24,000 dalton peptide, in the lower brain stem of the rat was examined by means of an indirect immunofluorescent method. Visinin-immunoreactive structures were found to be unevenly distributed only in the neuronal elements. The following neuronal systems were strongly labeled by the antiserum; the Purkinje cell system, mammillotegmental system, habenulointerpeduncular system, the second layer of the superior colliculus, ventral tegmental area, substantia nigra pars lateralis, area medial to the medial geniculate body, parabrachial area, dorsal and ventral nuclei of the lateral lemniscus, pontine reticular formation just medial to the trigeminal principal nucleus, superior olivary nucleus, solitarii nucleus, external layer of the inferior colliculus and spinal trigeminal nucleus. The densities of the labeled fibers in these areas paralleled those of the labeled cells. In addition, highly dense visinin-immunoreactive fiber plexuses were seen in the zona compacta of the substantia nigra, lateral portion of the interpeduncular nucleus, ventral tegmental nucleus of Gudden and vestibular nucleus.

Determination of trialkyltin, dialkyltin, and triphenyltin compounds in environmental water and sediments

An analytical procedure for the determination of trialkyltin (tributyltin, tripropyltin), triphenyltin and dialkyltin (dibutyltin) compounds in environmental water and sediment was studied. Water samples were extracted into benzene with hydrochloric acid and sodium chloride. Sediment samples were extracted into methanolic hydrochloric acid and converted into benzene. Silica gel, which was impregnated with hydrochloric acid and activated, was used for clean-up of these compounds. These extracts of organotin chlorides were hydrogenated with an ethanol solution of sodium borohydride. Organotin hydrides were measured by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. Recoveries of these compounds were ca. 70-95% from river water and sediment samples. The detection limits were 0.4-0.8 micrograms/l in water and 0.02-0.04 micrograms/g in sediment samples.

CCK pathway from supramammillary region to the nucleus anterior ventralis thalami of the young rats

The existence of cholecystokinin-8-like immunoreactive (CCKI) pathway from supramammillary region (SUM) to the nucleus anterior ventralis thalami (AVT) was demonstrated in this study by means of experimental immunohistochemical manipulations in very young rats, because destruction of unilateral SUM, which contains CCKI neurons, resulted in a disappearance of CCKI fibers in the ipsilateral AVT.

[Effects of heart rate on body surface potential distribution in patients with atrial pacemaker]

Nine patients of sick sinus syndrome with atrial programmable pacemaker (3 males and 6 females, aged from 53 to 72 years) were studied to assess the effect of heart rate on the body surface potential distribution. Body surface maps (87 lead points) and M-mode echocardiograms were recorded at 20-beat increments of heart rate from 60 to 140 beats/min during atrial pacing. The potential changes of R and S voltages were evaluated quantitatively and were correlated with the changes of echocardiographically measured left ventricular dimension. As the heart rate increased, left ventricular dimension in end-diastole (LVDd) decreased gradually (Table 1), and a significant decrease was observed when the heart rate increased from 80 to 100 beats/min and from 100 to 120 beats/min, respectively, (p less than 0.05). With a decrease in LVDd, the distance between the left ventricular posterior wall and the anterior chest wall decreased and the left ventricular wall increased in its thickness. These changes, however, were not statistically significant. With an increase in the heart rate, R voltages decreased gradually in the left lateral chest and the sum of R voltages (sigma R) of six lead points in the left lateral chest including leads V5-6 decreased significantly when the heart rate increased from 60 to 100 beats/min and from 80 to 120 beats/min, respectively (p less than 0.02) (Table 2). On the other hand, R voltages remained unchanged in the left anterior chest during atrial pacing, then the sum of R voltages of six lead points in the left anterior chest including leads V2-4 and the sum of R voltages of 87 lead points did not show any significant changes (Table 2). An increase in the absolute value of S voltages was observed in the left anterior chest and the sum of S voltages of six lead points in the left anterior chest including leads V2-4 increased when the heart rate increased from 60 to 100 beats/min and from 80 to 120 beats/min, respectively (p less than 0.1) (Table 3) A decrease of R voltages in the left lateral chest was consistent with the reduction in LVDd (p less than 0.005). It is concluded that the changes in body surface QRS amplitudes during atrial pacing are related to those in the left ventricular dimension and that R voltages in the left lateral chest are fairly sensitive to see the changes in LVDd in cases with no abnormal wall motion of the left ventricle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Distribution of abnormal Q waves on body surface in relation to left ventricular wall motion abnormalities in myocardial infarction

This study was undertaken to determine the possible one-to-one relationship between each site of asynergy of the left ventricle and the body surface area to which ensuing abnormal electrical phenomena are reflected. In 140 post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients, distribution of abnormal Q waves on the body surface was correlated with the abnormal segments of LV wall motion identified by left ventriculography (LVG). Unipolar lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) were recorded from 87 lead points over the precordium and the back with Wilson's central terminal as the reference point. Data acquisition and mapping was accomplished through a mapping system HPM 5100 microcomputer. In all cases, coronary arteriography (CAG) and LVG were performed at least 2 months after the acute episode of MI. The LVG findings were evaluated separately in seven wall segments in accordance with the American Heart Association (AHA) reporting system. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the abnormal Q wave in each lead point were obtained in cases with abnormal wall motion in segments 2, 3, and 6, respectively, and in infero-posterior segments 4 or 5. Statistical analysis was performed by comparing two groups of patients with or without asynergy of each wall segment concerned. Results of the study revealed some abnormal Q areas of high diagnostic accuracy that correlated highly with the site of abnormal contractility.

Hydrophobic-ionic chromatography: its application to microbial glucose oxidase, hyaluronidase, cholesterol oxidase, and cholesterol esterase

Glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger, hyaluronidase from Streptomyces hyalurolyticus, and cholesterol oxidase and cholesterol esterase from Pseudomonas fluorescens were effectively adsorbed on an Amberlite CG-50 column, when the cell-free cultured medium or the cultured medium with cell extract and without cell debris was applied without desalting but at pH less than or equal to 4.5. At the acidic pH, all the ion-exchange groups (-COOH) exist in the protonated form; the adsorption is not due to electrostatic attraction, but to hydrophobic interaction. The enzymes thus adsorbed were effectively eluted by increasing pH, at which the ion-exchange groups became dissociated. This type of adsorption-elution is called hydrophobic-ionic chromatography. By a single run of chromatography, glucose oxidase, hyaluronidase, cholesterol oxidase, and cholesterol esterase were purified 30-fold, 12-fold, 45-fold, and 20-fold with yields of 82%, 83%, 80%, and 90%, respectively. This indicates that hydrophobic-ionic chromatography on an Amberlite CG-50 column is effective for the purification of various enzymes, provided that they are stable at the acidic pH.