[Impact of long-term glycemic control on changes of lipid profile in children and adolescents with 1 type diabetes mellitus]. / Vplyv dlhodobej glykemickej kompenzácie na zmeny v lipidovom profile detí a adolescentov s diabetes mellitus 1. typu.

INTRODUCTION: Abnormalities in lipid metabolism contribute significantly to the increased occurrence of cardiovascular events in individuals with T1DM compared to healthy subjects. Disorder of lipid metabolism in T1DM is heavily dependent on maintaining of blood glucose values near the physiological range. DCCT study confirmed that patients with well compensated diabetes have similar lipid spectrum to the healthy subjects one. AIMS: We aimed to study relations of lipid profile parameters (cholesterol of high density HDL, cholesterol of low density LDL, total cholesterol - TC, triglycerides - TAG) to age, duration of T1DM (DD), blood glucose, HbA1c and if the blood pressure (BP), BMI corrected for age (BMIc) and daily insulin doses per kilogram (DI) in 30 patients with T1DM with good long-term glycemic compensation. We aimed also to find mathematical models of lipid profile parameters dependence of the parameters of glycemic control, age, duration of DM1T, blood pressure (systolic and diastolic BPs, BPd, respectively) BMIc and DI. RESULTS: HbA1c levels were significantly higher in diabetic patients compared to controls (p < 0.01), HDL were higher in diabetics than in controls (not significantly). LDL levels were in diabetics similar to controls. TAG was significantly lower in diabetics than in controls (p < 0.01). HDL significantly positively correlated with HbA1c (r = 0.372, p < 0.05) and negatively with BPs (r = -0.373, p < 0.05), TAG correlated with age (r = 0.546, p < 0.01), DD (r = 0.577, p < 0.001) and BPs (r = 0.407, p < 0.05). We also found a statistically appropriate mathematical models of the relationship of HDL and TAG with the parameters: age, DD, glucose, HbA1c, BP, BMIc, DI (r = 0.785, r2 = 0.616, p < 0.01, R = 0.758; r2 = 0.574, p < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: The changes in HDL and TAG values in juvenile diabetics are significantly affected by particularly long-term glycemic control and insulin therapy.

Comparative study of serum/plasma glycation and lipid peroxidation of young patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus in relation to glycemic compensation and the occurrence of diabetic complications.

AIM OF THE STUDY: We tried to investigate whether the AGEs in serum and lipoperoxides (LPO) monitoring were suitable for an early prediction of diabetic complications (DC) development in diabetological practice. We wanted to find whether it is better to divide the file according to the presence of DC or in terms of glycemic compensation in this study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 79 diabetic patients with duration of disease for at least 5 years were divided in respect to DC presence/absence and also to long-time glycemic compensation. HbA1c was measured by LPLC in fair capillary blood, s-AGEs were estimated spectrofluorimetrically and LPO iodimetrically and spectrophotometrically in serum. RESULTS: HbA1c, s-AGEs and LPO were significantly higher in the group with DC (+DC) vs. controls and also in -DC vs. controls. HbA1c and s-AGEs were significantly higher in +DC vs. patients without DC (-DC). HbA1c, s-AGEs and LPO were significantly higher in patients with poor glycemic compensation (PGC) compared to controls and HbA1c and LPO in patients with good glycemic compensation (GGC) compared to controls. HbA1c and s-AGEs were significantly higher in PGC vs. GGC. In the group of GGC we have found interesting significant correlations of HbA1c with HDL (r=0.451, p<0.05) and with LDL (r=-0.450, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the monitoring of s-AGEs in poorly compensated diabetic patients and LPO in all may be very useful to recognize the risk of complications. The dividing of patient file in terms of long time glycemic compensation is more reliable for research of this issue (Tab. 3, Fig. 6, Ref. 41). Full Text in free PDF www.bmj.sk.

[Thymic cyst--an uncommon cause of neck swelling in children]. / Týmusová cysta--nezvycajná prícina opuchu na krku u detí.

The thymus cyst, which is difficult to recognize before the operation may occur in children as a painless swelling of the neck An asymptomatic course of about 100 cases has been reported in the English-written literature until 2002. The cyst is localized along the thymopharyngeal duct, i.e. from the mandible angle to the upper mediastinum. The authors describe cases of two patients. In the male patient the swelling resembled pathologically enlarged lymphatic nodes implicating malignant lymphoma. In the female patient the palpation examination of the swelling suggested the presence of lymphangioma. The radiological examination revealed a cystic formation or a liquefied lymphatic node. The operation on the patients revealed polycystic formation containing a clear brown liquid. Histological examination proved the formation to be a thymus cyst. The neck swelling in children may also be caused by developmental errors--a lateral cyst from the brachial arc, lymphangioma, hemangioma, medial cyst, thyroid gland cyst, parathyroid gland cyst, aberrant or ectoscopic thyroid gland, struma, laryngocoele, lymphatic nodopathy, pathologically changes salivary glands, phlegmona or abscess in the parapharyngeal space, teratoma on the neck, benign tumors (dermoid, epidermoid, neurofibroma, lipoma, lymphoma) and malignant tumors (sarcoma, lymph node metastases). The available literature does not describe any case of thymus cyst of the neck, which should be considered in differential diagnosis of swelling of the neck in children diagnosed before the operation. The final diagnosis may be established only after histological examination. Surgical extirpation is the primary therapy of the neck thymus cyst. The authors describe embryology, histology, present a survey of literature and deal with differential diagnosis, diagnosis and therapy of the neck thymus cyst in children.

[Is allergy a contraindication for tonsillectomy?]. / Je alergia kontraindikáciou tonzilektómie?

Many immunologists indicate that tonsillectomy (TE) performed in patients with allergy has an unfavourable impact on the development of allergy and asthma. This warning has significantly decreased the number of TE in children, and resulted in an increase in the occurrence of peritonsillar abscesses, and high incidence of obstructive breathing disturbances during sleep associated with developmental physical and mental consequences in children. The subjective of this study was to find out the influence of TE on the development of allergy in 29 children, in whom their allergy was confirmed 1-5 years after TE. The allergic disease has improved or disappeared in 24 children (82.8%), no changes were recorded in 4 children (13.8%), deterioration has occurred only in 1 child (3.4%) who developed asthma, while in common population, asthma occurs in 10% of children. The results of this study confirm that TE does not have an unfavourable impact on the development of allergy, and therefore allergy does not represent a contraindication for tonsillectomy. (Fig. 1, Ref. 22.)

Monoamine oxidase activity in some brain areas of sheep after hormonal stimulation.

The influence of hormonal superovulatory preparations Folistiman (450 IU FSH, Spofa, Prague) and serum gonadotropin (1500 IU PMSG, Spofa, Prague) on monoamine oxidase (MAO), the degradative enzyme of catecholamines, was investigated in some areas of the brain regulating reproductive functions (area preoptica of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and pineal gland) in ewes with synchronized oestrus (20 mg chlorsuperlutin) during the oestrous period using a radiochemical method. After intramuscular administration of 1500 IU PMSG, marked increase of MAO activity was found in the area preoptica (p < 0.05) and in the pituitary gland (p < 0.01) in comparison with the control group. No change occurred in MAO activity after ovarian stimulation with FSH. Administration of the above superovulatory preparations failed to induce MAO activity in the pineal gland of sheep.

[Biochemical and histological changes in the hypothalamus in hormone-stimulated sheep]. / Biochemické a histologické zmeny v hypotalame u hormonálne stimulovaných oviec.

The effects were investigated of a hormonal preparation of serum gonadotrophin (SC) on neurosecretion, PAS-positive mucopolysaccharides and on histological changes in the third cerebral ventricle; at the same time variations were determined of catecholamine concentrations of ependyma surface in the hypothalamic regions that control directly reproductive functions in ewes of the Merino and Wallachian breeds in the oestrus period. Ewe oestrus was synchronized by insertion of Ageline (Spofa) sponges into the vagina. A dose of 2000 IU of serum gonadotrophin (Bioveta, Ivanovice in Haná) was administered to stimulate the ewes (n = 30). Twelve ewes of the Wallachian breed, six control and six test ones, were used for radioenzymatic detection of catecholamines (Catechola test, Prague). The brains were segmented immediately after bleeding and samples were taken from the eminentia medialis, area preoptica and corpus mamillare pursuant to the stereotactic configuration of the sheep hypothalamus (Welento et al., 1968). The brains of ten ewes of the Merino breed, four control and six test ones, and of eight ewes of the Wallachian breed (four control and four test ones) were used for histological treatment. For the purposes of a histological study, the brains were treated with current histological methods. The amount of neurosecretory material was assessed by light microscopy (Nakahara, 1963). Samples for the study of ependyma of the lower part of the third cerebral ventricle were examined in a scanning electron microscope. The obtained results demonstrate a statistically significant decrease by 36.4% (P less than 0.05) in epinephrin concentrations in the area preoptica of hypothalamus after SG administration (Fig. 3), in comparison with the control group. A decrease in norepinephrin concentration in the corpus mamillare (Fig. 4) was statistically significant (P less than 0.001). The dose of 2000 IU SG influenced most markedly catecholamine concentrations in the eminentia medialis (Fig. 5), where a statistically significant decrease in epinephrin and norepinephrin concentration was observed (P less than 0.01). Dopamine concentrations also decreased significantly (P less than 0.05) in the eminentia medialis (Fig. 5). Following the hormonal stimulation, a significant increase in dopamine and epinephrin concentrations was observed in the hypophysis of sheep (Fig. 6; P less than 0.05) and in the epiphysis there was a significant decrease in epinephrin and dopamine concentration (P less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Changes in the hypothalamus and adjacent ependyma after hormonal stimulation of the ovaries in ewes]. / Zmeny v hypotalame a prilahlom ependýme bahníc po hormonálnej stimulácii ovárií.

Superovulation treatment leaves alternations in the controlling regions of the hypothalamus and in the adjacent ependyme after ovulation. The test ewes were synchronized with Agelin (20 mg chlorsuperlutin in one vaginal sponge) and stimulated (after the removal of the sponges) with 750 IU PMSG + 750 IU HCG and with 1000 IU HCG and 750 IU PMSG + 5 ml Antisergon (goat antiserum against PMSG), administered 68 hours after PMSG (i.e. 40 hours after HCG). The control ewes were in different stages of the ovarial cycle. The experimental ewes were killed 120 to 130 hours after the start of stimulation. Routine histological techniques were used to treat the brain samples; this treatment was followed by assessment under light microscope. The ependyme epithelium of the third cerebral chamber was studied under scanning microscope. Preparations with different FSH:LH ratios had different effects on the nucleus ventromedialis. Antisergon administration influenced the secretion of NPV (prevented persistent stimulation), which was observed after administration of PMSG + HCG. On the surface of the lower part of the third cerebral chamber the administration of Antisergon slowed the formation of the miniblebs. Supraependyme cells disappeared after stimulation for superovulation.

Changes in the hypothalamus and ependyma of the third ventricle of the brain in sheep after irradiation and hormone stimulation.

In the present study the authors focused their attention on the studies of PAS positive mucopolisaccharides in the hypothalamus and ependyma of the third ventricle and on the observation of changes in the volume of cell nuclei of neurons--nucl. supraopticus (NSO), nucl. hypothalamicus ventromedialis (NVM) and nucl. tuberomammillaris (NTM) in sheep after irradiation with 2.46 Gy and hormone stimulation during anestrous. Ageline sponges and serum gonadotropins were used for estrous synchronization and hormone stimulation, respectively. The increased amount of PAS positive substances found in the examined hypothalamic nuclei after irradiation and hormone treatment seem to stimulate the function of the hypothalamic structures. The results of caryometric analysis in spring sheep also confirm this view. Administration of hormones in combination with irradiation results in increased number of ependyma cells and desquamation of the surface layers.

[Morphologic and biochemical changes in the hypothalamus in hormonally stimulated sheep]. / Morfologické a biochemické zmeny v hypotalame u hormonálne stimulovaných oviec.

The effect of exogenous hormonal preparations (PMSG, SG, PMSG + PGF2 alpha and FSH) was studied as exerted on neurosecretion and on changes in the nuclear volume of nucleus paraventricularis, nucleus ventromedialis, nucleus infundibularis and nucleus tuberomamillaris, and on histological changes in the third cerebral ventricle. Changes in catecholamine concentrations were determined in the rostral, medial, and caudal hypothalamus of the ewes. The study was performed with 28 ewes of the Slovak Merino breed during the oestrus period. The oestrus was synchronized by the Agelín vaginal tampons (Spofa). The ewes of four experimental groups were stimulated by the administration of 1000 I.U. PMSG (Antex-Leo), 1000 I. U. Serum Gonadotropin (Bioveta Ivanovice na Hané), 1000 I. U. PMSG with 250 micrograms Oestrophan inj. (Léciva Praha), and 450 I. U. Folistiman (VEB Arzneimittelwerk Dresden, GDR). The brain samples were processed by common histological methods. A caryometric analysis was performed at 3000-fold magnification and by measurement of 200 cells of one sample. The data were subjected to mathematical processing after Fischer and Inke (1956). The amount of neurosecretory material was evaluated by light microscopy (Nakahara, 1963). The multiplication of neurosecretion in the hypothalamic nuclei testifies to the fact that the administration of hormonal preparations stimulates the function of hypothalamic structures, which corresponds with the results of the caryometric analysis. It also ensues from the results that the administration of serum gonadotropins (PMSG and SG) at the dose of 1000 I. U. results in a statistically significant decline (P less than 0.001) of the concentrations of norepinephrine in the rostral, medial and caudal hypothalami of the ewes, although the PMSG preparation has a more pronounced effect when compared with SG. The hormonal stimulation with PGF2 alpha and with FSH causes no significant changes in the concentration of norepinephrine in the hypothalamus of the ewes. As norepinephrine is considered as a neurosecretion inhibitor, the multiplication of neurosecretion in the hypothalamus nuclei after stimulation with serum gonadotropins correlates with the decline of hypothalamic norepinephrine concentrations.

[Qualitative and quantitative changes in the hypothalamus and the ependyma of the 3d cerebral ventricle in sheep after irradiation and hormonal stimulation]. / Kvalitatívne a kvantitatívne zmeny v hypotalame a v ependýme. III. mozgovej komory oviec po oziarení a hormonálnej stimulácii.

In the submitted work we concentrated our attention on the study of the changes in neurosecretion. PAS positive mucopolysaccharides in the hypothalamus and ependyma of the IIIrd cerebral ventricle and on studying the changes in the volume of the cell nuclei of the neurons of nucl. supraopticus (NSO), nucl. hypothalamicus centromedialis (NVM) and nucl. tuberomamillaris (NTM) of sheep after irradiation and after hormonal stimulation. We made our observations on 28 sheep of the Slovak Merino breed, of average live weight 35 to 40 kg, two- and three-years old in the period of physiological anoestrum. The first group of four ewes and the second group of four yearling lambs were controls. The third group of six ewes and the fourth group of six yearlings were exposed to irradiation all over with a dosage of 2.46 Gy (250 R) for a period of five days. To synchronize the oestrum of all the sheep we used agelline sponges which we fitted five days before irradiation. After the irradiation and removal of the sponges we gave the test sheep hormonal stimulation with 3 X 500 i. u. of serum gonadotropin. The fifth group of four ewes and the sixth group of four yearlings were only stimulated without irradiation. The fifth day after stimulation we slaughtered the sheep. We processed the brain samples by the usual histological methods. We carried out karyometric analysis with 3000X magnification and the measurement of 200 cells from one sample. We processed the values obtained mathematically according to Fischer and Inke (1956). We evaluated the quantity of neurosecretion material with a light microscope according to Nakahara (1962). We found that the multiplication of neurosecretion and the increased activity of the PAS reaction in the hypothalamic nuclei studied show that the irradiation and hormonal treatment stimulate the function of the hypothalamic structures. The results of the karyometric analysis in the yearlings also confirm this opinion. In the ewes the inhibitive influence of irradiation was probably manifest. The giving of hormones in combination with irradiation causes the multiplication of ependyma cells and the desquamation of surface layers.

[The effect of hormonal stimulation on the follicle population in the ovaries of ewes during estrus and anestrus]. / Vplyv hormonálnej stimulácie na folikulárne populácie ovárií bahníc v estrickom a anestrickom období.

In the oestral and anoestral periods, 129 ewes of the Slovak Merino breed were treated with different doses of the stimulants PMSG, PGF2 alpha, HCG, SG and FSH after synchronization by means of Ageline tampons. In the anoestral period, PMSG doses of 750 and 1000 i. u. were found to increase the number of tertiary follicles from 12.3 to 17.2 and 18.6, whereas the dose of 1500 i. u. was found to reduce this number from 18.6 to 13.5. PGF2 alpha increases the average number of tertiary follicles from 12.3 to 22.2 and when it is combined with 750 i. u. PMSG, the increase is to 29.3 tertiary follicles. At higher PMSG doses the ratio of atretic (A) to non-atretic (N) tertiary follicles rose and the number of ovulations increased from 2.5 to 4.0. After synchronization with Ageline and administration of PMSG at the doses of 750 and 1000 i. u., the number of tertiary follicles increased from 16.0 to 18.4 and the number of ovulations from 3.1 to 5.7; the number of atretic tertiary follicles showed no change. In the oestral period, the dose of 1000 i. u. PMSG administered after PGF2 alpha reduced the number of tertiary follicles from 18.9 to 14.5 and increased the number of ovulation from 1.6 to 2.6; an increase was also recorded in the number of atretic tertiary follicles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Morphologic changes in the ovary and histologic changes in the tertiary ovarian follicles in ewes after prolonged irradiation during anestrus]. / Morfologické zmeny vajecníkov a histologické zmeny terciárnych folikulov vajecníkov bahníc po protrahovanom oziarení v anestrickom období.

The changes in volume, weight and the histomorphological changes of the tertiary follicles of ewes were studied after protracted irradiation with 4.8 Gy in the anoestrous period by the morphometric and qualitative histological methods. The trial was performed in May with 21 ewes of the Slovak Merino breed, divided into three groups. The first group (five ewes) was control. The second and third groups (each containing eight ewes) were exposed to gamma-rays for five days, the total dose being 4.8 Gy. Within ten days after the treatment, all the irradiated and control ewes were given Ampicillin Spofa per os at a dose of 250 mg per head/day and Roboran Spofa at a dose of 10 g per head/day. The animals were killed by bleeding on the fifth day of irradiation and on the tenth day after the end of the treatment. After killing, the volume and weight of the ovaries were determined and a common histological method was used to cut these ovaries into 7 microns slices in series 70 microns apart. The slices were stained with haematoxylin-eosine and were evaluated by means of light microscopy. After irradiation the weight of the ovaries was found to decrease significantly; however, ovary volume remained unchanged. The atretic and non-atretic tertiary follicles were subjected to qualitative histological differentiation after Marion et al. (1968) and the number of non-atretic follicles was found to have decreased significantly in the irradiated ewes. The late type of atresia contributes most significantly to an increase in the proportion of atretic tertiary follicles. The administration of vitamins after irradiation reduced the occurrence of atretic changes.

[Histomorphological changes in the follicle system in the ovaries of ewes after irradiation]. / Histomorfologické zmeny folikulárneho aparátu vajecníkov bahníc po oziarení.

Histological changes in primary follicles of ewes after the five-day protracted exposure to gamma rays were studied by qualitative and micrometric methods. The experiment was carried out in the anoestrous period with 21 ewes of the Slovak Merino breed, divided into three groups. The first control group (five ewes) was not irradiated. The second and third groups (each included eight ewes) were irradiated by gamma rays 60Co during the period of five days by the total dose of 4.8 Gy. All ewes included the control ones, were given Ampicillin Spofa 250 mg per head/day during the period of ten days after irradiation. The third group was administered, apart from this treatment, a mixture of vitamins Roboran H at the dose of 10 g per head/day. The animals were slaughtered on the fifth day of irradiation and on the tenth day after the end of irradiation. The ovaries, processed by a routine histological method, were cut in 7 micrometers slices in the series of 70 micrometers and stained with hematoxylin-eosine. By a qualitative histomorphological analysis of the oocytes of primary follicles chromatin aggregation, pycnosis of nuclei, pronounced acidophilia of oocyte cytoplasm, their shrinking and disintegration were determined in intact primary follicles, mitotic division of follicular cells stopped and the proportion of follicular cells with pycnotic nuclei increased after irradiation. The results show that the five-day protracted exposure to gamma rays at the total dose of 4.8 Gy causes pronounced degenerative changes in the anoestrous period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Morphologic picture of the ependyma of the 3d cerebral ventricle in ewes after hormonal stimulation]. / Morfologický obraz ependýmu tretej mozgovej komory u bahníc po hormonálnej stimulácii.

The ependyma in the infundibular region of the third cerebral ventricle was studied. Ageline sponges (20 mg per animal) were applied to nine ewes. On the thirteenth day after the removal of sponges, 750 I. U. PMSG was administered intramuscularly to three ewes, 1000 I. U. PMSG to another three, and the remaining three ewes were left without this treatment. Six ewes were the control. After embedding in paraffin, the material obtained from four control sheep and all the test sheep was stained with haematoxylin-eosine, material from another two control animals was impregnated by the method after Golgi-Cox. The ependyma in the infundibular region of anoestric ewes has a single layer and is cubic to cylindrical; it is only in the recessus infundibuli that it forms two to four layers. After the administration of Ageline, or in combination with PMSG, ependyma can be observed to react within the whole infundibular region of the third cerebral ventricle, but the most expressive reaction is recorded in the caudal part of the middle third of infundibulum where a transient type of cells (between ependymal cells and tanycytes) was found in the control animals after impregnation (they have cilia and one to two short and one long processes). After Ageline administration, ependymal cells in the middle third stretch out like in the anoestric period. The administration of 20 mg Ageline and 750 I. U. PMSG gave rise to low digital excrescences, the ependyma is undulated (pseudo-stratified) or contains small deposits of multiplied cells. After the administration of 20 mg Ageline and 1000 I. U. PMSG, the middle third contained, besides subependymal serous infiltrate, also large digital excrescences, probably filled with a serous fluid, and the surface of the subependyma and ependyma is eroded, containing proliferated deposits of ependymal cells of different thickness. Everywhere proliferation occurs, the surface layer of ependymocytes is desquamated into the cerebrospinal fluid. The histological picture described in the present paper probably suggests an increased secretory activity of ependymal cells after the administration of hormonal preparations. It is confirmed by these results that ependyma is involved in the hypothalamo-hypophyseal control of the sexual activity of sheep.

[Changes in neurosecretory activity in the hypothalamus of sheep after administration of PMSG]. / Zmeny neurosekrecnej aktivity u hypotalame oviec po podaní PMSG.

By means of histological methods of histochemical nature we examined the qualitative alterations in neurosecretory cells of anterior (nucl. paraventricularis - NPV. nucl. preopticus medialis - NPM), medial (nucl. arcuatus s. infundibularis - NARC), and posterior (nucl. tuberomamillaris - NTM) hypothalamus of sheep with a simultaneous caryometric analysis of neurons of the same nuclei after administration of various PMSG doses. The examination was performed on the brain samples of 23 two- to three-year-old sheep, of the Slovak Merino breed, at the live weight of 30 to 40 kg. in the period of physiological anoestrus (June-July). The animals were divided into three experimental groups and were instilled agellin sponges (20 mg). On the 13th day the sponges were removed and the first group was applied 1000 i. u. PMSG, the second group 750 i. u. PMSG. The sheep were killed within 30 to 36 hours after the oestrus determination with a teaser ram. After bleeding of animals the brains were perfused with 2% buffered paraformaldehyde and after taking out the brains from the crania their fixation was finished in buffered picroformol. Paraffin slices were stained with haematoxylin-eosine and crotonaldehyde-fuchsin to neurosecretions. Caryometric analysis was carried out with a 1000 fold magnifying and with a measuring of 200 cells from one sample. We recorded the neurosecretion increase in all hypothalamic nuclei under study. The caryometric analysis has shown a moderate shift to the right, it means the volume increase of nuclei of neurosecretory cells, which demonstrates a stimulation of the function of hypothalamic structures.

[Karyometric changes in the neurons of the hypothalamic and ependymal nuclei of the 3d cerebral ventricle in sheep after administration of Gn-RH and subsequent irradiation]. / Karyometrické zmeny neurónov jadier hypotalamu a ependýmu tretej mozgovej komory oviec po podaní Gn-RH a následnom oziarení.

Caryometric analysis was used for the study of changes in the cell nucleus volume of the neurons of nucleus paraventricularis, nucleus arcuatus, and ependyma of the third cerebral ventricle of sheep after the administration of Gn-RH, followed by exposure to X-rays. The test animals were 12 ewes in physiological anoestrus and two rams. The trials were conducted in spring. The first group of four sheep and two rams were left as controls; in the ewes of the second group the hypothalamo-hypophysial region was irradiated by exposure to 516.5 mC/kg (200 R); in the four ewes of the third group, ovaries were directly irradiated at laparotomy by exposure to 64.4 mC/kg (250 R). The ewes of the second and third group were treated with an i. m. administration of 400 micrograms Gn-RH per head before irradiation. The excisions were collected and processed the tenth day from irradiation. The studied material was fixed by injection of 10% formalin and finished by another dose of 10% formalin after the excision of the brains. The paraffin slices were stained with haematoxylin-eosine. The caryometric analysis was performed at 3000-fold magnification, 200 cells being measured in each sample. Changes in neurosecretory cells were described in the regions of nucleus paraventricularis, nucleus arcuatus and in the ependyma of the third cerebral ventricle. The results of the caryometric analysis of nucleus paraventricularis and nucleus arcuatus suggest that the administration of Gn-RH and irradiation of the hypothalamo-hypophysial region, and direct irradiation of ovaries, stimulate the studied cerebral structures. The changes observed in the ependyma of the third cerebral ventricle after the administration of Gn-RH and subsequent irradiation of the hypothalamo-hypophysial region are insignificant; it is only after the direct irradiation of ovaries that these cells are inhibited by an indirect effect through the feedback mechanism.

[Changes in the hypothalamus in continuously irradiated sheep]. / Zmeny v hypotalame u kontinuálne oziarených oviec.

Neurosecretion, PAS-positive mucopolysaccharides and the Nissl substance were studied in the neurons of the rostral, medial and caudal hypothalamus of continuously irradiated ewes. The study was performed on 21 ewes of the Slovak Merino breed at the live weight of 34 kg. The animals were in the period of physiological anoestrus and their age was two to three years. The first group of six ewes was the control. The second group included 15 sheep irradiated with a total dose of 6.7 Gy (700 R) for seven days. Co60 was used as the source of irradiation. The animals of this group were killed seven days from treatment. The ewes in the third group were left for the study of mortality. The brains were perfused with 2% buffered paraformaldehyde immediately after the bleeding of the sheep; then the brains were removed from skulls and fixed in buffered picroformol. Paraffin slices were stained with haematoxylin-eosine, aldehyde-fuchsine and alcian blue for neurosecretion, with PAS-reaction for mucopolysaccharides and with cresyl violet for the Nissl substance. As found, the irradiation of the whole body inhibits the activity of neurosecretory cells in rostral and medial hypothalamus, thus reducing neurosecretion. These regions also show a reduced activity of PAS reaction used for the demonstration of mucopolysaccharides. The observed changes also included damage of the endothelium of blood vessels with the occurrence of erythrocyte extravasates and with haemorrhages.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)