Effect of leukotriene inhibitors on evolution of experimental brain contusions.

AIMS: Leukotriene levels increase in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) following controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury in rats. We investigated the impact of two different leukotriene inhibitors in the CCI model on CSF leukotriene levels, brain water content (BWC), brain swelling (BS) contusion size and cellular response. METHODS: 134 male Sprague Dawley rats were investigated at 4, 24 and 72 h after CCI for CSF leukotriene levels and BWC/BS, lesion size in T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and immunohistochemistry. Animals received vehicle, MK-886, an inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase activating protein, or Boscari(®) , a mixture of boswellic acids, acting as competitive nonredox 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors before trauma and then every 8 h until sacrifice. RESULTS: The intracranial pressure (ICP) was unaffected by treatment. Boscari treatment reduced CSF leukotriene C4 increase by -45% at 4 h (P < 0.03) and increase of BWC and BS by 49% (P < 0.05) and -58% at 24 h. Treatment with both substances showed a reduction of lesion volume at 72 h by -21% (P < 0.01) in T(2) -weighted magnetic resonance imaging, which was reflected in a smaller lesion area determined from a NeuN labelled section (-17% to -20%, P < 0.05). Triple immunofluorescence and Fluoro-Jade B staining showed rarefaction of neurones, glia and vasculature in the contusion core, whereas in the pericontusional zone astro- and microglia were upregulated in the presence of dying neurones. Treatment resulted in an improved survival of NeuN labelled neurones in the pericontusional cortex (+15% to +20%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Leukotriene inhibition should be further investigated as therapeutic option to counteract secondary growth of traumatic brain contusions and to possibly improve pericontusional neuronal survival.

Alterations of cholinergic receptors and the vesicular acetylcholine transporter after lateral fluid percussion injury in newborn piglets.

AIMS: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death and disability in children. Adult animal models of TBI showed cholinergic alterations. However, there is no comparable data on immature animals. Therefore, this study investigates cholinergic markers in a large animal model of juvenile TBI. METHODS: Twenty-seven female newborn piglets were subjected to lateral fluid percussion (FP) injury and compared with 12 untreated animals. After 6 h, animals were sacrificed and the brains removed. The hemispheres ipsilateral to FP-TBI from seven piglets and corresponding hemispheres from six control animals were used for autoradiography. Receptor density was determined with [(3)H]epibatidine (nicotinic acetylcholine receptors) or [(3)H]QNB (muscarinic acetylcholine receptors). The density of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (vAChT) was assessed with (-)-[(3)H]vesamicol. Cerebral blood flow was measured by coloured microsphere method. RESULTS: Cerebral blood flow and brain oxygen delivery were transiently reduced early after FP-TBI (P < 0.05). TBI caused reductions of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor density (fmol/mg) in the basal forebrain (sham: 10797 +/- 1339, TBI: 8791 +/- 1031), while nicotinic acetylcholine receptor remained stable. Significant increases in vAChT density (fmol/mg) were observed in the basal forebrain (sham: 2347 +/- 171, TBI: 2884 +/- 544), putamen (sham: 2276 +/- 181, TBI: 2961 +/- 386), cortex (sham: 1928 +/- 262, TBI: 2377 +/- 294), thalamic areas (sham: 2133 +/- 272, TBI: 2659 +/- 413), hippocampus (sham: 2712 +/- 145, TBI: 3391 +/- 501) and hypothalamus (sham: 2659 +/- 139, TBI: 3084 +/- 304). CONCLUSIONS: Cholinergic markers are altered after mild-to-moderate TBI in the immature brain. Whereas the ACh receptors are stable in almost any brain region after TBI, vAChT expression increases after trauma at the employed severity of this specific trauma model.

Strain-specific detection of two Aureobasidium pullulans strains, fungal biocontrol agents of fire blight by new, developed multiplex-PCR.

AIM: The aim of this study was to develop a specific and sensitive identification method for two Aureobasidium pullulans biocontrol strains, CF10 and CF40, based on a sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) derived from RAPD - and multiplex-RAPD PCR analysis. METHODS AND RESULTS: The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and multiplex RAPD-PCR techniques were used for a preliminary screening of A. pullulans genetic variability among 200 isolates. This approach allowed the selection of ten fragments present solely in strains CF10 and CF40. The RAPD fragments were cloned, sequenced and used to design two SCAR primers. Two primer pairs obtained from SCH3RAPD fragment of CF 40 and 6RAPD of CF10 were highly specific and sensitive. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we developed strain-specific multiplex-PCR based on sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers to simultaneously detect both strains in a single PCR. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This new multiplex-PCR provides a valuable tool for specific and sensitive identification of CF10 and CF40, and could be used in studies on the efficacy and persistence of introduced strains of A. pullulans for fire blight control.

Synthesis and evaluation of a novel series of pyrrolizine derivatives as dual cyclooxygenase-1 and 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors.

The aim of our study was to investigate structure activity relationship following the replacement of the 6-phenyl substituent at the 6,7-diaryl-2,3-dihydropyrrolizine template by various heteroaromatic residues. In this context we developed a new, efficient, and highly sensitive test method for the screening of dual cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibitors. We used human platelets as a source of COX-1 and human PMNLs as a source of 5-LOX. Both cell types were isolated from the same volume of blood. PGE2 and LTB4 respectively were determined by highly selective and sensitive ELISA kits, using monoclonal antibodies. For a single determination at most 0.5 mL whole blood is needed.

[1st experiences with a cytological data collection system based of EDP]. / Erste Erfahrungen mit einem zytologischen Befunderhebungssystem auf EDV-Basis.

On the basis of the experience which was gained with the use of EDP in the documentation of patient data a compatible system for request, processing and documentation for cytological examinations was developed. It was introduced into routine work in July 1976. Since then there as been an increase in the efficiency of the cytological examinations by abolishing manual recording. Further on, this has lead to better possibilities for scientific evaluation. The system is user-oriented as far as the request for examinations and the establishment of diagnoses are concerned by automatically produced reports. The application of this project by others is possible.

[Automated microbiological information system]. / Automatisiertes mikrobiologisches Informationssystem.

The microbiological information system ISM gives the possibility to collect data of patients and findings on punch strips, to transmit the findings to the senders and to store and evaluate the data according to medical points of view and for the purpose of performance statistics. The essential elements of the system are demonstrated and the basic principles of the data processing apparatus type R300 are described. Here the author particularly enters the calculator-internal testing processes for elimination of codation and punching errors. Finally the further development of the information system provided is briefly sketched. The advantages of the use of electronic data processing result from 1. the simplificstion and unification of the information relations, 2. the reduction of writing work, 3. the centralised transmission of findings, 4. the increased security of data and 5. the possibility of mathematico-statistical evaluations of the stored data material. According to its basic conception the information system ISM may be used universally and it is possible to enlarge it.