The effect of goldthioglucose on peroxidative processes in mice.

Experiments were conducted to study the effect of goldthioglucose (GTG) upon the processes associated with lipid peroxidation. The glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity (G6PD; E.C. 1. 1.1.49) in red blood cells (RBC) and the amount of malonaldehyde precursors (MDA) per gram of brain, liver and kidney were determined. Adult mice received i.p. injections for three consecutive days of either saline (controls) or GTG dissolved in saline, in a dose of 0.10 mg.g(-1) or 0. 15 mg.g(-1) b.w. In mice receiving higher dose of GTG the G6PD activity was significantly increased (349.38+/-17.46 mU.10(-9) RBC compared to 258.2+/-14.46 mU.10(-9) RBC in control animals). The content of MDA precursors rose significantly from 4.8+/-0.81 micromol.g(-1) of the liver in controls to 8.12+/-1.41 micromol.g(-1) and 7.88+/-0.51 micromol.g(-1) and from 18.71+/-1.01 micromol.g(-1) of the kidneys in controls to 24.25+/-1.25 micromol.g(-1) and 24.88+/-1.7 micromol.g(-1) respectively. The GTG-induced higher levels of MDA precursors and increased G6PD activity in RBC corresponds to the rise in lipid peroxidation and its participation in producing the lesions after experimental and therapeutic use of gold-containing substances seems possible.

Regio preoptica hypothalami in the goose (Anser Anser f. Domestica).

Cell structure of the hypothalamic preoptic region in goose has been studied and topographical relations of the following nuclei (n.) are shown: n. preopticus rostralis, n. preopticus periventricularis, n. preopticus medialis, n. supraopticus, n. suprachiasmaticus, n. preopticus lateralis, n. magnocellularis preopticus, n. rostralis hypothalami, n. supraopticus caudalis, n. decussationis supraopticae dorsalis and n. decussationis supraopticae ventralis. The nomenclature given in Nomina anatomica avium (Breazile 1979) has been used, as for as possible.

Electrophysiological characteristic of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus and lateral hypothalamic area in normally fed and 24 hour food deprived conscious sheep.

We registered telemetrically the spontaneous electrical activity of the hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (VMH) and the lateral hypothalamic area (LH) in conscious adult sheep-male, with implanted electrodes,-in a state of normal feeding or after 24 hour food deprivation. The frequency of electrical activity, the amplitude of electrical activity and the frequency by Fourier analysis were evaluated. The frequency of electrical activity was found to be approximately the same in the VMH and LH with mean values +/- S.E.M. 11.5 +/- 0.5 Hz in feed sheep. The amplitude of electrical activity in the VMH was higher compared with the LH, with mean absolute values +/- S.E.M. 41.5 +/- 2.7 microV in the VMH and 35.5 +/- 3.2 microV in the LH. The Fourier analysis showed that from the total amount of harmonic frequencies-the first one i.e. the basic frequency represented 48-56%, the rest are higher frequencies. In sheep after 24 hour food deprivation the frequency of electrical activity decreased on 9.4-9.6 Hz in average in both regions under study and the absolute values of the amplitude of electrical activity increased. The mean absolute value +/- S.E.M. was 115 +/- 5.2 microV in the VMH and 101.2 +/- 3.0 microV in the LH. Along with theses changes we found by Fourier analysis that in the total amount of harmonic frequencies the basic frequency decreased by 6% due to the greater amount of higher harmonic frequencies.

The topography of regio caudalis hypothalami in goose (Anser anser F. domestica).

We studied the topography of the caudal hypothalamic region of the goose on brain sections stained with luxol fast blue and cresyl violet in combination according to Klüver-Barrera (1953), or with cresyl violet (Nissl method). In the regio caudalis hypothalami of this bird we identified in agreement with Nomina anatomica avium (Breazile 1979): nucleus premamillaris (PM), nucleus mamillaris lateralis (ML), nucleus mamillaris medialis (MM), nucleus supramamillaris interstitialis (SMI) and nucleus intercalatus (Ic).

Electrical activity of the amygdala and the septum of rats on a high fat or a high protein diet.

The authors studied biopotentials in the region of the amygdala and the septum of rats fed on a standard, high protein or high fat diet. During the first 3-6 days after changing from the standard to the high protein or high fat diet, a decrease in the amplitude of electrical activity was found in both the regions in question. After 3 days on the high fat or the high protein diet, an increase was found in the frequency of electrical activity in the amygdala or the septum, according to the type of diet. A study of the amplitude of electrical activity showed that the electrical potential in the septum was always lower than in the amygdala. The frequency spectrum analysis showed a marked change in the superimposed frequency curve only in animals fed on the high fat diet.