Histological, chemical and behavioural evidence of pedal communication in brown bears.

Most mammals rely upon scent for intraspecific communication. As most bear species have large home ranges and are non-territorial, scent deposit while walking could be an effective way to communicate with conspecifics. Here, we investigate the existence of pedal glands in brown bears and their role in chemical communication from a histological, biochemical and behavioural perspective. We found eccrine glands in footpads, and prominent apocrine and sebaceous glands in the interdigital, metacarpal and metatarsal skin sections. Pedal scent contained 26 compounds including carboxylic acids, important constituents of mammalian secretions. Six of these compounds were exclusive for males. Finally, we describe a specific marking gait recorded in the field, mostly performed by males. Our study supports the existence of chemical communication through pedal marking in brown bears and suggests sex-coding potential of pedal scent.

[Phagocytic activity in PMN leukocytes and macrophages of athymic nu/nu mice]. / Actividad fagocítica en leucocitos PMN y macrófagos de ratones atímicos nu/nu.

The athymic nu/nu mice represent a natural model for studying defense mechanisms. This study had the object of evaluating the phagocytic activity of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) and peritoneal macrophages (PM) in congenitally athymic homozygotic nu/nu mice. The results showed that the chemotaxis, random mobility, ingestion of latex particles and reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium were all normal. Nevertheless, the enzyme myeloperoxidase in the PMN was significantly diminished when compared with Balb/c mice. These results suggest a partial decrease in the oxidative metabolism of the PMN in nu/nu mice.

[Evaluation of immune response in experimental sporotrichosis using T and B lymphocyte count]. / Evaluación de la respuesta inmune en la esporotricosis experimental por el cuanteo de linfocitos T y B.

The effector cells of the immune response are involved in the clinical course of bacterial, viral and mycotic infections. Previous publications have reported that some mycotic infections, including sporotrichosis, can produce a negative modulation of the immune response unfavorable for the host. In this work T and B lymphocytes capable to form direct and indirect rosettes respectively with sheep erythrocytes in gerbils with experimental sporotrichosis, were measured. It was found a significant rise in the number to T and B lymphocytes which means normal immunological reactivity. These results are not in accordance with the idea that sporotrichosis can depress the immune response of the host.

Pulmonary toxicity of oxygen.

Prolonged exposure to hyperoxia in order to compensate for inefficient ventilation can lead to progressive pulmonary damage and death. Since pulmonary macrophages control bacterial and viral penetration, we studied the effect of hyperoxia on pulmonary alveolar macrophages from newborn and adult rats, kept in air or in a 95% normobaric oxygen atmosphere. The viability of pulmonary alveolar macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavages of newborn rats after 3 d in oxygen was significantly lower than that of newborn rats after 3 days in air. The functional capacity, as measured by the phagocytosis of Candida was similarly affected and these observations mays explain why infections develop. Adult rat macrophages were not sensitive to hyperoxia.

[Leukocyte phagocytic activity in gerbils with experimental sporotrichosis treated with potassium iodide]. / Estudio de la actividad fagocítica de los leucocitos de gerbiles con esporotricosis experimental tratados con ioduro de potasio.

One effective treatment against sporotrichosis is the oral administration of potassium iodide (KI). It is not known how it works, and also it is not known if this substance has some effect on the microbicidal activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and macrophages. In this work the phagocytic activity of gerbils treated with KI was studied. Gerbils cured within 62 days of treatment with KI, their PMN and macrophages showed an increased ability for reducing nitroblue-tetrazolium (NBT); myeloperoxidase activity was decreased in PMN. These results were the expected in any chronic infection and demonstrates that KI effectiveness on the experimental sporotrichosis works by an independent mechanism of phagocytosis.

Incremento del crecimiento del linfoma murino L5178Y por inmunizacion con celulas L5178Y radiadas. / Increase of growth of the L5178Y murine lymphoma by immunization with radiated L5178Y cells

Se investigo si la inmunizacion con celulas del linfoma murino L5178Y inactivadas por radiacion induciria una reaccion inmunitaria de rechazo hacia las celulas intactas de ese linfoma. La dosis de radiacion necesaria para inactivar las celulas del linfoma fue de 6,000 rads, suministradas por un emisor de 60 Co. Se inmunizaron 26 ratones BALB/C con cuatro inyecciones por via intraperitoneal una cada ocho dias de 5x10 (6) celulas L5178Y radiadas. Diez dias despues se les aplico por la misma via una dosis de prueba de 5x10 (7) celulas L5178Y intactas. Los testigos fueron otros 20 ratones no inmunizados que recibieron el mismo inoculo de celulas L5178Y. Los ratones se sacrificaron ocho dias despues, y se evaluo el crecimiento por el numero de celulas L5178Y producidas. Los ratones testigos desarrollaron un promedio de 10.05+/-0,02 x 10 (8) celulas tumorales. Los ratones inmunizados con las mismas celulas radiadas desarrollaron 25.20+/-0.03 x 10 (8)celulas L5178Y (p <0.001). Estos resultados mostraron que las celulas del linfoma murino L5178Y inactivadas por radiacion no indujeron una reaccion de rechazo hacia las mismas celulas viables, sino que la inmunizacion con ellas causo un incremento del desarrollo tumoral en los ratones inmunizados

Determinacion del grupo sanguineo fetal en celulas amnioticas. / Determination of fetal blood group in amniotic cells

Se obtuvieron 50 muestras del liquido amniotico por amniotomia en operaciones cesareas de embarazos de 37 a 40 semanas. Se determino el grupo sanguineo de las celulas amnioticas por reacciones de inmunofluorescencia. Al nacimiento de los productos se obtuvieron muestras de sangre del cordon umbilical y en ellas se determino el grupo sanguineo de los eritrocitos fetales. Se encontro que en 48 de los 50 casos estudiados el grupo sanguineo (ABO) determinado en las celulas amnioticas coincidio con el encontrado en la sangre de los productos. La determinacion en ellos del antigeno D del factor Rh fue acertada solo en 9 de 50 casos

Radioprotecting effect of propylgalate and butylated hydroxyanisol.

It has been reported that a great part of the deleterious effect caused by ionizing radiations is due to oxidative phenomena. The purpose of this work was to investigate if some antioxidants commonly used in the food industry might have a radioprotecting effect. N propyl-galate (NPG), hydroxyanisol-butylated (HAB) and hydroxytoluene-butylated (HTB) were utilized. Forty BALB/C mice that received 600 rads of gamma irradiation from a 60Co emitter died 17.12 +/- 7.82 days after. Thirteen mice that were injected 5 mg of NPG 24 hours and 30 minutes before radiation survived for more than 90 days. This same effect was observed in 13 mice that were also injected with 10 mg NPC and in other 13 that received 10 mg of HAB in the same way. Doses of 5 mg HAB or 5 and 10 mg HTB did not have a radioprotecting effect. When the radiation dose was increased to 800 rads, the radioprotecting effect was absent with any of the NPG, HAB or HTB doses. In protected mice, preservation of higher numbers of hematopoietic cells were observed in the bone marrow together with slight reduction of chromosomal fractures. There results show that antioxidants used in the food industry have a radioprotecting effect that had not been investigated.

Estimulacion fagocitica de los macrofagos pulmonares de rata con levamisol. / Phagocytic stimulation of rat pulmonary macrophages with levamisole

Se inyectaron con levamisol 14 ratas Sprague-Dawley a la dosis de 2.5 mg por kilogramo de peso por via subcutanea durante cinco dias. Se inyectaron diez ratas testigos con solucion salina. Al sexto dia se sangraron y se sacrificaron, y se hicieron pruebas de fagocitosis con sus macrofagos pulmonares y particulas de latex suspendidas en suero autologo o de testigos. Los indices fagociticos fueron los promedios de las particulas de latex fagocitadas por 300 macrofagos. El indice fagocitico de las ratas testigos fue 2.96 +/- 0.31, y el de las inyectadas con levamisol 5.63 +/- 1.76 (p < 0.001). Cuando se probaron los macrofagos pulmonares en presencia de suero de ratas normales a las que se les habia agregado el levamisol in vitro en la misma dosis, tambien se observo un aumento del indice fagocitico comparado con el de los testigos: 5.57 +/- 1.40 (p<0.001). Estos resultados demostraron que la actividad fagocitica de los macrofagos pulmonares de la rata puede aumentarse en presencia del levamisol

The presence of anti-leukoblast antibodies as complement fixation agents in leukemia patients imm-nized with leukoblats treated with neuraminidase and radiation.

Six adult patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia were treated with chemotherapy and immunotherapy. This was done with cultured autologous leukoblasts, treated with neuraminidase of Vibrio cholerae and radiation, and injected six to ten times each eight to ten days between the chemotherapy cycles. Class IgC leukemic anti-leukoblast antibodies which are able to activate the C3 component of the complement system were found in the serum of patients. Five patients have been in complete remission for more than twenty months and the sixth patient for ten months. Antibodies for C3 fixation were not found in the serum of five other patients who were not immunized, nor in five healthy control subjects.

Phagocytic activity of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes at different temperatures.

Phagocytic activity from human PMN obtained from defibrinated peripheral blood of young adults of both sexes was studied. Defibrinated blood was distributed in volumes of 0.6 ml over 12 glass slip covers, and incubated at 37 degrees C in humid chamber for 30 minutes, in order to permit the PMN adherence to glass. Then the PMN were rinsed with culture medium, covered with 0.6 ml of 1 x 10(6) latex particles (0.81 microns, Bacto-latex Difco) suspension in autologous serum by milliliter, and incubated by triplicate per 30 minutes at 35 degrees C, 37 degrees C and 39 degrees C. Then slip covers were rinsed with culture medium and stained with Wright stain. Phagocytic index was calculated as the average of phagocytized latex particles per 300 PMN. The results obtained were: at 35 degrees C, 17.26 +/- 6.1; at 37 degrees C, 19.80 +/- 6.26; at 39 degrees C, 21.94 +/- 6.94; and at 41 degrees C, 25.58 +/- 6.69. The correlation coefficient between this temperature increase and the phagocytic indexes was 0.41. This allow to conclude that a direct linear increment exists between the PMN phagocytic indexes and the temperature increase.

Location of tumoral antigens in L5178Y murine lymphoma cells.

Location of neoplasia specific tumoral antigens (ANE) were investigated in L5178Y murine cells. Cells were treated by means of concanavalin A (CoA), Vibrio cholerae neuraminidase (NVC) or a combination of both (Coa-NVC) and were inactivated by 6,000 rad irradiation. With 5 x 10(6) treated cells four groups, 15 mice in each group of the BALB/c strain were immunized weekly and 10 days latter immunity to L5178Y lymphoma cells was tested by means of intraperitoneal inoculation of 5 x 10(7) intact, viable L5178Y cells. None of the mice immunized with concanavalin A treated and irradiated cells developed the inoculated lymphoma. However all mice immunized with cells treated with CoA or CoA-NVC developed a lymphoma. Electron microscopy studies of normal L5178Y cells, irradiated or treated with NVC showed the exterior cell coating or glycocalix that was absent in those treated with CoA or CoA-CoA-NVC. These results allowed us to conclude that ANE of L5178Y cells susceptible to modification by NVC as if to induce an immunologic rejection response are located in the glycocalix of these cells.

[Postnatal phagocytic maturation (author's transl)]. / Maduración fagocítica postnatal.

Seventy two children were studied including 12 prematures, 31 newborns, 25 infants and 4 preschool children. They were clinically healthy with exception of prematurity factor. The phagocytic index (PI) of their polymorphonuclear leukocytes was investigated against latex particles suspended in autologous serum. In prematures PI levels were from 5.55 to 11.05; in newborns and infants, 11.09 to 15.00; in preschool children, 15.08 to 21.97 and in normal adults 19.21 to 22.70. PI value showed marked increase after the first neonatal month or when children reached a body weight of over 4.250 Kg.

Radiosensitivity of L5178Y murine lymphoma cells.

Radiosensitivity of L5178/ murine lymphoma was studied in vivo by means of Co60 pump radiations. The dosage necessary to inactivate these cells was from 5,000 to 6,000 rads applied in an only dose. Doses under 2,000 to 4,000 rads only achieved partial inactivation, proportional to dosage applied. 100 to 1600 rad doses did not produce adverse effects on these cells. Lethal dose for carrier mice was from 800 to 1200 rads applied in one dose only or a total of over 600 rads applied in 100 rad daily sessions. High radioresistance of lymphoma did not allow destruction of all neoplastic cells in vivo for, before this occurred carrier mice died.