Modification of mouse resistance to A/Aichi/2/68 influenza virus by a glucocorticoid immunosuppressant kenalog

Changes in the virulence of influenza virus A/Aichi/2/68 LD50 were studied in albino mice with immunosuppression induced by long-acting glucocorticoid kenalog (Kn). In high doses (5 and 10 micrograms/g) Kn induced a decrease in the adrenal, thymic, and splenic weight, which is typical of steroid immunosuppression. The susceptibility of mice preinjected with Kn to the virus increased more than ten-fold, judging by a decrease in LD50. The detected shifts may be due to disorders in lung tissue resistance and reactivity of alveolar macrophages and neutrophils observed previously in induced glucocorticism.     

Bilateral optic pathway glioma with intracranial calcification: Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy findings

Optic nerve glioma is the most common primary neoplasm of the optic nerve in childhood. It can extend intracranially along the optic pathway (optic pathway glioma). The lesion tends to present with decreased visual acuity in the affected eye, but can cause additional symptoms when it is large. Local involvement within the orbit can be characterized using CT, but MRI is superior in showing the intracranial extent of the lesion. Intracranial calcification in optic pathway glioma is rare. We present a rare case of optic pathway glioma with calcification in the intracranial component. Also, we describe MR spectroscopy (MRS) findings in this case.     

The manifestation of “learned helplessness” in rats with various capacities for active avoidance

A riddance deficit in the shuttle chamber after unavodable and avoidable stressor influences has been recorded in rats of two lines that differ in the capacity to form active avoidance: the KHA line-rats with a high rate of learning, and KLA-rats which learn poorly. Unavoidable stress leads to a riddance deficit only in KHA rats, whereas avoidable stress forms it only in KLA rats. It is hypothesized that “learned helplessness” represents a pathology of adaptive behavior, if unavoidable stress is applied to KHA rats, while in KLA rats., it is one of the forms of adaptive behavior as a result of avoidable stress.     

Epidemic outbreak of meningitis and meningoencephalitis, caused by West Nile virus, in the Krasnodar territory and Volgograd region (preliminary report)

Sera from 102 inpatients from the Volgograd region (64) and Krasnodar region (38) were tested for antibodies to West Nile (WN) virus in hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test and for IgM and IgG antibodies in enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Diseases etiologically associated with WN virus were diagnosed in 81 patients: in 50 out of 64 in the Volgograd region and in 31 out of 38 in the Krasnodar region, which makes 79.4%. Specificity of antibodies to WN virus was confirmed in HI and EIA with WN antigens, related flaviviruses (Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever), and Sindbis alfavirus. A considerable number and the incidence of WN infection suggest that an epidemic caused by WN virus occurred in the Krasnodar and Volgograd regions in summer 1999.     

Effects of controllable and uncotrollable stresses on the receptor binding of dexamethasone in the hypophysis and hippocampus of rats with different behavior strategies

The effects of controllable and uncontrollable stress on the receptor binding of dexamethasone in the hypophysis and hippocampus were studied in KHA and KLA rats, lines selected for the ability to development of active escape. Presentation of the controllable stimulus led to a significant reduction in receptor binding of dexamethasone in the hippocampus with significant changes in the plasma corticosterone concentration and receptor binding in the hypophysis. KLA rats were sensitive both to the controllable and the uncontrollable stresses, with increases in plasma corticosterone and receptor binding of dexamethasone in the hypophysis. It is concluded that receptor binding of dexamethasone in the hippocampus and hypophysis depend not only on the behavioral strategy of the animal, but also on the possibility of controlling the situation. Laboratory of Endocrine System Physiology and Pathology, I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg. Translated from Fiziologicheskii Zhurnal imeni I. M. Sechenova, Vol. 82, No. 2, pp. 50–54, February, 1996.     

Effect of transcranial laser irradiation in the near infrared band on antinociceptive responses of mice receiving diazepam,clonidine, and morphine

Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimatology, Research Institute of Laser Medicine, Ministry of Health of the USSR. Laboratory of Pharmacology of Pain Relief, Research Institute of Pharmacology, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR G. A. Ryabov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 112, No. 12, pp. 597–599, December, 1991.     

Reactogenicity, safety and immunogenicity of a recombinant bivaccine against smallpox and hepatitis B in limited clinical trials

The reactogenicity of the embryonic live recombinant variola and hepatitis B bivaccine as tablets (Revax-BT) as well as its safety and immunogenicity were evaluated in clinical trials made in volunteers who had previously immunized or not with variola vaccine. A preliminary conclusion was made on a lack of side effects and drug safety in primary vaccination and been revaccination with low and high doses. Primary immunization of volunteers and as bivaccination with high doses stimulated the most pronounced immune response to the vaccine virus versus such effect observed in immunization of volunteers with low vaccine doses. Humoral immune response to HBs was observed in 75% of volunteers of both groups after as bivaccination. Such response was most pronounced in examinees immunized with low vaccine doses versus those who received high bivaccine doses. At the same time, no protective levels of humoral immunity response to HBs Ag were observed in volunteers first vaccinated.     

Autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa and cone-rod dystrophy caused by splice site mutations in the Stargardt's disease gene ABCR

Ophthalmological and molecular genetic studies were performed in a consanguineous family with individuals showing either retinitis pigmentosa (RP) or cone-rod dystrophy (CRD). Assuming pseudodominant (recessive) inheritance of allelic defects, linkage analysis positioned the causal gene at 1p21-p13 (lod score 4.22), a genomic segment known to harbor the ABCR gene involved in Stargardt's disease (STGD) and age- related macular degeneration (AMD). We completed the exon-intron structure of the ABCR gene and detected a severe homozygous 5[prime] splice site mutation, IVS30+1G->T, in the four RP patients. The five CRD patients in this family are compound heterozygotes for the IVS30+1G- >T mutation and a 5[prime] splice site mutation in intron 40 (IVS40+5G- >A). Both splice site mutations were found heterozygously in two unrelated STGD patients, but not in 100 control individuals. In these patients the second mutation was either a missense mutation or unknown. Since thus far no STGD patients have been reported to carry two ABCR null alleles and taking into account that the RP phenotype is more severe than the STGD phenotype, we hypothesize that the intron 30 splice site mutation represents a true null allele. Since the intron 30 mutation is found heterozygously in the CRD patients, the IVS40+5G->A mutation probably renders the exon 40 5[prime] splice site partially functional. These results show that mutations in the ABCR gene not only result in STGD and AMD, but can also cause autosomal recessive RP and CRD. Since the heterozygote frequency for ABCR mutations is estimated at 0.02, mutations in ABCR might be an important cause of autosomal recessive and sporadic forms of RP and CRD.