Abnormal transcranial Doppler cerebral blood flow velocity and blood pressure profiles in children with syndromic craniosynostosis and papilledema.

OBJECTIVE: Children with syndromic craniosynostosis are at risk of intracranial hypertension. This study aims to examine patient profiles of transcranial Doppler (TCD) cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFv) and systemic blood pressure (BP) in subjects with and without papilledema at the time of surgery, and subsequent effect of cranial vault expansion. METHODS: Prospective study of patients treated at a national referral center. Patients underwent TCD of the middle cerebral artery 1 day before and 3 weeks after surgery. Measurements included mean CBFv, peak systolic velocity, and end diastolic velocity; age-corrected resistive index (RI) was calculated. Systemic BP was recorded. Papilledema was used to indicate intracranial hypertension. RESULTS: Twelve patients (mean age 3.1 years, range 0.4-9.5) underwent TCD; 6 subjects had papilledema. Pre-operatively, patients with papilledema, in comparison to those without, had higher TCD values, RI, and BP (all p = 0.04); post-operatively, the distinction regarding BP remained (p = 0.04). There is a significant effect of time following vault surgery with a decrease in RI (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Patients with syndromic craniosynostosis who have papilledema have a different TCD profile with raised BP. Vault surgery results in increased CBFv and decrease in RI, however the associated systemic BP response to intracranial hypertension remained at short-term follow-up.

Atypical presentation of a newborn with Apert syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Apert syndrome is a rare syndrome characterized by a consistent phenotype including bilateral coronal suture synostosis with an enlarged anterior fontanel, midface hypoplasia, and complex symmetric syndactyly of hands and feet. CASE REPORT: We present a boy with Apert syndrome caused by the pathogenic c.755C > G p.Ser252Trp mutation in the FGFR2 gene with atypical characteristics, including premature fusion of the metopic suture with a small anterior fontanel, hypotelorism, and a massive posterior fontanel. Directly after birth, he showed papilledema, epilepsy, and central apneas. CONCLUSION: We present a newborn with Apert syndrome with atypical craniofacial presentation.

On-farm euthanasia of broiler chickens: effects of different gas mixtures on behavior and brain activity.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the suitability of gas mixtures for euthanasia of groups of broilers in their housing by increasing the percentage of CO2. The suitability was assessed by the level of discomfort before loss of consciousness, and the killing rate. The gas mixtures injected into the housing were 1) 100% CO2, 2) 50% N2 + 50% CO2, and 3) 30% O2 + 40% CO2 + 30% N2, followed by 100% CO2. At 2 and 6 wk of age, groups of 20 broiler chickens per trial were exposed to increasing CO2 percentages due to the injection of these gas mixtures. Behavior and killing rate were examined. At the same time, 2 broilers per trial equipped with brain electrodes were observed for behavior and brain activity. Ten percent of the 2-wk-old broilers survived the increasing CO2 percentage due to the injection of 30% O2 + 40% CO2 + 30% N2 mixture, therefore this mixture was excluded for further testing at 6 wk of age. At 6 wk of age, 30% of the broilers survived in the 50% N2 + 50% CO2 group. The highest level of CO2 in the breathing air (42%) was reached by the injection of the 100% CO2 mixture, vs. 25% for the other 2 mixtures. In all 3 gas mixtures, head shaking, gasping, and convulsions were observed before loss of posture. Loss of posture and suppression of electrical activity of the brain (n = 7) occurred almost simultaneously. The results of this experiment indicate that euthanasia of groups of 2- and 6-wk-old broilers by gradually increasing the percentage of CO2 in the breathing air up to 40% is possible.

Delayed effect of the vasopressin metabolite VP4-8 on the social memory of sexually naive male rats.

RATIONALE: Endogenous vasopressin is involved in the social memory of the male rat and administration of exogenous vasopressin improves social memory. These findings are mainly based on studies using sexually experienced males that were tested in the social recognition test. OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed to establish whether the modulation of social memory by vasopressin fragments depends on the sexual experience of the male rat. For this purpose, the social discrimination test was used, since this test is more suitable than the social recognition test for measuring social memory in sexually naive males. METHODS: Male rats were tested in the social discrimination test and treated subcutaneously with the vasopressin metabolite [pGlu4,Cyt6]vasopressin-(4-8) (VP4-8). VP4-8 shares with vasopressin the effects on memory processes but lacks the peripheral effects of vasopressin. RESULTS: VP4-8 (1 microgram/kg) acutely improved the social memory of sexually experienced male rats, confirming previous reports. However, in sexually naive males VP4-8 failed to improve social memory in doses ranging from 0.1 microgram/kg to 1 microgram/kg. Instead, 1 microgram/kg VP4-8 or 6 micrograms/kg desglycinamide-vasopressin were found to exert a delayed effect in sexually naive rats. This delayed effect resulted in an improved social memory 2 days after administration. CONCLUSIONS: Vasopressin sensitisation is discussed as a possible underlying mechanism of the observed delayed effect of vasopressin fragments. It is concluded that in male rats sexual experience can influence the modulation of social memory by vasopressin.

Different metabolic adaptation of heart and skeletal muscles to moderate-intensity treadmill training in the rat.

The effect was investigated of treadmill training of moderate intensity on the fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) content in relation to parameters of oxidative and glycolytic metabolism. To this end, the cytoplasmic FABP content and the activity of beta-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (HAD), citrate synthase (CS), and 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK) were measured in heart, fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and slow-twitch soleus muscles (SOL) of male Wistar rats. To investigate the influence of the amount of training (defined as the product of exercise duration, intensity and frequency), two training groups were created that differed in training frequency (HF, high frequency 5 days x week(-1), n = 9; LF, low frequency 2 days x week(-1), n = 9; the exercise being 20 m x min(-1) for 2 h with no gradient, over 6 weeks) and compared with SC, sedentary controls (n = 7). In heart muscle, the cytoplasmic FABP content was 34% higher in HF than in SC but was the same as in LF. The CS and HAD activities were no different in the three groups, suggesting that the capacity to oxidize fatty acids (FA) was not affected by training. The PFK activity was higher (43%) in HF, suggesting a shift towards carbohydrate utilization. The FABP content and HAD activity did not change in SOL and EDL after training whereas the CS activity increased (27%) in SOL and decreased (21%) in EDL in both training groups. In addition, PFK activity in EDL was much higher (113%) in the HF than in SC group. The HF training was associated with a fine-tuning of FA availability and use in heart muscle, and with a more efficient energy production. It is suggested therefore that cytoplasmic FABP could be an early marker of muscle adaptation to training in heart but not in skeletal muscle. The training reinforced the metabolic profile of the skeletal muscles, in particular that of the fast-twitch glycolytic muscle. We concluded that a large amount of training is needed when the effect on both oxidative and glycolytic parameters is to be studied.

Behavioral and anatomical consequences of unilateral fornix lesions and the administration of nimodipine.

Male Wistar rats subjected to unilateral fimbria-fornix transection by mechanical knife cut or to sham operations were tested in a water maze and in an open field. Half the animals in each group were treated with either 0.06 mg/kg nimodipine or vehicle, administered i.p. for 7 days, beginning the day of surgery. Animals were sacrificed and brains were processed for acetylcholine esterase (AChE) histochemistry. In the water maze, lesioned rats showed a significant impairment relative to the sham-operated animals. Nimodipine treatment did not improve performance. There were no differences among the groups in the observed frequencies of the open field behaviors of locomotion, hole-poke, rearing and grooming. A significant reduction of AChE-positive cell bodies was found in the medial septal region on the side of the lesion. There were no differences in water maze performance among groups of rats treated with 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, or 5.0 mg/kg nimodipine for 7 days, beginning the day of fimbria-fornix transection, in an attempt to determine any dose-dependent effect of the drug.

Quantitation of the growth-associated protein B-50/GAP-43 and neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells.

A combined assay to measure neurite outgrowth and B-50/GAP-43 levels in PC12 cells is reported. During NGF-induced neuritogenesis, B-50/GAP-43 expression was monitored by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Neurite outgrowth was quantified at the same time by the use of video image analysis. Sensitivity and reliability of the methods are shown with a dose-response and time curve of beta-NGF-induced neuritogenesis. A linear increase in total length of neurites was induced by concentrations of beta-NGF greater than or equal to 5 ng/ml and was accompanied by a linear increase in the amount of B-50/GAP-43. The combined methods presented here can conveniently and reliably establish subtle changes in neurite outgrowth and intracellular protein contents.

ACTH1-4 potentiates alpha-MSH-induced melanophore dispersion and excessive grooming.

The biological activity and a possible modulatory role of the N-terminal tetrapeptide Ser-Tyr-Ser-Met from alpha-MSH/ACTH was tested in the Anolis melanophore assay, the Xenopus melanophore assay, tyrosinase stimulation in mouse melanoma cells and in excessive grooming in the rat. ACTH1-4 did not exhibit biological activity in any of these four assays nor did it have modulatory properties in the Xenopus and the melanoma cell assay. However, in the Anolis assay ACTH1-4 potentiated pigment dispersion induced by alpha-MSH, alpha-MSH5-13 and ACTH1-24 by a factor of about 2. In the grooming assay ACTH1-4 potentiated the effects of alpha-MSH, alpha-MSH5-13, ACTH1-16 and ACTH5-16, but not those of ACTH1-24. Oxidized ACTH1-4 was without biological activity and potentiating properties in all four assays. This study shows that small fragments of the pro-opiomelanocortin precursor, which are devoid of biological activity, can modulate peripheral and central actions of alpha-MSH/ACTH.