Extremely metal-poor stars from the cosmic dawn in the bulge of the Milky Way.

The first stars are predicted to have formed within 200 million years after the Big Bang, initiating the cosmic dawn. A true first star has not yet been discovered, although stars with tiny amounts of elements heavier than helium ('metals') have been found in the outer regions ('halo') of the Milky Way. The first stars and their immediate successors should, however, preferentially be found today in the central regions ('bulges') of galaxies, because they formed in the largest over-densities that grew gravitationally with time. The Milky Way bulge underwent a rapid chemical enrichment during the first 1-2 billion years, leading to a dearth of early, metal-poor stars. Here we report observations of extremely metal-poor stars in the Milky Way bulge, including one star with an iron abundance about 10,000 times lower than the solar value without noticeable carbon enhancement. We confirm that most of the metal-poor bulge stars are on tight orbits around the Galactic Centre, rather than being halo stars passing through the bulge, as expected for stars formed at redshifts greater than 15. Their chemical compositions are in general similar to typical halo stars of the same metallicity although intriguing differences exist, including lower abundances of carbon.

The frequency of snowline-region planets from four-years of OGLE-MOA-Wise second-generation microlensing.

We present a statistical analysis of the first four seasons from a "second-generation" microlensing survey for extrasolar planets, consisting of near-continuous time coverage of 8 deg2 of the Galactic bulge by the OGLE, MOA, and Wise microlensing surveys. During this period, 224 microlensing events were observed by all three groups. Over 12% of the events showed a deviation from single-lens microlensing, and for ~1/3 of those the anomaly is likely caused by a planetary companion. For each of the 224 events we have performed numerical ray-tracing simulations to calculate the detection efficiency of possible companions as a function of companion-to-host mass ratio and separation. Accounting for the detection efficiency, we find that 55 - 22 + 34 % of microlensed stars host a snowline planet. Moreover, we find that Neptunes-mass planets are ~ 10 times more common than Jupiter-mass planets. The companion-to-host mass ratio distribution shows a deficit at q ~ 10-2, separating the distribution into two companion populations, analogous to the stellar-companion and planet populations, seen in radial-velocity surveys around solar-like stars. Our survey, however, which probes mainly lower-mass stars, suggests a minimum in the distribution in the super-Jupiter mass range, and a relatively high occurrence of brown-dwarf companions.

Pharmacokinetics of phenazone (antipyrine) in rabbits with experimental common bile duct obstruction.

1. An altered functional state of liver due to experimental cholestasis could result in a change in the biotransformation of drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate an influence of obstructive cholestasis on the pharmacokinetics of phenazone (antipyrine). 2. The investigation was carried out on male rabbits, randomly allocated into two groups: shamoperated and animals with biliary ducts ligation. Phenazone was administered intragastrically as a probe of drug metabolism. 3. Measurements, i.e. laboratory and pharmacodynamic tests, as well as pharmacokinetic assays, were performed before the operation as well as 10-12 days after the bile duct ligation. At the end of the study livers were examined macro- and microscopically and biochemical analysis of the liver microsomes was performed. 4. The measured pharmacokinetic parameters suggested an impaired biotransformation of phenazone in animals with obstructive cholestasis, leading to a slower drug elimination.

Germ cells with nuclear DNA fragmentation related to apoptotic cells in rat testis in experimental hyperprolactinemia induced by metoclopramide.

The cells with nuclear DNA fragmentation related to apoptosis were detected by TUNEL technique in the seminiferous epithelium of control rats and of rats with experimental hyperprolactinemia induced by metoclopramide. The percentage of convoluted tubules with apoptotic cells and the number of apoptotic cells (predominantly spermatogonia and spermatocytes) was increased in the experimental group. The results indicated stage-specific germ cell apoptosis. In the experimental group, apoptotic cells were most evident at early (I-IV), middle (VII-VIII) and late (XII-XIV) stages of the seminiferous epithelium cycle, as revealed by light and electron microscopy. We suggest that a decreased concentration of testosterone and an increased concentration of prolactin could disturb spermatogenesis and contribute to the intensive apoptosis of germ cells in rats with hyperprolactinemia. Sertoli cells which have receptors for testosterone and prolactin and play an important role in spermatogenesis and in the initiation of apoptosis in seminiferous epithelium, could mediate such an influence of both hormones.

Pharmacokinetics of intragastrically administered digoxin in rabbits with experimental bile duct obstruction.

A change in the functioning of the liver as a result of experimental cholestasis could result in a change in the biotransformation of drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of extrahepatic cholestasis on the pharmacokinetics of digoxin. The investigation was performed on male rabbits randomly divided into two groups: sham-operated and animals with bile-duct ligation. Digoxin (0.02 mg kg-1) was administered intragastrically as a single dose. Biomedical and anatomo-pathological tests and pharmacokinetic assays were performed before the operation and on the 6th day after surgery. A significant increase in area under the serum concentration-time curve and in mean residence time, a decrease in total body clearance, a reduction in the volume of distribution and increases in maximum concentration and the time to reach maximum concentration were observed in animals with the bile-duct ligation. These results suggest reduced elimination of digoxin in animals with obstructive cholestasis.

Pharmacokinetics of lidocaine and its major metabolite- monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) in rabbits with experimental common bile duct obstruction.

The aim of this study was to evaluate, using an experimental model, the effect of obstructive cholestasis on the pharmacokinetics of lidocaine and the formation rate of its major metabolite- monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX)-in rabbits. The investigation was carried out on 20 rabbits, randomly divided into two groups: a control one sham-operated and an experimental one-animals with biliary duct ligation. The measurements, i.e. laboratory and pharmacodynamic tests, as well as pharmacokinetic assays were performed prior to the operation as well as 10-12 days after the bile duct ligation. At the end stage of the study, livers were examined macro- and microscopically and biochemical analysis of the liver microsomes were performed. Lidocaine was given intravenously, as a bolus of 6 mg/kg. Blood for pharmacokinetic assay was sampled within 6 h following the drug administration, and MEGX concentration was evaluated 15 min after lidocaine had been administered. The immunofluorescence polarization method was employed for determination of lidocaine and MEGX concentrations. The one-compartment open model was used for calculations.

Polish system of assessing occupational risk posed by chemical compounds.

According to the Polish Labour Code &elpar;Ustawa, 1974) employers are legally obligated to provide workers with information about occupational health and safety risks. Maximum allowable concentrations (MAC) and the results of determining chemical compounds in workplace air are used for assessing occupational exposure and risk. A computer-assisted system STER, developed in the Central Institute for Labour Protection, helps to register and document occupational risk assessment and all actions resulting from those assessments.

[Art therapy as an assisting psychotherapeutic method for adolescents]. / Arteterapia jako pomocnicza metoda psychoprofilaktyczna u mlodocianych.

UNLABELLED: The report deals with psychoprophylaxis of children and youth being in danger of alcoholism, drug addiction, juvenile delinquency and suicide. In the Psychiatric Out-patient Department in Gdynia we have been practising psychological, social and art-therapeutic care to the youth, and rendering training to their families and tutors (Consulting-Psychoprophylactic Club). The authoresses describe one example of art-therapeutic expression included in two series of pictures made by a girl (4 years old) and her brother (9 years old) after the tragedy of their mother's being killed by their father. CONCLUSIONS: This type of therapy facilitates the experience and release of stress is helpful in improving the relationship between the child and his frequently awkward tutors.

Interactions of some organic solvents: hydrocarbons and chloroalkene.

Metabolic and toxicodynamic interactions of some organic solvents in rats repeatedly treated with medium dose levels were examined. It was shown that both n-hexane and ethylbenzene significantly inhibited tetrachloroethylene metabolism during a 2-week period. n-Hexane and tetrachloroethylene enhanced metabolism of ethylbenzene whereas ethylbenzene suppressed n-hexane metabolism only at the end of the experiment. Biochemical changes, especially the drop in the level of non-protein sulfhydryl groups in tissues of rats treated with organic solvent mixtures, were significantly less pronounced than those observed after these chemicals were administered separately. These results demonstrate that metabolic interactions between hydrocarbons and chloroalkene may lead to a modification of the biological response to these compounds.

[Preliminary report on using general ozone therapy in diseases of the posterior segment of the eye]. / Wstepne doniesienie o stosowaniu ozonoterapii ogólnej w schorzeniach tylnego bieguna galki ocznej.

Autotransfusion of ozone venous blood was performed in 174 patients, in 32 patients ozone was given intraarterially. General ++ozone therapy was used for the first time in Poland in the following ophthalmological conditions: retinal pigment dystrophy, glaucomatous optic atrophy, in optic neuritis, after injuries and in cases of unknown aetiology; in degenerative-atrophic changes of the choroid, in high myopia, in post-inflammatory cases, in other degenerative diseases and in bacterial corneal ulcerations. Ozone therapy in these conditions seems to be favourable especially when the pathological process is not extensive. One could observe an improvement of the visual acuity and of the visual field.

[Preliminary report on using therapeutic ozone in infectious conjunctivitis and keratitis and in corneal degeneration]. / Wstepne doniesienie o zastosowaniu ozonu leczniczego w schorzeniach zakaznych spojówki i rogówki oraz zwyrodnieniach rogówki.

The preliminary report presents the results of application of ozone preparation in form of ophthalmic drops in 89 patients (134 eyes). This preparation has been used in virus conjunctival and corneal diseases as well as in corneal degenerations after inflammatory conditions and chemical burns. One observed as acceleration of the regeneration processes in active inflammatory conditions of the anterior eye segment; instead the cases of leucoma and corneal opacities did not show any clinical effect.

Exoplanet detection. A terrestrial planet in a ~1-AU orbit around one member of a ~15-AU binary.

Using gravitational microlensing, we detected a cold terrestrial planet orbiting one member of a binary star system. The planet has low mass (twice Earth's) and lies projected at ~0.8 astronomical units (AU) from its host star, about the distance between Earth and the Sun. However, the planet's temperature is much lower, <60 Kelvin, because the host star is only 0.10 to 0.15 solar masses and therefore more than 400 times less luminous than the Sun. The host itself orbits a slightly more massive companion with projected separation of 10 to 15 AU. This detection is consistent with such systems being very common. Straightforward modification of current microlensing search strategies could increase sensitivity to planets in binary systems. With more detections, such binary-star planetary systems could constrain models of planet formation and evolution.

Antecedent interventions in the management of maladaptive behaviours in a child with brain injury.

Typically behaviour management plans attempt to change behaviour by manipulating the environmental consequences of selected behaviour. However, identifying the antecedent events that precede behaviour has also been demonstrated to be an important component of effective behaviour change programmes. The present case presentation attempts to demonstrate how antecedent procedures could be used to effectively manage behaviour problems in individuals with brain injury. Visual inspection of changes in the frequency of physical aggression and self-injurious behaviour of a child with brain injury provides preliminary data supporting the use of an intervention package of antecedent and consequence-based procedures. Clinical implications, limitations and possibilities for future research of antecedent control procedures are discussed.

[The effect of iron on peritoneal macrophage activity and sperm phagocytosis in rats]. / Wplyw zelaza na aktywnosc makrofagów otrzewnowych i fagocytoze plemników szczura.

Excessive activation of macrophages is considered to be the etiological factor of marital infertility. Peritoneal macrophages participate in the phagocytosis of menstrual detritus and sperm in the peritoneal cavity. Iron ingested by peritoneal macrophages could be responsible for their increased spermiophagy. This mechanism would operate in some gynecological diseases, particularly in endometriosis when the ectopic location of endometrial tissue in the pelvic cavity or oviduct becomes a source of cyclic menorrhagia into the peritoneal fluid. The aim of this study was to establish the effect of iron (Jectofer, Astra D, complex salt of Fe+3; 50 micrograms Fe+3/ml) on the morphology and phagocytic activity of LPS-activated peritoneal macrophages. Macrophages were cultured with iron in the presence or absence of iron chelator--Desferal (DFO) (Sigma; 500 micrograms/ml), using the method of Nechala and Hrudka [20]. The viability of cells was evaluated with the trypan blue exclusion test. Cells were washed twice, suspended in modified Dulbecco's medium, supplemented with 2% inactivated fetal calf serum and antibiotics, than transferred (1 x 10(6)) into a culture dish. Nonadherent cells were removed by repeated washing after 1 h incubation at 37 degrees C and 5% CO2. Macrophages were cultured in 1 ml medium with LPS (1 microgram/ml). After 2 or 24 h the macrophages were covered with the same number of rat epididymal sperm cells. Following 1.5 h of incubation, phagocytosis was assessed on the basis of the spermiophagic index (SPI). After 3.5 h of culture macrophages formed monolayers and groups of cells with intersecting sperm tails (Fig. 2). Increased sperm phagocytosis was observed in the macrophage culture exposed to iron for 3.5 h. SPI was significantly higher compared to control value (Fig. 1). The findings were confirmed with scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Macrophages cultured with iron for 3.5 h displayed features of activation, growing to considerable size and developing numerous elongated processes with which they surrounded spermatozoa. The cytoplasm was replete with endosomes containing spermatozoa (Fig. 3). Electron-dense structures could be seen in phagolysosomes. The presence of iron in these structures was confirmed by X-ray microanalysis (Fig. 6). In comparison, macrophages cultured in the presence of iron and iron chelator demonstrated diminished phagocytic activity (Fig. 1). After 24 h of culture macrophages formed cluster-like structures. Spermiophagy was still taking place outside such aggregates and macrophages had a normal appearance (Fig. 4). When iron was added to such culture very few macrophages and spermatozoa could be seen in the electron microscope (Fig. 5A). Iron-loaded macrophages underwent necrosis, their nucleus, plasma membrane and organelles displayed features of degeneration (Fig. 5B). SPI of macrophages exposed to iron for 24 h was significantly decreased as compared with control value (Fig. 1). The ultrastructure of macrophages exposed for 24 h to DFO only was not altered and the phagocytic activity was comparatively higher (Fig. 1). There was a great number of macrophages and spermatozoa forming giant aggregations. The present results suggest that iron enhances spermiophagy in 3.5 h culture. As phagocytic activity of macrophages was reduced by Desferal in 3.5 h culture, an iron chelator could be beneficial in endometriosis to reduce the iron content in the peritoneal cavity where a regular influx of new macrophages takes place.

Cloning and characterization of mouse brush border myosin-I in adult and embryonic intestine.

Brush border myosin-I is a class I myosin with calmodulin light chains that has been identified in several vertebrate species. In chicken, it is exclusively expressed in intestinal epithelial cells where it forms spirally arrayed bridges that tether the microvillar actin bundle to the membrane. To facilitate future knockout strategies, we have isolated mouse brush border myosin-I cDNA and genomic clones. The deduced primary structure of mouse brush border myosin-I is homologous to other known brush border myosins-I. Northern blot, immunoblot, and immunolocalization studies indicate that the intestine-specific and subcellular localization profile of mouse brush border myosin-I are comparable to that determined for other brush border myosins-I. Northern analysis during embryogenesis revealed a 3.9-kb transcript first detected in 15-day embryos. This is in marked contrast to chicken, where brush border myosin-I expression begins early in embryogenesis. In situ localization in 17-day embryos indicated that RNA expression is restricted to the intestine. Protein expression is first detected in 16-day embryos with decreasing levels observed in a proximal to distal fashion. Immunolocalization in embryonic intestine revealed that brush border myosin-I is evenly distributed on both apical and basolateral membrane domains. There is also pronounced localization to a supranuclear region, presumably the Golgi apparatus. This suggests that brush border myosin-I may be targeted to the plasma membrane on Golgi-derived vesicles rather than by direct targeting to microvillar actin cores.

Human brush border myosin-I and myosin-Ic expression in human intestine and Caco-2BBe cells.

The human intestinal cell line, Caco-2BBe, has been established as an excellent model system for analysis of the enterocyte cytoskeleton including that of the actin rich apical brush border. To facilitate its use for functional analysis of a major component of the brush border, brush border myosin-I, human cDNAs encoding the heavy chain of this class I myosin were isolated and sequenced. The identity of this myosin as human brush border myosin-I was verified based on similarity with other vertebrate sequences, as well as its expression profile at both the RNA and protein levels. Localization of the protein in human intestine along the crypt-villus axis closely resembles that previously determined for brush border myosin-I in chicken, and is quite distinct from that of myosin-Ic, another myosin-I expressed in human intestine and Caco-2BBe cells. In immature cells of the crypt, brush border myosin-I staining is low, and there is significant cytosolic and basolateral localization, while villus cells stain much more intensely, and the protein is primarily localized to the brush border. Localization of myosin-Ic is essentially the inverse of brush border myosin-I in that crypt cells exhibit higher levels of staining, while villus cells have very low levels of myosin-Ic. The expression of both myosins-I was also examined during cell-contact induced differentiation of Caco-2BBe cells where expression and changes in localization closely resemble those that accompany differentiation of enterocyte in vivo.

[Clinical assessment of treatment results for atherosclerotic ischemia of the lower extremities with intraarterial ozone injections]. / Ocena kliniczna skutecznosci leczenia miazdzycy zarostowej konczyn dotetniczym wstrzykiwaniem ozonu.

Ten injections of O3 into femoral arteries were administered to 50 patients with atherosclerotic ischemia of the lower extremities and to 49 diabetic patients. All patients were assessed clinically with the ankle-arm index, measurement of intermittent claudication distance prior to and after the treatment. The treatment showed a significant improvement in both groups manifested by an increase in ankle-arm index, and prolongation of the intermittent claudication distance by more than twice. The treatment of atherosclerotic ischemia of the lower extremities with O3 is both valuable and safe.