Contemporary review on nature of sonoluminescence and sonochemical reactions.

The major cases for a local electrification of bubbles in a cavitation field were considered: with the fragmentation of cavitation bubbles and also with only deformation of them. The problem of the uncompensated charge on the surface of the deformed cavitation bubble is solved in general view. The radial deformations approximated by the paraboloid of rotation and axial deformations by one cavity hyperboloid of rotation. The maximum electric strength is accounted. In the terms of electrical theory of the local electrification of cavitation bubbles the explanation of some physical and physico-chemical effects in the cavitation fields is proposed. The theory of local electrification now is single theory which correlates majority of experimental facts for multibubble cavitation fields. The theory of single bubble sonoluminescence was worked out.

Functional synapses are formed between human NTera2 (NT2N, hNT) neurons grown on astrocytes.

The formation of functional synapses is a late milestone of neuronal differentiation. The establishment of functional synapses can be used to assess neuronal characteristics of different cell lines. In the present study, we examined the in vitro conditions that influence the ability of human neurons derived from the NT2 cell line (NT2N neurons) to establish synapses. The morphologic, immunologic, and electrophysiologic characteristics of these synapses was examined. In the absence of astrocytes, NT2N neurons rarely formed synapses and their action potentials were weak and uncommon. In contrast, when plated on primary astrocytes, NT2N neurons were able to form both glutamatergic excitatory (71%) and GABAergic inhibitory (29%) functional synapses whose properties (kinetics, ion selectivity, pharmacology, and ultrastructure) were similar to those of synapses of neurons in primary cultures. In addition, coculture of NT2N neurons with astrocytes modified the morphology of the neurons and extended their in vitro viability to more than 1 year. Because astrocyte-conditioned medium did not produce these effects, we infer that direct contact between NT2N neurons and astrocytes is required. These results suggest that NT2N neurons are similar to primary neurons in their synaptogenesis and their requirement for glial support for optimal survival and maturation. This system provides a model for further investigations into the neurobiology of synapses formed by human neurons.

Theory of local electrification of cavitation bubbles: new approaches.

The theory of local electrification of cavitation bubbles has been generalised. The major cases for a local electrification of bubbles in a cavitation field were considered; i.e., fragmentation and deformation of cavitation bubbles. The splitting of cavitation bubbles was considered taking into account surface tension, bubble perturbation, Stokes force and electrostatic forces between like charges on the wall of the collapsing neck of the fragment bubble. The problem of the uncompensated charge on the surface of the deformed cavitation bubble is solved. For this purpose radial deformations are considered in terms of the paraboloid of rotation and axial deformation approximated by one cavity hyperboloid of rotation. The maximum electric strength is accounted for. An explanation for some physical and physico-chemical effects in cavitation fields is proposed in terms of the electrical theory of the local electrification of cavitation bubbles.

Temporal integration can readily switch between sublinear and supralinear summation.

Temporal summation at dendrites of cultured rat hippocampal neurons was examined as a function of the interval separating two dendritic inputs. A novel method that relies on single-mode optical fibers to achieve rapid photorelease of glutamate was developed. Dendritic excitation achieved with this approach resembles that associated with miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs), but the strengths, sites, and timing of the inputs can be precisely controlled. Dendritic summation deviated markedly from behavior predicted by passive cable theory. Subthreshold temporal summation varied as a triphasic function of the interpulse interval. As the interpulse interval decreased, local dendritic Na+ conductances were recruited to generate a marked transition from sublinear to supralinear summation. These results suggest that active dendritic conductances acting in concert with passive cable properties may serve to boost coincident synaptic inputs and attenuate noncoincident inputs.

N-Nmoc-L-glutamate, a new caged glutamate with high chemical stability and low pre-photolysis activity.

We report the synthesis, the physicochemical characterization, and biological evaluation of a new caged glutamate, N-(o-nitromandelyl)oxycarbonyl-L-glutamic acid (Nmoc-Glu), that liberates free glutamate on photolysis. The low affinity of certain glutamate receptors and their rapid entry into desensitization have effectively prevented the creation of an ideal caged glutamate. In the absence of an ideal compound, Nmoc-Glu was designed to resist spontaneous hydrolysis while maintaining reasonable photorelease yield and kinetics. Chemical and physiological analyses reveal that Nmoc-Glu, indeed, has exceptionally low residual activity and high chemical stability. The quantum yield of Nmoc-Glu is 0.11. Photolytic uncaging and release of free glutamate occur in two steps, consisting of an initial light-induced cleavage that proceeds on the sub-millisecond time scale, and a subsequent light-independent, pH-dependent decarboxylation step that proceeds on the millisecond time scale. The low residual activity and high chemical stability of Nmoc-Glu are important advantages in applications where pre-photolysis Glu receptor activation and desensitization must be minimized.

Saturation of postsynaptic glutamate receptors after quantal release of transmitter.

Miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) were elicited from small numbers of release sites after brief microperfusion of Ba2+ and K+ onto proximal dendritic processes of hippocampal neurons in culture. Temporal summation of closely timed mEPSCs deviated significantly from linearity. The number of instances of closely timed mEPSCs that were also closely matched in terms of peak amplitudes was significantly greater than that expected by chance. Amplitude pairing became statistically more significant after prolongation of mEPSC duration and inhibition of glutamate receptor desensitization with cyclothiazide. These results are best explained by postsynaptic receptors that approach saturation after quantal release of transmitter.

[The pharmacological characteristics, immunochemical identification and study of the location of quisqualate receptors in the rat and human brains]. / Farmakologicheskaia kharakteristika, immunokhimicheskaia identifikatsiia i issledovanie lokalizatsii kviskvalatnykh retseptorov golovnogo mozga krysy i cheloveka.

The kinetics of [3H]-L-glutamate binding to brain synaptic membranes (SM) and to glutamate-binding proteins (GBP) was determined with agonist and monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). It was revealed, that rat and human brain GBP have individual protein components with M(r) from 14 to 92 kDa. Quisqualate inhibited [3H]-L-glutamate binding to solubilized and to purified 68 kDa protein component. MAbs have the most activity, and NMDA was failure. It has been shown that 68 kDa component antigen determinants are similar to those of bovine, frog and rat brain synaptic membranes. Anti-GBP monoclonal antibodies blocked functional non-NMDA receptors in isolated frog spinal cord. Immunocytochemistry was done on rat and human brain sections. Distribution of quisqualate receptors was determined with light and electron microscopy. Some properties of vertebrate CNS non-NMDA receptors are discussed.

[The use of hemoperfusion through a suspension of cryopreserved hepatocytes in acute liver failure]. / Primenenie gemoperfuzii cherez vzves' kriokonservirovannykh gepatotsitov pri ostroi pechenochnoi nedostatochnosti.

The present work deals with results of intensive therapy and temporary organ substitution by using hemoperfusion through a suspension of living donor hepatocytes in 71 patients with acute hepatic insufficiency. Hemoperfusion was performed through a suspension of fresh living hepatocytes or through a suspension of cryo-conserved (during 60 days) living hepatocytes. Lethality was 37-42%.

[Population and society in imperial Spain]. / Poblacion y sociedad en la Espana imperial.

PIP: The author reviews political, economic, and social change in Spain during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, with a focus on the impact on the spread of epidemics and on mortality.^ieng

[Lymphocyte peptide index in evaluation of the severity of the conditions of patients in critical states]. / Indeks peptidov limfotsitov v otsenke tiazhesti bol'nykh, nakhodiashchikhsia v ékstremal'nom sostoianii.

The article presents results of determination of the peptide index in patients in critical state. The diagnostic value of the lymphocyte peptide index for an adequate estimation of severity of the patients' state and possible prognosis of their disease was determined.

Temporary organ substitution by hemoperfusion through suspension of active donor hepatocytes in a total complex of intensive therapy in patients with acute hepatic insufficiency.

The results of intensive therapy and temporary organ substitution by hemoperfusion through a suspension of active hepatocytes in 126 patients suffering from acute hepatic insufficiency (AHI) induced by virus B hepatitis, virus non-A, non-B hepatitis, acute toxic hepatitis, active liver cirrhosis, sepsis leptospirosis long-term subhepatic jaundice are presented in this paper. Hepatic encephalopathia confirmed both clinically and electroencephalographically was registered in all the patients. The patients were subdivided into two groups: a complex of commonly used curative measures according to the intensive therapy for AHI was applied in Group A (67 patients); in Group B (59 patients), alongside with the above measures, temporary organ substitution by hemoperfusion through a suspension of active porky hepatocytes was also performed. The lethality in Group A made up 59% and that in Group B was 37%.

[Action of doubled derivatives of glutamic acid on mollusk neurons]. / Deistvie sdvoennykh proizvodnykh glutaminovoi kisloty na neirony molliuska.

Application of doubled derivatives of glutamic and evoked depolarization of the membrane of identified mollusk neurons, whereas glutamate elicited biphasic responses. The effect of these substances depended on the length of the chain (CH2)n between the residues of glutamic acid; it was maximal for n = 8. Changes in membrane conductance were shown to depend on the kind of stereo conformation of these residues. Hill's coefficient for tested compounds was about 0.75. It is suggested that the doubled derivatives of glutamic acid are agonists of glutamate D-receptors.