Dynamics of the Ablowitz-Ladik soliton train.

It is shown that dynamics of a train of N weakly interacting Ablowitz-Ladik solitons with (almost) equal velocities and masses is governed by the complex Toda chain model. The integrability of the complex Toda chain model provides the means to describe analytically various dynamical regimes of the N-soliton train and to predict initial soliton parameters responsible for each of the regimes. Numerical simulations corroborate well analytical predictions. A specific feature arising for the discrete soliton train system is the appearance of an additional (with respect to the lattice spacing) spatial scale-intersoliton distance. We comment on interplay between both spatial scales.

Perturbation-induced radiation by the Ablowitz-Ladik soliton.

An efficient formalism is elaborated to analytically describe dynamics of the Ablowitz-Ladik soliton in the presence of perturbations. This formalism is based on using the Riemann-Hilbert problem and provides the means of calculating evolution of the discrete soliton parameters, as well as shape distortion and perturbation-induced radiation effects. As an example, soliton characteristics are calculated for linear damping and quintic perturbations.

The effects of exposure to cigarette smoke on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of zonisamide in rats.

The effects of exposure to cigarette smoke on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of zonisamide, an antiepileptic drug, were investigated in rats. Absorption of oral zonisamide was significantly inhibited by exposure to cigarette smoke. The Cmax, T1/2 and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve 0-24 values in the cigarette smoke exposure group were significantly lower than those in the control group. Although tonic extension (TE) induced by maximal electroshock was completely blocked by the administration of zonisamide in the control group, 50% of rats showed TE in the cigarette smoke exposure group. Exposure to cigarette smoke influences both the pharmacokinetics and antiepileptic effects of zonisamide. The effects of smoking on epileptic patients using zonisamide warrants further attention.

Potentiometric flow injection determination of serum bromide in patients with epilepsy.

A flow injection system was constructed using a bromide-selective electrode and used to determine serum bromide in patients with epilepsy. A 10-microliter serum sample was injected into a carrier stream flowing at 0.12 ml min-1. Potential changes and bromide concentrations were linearly related in the range 3-50 mM. The lower limit of detection for serum bromide was 1 mM and this electrode sensitivity spanned the entire concentration range required for bromide therapy (9-24 mM). The results compared favourably with those obtained by colorimetry.

Effects of cigarette smoke inhalation on plasma diltiazem levels in rats.

A rapid and sensitive method for the assay of plasma diltiazem was developed using a solid-phase extraction technique followed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The effects of cigarette smoke on plasma levels of orally administered diltiazem was investigated in rats. The animals were exposed to cigarette smoke for 10 min using a Hamburg II smoking machine, immediately after oral administration of diltiazem (10 mg/kg). In the nonsmoking nonrestrained rats, plasma diltiazem levels increased rapidly and reached the maximum (7.1 micrograms/kg) 2 h after administration and decreased gradually thereafter. In the nonsmoking restrained rats, plasma diltiazem levels increased rapidly, but showed almost constant levels between 1 h and 8 h after administration. The maximum level (5.4 micrograms/kg) was shown after 2 h. On the other hand, plasma diltiazem levels in the rats exposed to cigarette smoke reached the maximum (4.3 micrograms/kg) after 4 h. These results suggest that absorption of orally administered diltiazem is inhibited and delayed by cigarette smoke.

Effects of nicotine and exposure to cigarette smoke on suppression of local graft-versus-host reaction induced by immobilization stress in mice.

To study the effects of emotional stress on immunological activities and modification of these effects by nicotine or cigarette smoke, we evaluated the effects of immobilization stress on local graft-versus-host (GVH) reaction, a cell-mediated immune response, and the effects of nicotine and cigarette smoke on them. The effects of immobilization stress on GVH reaction and the effects of nicotine and cigarette smoke on them were evaluated in two experiments: in Experiment 1 by applying the stimulations before and immediately after spleen cell transplantation, and in Experiment 2, by applying stimulations after transplantation. Spleen cells of BALB/C mice were injected into the footpad of CBF1 mice, and GVH reaction was examined after 7 days by weighing the popliteal lymph nodes. Immobilization, nicotine administration and inhalation of cigarette smoke were performed either for 5 days before and immediately after the transplantation (Experiment 1) or for 5 days after transplantation (Experiment 2). The weight of the lymph nodes was markedly increased in the control group, indicating GVH reaction, but the reaction was suppressed by immobilization in both experiments. This suppression of GVH reaction by immobilization was antagonized by nicotine administration and exposure to cigarette smoke in Experiment 1 but not in Experiment 2. These findings suggest that nicotine and cigarette smoke induce recovery of immune response suppressed by immobilization stress, especially by increasing the competence of antigen recognition.

Pharmacokinetic evaluation of omeprazole suspension following oral administration in rats: effect of neutralization of gastric acid.

In order to evaluate a clinical use of omeprazole suspension, we examined the pharmacokinetics of omeprazole after oral administration in rats. Although the administration of omeprazole suspension buffered by NaHCO3 solution did not produce a significant increase in the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) value compared with non-buffered group, the administration of NaHCO3 buffer immediately after dosing of omeprazole suspension buffered by NaHCO3 caused a significant increase in the AUC value. These results suggest that the NaHCO3 treatment following the administration of omeprazole buffered suspension effectively decreased the degradation of the compound by gastric acid. Therefore, the successive administration of NaHCO3 solution after the omeprazole dosing seems to be a simple and useful method for the administration to patients who cannot receive tablets.