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Biomedical subjects

G M Strain

Publications and source records attributed to G M Strain.

54 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Inhibition of synaptosomal uptake of amino acid transmitters by diamines.

Reports of the inhibitory effects of diaminocarboxylic acids on the uptake of amino acid transmitters led the present authors to examine the effects of simple aliphatic diamines on the synaptosomal uptake of glutamate, aspartate, GABA and glycine. The diamines studied were the series from ethylenediamine through to 1,7-diaminoheptane; DL-2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DABA) was also tested for comparative purposes. The greatest inhibition seen was on the uptake of glycine and GABA. Weaker effects on uptake were seen with glutamate, while aspartate was unaffected. The patterns of inhibition for glycine and GABA were similar and the effects were dose-dependent. 1,2-Diaminopropane was the most inhibitory, followed by ethylenediamine and 1,7-diaminoheptane. The reported inhibitory effects of DL-2,4-diaminobutyric acid on the uptake of GABA and glutamate were confirmed; comparable inhibition of the uptake of glycine and aspartate was seen but the effects on GABA were most potent. Inhibition of the uptake of GABA by 1,2-diaminopropane was approximately one fifteenth that reported for DL-2,4-diaminobutyric acid. The inhibition by diamine of the uptake of glycine and GABA can provide an explanation of the depressant effects of diamines, seen after ventricular administration; however, the excitotoxic effects of the diamines 1,3-diaminopropane through to 1,7-diaminoheptane could not be explained by the present results.

Amino Acids↗

Serum and cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of immunoglobulin G in Suffolk sheep with scrapie.

Determinations were made by laser nephelometry of serum and CSF immunoglobulin (Ig) G concentrations in Suffolk sheep with naturally occurring scrapie. The serum IgG concentrations in 3 sheep with confirmed or suspected scrapie were between 2,140 and 3,290 mg of IgG/100 ml, and the CSF values were between less than 10 and 75 mg of IgG/100 ml. In 8 clinically healthy (control) sheep, serum IgG concentrations were 2,647 to 7,380 mg/100 ml and CSF IgG concentrations were between 0 (undetectable) and 162 mg/100 ml. A sheep with pulmonary adenomatosis had 1,445 mg of IgG/100 ml of serum. The results indicated that neither serum nor CSF IgG concentrations were increased in sheep with naturally occurring infection with scrapie and that the severity of the disease did not correspond with the IgG concentration.

Animals↗

Assessment of smooth muscle function in Sesbania drummondii toxicosis in Gallus domesticus.

An in vitro assessment based on tissue responsiveness to 2 agonists-histamine and carbachol-was made on smooth muscle activity in chickens experimentally poisoned with sesbania. Crude extracts of Sesbania drummondii were prepared and 2 dosage levels, 0.25% and 0.5% of body weight, were used. The birds were dosed orally with the extract for 3 consecutive days, and on the 4th day segments of ileum and lung were collected from each bird. The isometric contractions of each tissue, produced by the addition of histamine or carbachol in graded concentrations, were recorded. The cumulative concentration-effect curves for the tissues to the agonists were constructed and compared with respective control curves. The results indicated the responsiveness of the tissues in the treated groups was significantly decreased, compared with that of tissues in the controls. Responses of both intestinal and parenchymal strips in the chickens given the higher dosage (0.5%) were decreased significantly, whereas in those given the smaller dosage (0.25%), only parenchyma had a significant response. This indicates that the activity of smooth muscles in general was depressed by sesbania. The effect was more evident in the lung than in the intestine. Therefore, an active principle in the extract which affects smooth muscle, rather than causing direct irritation, may exist. This assessment of smooth muscle activity is sensitive and was effective in detecting changes in tissues from sesbania-treated birds which had not shown any clinical signs. The results also support the possibility that smooth muscle involvement could be a primary cause of toxicity in sesbania poisoning.

Animals↗

Toxic Bermuda grass tremor in the goat: an electroencephalographic study.

Tremorgenic Bermuda grass hay harvested during the 1971 Louisiana outbreak of toxicosis and kept in cold storage until 1979 was fed to a female Nubian cross goat. Cortical EEG from chronically implanted screw electrodes was recorded daily during hay consumption. Typical clinical signs of toxicosis were manifested as ataxia on day 8 and tremor on day 11. Motor activity returned to normal 2 days after reinstitution of nontoxic Bermuda grass hay. Changes in EEG amplitudes, frequency content, or wave-forms were not seen during the development or after the appearance of toxicosis. The administration of diazepam at the height of toxicosis suppressed the tremor for several hours.

Animals↗

Effects of chronic cerebellar stimulation on chronic limbic seizures in monkeys.

No influences of chronic cerebellar stimulation were found in 10 different controlled experiments in 5 different monkeys with chronic alumina-induced psychomotor seizures. The stimulation parameters used were comparable to those used in human epileptics, and continuous daily EEG and behavioral monitoring allowed all seizures to be measured for daily frequency and duration over the several weeks of the experiments. Nocturnal seizures were similarly quantified in 3 monkeys to verify that cerebellar stimulation did not affect them. Motor cortex potentials evoked by cerebellar pulses confirmed that the stimulations were activating the cerebellum throughout the experiments, and measures of electrode access resistance and impedance verified that the electrodes remained in contact with the cerebellum. In one monkey given phenobarbital medication, interictal morbid behavior appeared to be improved by chronic stimulation of either cerebellum or dorsolateral frontal cortex, thus indicating an arousal influence of brain stimulation not due to cerebellum per se.

Aluminum Hydroxide↗

A sample and hold amplifier system for stimulus artifact suppression.

A sample and hold amplifier system has been described which is capable of eliminating stimulus artifacts from a variety of biological recordings which would otherwise be impossible to interpret during electrical stimulation. Factors contributing to the prolongation of stimulus artifact are discussed in relation to the design requirements of this system. The application of this artifact suppression circuit to monitoring EEG seizures during electrical stimulation is demonstrated.

Amplifiers, Electronic↗

Elevation of seizure thresholds: a comparison of cerebellar stimulation, phenobarbital, and diphenylhydantoin.

Generalized EEG seizures were induced in acute, conscious New Zealand albino rabbits with intravenous pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) (10 or 15 mg/kg) or electrical stimulation of the frontal cerebral cortex (ELEC) (50 Hz, 1 msec pulse duration, 2 sec train duration, 4.0-7.6 V). Three anticonvulsant treatments were compared: (1) electrical transhemispheral stimulation of the ansiform or simplex cerebellar lobes (10 Hz, 1.5 msec, 3-4 V), (2) phenobarbital (PB) (25 mg/kg, i.v.), and (3) diphenylhydantoin (DPH) (30 mg/kg, i.v.). After treatment, increments in PTZ dose or stimulation voltage were applied until a seizure was evoked that approximated the original in severity and duration. PTZ seizure thresholds were not elevated by DPH, and electrically induced seizure thresholds were not elevated by cerebellar stimulation (CBL). The four remaining seizure threshold elevations (increase in PTZ dose or stimulation voltage) were significant at a level of 0.025 or greater. Comparison of the elevations of seizure thresholds showed no differences at the 0.01 level of significance. Thus, no differences were seen between elevation of PTZ seizure thresholds by CBL or PB, or elevation of electrically induced seizure thresholds by PB or DPH, when examined on an acute basis.

Animals↗

The effect of hyperbaric oxygen treatment on a compromised axial pattern flap in the cat.

A pedicle skin flap based on the caudal superficial epigastric artery was created in 12 cats. The artery was ligated and the vein left intact. Six cats were treated with hyperbaric oxygen at 2 atm absolute for 90 minutes daily for 14 days, starting the day after surgery. Skin flap color was significantly better in the treated cats on days 1, 2, and 3. The amount of exudate was significantly less in the treated cats on day 3. There was no difference in the amount of swelling between treated and nontreated control cats. Although five of six of the treated cats had 100% skin flap survival, there was no significant difference in total flap survival between treated and nontreated control cats.

Abdominal Muscles↗

Postnatal development of brainstem auditory-evoked potentials, electroretinograms, and visual-evoked potentials in the calf.

Brainstem auditory-evoked potentials (BAEP), electroretinograms (ERG), and visual-evoked potentials (VEP) were recorded for eight calves from birth to 56 days and the values compared with previously determined adult responses. The BAEPs, ERGs, and VEPs recorded within the first 24 hours after birth contained all of the peaks seen in adult recordings. Varying degrees of maturation of the responses were documented as changes in latency and amplitude with age. The BAEPs were adult-like at birth, with latencies falling within the mean, plus or minus one standard deviation, for adult cows. A small but significant decrease in latency with age was seen for the first, second, and fourth peaks of the response. The ERG amplitudes were also within the adult range for the entire period of the study. Latencies to the a- and b-waves declined during the first 14 days and then stabilized at adult values. The VEP latencies decreased with age, with late peaks changing more than early peaks. Latencies of all but the first peak decreased to values less than the adult range. Two VEP amplitudes increased significantly with age. Developmental appears in the calf and other precocious species are compared to those in altricious (nonprecocious) species.

Animals↗

Brainstem auditory-evoked potentials in Holstein cows.

Brainstem auditory-evoked potentials (BAEP) were recorded from 29 Holstein cows in a typical clinical setting. The latencies of five positive peaks in the BAEP were measured, and latency-intensity functions were determined. The BAEP was similar to that reported in humans, dogs, horses, and other species. The responses were reproducible for each cow, with low variability between cows. Four peaks (I, II, III, V) were present in all recordings, and a fifth (IV) was present infrequently. All peak latencies decreased as click-stimulus intensity increased. The threshold for detection of the BAEP was higher than expected for the cow compared with the horse.

Animals↗

Visual evoked potentials in the clinically normal dog.

Visual evoked potentials (VEP) in response to flashes of white light were recorded from 15 adult beagles of both sexes to provide a normative data base. Separate recordings were taken by stimulating each eye of every dog. Responses were recorded from a needle electrode placed over the nuchal crest referenced to an electrode just caudal to the eyes. Five positive and negative peaks were present in each VEP; P1, N1, P2, N2, and P3. Peak P2 was the most prominent. Mean (+/- standard deviation [SD]) latencies for peaks P1, N1, P2, N2, and P3 were 14.3 +/- 2.4, 29.2 +/- 2.2, 54.5 +/- 7.4, 78.0 +/- 13.1, and 98.1 +/- 12.6 msec, respectively. Peak-to-peak mean amplitudes ranged from 5.88 to 13.30 microV. Recordings were accomplished without sedation, anesthesia, or mydriatic drugs.

Animals↗

Brainstem auditory-evoked potential assessment of congenital deafness in Dalmatians: associations with phenotypic markers.

To screen for congenital deafness, brainstem auditory-evoked potential (BAEP) testing was performed on 1031 Dalmatians from three geographically separated areas. Phenotypic marker assessment was done to determine markers possibly associated with deafness. Markers included sex, hair coat color, pigmentation of different areas of skin (eye rims, nose, and ears), presence of a patch, spot size and marking (density of spotting), sire and dam BAEP status, and presence of iris and retinal tapetal pigmentation. Combined data from all test sites showed 8.1% bilateral deafness (N = 83 dogs) and 21.6% unilateral deafness (N = 223), or an overall 29.7% incidence of hearing disorders. Significant (P less than 0.05) associations with deafness for the data from all test sites combined were seen for patch, sire and dam BAEP, iris pigment, and retinal pigment. However, results differed for several of the significant phenotypic markers when analyses were done on the data from the individual test sites; changes from significant to not significant were found. This suggested the existence of multiple populations of deafness patterns, and reinforced the precautionary conclusion that associations of phenotypic markers with deafness are not necessarily functionally significant.

Animals↗