{"title":"Effect of nifedipine on electrical activity of the brain in rat.","authors":"I G Fulga, V Stroescu","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Effect of calcium channel blocker nifedipine on the electrical activity of the brain in anaesthetized rats was studied. The electoencephalographic signals were registered on a computer as series of data and thereafter they were decomposed by Fourier analysis in very narrow fields of frequency. The electrical activity of the brain of the control rats was asymmetrical, with a more important activity in the left brain hemisphere, particularly between 20-30 Hz when the electrical activity of the brain was globally more important. The nifedipine increased the electrical activity of the brain between 0.5-4 Hz and 20-30 Hz in a dose-dependent manner. The drug also increased the interhemispheric asymmetry. Some possible explanations of these effects are analyzed.</p>","PeriodicalId":79373,"journal":{"name":"Romanian journal of physiology : physiological sciences","volume":"34 1-4","pages":"115-25"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1997-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20571416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Experimental research on the effect of calcium channel blockers nifedipine and verapamil on the anxiety in mice.","authors":"I G Fulga, V Stroescu","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The anxiolytic effect of the calcium channel blockers nifedipine and verapamil was tested in mice using two test: the conditioned suppression of the motility test and the black and white box test. The nifedipine but not the verapamil, in low doses (0.1 mg/kg b.w), proved anxiolytic effect and both nifedipine and verapamil in high dose (1.6-2.5 mg/kg b.w) had anxiogenic properties. The anxiogenic effect was correlated with the capacity of the drugs to block the calcium channels and the anxiolytic effect of low doses of the nifedipine was considered to be produced by opening these structures. These data were considered important for a new future aboard of the treatment and pathophysiology of the anxiety.</p>","PeriodicalId":79373,"journal":{"name":"Romanian journal of physiology : physiological sciences","volume":"34 1-4","pages":"127-36"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1997-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20571418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Immunity and stress.","authors":"P Derevenco","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The relationship between stress and immunity is not a hot topic of psychoneuroimmunology. The review outlines the main aspects of these interrelations; stress sensitive immunological markers, experimental research and studies on humans which underline the prevailing immunosuppressive effects of stress are discussed. A classification of stress-related diseases comprises autoimmune, acute, psychosomatic and neuroendocrine diseases. Besides the hypothalamopituitary-adrenocortical axis and the symparthoadrenal system, newer information points to the role of cytokines, opioids and other mediators in the complex mechanisms involved. Several data from the physiological laboratory in Cluj are included. The final consideration outlines some unclarified aspects and new research directions.</p>","PeriodicalId":79373,"journal":{"name":"Romanian journal of physiology : physiological sciences","volume":"34 1-4","pages":"83-93"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1997-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20571413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of monosodium glutamate on blood neutrophils phagocytic activity and phagocytic response in mice.","authors":"M Hriscu, G Saulea, N Vidraşcu, I Baciu","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Previous researches of our laboratories (1945, 1946, 1947) have shown that direct electrical stimulation of the tubero-mammillary hypothalamic area in dogs enhances the blood neutrophils phagocytic activity and the phagocytosis exhibiting leukocytes percent. After electrolytic damage of the same area, phagocytic activity decreases and phagocytic response is suppressed (1985, 1988). In the present work, we performed in mice extensive chemical lesions of the arcuate nucleus, by means of the neonatal treatment with monosodium glutamate (MSG). The experiment was carried out on 23 new-born mice. 15 mice were injected with MSG (G group), the other 8, serving as control group, received isotonic saline solution (C group). The studied parameters were, in both groups, the weight evolution of the animals, the blood neutrophils and lymphocytes percentual variation and the neutrophils' phagocytic activity, tested in vitro, expressed through the number of bacteria engulfed by 100 neutrophils and through the phagocyting neutrophils percentage. Phagocytic activity was tested in whole heparinised blood, against E. coli. Phagocytic response was elicited by i.p. injecting 0.05 ml bacterial suspension and was tested four hours later. The results show that the arcuate nucleus has little influence upon maintaining basal phagocytic activity--that does not significantly decrease after its chemical damage--, but plays a decisive role in triggering the phagocytic response. The neonatal MSG treatment also determines a decrease of the blood lymphocytes percentage and induces obesity in up to 30 days old mice pups.</p>","PeriodicalId":79373,"journal":{"name":"Romanian journal of physiology : physiological sciences","volume":"34 1-4","pages":"95-101"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1997-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20571414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A Olteanu, L Grosu, N Vlasie, T Pavel, E Barabas, I Baciu
{"title":"The renin-angiotensin system and the effect of propranolol upon the cerebral cortical and hypothalamic circulation in hypoxia.","authors":"A Olteanu, L Grosu, N Vlasie, T Pavel, E Barabas, I Baciu","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The regulatory mechanisms of the cerebral blood flow have preoccupied the physiology department of Cluj since the end of the 4th decade. These studies continued over the last years. The researches progressed from the studies of regulation by blood pressure changes to the nervous regulation and to the metabolic one. This paper's subject is the renin-angiotensin and adrenalin system influence on the changes of cerebral blood flow during the general hypoxic hypoxia and cephalic ischemia. Experiments were performed in 10 dogs anaesthetised with a mixture of chloralose, urethan and morphine. Hypoxic hypoxia was obtained by breathing a mixture of 11% oxygen in nitrogen, in a closed system and cerebral ischemic hypoxia by partial compression of the carotid arteries, after the ligation of the vertebral and thyroid arteries. The arterial blood pressure and the cerebral and hypothalamic blood flow, measured with the heated thermoelement, were registered. The plasma renin activity was tested radioimmunologically before, at 1.5 min, 5, 10 and 15 min, after the beginning of hypoxia. In ischemic hypoxia the experiment was repeated after venous perfusion with propranolol (0.6 mg/kg/h). The systemic blood pressure increased in both forms of hypoxia. The cortical and hypothalamic blood flow increased with the systemic arterial blood pressure. The hypothalamic blood flow remained stable or diminished a little. Propranolol increased the cerebral blood flow during ischemic hypoxia up to 300%. The i.v. administration of angiotensin (1-5 mg/kg) increased the cortical flow, while the hypothalamic flow remained self-regulated. Plasma renin activity increased more in general hypoxic hypoxia, than in cephalic ischemic hypoxia. After propranolol the increase was higher in this hypoxia. Propranolol produced a major activation of the renin-angiotensin system and of the cortical blood flow in ischemic cephalic hypoxia, the renin-angiotensin system being located in the cerebral structure. As well high doses of angiotensin produced cerebral vasodilatation in small cerebral vessels. This effect was found in our experiments in the cortical blood flow too. Our results indicate a beneficial propranolol effect on cortical circulation in ischemic hypoxia.</p>","PeriodicalId":79373,"journal":{"name":"Romanian journal of physiology : physiological sciences","volume":"34 1-4","pages":"25-33"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1997-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20572822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Heart ultrastructure in experimental acute pancreatitis.","authors":"A Saulea, S Costin, V Rotari","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Acute pancreatitis reproduced on white rats provoked following modifications of myocardium ultrastructure: 1. Affection of the microcirculation vessels structure, what induce interstitial edema and cardiomyocytes hypoxia. 2. The cells appearance of a rough type with the overcontracted myofibrils making up, probably occurs as a result of supercharging with calcium can be caused by deficiencies in the sarcolemma structure. 3. The intracellular edema of the cardiomyocytes and their supercharging with calcium can be caused by deficiencies in the sarcoma structure. 4. In the latest periods, the cardiomyocytes and the connective tissue reactions to the lesion is represented of compensatory hypertrophy of the cardiomyocytes and collagenizing the myocardium stroma.</p>","PeriodicalId":79373,"journal":{"name":"Romanian journal of physiology : physiological sciences","volume":"34 1-4","pages":"35-44"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1997-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20572823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Visual processing of configuration-dependent spatial characteristics of shapes and patterns. A model useful in the study of the role of the departure from circularity or dispersion of shapes in human visual perception.","authors":"C A Bonciocat, G Grosu, S Ghiţă","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this work a theoretical model was used in combination with testings on normal subjects to get more insight in the role of the departure from circularity or dispersion of the shapes in visual perception. The model was inspired by the observation that the intensity of the effect of a given level of contrast of a shape usually increases, for the same area, with the shape being better concentrated around a center. The model introduces as a measurable characteristic the degree of concentration or dispersion of a shape with respect to a center. The measure was based on the maximum of the convolution integral of the characteristic function of the shape with the weighting function 1/2 pi r, r being the distance between the point of convolution and the surface element to be integrated. A program for the calculation of the degree of concentration of figures and other related processing operations was developed in Turbo Pascal language on a 486 PC. The program included the possibility to generate various figures and to operate on them various transformations such as strangulation, fragmentation with separation of fragments. The model introduces a center of the figure, the point best surrounded by the whole figure, with a geometric and visual significance, as resulting from the good concordance between its calculated and perceived positioning in different relatively simple shapes. In symmetrical compact figures subjected to a central separation or narrowing two centres appear entering the two resulting nuclear parts; a good concordance between model and perception was again observed in this transition to two centres and their subsequent positions in the two nuclear parts. In accord to model prediction, testings showed a very pronounced dependence of the summation efficiency over a contrasting area on the degree of dispersion of the area. This is reflected in the drastic decrease upon figure dispersion of the intensity with which a given brightness or colour contrast is perceived. Thus, the model gives a better explanation and a more efficient way to approach the great capacity of the visual system to disclose more compact shapes or agglomeration zones in a complex visual scene. This capacity is to a large extent due to the increase in the intensity with which a given contrast is perceived, occurring in these conditions. This intensity, which strongly depends on the degree of concentration or dispersion of the figure, becomes an important additional signal leading to the accentuation of the difference between compact and rarefied shapes. The model based on the degree of concentration determined around a centre, although useful for finding a centre and applicable satisfactorily to many shapes, do not cover well all aspects of shape dispersions. In shapes without a dominant central part the confrontation model-testing showed an important involvement in global perception of all local concentrations, not only central but also peripheral, the later undere","PeriodicalId":79373,"journal":{"name":"Romanian journal of physiology : physiological sciences","volume":"34 1-4","pages":"51-74"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1997-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20572825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The sources of variation in the human genome and genome instability in human cancers.","authors":"G L Diculescu","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The human genome is viewed as a stable collection of about 60,000-70,000 genes--a minority of protein--coding DNA sequences--dispersed in a large majority of noncoding DNA sequences--more than 90 per cent of the entire genome sequences. Some of these ubiquitous noncoding DNA sequences, metonymically called \"parasitic DNA,\" \"ballast DNA,\" \"selfish DNA\" or \"extra DNA,\" especially, the repeated sequences tandemly organized, are not stable but vary with considerable frequency. Recently, the confused or inadequately known origin of native of pathological variations of these DNA sequences appears to be unravelled, with great implications in genome stability. The human chromosomes, the bearer of genome, store and carry it. Their structure is qualified to perform its fastidious functions. The chromosomal conformation, \"with variable geometry,\" exposed to genetoxic action of different damaging factors and to torsional stress after their fast and repeated changes during mitosis. The exaggerate exceeding of the native variation of human genome in disease states, probably, generates genome instability. The chromosome fragility--the cellular phenotypic expression of these molecular instability--reflects the closely relations between the genome and its carrier. The pattern of DNA replication with asynchrony of different domains of \"parcelled\" genome and the results of replication, susceptible to be corrected by the action of DNA repair genes, render certain limited regions of genome more vulnerable to damaging. These \"target\" regions focused damaging effects and exhibit an increased susceptibility to breakage and recombination, often with chromosomal expression. The coincidence of these regions, frequently, with locations of many protooncogenes and sometimes, antioncogenes could be subsequently, starting points for a genuine chain of genomic events related to growth cell and cell division. Cancer multistage accumulation of various genomic disorders in a single cell tends to take advantage of discriminating situations of these regions, which themselves can generate other genetic disorders, involving its in carcinogenesis. The gene expression disorders or the genuine mutations of dominant protooncogenes and the recessive behaviour of antioncogenes explain the nature of human cancers--a mixture of inherited and somatically acquired gene disorders. They attest the recessive characteristic of human cell malignancy and emphasize the decisive role of cancer predisposition which operates in interaction with damaging environmental factors. Seemingly, the pivotal causes of genome instability originate from strange behaviour of certain repeated DNA sequences dispersed throughout the human genome. Perhaps they hold the key to the puzzle of cancer processes.</p>","PeriodicalId":79373,"journal":{"name":"Romanian journal of physiology : physiological sciences","volume":"34 1-4","pages":"3-17"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1997-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20572821","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"O.H.--a strong slow wave sleep inducing factor in tortoise (Emys orbicularis).","authors":"E Vasilescu","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The paper would be a contribution to the very complex and not yet clarified field of neurochemistry of slow wave sleep (SWS). The study was performed on 30 tortoises (Emys orbicularis): 20 \"donors\" and 10 \"receivers\". The animals were equipped with chronic cannula inserted in the third ventricular space and electrodes for electrographic recording (EEG, EOG, EMG and ECG). The controls consisted in administration into the third ventricle of receivers of 30 microliters of saline or concentrated cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) extracts from awake donors. The results were negative, i.e. the injected tortoises conserved their waking state indefinitely. The experiments were performed by introduction of 30 microliters of concentrated CSF extracts obtained from asleep donors into the third ventricular space of receivers. All the animals presented the behavioural and electrographic signs of the physiological SWS. The logical conclusion is that in the development of reptilian SWS, an endogenous SWS-inducing factor, which I called \"O.H.\" (orbicularis hormone), was secreted by some hypnogenic structures and discharged in the CSF, with the consequences presented above.</p>","PeriodicalId":79373,"journal":{"name":"Romanian journal of physiology : physiological sciences","volume":"34 1-4","pages":"45-50"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1997-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20572824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of electrolytic bilateral symmetric lesions of the arcuate nucleus on the phagocytic activity and on the phagocytic response in rats.","authors":"A Felegean, M Junie, I Baciu","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Previous researches of Cluj-Napoca laboratories of Physiology (Benetato, Baciu et al., 1945, 1946, 1947) demonstrated that direct electrical stimulation of the tubero-mammillary area in dogs increases, in the following hours, the blood polymorphonuclears phagocytic activity. By contrast, electrical damage of the same region produces a depression of the basal phagocytic activity and a blocking of the phagocytic response (Baciu et al., 1958, 1988). In the present research we assumed there is a stimulating effect of the arcuate nucleus, located in this area, on the phagocytic activity of blood neutrophils. We used an anodal current to stereotaxically induce lesion of the arcuate nucleus in six rats. A control group of six animals was used. Five days later, phagocytic response was induced with a Gram negative bacterial extract given i.v. The results demonstrated a decrease of the phagocytic activity from 164.31 +/- 17 bacteria engulfed by 100 neutrophils in controls, to 138 +/- 12.8 in the lesioned group p < 0.05. Phagocytic response after five hours appears depressed in the lesioned group (138 +/- 12.8 to 156.25 +/- 13.3, p < 0.05). Similar results were obtained after 24 hours. In control animals the response is very significant after 5 and 24 hrs., respectively, (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the arcuate nucleus is moderately involved in sustaining the basal phagocytic activity of blood neutrophils. It has an important role in phagocytic response.</p>","PeriodicalId":79373,"journal":{"name":"Romanian journal of physiology : physiological sciences","volume":"34 1-4","pages":"75-82"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1997-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20572826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}