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Over the last few years, an extensive set of technologies have been systematically included in precision agriculture (PA) and also in precision viticulture (PV) practices, as tools that allow efficient monitoring of nearly any parameter to achieve sustainable crop management practices and to increase both crop yield and quality. However, many technologies and standards are not yet included on those practices. Therefore, potential benefits that may result from putting together agronomic knowledge with electronics and computer technologies are still not fully accomplished. Both emergent and established paradigms, such as the Internet of Everything (IoE), Internet of Things (IoT), cloud and fog computing, together with increasingly cheaper computing technologies – with very low power requirements and a diversity of wireless technologies, available to exchange data with increased efficiency – and intelligent systems, have evolved to a level where it is virtually possible to expeditiously create and deploy any required monitoring solution. Pushed by all of these technological trends and recent developments, data integration has emerged as the layer between crops and knowledge needed to efficiently manage it. In this paper, the mySense environment is presented, aimed to systematize data acquisition procedures to address common PA/PV issues. mySense builds over a 4-layer technological structure: sensor and sensor nodes, crop field and sensor networks, cloud services and support to front-end applications. It makes available a set of free tools based on the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) concept and enables the use of Arduino® and Raspberry Pi (RPi) low-cost platforms to quickly prototype a complete monitoring application. Field experiments provide compelling evidences that mySense environment represents an important step forward towards Smart Farming, by enabling the use of low-cost, fast deployment, integrated and transparent technologies to increase PA/PV monitoring applications adoption.

Prolactin (PRL) is a pleiotropic hormone secreted by several cells and tissues in the body, such as mammary glands, T-lymphocytes, hypothalamus, among others. This hormone possess neuroprotective properties against glutamate-excitotoxicity through the activation of NF-kB, suggesting it could exert an antioxidant action. However, the role of PRL on the antioxidant defense during glutamate-induced excitotoxicity is not clear to date. Therefore, in the present study, we have evaluated the effect of PRL on SOD activity and protein content of both of its isoforms (Mn2+-SOD and Cu2+/Zn2+-SOD), as well as, its action on mitochondrial activity in primary culture of hippocampal neurons of rats. Additionally, we have evaluated the possible antioxidant effect of PRL through the determination of lipid peroxidation products (LPO), measured as malondialdehyde (MDA). Results show that PRL enhances the activity and the protein content of Mn2+-SOD and Cu2+/Zn2+-SOD in neurons exposed to glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Moreover, our results demonstrate that PRL prevents mitochondrial dysfunction induced by glutamate and significantly decreases the levels of LPO products. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a potential antioxidant effect of PRL has been described in hippocampal neurons exposed to glutamate excitotoxicity, opening questions of its potentiality for therapeutics.

The aims of the present work were to evaluate the exploratory activity in Sprague-Dawley rats, as well as to analyze the nigral and striatal mRNA expression of the plasticity-related genes bdnf and arc after L-buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) injection into substantia nigra compacta. Lesioned rats traveled less distance in open field but did not show a decline in the novel object recognition test. On the other hand, RT-PCR analysis showed overexpression of striatal arc 24 h post-lesion; no significant changes in bdnf expression were observed in nigral or striatal tissue. These results suggest that intranigral BSO injection causes impairment in exploratory behavior in these rats, by affecting locomotion, which is associated with changes in striatal synaptic plasticity.

It is well-known that information and communication technologies enable many tasks in the context of precision agriculture. In fact, more and more farmers and food and agriculture companies are using precision agriculture-based systems to enhance not only their products themselves, but also their means of production. Consequently, problems arising from large amounts of data management and processing are arising. It would be very useful to have an infrastructure that allows information and agricultural tasks to be efficiently shared and handled. The cloud computing paradigm offers a solution. In this study, a cloud-based software architecture is proposed with the aim of enabling a complete crop management system to be deployed and validated. Such architecture includes modules developed by using Google App Engine, which allows the information to be easily retrieved and processed and agricultural tasks to be properly defined and planned. Additionally, Google’s Datastore (which ensures a high scalability degree), hosts both information that describes such agricultural tasks and agronomic data. The architecture has been validated in a system that comprises a wireless sensor network with fixed nodes and a mobile node on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), deployed in an agricultural farm in the Region of Murcia (Spain). Such a network allows soil water and plant status to be monitored. The UAV (capable of executing missions defined by an administrator) is useful for acquiring visual information in an autonomous manner (under operator supervision, if needed). The system performance has been analysed and results that demonstrate the benefits of using the proposed architecture are detailed.

Using suitable information storage, management and processing resources is essential when Precision Agriculture-based applications are developed. Nowadays, traditional client-server paradigm is useful but it might not be enough for this purpose. The amount of data that could be stored and processed, and the need of generating complex knowledge and rules that allow stakeholders to take appropriate decisions related to crop optimization are leading researchers to pay attention to new solutions based on designing software architectures in the Cloud. This paper demonstrates that using cloud services in the agronomic context could be considered as highly beneficial. In particular, the used cloud provider is FIWARE, since it provides open source and free development modules, and even, several enablers for agriculture. An application has been developed by using the FIWARE components, and it has been validated in real crops located in a semiarid area of the South of Spain with the aim of reducing the amount of water necessary for irrigation tasks. The advantages of using FIWARE, opposite to the use of traditional systems, are properly analysed and highlighted. In addition, a discussion that emphasizes the advantages of using FIWARE instead of other well-known cloud providers is also presented.

The activation of the transcription factor Nrf2 and the consequent increment in the antioxidant response might be a powerful strategy to contend against reperfusion damage. In this study we compared the effectiveness between sulforaphane (SFN), a well known activator of Nrf2 and the mechanical maneuver of post-conditioning (PostC) to confer cardioprotection in an in vivo cardiac ischemia-reperfusion model. We also evaluated if additional mechanisms, besides Nrf2 activation contribute to cardioprotection. Our results showed that SFN exerts an enhanced protective response as compared to PostC. Bot, strategies preserved cardiac function, decreased infarct size, oxidative stress and inflammation, through common protective pathways; however, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) also participated in the protection conferred by SFN. Our data suggest that SFN-mediated cardioprotection involves transient Nrf2 activation, followed by phase I enzymes upregulation at the end of reperfusion, as a long-term protection mechanism.

El Quiste Odontogénico Calcificante forma parte del grupo de Quistes Odontógenicos y No Odontogénicos del Desarrollo, según la Clasificación de Quistes Maxilares de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, 2017. Es una patología poco común sin predilección por el género, afectando tanto a la población joven como adulta involucrando por igual a mandíbula y maxilar y es frecuentemente encontrado en asociación con piezas dentarias incluidas. El objetivo de esta presentación fue diagnosticar y desarrollar un plan de tratamiento quirúrgico, acorde al caso clínico. Se reporta un caso clínico de paciente de género masculino de 15 años de edad, con presencia de una lesión quística de 5 meses de evolución en zona anterior del maxilar superior izquierdo. El diagnóstico histopatológico previa biopsia incisional se correlacionó con los hallazgos clínicos y radiográficos, lo cual revela en el estudio histopatológico la presencia de Quiste Odontogenico Epitelial Calcificante asociado a Quiste Dentigero. El tratamiento consistió en la remoción quirúrgica del quiste bajo anestesia general. Posterior a la enucleación se hicieron los controles postoperatorios y el seguimiento del paciente por un periodo de 2 años. La realización de una historia clínica exhaustiva, confirmación diagnóstica mediante biopsia y técnica quirúrgica correcta en la eliminación del quiste nos permitió obtener un resultado favorable.

We have now applied the enzyme immunoassay using anti-NGF monoclonal antibody (MAb) 27/21 and a blocking test validating the specificity of the immunoreactivity for NGF in serum samples to examine NGF levels in normal rat sera, hemiparkinsonian rat sera, normal monkey sera, and MPTP-treated monkey sera. The levels of NGF in treated animals showed reductions when compared with serum from normal animals. The NGF level alterations observed in lesioned animals and in human parkinsonian patients evidence a relationship between this neurotrophic factor and the neurodegenerative changes observed in Parkinson disease (PD).

Background: The treatment of malignant melanoma or sarcomas on a limb using extremity perfusion with tumour necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) and melphalan can result in a high degree of systemic toxicity if there is any leakage from the isolated blood territory of the limb into the systemic vascular territory. Leakage is currently controlled by using radiotracers and heavy external probes in a procedure that requires continuous manual calculations. The aim of this work was to develop a light, easily transportable system to monitor limb perfusion leakage by controlling systemic blood pool radioactivity with a portable gamma camera adapted for intraoperative use as an external probe, and to initiate its application in the treatment of MM patients. Methods: A special collimator was built for maximal sensitivity. Software for acquisition and data processing in real time was developed. After testing the adequacy of the system, it was used to monitor limb perfusion leakage in 16 patients with malignant melanoma to be treated with perfusion of TNF-alpha and melphalan. Results: The field of view of the detector system was 13.8 cm, which is appropriate for the monitoring, since the area to be controlled was the precordial zone. The sensitivity of the system was 257 cps/MBq. When the percentage of leakage reaches 10% the associated absolute error is +/- 1%. After a mean follow-up period of 12 months, no patients have shown any significant or lasting side-effects. Partial or complete remission of lesions was seen in 9 out of 16 patients (56%) after HILP with TNF-alpha and melphalan. Conclusion: The detector system together with specially developed software provides a suitable automatic continuous monitoring system of any leakage that may occur during limb perfusion. This technique has been successfully implemented in patients for whom perfusion with TNF-alpha and melphalan has been indicated.

Introduction. Participation of apoptotic death mechanisms in drug resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (DRTLE) is currently under great debate. We have investigated if there is neuronal loss and the immunodetection to different markers in neocortical tissue death in eigth patients with DRTLE. The neocortexes of five patients deceased due to non-neurological causes, paired in age and gender were evaluated as control tissue. Methods. The evaluation of neuronal loss was made by means of a stereological study and with immunohistochemical techniques with the synaptophysin marker. Immunopositivity to different apoptotic markers (annexin V, caspase 3 and 8, bcl-2 and p53) and detection of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation (TUNEL) were analyzed and double labeling with synaptophysin was performed in every case. The results were evaluated with confocal microscope and analyzed with the Zeiss LSM 5 Image Browser Program, 2.80.1113 (Germany). Results. A statistically significant decrease in the total number of cells (p0.05) and the synaptophysin cells+ (p0.01) in the neocortex (layer IV) of the patients with DRTLE when compared with the control tissue was found. No significant differences were found in the apoptotic markers bcl-2, p53, caspase 3 and 8 for any of the neocortex layers while there was a statistically significant increase in the number of TUNEL cells+ (p0.05) and annexin V+ (p0.05) in the neocortical layer IV of the patients. Conclusions. This group of evidence speaks in favor of the existence of an effect on the neuronal number in the neocortex layer IV that may be associated with noncaspase dependent apoptotic death process, without being able to rule out death by necrosis. Key words: Drug resistant temporal lobe epilepsy. Apoptosis. Necrosis. Neuronal loss. Neurología 2008;23(9):555-565.

We have developed two prototypes of portable gamma cameras for medical applications based on a previous prototype designed and tested by our group. These cameras use a CsI(Na) continuous scintillation crystal coupled to the new flat-panel-type multianode position-sensitive photomultiplier tube, H8500 from Hamamatsu Photonics. One of the prototypes, mainly intended for intrasurgical use, has a field of view of 44 x 44 mm2, and weighs 1.2 kg. Its intrinsic resolution is better than 1.5 mm and its energy resolution is about 13% at 140 keV. The second prototype, mainly intended for osteological, renal, mammary, and endocrine (thyroid, parathyroid, and suprarenal) scintigraphies, weighs a total of 2 kg. Its average spatial resolution is 2 mm; it has a field of view of 95 x 95 mm2, with an energy resolution of about 15% at 140 keV. The main advantages of these gamma camera prototypes with respect to those previously reported in the literature are high portability and low weight, with no significant loss of sensitivity and spatial resolution. All the electronic components are packed inside the mini gamma cameras, and no external electronic devices are required. The cameras are only connected through the universal serial bus port to a portable PC. In this paper, we present the design of the cameras and describe the procedures that have led us to choose their configuration together with the most important performance features of the cameras. For one of the prototypes, clinical tests on melanoma patients are presented and images are compared with those obtained with a conventional camera.

An application to perform a visual simulation of a machine based on MIPS is presented in this paper. The advantage of this system in relation to conventional simulators is that the simulation engine is the result of a real simulation under a VHDL development environment, so that hardware description can be modified and simulated in several ways to test and study its performance. So, it is possible to join the versatility of a commercial VHDL development tool with the simple handling of a graphic environment. In addition, an assembler language has been defined to write simple applications in order to test the simulated computer.

The thermolumlnescence dosimeter (TLD) readers used In the Laboratory of External Dosimetry of the Center of Protection and Hygiene from the Radiations are old-fashioned. The data obtained by this equipment must be manually written down In arder to subsequently, process them and these data do not remain registered In any memory for future analysis. This paper describes the desing and creation of a system that conneds these TLD readers to a personal computer. The system Includes a data acquisition card with several analogue input channels, counters, timers as well as digital inputs/outputs and software, In arder to control the acquisition and processing of the data.

The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), co-localized with the mesencephalic locomotor region, has been proposed as a key structure in the physiopathology of Parkinson's disease.The goal of the present study was to assess if the aminoacid neurotransmitter release in the PPN is modified by the degeneration of dopaminergic cells, from substantia nigra pars compacta in 6-hydroxidopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned rats. In addition, it was studied the aminoacid neurotransmitter release in the PPN of rats with lesion of the subthalamic nucleus by quinolinic acid (QUIN) (100 nmol) intracerebral injection.Rats were assigned to five groups: untreated rats (I) (n = 13), 6-OHDA lesion (II) (n = 11), 6-OHDA + QUIN lesion (III) (n = 9), sham-operated (IV) (n = 10), QUIN, STN (V) lesioned (n = 9). The extracellular concentrations of glutamic acid (GLU) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were determined by brain microdialysis and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS. GLU released in PPN from 6-OHDA lesioned rats (group II), was significantly increased in comparison with the others groups (F(4, 47) = 18.21, p0.001). GABA released shows significant differences between experimental groups (F(4, 45) = 12.75, p0.001). It was detected a higher valour (p0.05) in-group II. The groups III and IV exhibited intermeddle valour (p0.001) and groups I and IV (p0.001) showed the lower GABA extracellular concentrations. The infusion of artificial cerebrospinal fluid with higher potassium (100 mmol) induced an increase in the GLU and GABA released in all groups, which confirm the neuronal origin of the extracellular content.These results are in agreement with the current model of basal ganglia functioning and suggest the role of STN-PPN projection in the physiopathology of Parkinson's disease.

A good deal of evidence currently exists to show that transplanting foetal mesencephalic tissue can produce symptomatic benefits both in patients and in disease models. Nevertheless, the technical and ethical difficulties involved in obtaining enough suitable foetal cerebral tissue have been a serious obstacle to its application. Stromal cells derived from bone marrow, due to their potential capacity to generate different types of cells, could be an ideal source of material for cell restoration in neurodegenerative diseases.Our aim was to evaluate the effect of transplanting stromal cells derived from bone marrow on the behaviour of 6-OHDA rats, when they are inserted into the striatum.In this study we used rats with a lesion in the substantia nigra induced by 6-hydroxydopamine, divided into several experimental groups. Rotary activity induced by D-amphetamine (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) was evaluated before and throughout the three months following the transplant in all the experimental groups, except in the group of healthy controls. Hemiparkinsonian rats received a total of 350 000 foetal ventral mesencephalic cells and 8 x 10(4) stromal cells/microL, which were implanted in the striatum.Animals with stromal cells transplanted in the body of the striatum significantly reduced the number of turns induced by amphetamine (p0.05); yet this reduction was not greater than that induced by foetal mesencephalic cell transplants. We were also unable to demonstrate any significant improvement in the motor skills of the forelimbs.

Clinical and experimental data support the role of immune mechanisms in the pathogeny of epilepsy. The purpose of this work was to study the immunological aspects in 30 epileptic patients with complex partial crisis resistant to antiepileptic drugs.The patients were evaluated by EEG-Video and they were grouped attending to epileptogenic focus localization in: temporals (n = 16), lateralized (n = 6) and extratemporals (n = 4). We also studied a group with psychogenic epilepsy (n = 4), this group was diagnosed after EEG-video evaluation. The following immunological evaluations has been carried out: levels of serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM e IgA) by radial immunodiffusion test and lymphocytic subpopulations using immunocytochemical methods. We measured the percent of T and B lymphocytes (CD3 and CD20), helper/inductor lymphocyte T (CD4), suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8), interleukine-2 receptor (CD25) and human leukocyte antigen (HLA-DR).The results show a significant increase of CD8+ lymphocytes (p0.05) and in the activation markers (CD25+ and HLA-DR+ cells). The evaluation of immunological parameters applied to different group of epileptogenic focus localization shown that the increase of CD8+ lymphocytes is limited to temporal and lateralized patients (p0.01). The patients with extratemporal localization of focus and the psychogenic cases shown normal values for the evaluated immunological lymphocyte markers. We did not find a deficit in the humoral immunological aspects.Taking into account that patients diagnosed as psychogenic received an antiepileptic drug treatment identical to that of the other group, the observed immunological changes might be related with the patogeny of certain epilepsy variants associated with the focus localization and not with the medication.

Several studies that has focused to the dopaminergic transmission in the basal ganglia in parkinsonian condition, but only a few article has taking into account the imbalance between dopaminergic and cholinergic transmission.To evaluate the muscarinic cholinergic receptors density in SNc and PPN in the 6-OHDA model.Were organized five experimental groups in correspondence to the place of the lesion: I. Non treated rats, II. 6-OHDA lesion in SNc, III. 6-OHDA lesion in SNc + quinolinic acid lesion in NST, IV. Sham operated rats, V. Quinolinic acid in STN. Were obtained coronal sections of 20 microm thickness of SNc and PPN from rats and in these sections was evaluated the muscarinic receptors density through autoradiographic technique with [3H]quinuclidinylbenzilate (QNB) (1.23 nM). The muscarinic antagonist atropine (1 microM) was utilized as non-specific union. The density was evaluated in both hemispheres and the density optical was converted in fentomolas/mg of tissue with base to values obtained from tritium standards.Significant diminution of the muscarinic receptors density was found in the SNc ipsilateral to the 6-OHDA lesion from experimental groups II (t=2.76; p0.05) and III (t=4.06; p0.05). In the group V, was seen a significant increase of muscarinic receptor density in the SNc ipsilateral to the 6-OHDA lesion. The comparison between experimental groups evidenced significant differences among them (F=13.13; p0.001) with a significant decrease in the density from SNc of groups II and III and significant increase in the density from SNc of group V in comparison of the others groups. In relation to PPN, muscarinic receptors density from right PPN ipsilateral to the 6-OHDA lesion, shown significant differences (F=3.93; p0.01) between the experimental groups with a significant increase of this variable in the group II.These results signal a modification of cholinergic activity after 6-OHDA lesion. The changes in the muscarinic receptors populations located in SNc and PPN could be part of different compensatory mechanisms to attempt ameliorate the imbalance between dopaminergic and cholinergic transmission that it was installed after denervation of nigrostriatal forebrain bundle. The excitotoxic lesion of STN impose a new adjust mechanism for cell from PPN, which could be expressed in the changes of muscarinic cholinergic receptors population at the level of SNc.

There is currently a growing interest for conducting studies into the electrical and neurochemical activity of the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) due to the privileged position occupied by this structure in the flow of information to and from the cortex. This nucleus acts as a relay, not only for the motor information that is processed in the basal ganglia but also for information of an emotional type, whose main centre is the nucleus accumbens. It is also strongly linked with the aspects that determine the mechanisms governing addiction to certain drugs.We conduct a detailed analysis of the main findings from studies of the role played by the PPN in the physiopathology of Parkinsonism, namely the study of metabolic activity, immunohistochemical studies with different tracers, electrophysiological studies that have confirmed the immunohistochemical observations, as well as deep electrical stimulation carried out in non human primates. Furthermore, we also examine the part played by this structure in the processing of emotional information associated with different learning tasks.Overall, the authors grant the PPN a privileged position in the physiopathology of the axial disorders related to Parkinson s disease; its most important afference, stemming from the subthalamic nucleus, appears to play a key role in the understanding of the part played by the PPN in Parkinsonism.

The main strategy followed in neural transplants as a method of treatment for Parkinson s disease, both experimental and clinical, has been to introduce foetal mesencephalic cells into the target area: the striatum. However, when the dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra degenerate, not only is the dopaminergic innervation of the striatum affected but also other nuclei: globus pallidus, substantia nigra, substantia nigra pars reticulata and subthalamic nucleus. A series of data from pharmacological and physiological studies offer strong evidence that the dopamine released in these nuclei may play an important role in regulating the output nuclei of the basal ganglia.To evaluate the effect of transplanting foetal mesencephalic cells on the behaviour of 6 OH DA rats when introduced into the striatum and the subthalamic nucleus.6 OH DA was used to induce lesions in the substantia nigra of rats, which were divided into several experimental groups. The rotating activity induced by D amphetamine (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) and apomorphine (0.05 mg/kg, subcutaneously) was evaluated before and three months after the transplant in all the experimental groups, except in the control group of healthy rats. The hemiparkinsonian rats received a total of 350,000 foetal ventral mesencephalic cells, which were implanted within small deposits in the striatum (8) and in the subthalamic nucleus (4).Rotation induced by both drugs was significantly lower (p= 0.05) in animals that had had dopaminergic cells transplanted into the striatum body. No significant improvement in this behaviour was to be found when transplants were limited to just the subthalamus or, simultaneously, also to the striatum. A significant increase in rotating behaviour induced by apomorphine was observed in the group which received a transplant in just the subthalamus.

Microdialysis cerebral technique has been widely employed in order to study the neurotransmitter release.This technique present numerous advantages such as: allow to work with sample in vivo from animals freely moving, by means of microdialysis can be infused simultaneously different drugs in different points implanted probes in several coordinates; also allow carry out pharmacokinetics studies that show correlation with behavior patter as well as to study metabolic changes, which is not possible when this determination are carry out in tissue, in post mortem stadio.In the present work is carry out a review about the main results obtaining in the sensitization and abstinence to several drug study and approach to biochemical characteristics to Parkinson s disease (PD) by means of microdialysis technique. In relation to sensibilization studies, the temporal changes in different behavior pattern that modify after amphetamine administration have been studied. Microdialysis study allowed correlationate dopamine concentration with behavior pattern above mentioned. In relation with PD, dopamine concentration after systemic and central (intracerebral) administration of levodopa and another dopaminergic drugs have been studied in different nucleus of basal ganglia as well as its respectively behavior correlates.

The objective of this paper was to review information related to the various factors which may trigger the mechanisms of cell death, induced or programmed, which take place in the nervous system and their relationship with the aetiopathogenesis of the neurodegenerative diseases.In recent years it has been recognized that cell death may be not only the consequence of accidental damage but also a sign of a suicide programme. This form of death is currently known as apoptosis. It is a process which is morphologically distinct from accidental cell death or necrosis. It does not cause an inflammatory response. This type of death is not only involved in the development and haemostasis of tissues, but also in setting off neuronal degeneration in experimental models of Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, etc.In the cell death occurring in neurodegenerative diseases there is more than one induction mechanisms. Understanding the factors which trigger cell death, and the chain of events leading to this, gives grounds for the design of new pharmacological strategies for the treatment of these diseases.

beta-NGF is a basic protein of 118 aminoacids which acts are a trophic factor for sensory and sympathetic neurons of the peripheral nervous system, and on cholinergic neurons of the anterior basal cerebrum.In view of the functional effect of beta-HGF and its possibilities as a therapeutic agent in neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer's disease in this study our aim was to obtain, characterize and show the main results of the application of beta-NGFm in a model of cerebral ageing in rats with cognitive disorders.For the obtention of beta-NGFm we followed Mobley's method as modified by Ebendal and used mouse submaxillary gland as a source of raw material. The characterization studies were carried out by application of seven techniques which allowed physicochemical characterization and demonstration of the biological activity of the product. Application of beta-NGF obtained under these conditions was carried out in a mode of cerebral ageing and the effects of treatment were assessed by conduct studies, measurement of the activity of the enzyme acetyl cholinesterase and study of neural plasticity.Characterization studies carried out on the beta-NGFm showed that the protein obtained consists of a mixture of molecules of beta-NGFm which are intact at their extreme N-Terminal, and molecules which have lost the octapeptide of the N-terminal position and show some modification increasing hydrophobicity. All these species were recognized immunologically by the specific antibody anti-NGFm and showed biological activity.

The effects of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) within and outside the nervous system have been amply discussed in recent decades. Recently clinical studies have shown the effectiveness of this growth factor in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. This clinical use makes it necessary to have sensitive, specific methods available to permit measurement of the level of this protein and to determine how it behaves during the course of treatment.To describe the measurement of NGF levels in human serum using an immunoenzymatic method and evaluating the levels of this protein in some neurological disorders. Materials and methods. NGF levels were measured in the serum of healthy persons and in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS) and Huntington's chorea (HC) using a double site immune-enzymatic assay. Murine 27/21 anti-beta-NGF monoclonal antibody was used as the antibody to cover the plate and as conjugate.Adding a block pass to the method, in which the sample was incubated with an excess of 27/21 antibody effectively reduced the signal observed in the immuno-enzymatic assay. A moderate reduction in beta-NGF levels was seen in the serum of patients with ALS and MS. There was a statistically significant reduction in the patients who were carriers of PD and HC.The significant reduction in NGF levels in patients with PD and HC may be associated with a disorder in the use of this protein in central and peripheral tissues.

Introduccion. El nucleo pedunculopontino (NPP), colocalizado con el area locomotora mesencefalica, se ha senalado como una estructura clave en la fisiopatologia de la enfermedad de Parkinson. Objetivos. 1. Estudiar el efecto de la lesion de la sustancia negra pars compacta ?por inyeccion de 6-hidroxidopamina (6-OHDA)? sobre la liberacion de aminoacidos neurotransmisores en el NPP. 2. Estudiar el efecto de la lesion del nucleo subtalamico (NST), por inyeccion intracerebral de 100 nmol de acido quinolinico (QUIN), sobre la liberacion de aminoacidos neurotransmisores en el NPP. Materiales y metodos. Se organizaron cinco grupos experimentales: ratas sanas (I; n = 13), lesion con 6-OHDA (II; n = 11), lesion simultanea de 6-OHDA + QUIN (III; n = 9), falsa lesion de 6-OHDA (IV; n = 10), y lesion del NST con QUIN (V; n = 9). Las concentraciones extracelulares de acido glutamico (GLU) y GABA se determinaron por medio de cromatografia liquida de alta resolucion (HPLC) con deteccion fluorimetrica. Resultados. Se detectaron diferencias significativas en la liberacion de GLU entre todos los grupos experimentales (F(4, 47) = 18,21, p < 0,001), con un aumento significativo de esta variable en el grupo II. La liberacion de GABA en el NPP mostro diferencias significativas entre los grupos en estudio (F(4, 45) = 12,75, p < 0,001). Para esta variable se produjo una separacion entre los grupos, con un aumento significativo (p < 0,05) en el grupo II, valores intermedios y significativamente diferentes para los grupos III y V (p < 0,001) y valores menores para los grupos I y IV. La infusion de una solucion de liquido cefalorraquideo artificial con mayor concentracion de potasio (100 mmol) produjo un incremento en la liberacion de los aminoacidos neurotransmisores en todos los grupos experimentales, lo cual confirma el origen neuronal del contenido extracelular estudiado. Conclusiones. Estos resultados concuerdan con el ?modelo? actual de funcionamiento de los ganglios basales y sugieren un papel importante a la proyeccion STN-NPP en la fisiopatologia de la enfermedad de Parkinson.

Introduccion. Numerosos estudios han abordado el papel de la neurotransmision dopaminergica en los ganglios basales en condiciones de parkinsonismo, pero pocos se han encaminado hacia el desequilibrio entre la trasmision dopaminergica y colinergica. Objetivo. Evaluar la densidad de receptores colinergicos muscarinicos en sustancia negra pars compacta (SNc) y nucleo pedunculopontino (NPP) en el modelo de 6­OHDA. Materiales y metodos. Se organizaron cinco grupos experimentales segun la lesion de SNc y NST: 1. Animales sanos; 2. Ratas lesionadas con 6­OHDA; 3. Ratas con lesion simultanea de SNc y NST; 4. Ratas Sham del modelo de 6­OHDA; 5. Ratas con lesion de NST. Se obtuvieron cortes de 20 µm de grosor de SNc y NPP de ratas, en los cuales se evaluo la densidad de receptores colinergicos muscarinicos por autorradiografia con [3H]quinuclidinilbencilato (QNB) (1,23 nM). Como union no especifica se uso el antagonista muscarinico atropina (1 µM). Se realizaron lecturas en los dos hemisferios y la densidad optica se convirtio en fentomolas por mg de tejido con base en los valores obtenidos de los estandares de tritio. Resultados. En los grupos 2 (t = 2,76; p < 0,05) y 3 (t = 4,06; p < 0,05) se evidencio una disminucion significativa de la densidad de receptores muscarinicos en la SNc ipsilateral a la lesion de 6­OHDA. El grupo 5 mostro un aumento significativo de la densidad de receptores muscarinicos en la SNc lesionada con 6­OHDA (t = 2,69; p < 0,05). La comparacion entre grupos experimentales arrojo diferencias significativas entre estos (F = 13,13; p < 0,001), con una disminucion en los grupos 2 y 3 y un aumento significativo en el grupo 5, en relacion con los restantes grupos. La densidad de receptores muscarinicos para el NPP derecho ipsilateral a la lesion de SNc mostro diferencias significativas entre los grupos experimentales (F = 3,93; p < 0,01), con un aumento significativo de esta variable en el grupo 2. Conclusiones. Estos resultados apuntan hacia una modificacion de la actividad colinergica posterior a la denervacion de la SNc por inyeccion de 6­OHDA. Los cambios en las poblaciones de receptores muscarinicos distribuidos en SNc y NPP pueden ser parte de distintos mecanismos compensatorios que intentan atenuar el desequilibrio entre las transmisiones dopaminergica y colinergica, que se instala despues de la degeneracion de la via negroestriatal. La lesion excitotoxica del NST impone un nuevo mecanismo de ajuste a las celulas del NPP, que pudiera expresarse en los cambios en las poblaciones de receptores colinergicos de la SNc.

Introduccion. En la actualidad, existe un cumulo de evidencia que el trasplante de tejido mesencefalico fetal puede producir un beneficio sintomatico tanto en los pacientes como en los modelos de la enfermedad. Sin embargo, las dificultades tecnicas y eticas en la obtencion de tejido cerebral fetal apropiado y en cantidad suficiente ha dificultado su aplicacion. Las celulas estromales derivadas de medula osea, debido a su potencialidad para generar diferentes tipos de celulas, podrian ser una fuente ideal para la restauracion celular en enfermedades neurodegenerativas. Objetivo. Evaluar el efecto del trasplante de celulas estromales derivadas de medula osea sobre la conducta de ratas-6-OHDA, cuando el mismo se coloca en el estriado. Materiales y metodos. Se utilizaron ratas con lesion de la sustancia negra inducida por la 6-hidroxidopamina, divididas en varios grupos experimentales. La actividad rotatoria inducida por D-anfetamina (5 mg/kg, intraperitonialmente) se evaluo antes y en los tres meses posteriores al trasplante en todos los grupos experimentales, excepto en el grupo de controles sanas. Las ratas hemiparkinsonianas recibieron un total de 350.000 celulas de mesencefalo ventral fetal y 8 x 104 celulas estromales/µL, las cuales se implantaron en el estriado. Resultados y conclusiones. Los animales con trasplante de celulas estromales en el cuerpo estriado redujeron significativamente el numero de vueltas inducidas por anfetamina (p 0,05); sin embargo, esta reduccion no fue mayor que la inducida por los trasplantes de celulas mesencefalicas fetales. Por otro lado, no fue posible demostrar mejoria significativa de las habilidades motoras de las extremidades anteriores.

Introduction The main strategy followed in neural transplants as a method of treatment for Parkinson s disease, both experimental and clinical, has been to introduce foetal mesencephalic cells into the target area: the striatum. However, when the dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra degenerate, not only is the dopaminergic innervation of the striatum affected but also other nuclei: globus pallidus, substantia nigra, substantia nigra pars reticulata and subthalamic nucleus. A series of data from pharmacological and physiological studies offer strong evidence that the dopamine released in these nuclei may play an important role in regulating the output nuclei of the basal ganglia. Aim To evaluate the effect of transplanting foetal mesencephalic cells on the behaviour of 6 OH DA rats when introduced into the striatum and the subthalamic nucleus. Materials and methods 6 OH DA was used to induce lesions in the substantia nigra of rats, which were divided into several experimental groups. The rotating activity induced by D amphetamine (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) and apomorphine (0.05 mg/kg, subcutaneously) was evaluated before and three months after the transplant in all the experimental groups, except in the control group of healthy rats. The hemiparkinsonian rats received a total of 350,000 foetal ventral mesencephalic cells, which were implanted within small deposits in the striatum (8) and in the subthalamic nucleus (4). Results and conclusions Rotation induced by both drugs was significantly lower (p= 0.05) in animals that had had dopaminergic cells transplanted into the striatum body. No significant improvement in this behaviour was to be found when transplants were limited to just the subthalamus or, simultaneously, also to the striatum. A significant increase in rotating behaviour induced by apomorphine was observed in the group which received a transplant in just the subthalamus.

Introduction. To examine the amounts and role ofgrowth factors in different tissues and corporal fluid, new sensitive techniques have to be developed. A major problem is that the normal concentration of trophic substances, such as nerve growth factor (NGF), in central and peripheral nervous system and in fluids is very low (ng-pg/ml). A valuable method of research is the sensitive two-site enzyme immunoassay using the monoclonal antibody 27/21 to mouse NGF. Materials and methods. The present work applied this enzyme immunoassay to examine the NGF levels in normal non-human primate sera (n= 94) and applied this assay to study of NGF levels in two non-human primate receiving NGF infusion: one young and one aged. Two groups of non-human primate sera were studied one young-adult (n=69) and one aged (n=25). The serum samples NGF treated non-human primate were taken before the infusion and at the 1st week and 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th month after infusion. Results. To further test the specificity of conjugate binding, dilutions of the non-human primate sera were preincubated with an excess of monoclonal NGF antibody 27/21 in solution. With this strategy it was possible to completely block the signal obtained using the enzyme immunoassay. We found very low levels of NGF in aged monkeys (0.054 ng/ml) when compared with young-adult group (0.152 ng/ml) (p> 0.01). The NGF levels in aged non-human primate treatment with NGF was very low before (0. 50 ng/ml) and during NGF treatment evolution time, whereas at the the 12th month showed an increase in NGF levels (0.180 ng/ml). We found normal values of NGF in the young monkey before and during the first year after NGF infusion. Conclusions. Using the enzyme immunoassay described it is possible to know the serum concentration of NGF immunoreactive in non-human primate and this assay is able to detect peripheral changes in NGF levels after intracerebral infusion of NGF.

INTRODUCTION Microtransplantation of fetal dopaminergic cells has been used over the past ten years with good results in models of Parkinson's disease. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of microtransplantation of fetal dopaminergic cells 'seeded' in the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNpr) and striate (St) simultaneously. MATERIAL AND METHODS The animals received a transplant or microtransplant of cells into the St and SNpr ipsilateral to the lesion in the substantia nigra pars compacta or to both regions. Depending on the site and technique used the following experimental groups were considered: I. Macrotransplantation to the St (n = 20); II. Microtransplant to the St (n = 20); III. Microtransplant to St + SNpr (n = 20); IV. Microtransplant to St + SNpr (n = 20); V. Macrotransplantation to SNpr (n = 20); VI. Microtransplantation to SNpr (n = 20); and VII. Control (lesion only) (n = 20). The rotations induced by D-amphetamine (5 mg/kg i.p.) and by apomorphine were studied 1, 2, 3 and 6 months and 3 and 6 months respectively after transplantation. Three months after transplantation we studied the motor asymmetry shown by the animals by means of the ladder test. RESULTS The rotations were reduced in the groups with intrastriate transplantation. Comparison between the surgical techniques showed nonsignificant differences between them. The ladder test showed significant differences in use of the limbs in all experimental groups. Use of the left limb was significantly reduced in all groups. CONCLUSIONS Modification of the rotations seems more sensitive to the site of transplant than to the technique used. It seems that the skills studied using the ladder test are not altered by the microtransplant technique.

INTRODUCTION Studies of neural transplants in experimental models of Parkinson's disease have concentrated their attention on ectopic transplants of foetal mesencephalic cells to denervated striatum. However, the external globus pallidus has recently been shown to play an important part in the physiopathology of this disease. OBJECTIVE Bearing in mind the importance of loss of extra-striatal dopamine in the genesis of the clinical signs found in parkinsonism, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of foetal mesencephalic transplantation to the globus pallidus of hemiparkinsonian rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS Following conventional transplantation methodolgy, suspensions of cells from the ventral mesencephalum of rat embryos (E-14) were implanted. The tissue was grafted into the striatum, pallidum-striatum and pallidum areas of rats with unilateral lesions of the striatonigral bundle. One, two, three and six months after transplantation, the rotatory activity induced by D-amphetamine was evaluated. The rotatory behaviour induced by apomorphine was evaluated at three months. Motor ability of the front legs was evaluated in all experimental groups three months after transplantation using the 'ladder test'. RESULTS In the experimental groups in which a transplant was made to the globus pallidus there was a significant reduction (p < 0.01) in rotatory activity induced by D-amphetamine and by apomorphine as compared with the non-transplanted groups. CONCLUSIONS Transplants of foetal dopaminergic cells survive in the globus pallidus of hemiparkinsonian rats and can improve the rotational activity induced by dopaminergic agonists.

Objective The objective of this paper was to review information related to the various factors which may trigger the mechanisms of cell death, induced or programmed, which take place in the nervous system and their relationship with the aetiopathogenesis of the neurodegenerative diseases. Development In recent years it has been recognized that cell death may be not only the consequence of accidental damage but also a sign of a suicide programme. This form of death is currently known as apoptosis. It is a process which is morphologically distinct from accidental cell death or necrosis. It does not cause an inflammatory response. This type of death is not only involved in the development and haemostasis of tissues, but also in setting off neuronal degeneration in experimental models of Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, etc. Conclusions In the cell death occurring in neurodegenerative diseases there is more than one induction mechanisms. Understanding the factors which trigger cell death, and the chain of events leading to this, gives grounds for the design of new pharmacological strategies for the treatment of these diseases.

Introduction The effects of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) within and outside the nervous system have been amply discussed in recent decades. Recently clinical studies have shown the effectiveness of this growth factor in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. This clinical use makes it necessary to have sensitive, specific methods available to permit measurement of the level of this protein and to determine how it behaves during the course of treatment. Objective To describe the measurement of NGF levels in human serum using an immunoenzymatic method and evaluating the levels of this protein in some neurological disorders. Materials and methods. NGF levels were measured in the serum of healthy persons and in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS) and Huntington's chorea (HC) using a double site immune-enzymatic assay. Murine 27/21 anti-beta-NGF monoclonal antibody was used as the antibody to cover the plate and as conjugate. Results Adding a block pass to the method, in which the sample was incubated with an excess of 27/21 antibody effectively reduced the signal observed in the immuno-enzymatic assay. A moderate reduction in beta-NGF levels was seen in the serum of patients with ALS and MS. There was a statistically significant reduction in the patients who were carriers of PD and HC. Conclusions The significant reduction in NGF levels in patients with PD and HC may be associated with a disorder in the use of this protein in central and peripheral tissues.

INTRODUCTION Transplantation of foetal dopaminergic cells has been extensively used as restorative treatment for Parkinson's disease. OBJECTIVE This study was carried out to determine the survival, modifications in rotatory activity induced by D-amphetamine and total content of dopamine in the striatal and nigra regions of hemiparkinsonian rats which had had foetal mesencephalic cells simultaneously transplanted to the striatum and pars reticularis of the substancia nigra. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study was done using adult male Wistar rats weighing 200-250 gms. The following experimental groups were formed, depending on the site of transplant: St: transplant to striatum (n = 2); SNr: transplant to SNr (n = 20), ST + Snr; transplant to striatum and SNr simultaneously n = 20; and control (lesion with no transplant) n = 20. We studied the rotatory activity induced by D-amphetamine 1, 2, 3 and 6 months after transplantation. After this time the rats were deeply anaesthetized and randomly allocated for morphological study or biochemical determination of the total dopamine content in the St and SNr using the HPLC technique. RESULTS Study of conduct showed no significant differences in rotatory activity induced by D-amphetamine between the groups with intrastriatal transplants, but there was a difference between these and the SNr and control groups. Biochemical analysis showed that striatal DA content was significantly greater in the ST for the groups with intrastriatal transplants. The content of substancia nigra DA was significantly greater in the SNr of the ST + SNr group, followed by the ST group. Morphometric study showed differences, which were not significant, between ST transplanted animals and significant differences between the SNr transplanted group with a significant increase in survival of the SNr of the ST + SNr group. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest a positive effect due to intrastriatal transplants compared to survival following intranigral transplants.

INTRODUCTION: Evaluation of rotatory activity induced by dopaminergic agonists is the most widely used test of conduct for the measurement of dopaminergic depletion of a unilateral lesion of the striatonigral pathway caused by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in rats, since it is quantitatively related to the extension of the dopaminergic denervation. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate, from different angles, the changes in conduct seen in the model of unilateral lesion with 6-OHDA and to establish correlation with the rotation induced by D-amphetamine and by apomorphine and the ladder test. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats were used. Lesions were produced in the SNpc by stereotactic injection of 6-OHDA into the right hemisphere and the effectiveness of the lesions was studied using the rotary conduct induced by D-amphetamine and apomorphine. The motor ability of the front legs was measured by the ladder test, carried out under standard and forced conditions. RESULTS: All the animals with lesions had difficulty in reaching food with both legs, although the most pronounced deficit was in the leg contralateral to the lesion. The ladder test correlated better with rotatory activity induced by apomorphine than by D-amphetamine. CONCLUSION: The animals with most dopamine loss showed most deficient use of their front legs. Language: es