Acta Biologica Hungarica 

About: Acta Biologica Hungarica is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Lymnaea stagnalis & Lipid peroxidation. It has an ISSN identifier of 0236-5383. Over the lifetime, 1501 publications have been published receiving 12296 citations.

Definition of Drosophila hemocyte subsets by cell-type specific antigens.

Abstract: We analyzed the heterogeneity of Drosophila hemocytes on the basis of the expression of cell-type specific antigens The antigens characterize distinct subsets which partially overlap with those defined by morphological criteria On the basis of the expression or the lack of expression of blood cell antigens the following hemocyte populations have been defined: crystal cells, plasmatocytes, lamellocytes and precursor cells The expression of the antigens and thus the different cell types are developmentally regulated The hemocytes are arranged in four main compartments: the circulating blood cells, the sessile tissue, the lymph glands and the posterior hematopoietic tissue Each hemocyte compartment has a specific and characteristic composition of the various cell types The described markers represent the first successful attempt to define hemocyte lineages by immunological markers in Drosophila and help to define morphologically, functionally, spatially and developmentally distinct subsets of hemocytes

Morphological and biochemical studies on liver, kidney and gill of fishes affected by pesticides.

Abstract: Effect of a herbicide, paraquat (1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridilium-dichloride), the fungicide copper sulphate, and zinc chloride was studied on the histological structure of liver, kidney and gill of three fish species with different feeding habits, viz.: a herbivorous, silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix); an omnivorous, common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) and a carnivorous, sheatfish (Silurus glanis L.). The organs were studied electron microscopically after fixation according to Karnovsky. The toxic effect manifested itself characteristically on the respective species, regardless of the type of the chemical applied and the species specificity. Upon the effect of the treatments applied the cytoplasm of the respiratory cells of the gill became electron transparent and the cytoplasmic organelles disappeared almost totally. In the chloride cells showing focal necrosis, residuals of nuclear, mitochondrial and endoplasmic origin were seen. Pillar cells and the pericytes remained intact. In the nucleus of the liver cells, electron dense heterochromatin was not present. The degree of the damage in the liver cells was indicated by swollen mitochondria with electron transparent matrix and by dilatation and vacuolation of the endoplasmic reticulum system. Epithelial cells decreased in electron density, the endoplasmic reticulum was vesiculated, mitochondria were swollen. Leucocytes increased in number, and empty vacuoles and vacuoles filled with dense granules appeared in them during toxicosis. Copper sulphate or paraquat increased serum transaminase enzyme activities (glutamic acid-oxalacetic acid transaminase, glutamic acid-pyruvic acid transaminase) in all the three fish species. These damages can cause serious disturbances in energy uptake and secretion processes of fish.

The psychophysiology of nausea.

Abstract: Nausea is an unpleasant sensation usually referred to the stomach and sometimes followed by vomiting. Little is known about the subjective aspects of nausea because like pain and fatigue, it is a private sensation. We conceive of nausea as a complex control mechanism that signals us when not to eat. Our research in the areas of motion sickness and chemotherapy has led us to propose that we each have a dynamic threshold for nausea, which depends on the interaction of inherent factors and more changeable psychological factors, and that this threshold effects the individual's cognitive appraisal of both the nauseogenic stimulus and his/her bodily change in response to the nauseogenic stimulus. Inherent factors that are described are age, gender and race; psychological factors that are included are anxiety, expectation, anticipation and adaptation. The physiological responses that have been found to accompany nausea include an increase in sympathetic nervous system activity, a decrease in parasympathetic activity, an increase of abnormal dysrhythmic gastric activity, and an increase in plasma vasopressin. It is concluded that beneficial selective reduction of nausea will depend on a greater knowledge of the interaction of the psychological and physiological variables.

Multisensory convergence in the mushroom bodies of ants and bees

Abstract: The mushroom bodies, central neuropils in the arthropod brain, are involved in learning and memory and in the control of complex behavior In most insects, the mushroom bodies receive direct olfactory input in their calyx region In Hymenoptera, olfactory input is layered in the calyx In ants, several layers can be discriminated that correspond to different clusters of glomeruli in the antennal lobes, perhaps corresponding to different classes of odors Only in Hymenoptera, the mushroom body calyx also receives direct visual input from the optic lobes In bees, six calycal layers receive input from different classes of visual interneurons, probably representing different parts of the visual field and different visual properties Taken together, the mushroom bodies receive distinct multisensory information in many segregated input layers

Female reproductive toxicology of cadmium.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine effects of Cd on the structure of ovary, oviduct and uterus after an experimental administration. Animals were divided into three groups. In group A rabbits received cadmium i.p. and were killed after 48 h. In group C Cd was administered p.o. for 5 month. The group K was the control. Decreased relative volume of growing follicles and increased stroma after Cd administration were detected. The number of atretic follicles was significantly higher after administration of Cd. The most frequent ultrastructural alterations observed were undulation of external nuclear membrane, dilatation of perinuclear cistern and endoplasmic reticulum. In all studied types of cells mitochondria with altered structure were found. In the oviduct the highest amount of epithelium in the group with long-term Cd administration was found. Microscopic analysis showed oedematization of the oviduct tissue, caused by disintegration of the capillary wall. An electron microscopic analysis showed dilatation of perinuclear cistern. The intercellular spaces were enlarged and junctions between cells were affected. Mainly after a long-term cadmium administration nuclear chromatin disintegration was present. In the uterus a significant change was determined in the relative volume of glandular epithelium. Increase of stroma was a sign of uterus oedamatization caused by damage in the wall of blood vessels and subsequent diapedesis. After Cd administration alteration in uterus were less expressed, in comparison with ovary and oviduct. Alteration of nuclear chromatin contain following Cd administration suggests degenerative functional changes.