Diastolic dysfunction in patients with chronic kidney failure on a hemodialysis program

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyse different ultrasound parameters for the assessment of isolated left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) on periodic hemodialysis (HD), comparing pulsed wave Doppler with pulsed tissue Doppler. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-seven patients with CRF on HD (61% were male; mean age was 51.0 +/- 16.5 years, mean HD time--3.7 +/- 3.8 years, 38% had hypertension, 17% had diabetes) were studied by echocardiography (bidimensional, M-Mode, flow pulsed Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging). All patients had symptoms of left heart failure-class II NYHA, were in sinus rhythm and had no symptoms of ischemic heart disease. The presence of abnormal LV regional contractility was the exclusion criteria. According to their mitral inflow profile Doppler characteristics, patients were included in two groups: Group A (E/A > 1; n = 21) and B (E/A < 1; n = 26). We compared: LV dimensions and function, left atrial (LA) dimension. Gaasch index, LV mass index. E and A wave velocities (in flow pulsatile Doppler and tissue Doppler). E/N ratio in tissue Doppler, isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT) and deceleration time (DT). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the prevalence of age > or = 65 years male sex, hypertension or diabetes between group A and B patients, and almost all patients were on hemodialytic treatment for more than one year (81% vs 85%: NS). LV hypertrophy was present in almost all group A and B patients (A--95% vs B--85.5%; NS). Group A, compared with group B, had a difference in the Gaasch index (2.45 +/- 0.3 vs 2.08 +/- 0.4; p < 0.05), E wave velocity in flow pulsatile Doppler and tissue Doppler (cm/sec) (110 +/- 27 vs 62 +/- 20; p < 0.001 and 41 +/- 15 vs 28.5 +/- 16; p < 0.05), E/A ratio in tissue Doppler (1.3 +/- 0.4 vs 0.8 +/- 0.3; p < 0.001). IVRT (msec) (80.7 +/- 15.2 vs 113.5 +/- 28.3; p < 0.001) and DT (msec) (189.7 +/- 24 vs 278.2 +/- 17.9; p < 0.001). According to the E'/A' ratio in tissue Doppler, group A patients were divided in another two groups: E'/A' > 1 (13/21--62%) and < 1 (8/21--38%) and a significantly longer IVRT (75.8 +/- 9.3 vs 100.9 +/- 3.2; p < 0.001) and DT (178 +/- 15 vs 240 +/- 20; p < 0.001) and a greater LA dimension (37.6 +/- 6.9 vs 44.6 +/- 6.9; p < 0.05) were found. CONCLUSIONS: Pulsed wave Doppler is the most useful non invasive method for assessment of global diastolic dysfunction. In our study, 17% of the patients had E/A < 1 only in the tissue Doppler study. These patients probably had a pseudonormal mitral pattern.     

In search of novel water soluble forskolin analogues for positive inotropic activity

Using the novel lead from hydroxy acetyl substituted forskolin analogues, such as 7 beta-hydroxyacetyl-7 beta-deacetyl forskolin or 6 beta-hydroxyacetyl forskolin, a number of water soluble omega-amino acyl derivatives were synthesized. Two such compounds 6 and 18 showed better in vitro activity but failed to show in vivo activity.     

Antibiotic therapy for seminal infection. Effect on antioxidant activity and T-helper cytokines

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of antibiotic therapy on seminal infection. STUDY DESIGN: The seminal plasma of 50 men was evaluated in three groups: (1) men with seminal infection (20), (2) men with leukocytospermia only (18), and (3) men of proven fertility (12). The evaluation protocol included semen analysis, culture and antibiotic sensitivity test, total antioxidant activity, alpha-tocopherol and retinol, T-helper cytokines, IL-2, IL-8, IL-4 and antisperm antibodies. RESULTS: Sperm parameters were worse with seminal infection: 25 versus 84 million per milliliter for fertile men. Antioxidant activity, total alpha-tocopherol and retinol were reduced in leukocytospermia (P < .02, .01) and seminal infection (P < .01, .05) as compared to controls. Antisperm antibodies IL-2 and IL-8 were highly expressed, while IL-4 was low in men with leukocytospermia and bacteriospermia. Gram-negative organisms were more associated with expression of T-helper 1 cytokines than T-helper 2 cytokines. Antibiotic therapy significantly improved the sperm parameters, antioxidant activity and IL-4 but reduced IL-2 and IL-8 and had no effect on antisperm antibody titer. CONCLUSION: Antibiotic therapy improves sperm parameters by increasing antioxidant activity and IL-4 and by reducing IL-2 and IL-8.     

Formation of topoisomerase II alpha complexes with nascent DNA is related to VM-26-induced cytotoxicity

Several clinically active anticancer drugs are known to interfere with DNA topoisomerase II activity. However, the importance of the individual alpha (170 kDa) and beta (180 kDa) isozymes as targets of topoisomerase II-active drugs is not clear. To address this question, human CCRF-CEM leukemia cells were incubated with bromodeoxyuridine, and either the nascent DNA or bulk DNA not undergoing replication was purified by immunoprecipitation with an anti-bromodeoxyuridine antibody. The topoisomerase II isozymes that coprecipitated with either the nascent DNA or bulk DNA were analyzed by Western blotting. The alpha isozyme formed complexes with nascent DNA in cells pretreated with either VM-26 or mitoxantrone, while the beta isozyme was only bound to bulk DNA. At moderately cytotoxic concentrations, VM-26 enhanced the binding of topoisomerase II alpha to nascent DNA at least 5.2-fold compared to bulk DNA. However, in VM-26 resistant CEM/VM-1 cells incubated with equitoxic concentrations of VM-26, topoisomerase II alpha complex formation with nascent DNA was decreased at least 5.5-fold compared to bulk DNA. Drug-induced binding of topoisomerase II beta with bulk DNA in CEM/VM-1 cells did not correlate with cytotoxicity. Collectively, these results indicate that the formation of VM-26 stabilized complexes of topoisomerase II alpha with nascent DNA are critical to the development of cytotoxicity, and that resistance of CEM/VM-1 cells to VM-26 is related to impaired formation of these complexes. The results also provide indirect evidence that topoisomerase II alpha is involved in DNA, replication.     

The use of sugar cane stillage for single cell protein production

Stillage from cane molasses alcohol for SCP production was used for the growth of strains of Candida and Paecilomyces as SCP sources. The results of small and large scale experiments carried out with a Candida utilis strain with data on chemical composition, amino acid profile, vitamin content and biological value of the cell material are given.     

IQ and delinquency: A direct test of the differential detection hypothesis.

A number of studies have reported that juvenile delinquency is negatively related to IQ scores. The IQ/delinquency relation has been questioned on the basis of the differential detection confound, which attributes the apparent relaton to biased likelihood of detection, and thus inclusion in research, of low-IQ delinquents. A direct test of the differential detection hypothesis was conducted by comparing the mean IQ scores of two groups of delinquent subjects from the same birth cohort. Group 1 had been detected in delinquent acts by police. Group 2 was not known to police, but was equivalent to Group 1 on amount and seriousness of self-reported delinquency. The two groups did not differ significantly on IQ, but both groups scored significantly below nondelinquent cohort members. Results were inconsistent with the prediction of group differences posed by the differential detection hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lithium ore in Brazil

Brazil, one of the largest countries in the world both in territory and in population, has a vast range of mineral resources, as well as a large industrial plant in full development. The country is both a lithium producer and a consumer at a moderate level now, and there is potential for medium-range growth. Forecasting the future of the lithium industry in Brazil is difficult because of uncertainties in both the producing and consuming industries. The pressure of demand will be the main incentive factor in the exploration and production of lithium ores in Brazil.Presently, Brazil uses lithium ores in the manufacture of ceramics, enamels and special glasses, and annually consumes about 1600 tons of petalite, 1200 tons of lepidolite, and 800 tons of spodumene. Brazil also uses lithium-based chemical products, and consumes about 1000 tons per year of amblygonite for their manufacture. All these minerals are produced in Brazilian territory, and fair quantities of the excess petalite are exported to the United States and Japan at about 2500 tons per year.Brazilian production entirely from pegmatite deposits located in the Eastern part of the Brazilian shield and mainly in the district of Araçuai-Itinga (northern Minas Gerais State). The known reserves of lithium pegmatites are not well measured, but available data indicate that the small sizes of these bodies compared with the bigger ones of Kings Mountain, Bikita and elsewhere, are largely compensated by their large numbers and their geographic occurrence. These features present the possibility of considerable reserves, particularly of spodumene and petalite. These reserves are not less than 25,000 tons of lithium, based on studies already performed in some deposits. Additionally, there is evidence that in the district of Araçuai-Itinga there are occurrences of lithium brines in basins of accumulation. This may also be true of some areas of Brazilian Northeast. In order to prove this hypothesis, Arqueana de Minerios e Metais is preparing a program of systematical sampling.Brazilian consumption for conventional purposes, either of ores or of lithium-based chemical products, will increase with the development of the Brazilian economy. Brazil still has a long way to go to reach the level of consumption of America, Europe of Japan. As an example of this perspective, it is worth mentioning that Brazil does not yet use lithium carbonate for the reduction of aluminum, nor is lithium ore used in the manufacture of heat-resistant glass and ceramics. Besides these potential factors for increasing consumption, consideration must be given to the possibility of new uses of lithium as in thermonuclear power generation, the development of which is already underway in Brazil. Another new use is in lithium batteries for electric cars and, if this application becomes a reality, Brazil will be a big consumer, ranking at the same level as the most developed countries in the world, with the advantage of being one of the few countries capable of producing its own raw material.     

The resolution of membrane proteins based upon size, charge, and hydrophobicity

Currently available systems for resolving membrane proteins are based only on size and charge differences. Recently, it has been shown that Triton-urea-acetic acid gels which separate proteins on the basis of charge, size and hydrophobicity are capable of resolving proteins differing only by the substitution of a single neutral amino acid. We have applied this new method to the resolution of bacterial envelope proteins. Conditions for optimal resolution of different bacterial envelope proteins were determined by electrophoresis through transverse urea and Triton X-100 gradient gels. We have also correlated the components resolved in this system with those resolved by classical sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis by using two-dimensional slab gels combining the two systems. Furthermore, envelope protein fractions from different species and strains of bacteria were compared to identify specific proteins. This system appears to be a promising method for investigating envelope proteins which are due to missense mutations.