Plasma and platelet concentration and platelet uptake of serotonin in normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies

Pharmacologic and methodologic advances over the last decade have resulted in a body of information implicating serotonin as a mediator in the genesis of pre-eclamptic hypertension. Platelets contain the largest storage of serotonin in peripheral blood and have the ability to take up this amine from surroundings, store and release it by several mechanisms. Plasma and platelet serotonin concentrations and platelet serotonin uptake have been measured in 8 non-pregnant women, 12 normal pregnant women and 8 women with severe pre-eclampsia. Plasma serotonin concentration was significantly higher in severely preeclamptic women, compared with age and gestation matched normal pregnant women. In addition, plasma serotonin concentration was directly related to systolic and diastolic blood pressure with severity of the syndrome. Furthermore, platelet serotonin concentration in women with pre-eclampsia was significantly higher than in non-pregnant controls, but it was not significantly different from the normal pregnant women. Moreover, serotonin is effectively taken up by platelets through a saturable transport process. The calculated apparent Km for serotonin uptake process did not differ significantly among non-pregnant women, normal pregnant women and women with pre-eclampsia. However, Vmax values were significantly higher in women with pre-eclampsia than in the normotensive pregnant women. As the actions of serotonin in the periphery could be terminated primarily by active uptake system by platelets and placenta, significant alterations in the rate of transport could result in physiologically significant changes in serotonin levels. These data raise the possibility that abnormal regulation of transporter function is involved in the etiology of pre-eclampsia.     

Osteosynthesis of the hand--indications, technique, results

Between January 1st 1992 and December 31st 1993 140 non-complex (i.e. nerve, vascular, tendon injuries) fractures of the peripheral hand skeleton were operated at the Policlinic of the Kantonsspital Basel. In a retrospective study we analyzed results, complications and absence from work. We treated 110 male and 30 female patients with a mean age of 47 years. 45 fractures were treated by plate fixation, 45 by screw fixation, 53 times we applied k-wires and once a mini-fix-ex (AO-Prototype). Plate and screw fixation were performed with AO-mini-implants. 90% of our patients had an uneventful postoperative course. In spite of functional after-treatment we noted in 8.6% of the patients a relevant loss of movement leading to operative tenolysis in 7 patients. Fractures at the level of PIP were most frequently associated with loss of movement. Absence from work was 59 days in average (1-206)! Conclusions: Peripheral osteosynthesis of the hand (non-complex) are effectively treated on an out-patient basis. In spite of functional after-treatment about 10% of patients have a relevant postoperative reduction in motility. Absence from work is relatively long after operative treatment of peripheral hand fractures.     

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in Santiago, Chile: the role of immunogenetic and environmental factors

The role of HLA class II alleles in the genetic susceptibility to develop insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) was examined by means of PCR and oligospecific probes in 63 IDDM children and 74 controls subjects. In diabetic patients we found a significant increase in the alleles frequency DR3, DR4, DQB1*0302 and DQA1*0301 compared to the control group, where the most prevalent alleles were DR2, DR14 (DRB1*1402), DQA1*0101 and DQA1*0201. All the risk genotypes in the diabetic group were similar than in other caucasian groups: DR3/DR4-DQB1*0201/0302-DQA1*0301/0501 and DR4/DR4-DQB1*0302/0302-DQA1*0301/0301. The homozygote character no asp57 conferred an absolute risk (AR) of 3.87 and the marker Arg52 an AR of 5.78/100.000 bab year. The homozygosis for both markers (no Asp57 + Arg52) had an AR of 7.56/100.000 bab year. Regarding environmental factors associated with IDDM, our population under study showed a low prevalence of infectious agents (mainly mumps and rubella, specifically associated with IDDM) and a high prevalence of effective breast-feeding (over 3 months). These factors could be exercising a protector role in the development of IDDM. The factors that appear to be important in the low incidence of IDDM in Santiago de Chile are: the low prevalence of infectious agents related to IDDM, the high percentage of breast-feeding children in the population, the reduced frequency of susceptible molecules as DR3, DQB1*0201 (compared to other caucasian groups) and the presence of protective genotypes related to DR13 and DR14 observed in the non diabetic children.     

Kinetics of the thermal decomposition of green alga Ulva by thermogravimetry

In this article, we present the findings of our study into the thermal decomposition of the alga Ulva, which can cause serious problems due to its proliferation in certain seas. Its use as a human foodstuff or other similar applications is limited; however, it could be used as a filling or reinforcement material in the manufacture of composite materials. Since the production processes of such materials usually require heating, the thermal stability of this polymeric material needs to be known, and this is the objective of this work. For this reason, we have studied the thermal decomposition in an air atmosphere using thermogravimetry (TG). On the one hand, we evaluated the thermal stability temperatures of the seaweed; and on the other, we determined the kinetic parameters of the alga's two main decomposition reactions, using an n‐order integral kinetic model. It was, therefore, necessary to calculate the best order of reaction. Finally, we determined a series of characteristic temperatures related to the beginning and the end of each of the thermal decomposition reactions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 1913–1922, 2004     

Evaluation of the Antioxidant Properties of the Brazilian Cerrado Fruit Annona crassiflora (Araticum)

Annona crassiflora, known commonly as araticum, is an exotic tropical fruit consumed mainly by native people of the Brazilian Cerrado (2nd biggest biome of Brazil). In this study, pulp, seed, and peel of slight ripe and overripe fruits were extracted using ethanol and water. The extracts showed high content of total phenols and were screening for their potential as antioxidants using the in vitro model 1,1‐ dipheniyl‐2‐picryl hydrazyl (DPPH). The ethanol extracts of peel and seeds showed IC50 of 48.82 μg/mL and 31.14 μg/mL, respectively, for the slightly ripe fruits. As the ethanolic fractions of araticum showed the highest antioxidant activity, they were selected for testing of its effect on lipid peroxidation. The ethanolic extracts of slightly ripe fruits showed IC₅₀ of 4.44 μg/mL, 1.72 μg/mL, and 8.62 μg/mL for the peel, seed, and pulp, respectively. This is the 1st report on the antioxidant properties of the extracts of araticum. Owing to these properties, the studies can be further extending to exploit them for their possible application as natural antioxidant for cosmetic, supplements, and functional ingredients for food products.     

Hyperelliptic curves encryption combined with block codes for Gaussian channel

In this paper, a new cryptographic system is constructed using a combination of a hyperelliptic curve of genus g = 2 over the Galois field GF(2ⁿ) and a Reed–Solomon code (N, K) over the Galois field GF(2^m) and this system uses a smaller key than the elliptic curves cryptosystem and the Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman cryptosystem. The design criterion for the combination can be expressed as the data compression condition and addressing capability of the code. In addition, the system performance is compared with other systems; extraordinary improvements of 8 and 16.5 dB can be obtained for a BER = 10^?5, when compared with binary phase shift keying and differential chaos shift keying, respectively. This system has a polynomial complexity, which depends on data length and the number of operations in GF(2ⁿ). Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Localization of metallothionein-I and -III expression in the CNS of transgenic mice with astrocyte-targeted expression of interleukin 6

The effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) on metallothionein-I (MT-I) and MT-III expression in the brain has been studied in transgenic mice expressing IL-6 under the regulatory control of the glial fibrillary acidic protein gene promoter (GFAP-IL6 mice), which develop chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that GFAP-IL6 (G16-low expressor line, and G36-high expressor line) mice had strongly increased MT-I mRNA levels in the cerebellum (Purkinje and granular layers of the cerebellar cortex and basal nuclei) and, to a lesser degree, in thalamus (only G36 line) and hypothalamus, whereas no significant alterations were observed in other brain areas studied. Microautoradiography and immunocytochemistry studies suggest that the MT-I expression is predominantly localized to astrocytes throughout the cerebrum and especially in Bergman glia in the cerebellum. However, a significant expression was also observed in microglia of the GFAP-IL6 mice. MT-III expression was significantly increased in the Purkinje cell layer and basal nuclei of the cerebellum, which was confirmed by Northern blot analysis of poly(A)+ mRNA and by ELISA of the MT-III protein. In contrast, in the G36 but not G16 mice, transgene expression of IL-6 was associated with significantly decreased MT-III RNA levels in the dentate gyrus and CA3 pyramidal neuron layer of the hippocampus and, in both G36 and G16 mice, in the occipital but not frontal cortex and in ependymal cells. Thus, both the widely expressed MT-I isoform and the CNS specific MT-III isoform are significantly affected in a MT isoform- and CNS area-specific manner in the GFAP-IL6 mice, a chronic model of brain damage.