Lipid peroxidation and lysosomal integrity in different inflammatory models in rats: the effects of indomethacin and naftazone

The authors tried to establish quantitative and qualitative acoustic parameters of a good voice, suitable for future voice professionals. In their work they used long-time average spectrum analysis (LTAS) and three-dimensional analysis of periodicity (3D-PAN). They consider the regression straight line of formant regions and the parameters offered by 3D-PAN--jitter first of all--as the main acoustic parameters for the evaluation of voice quality and draw attention to the fact that acoustic parameters represent only one part of the evaluation of voice quality.     

Prevalence of serologic markers of HBV, HDV, HCV and HIV in non-injection drug users compared to injection drug users in Gran Canaria, Spain

Von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) is an autosomal dominant tumour syndrome caused by germline mutations of the VHL tumour suppressor gene located on chromosome 3p25-26. In VHL tumours may occur in 14 different target organs, including the eye. Retinal angiomas are considered the first manifestation of VHL disease in 43% of cases, and the cumulative probability of developing a retinal angioma in one or both eyes rises during each decade of life, reaching 80% for patients over 80 years old. Since 1976 patients with VHL at the University Hospital of Utrecht and their at-risk relatives have been screened periodically by a multidisciplinary team. Long-term follow-up ophthalmological data were analysed with special attention to natural course and results of treatment. In addition, we looked for a genotype-phenotype correlation. Retinal angiomas were found in all families. In one large family with a missense mutation (V170D) of the VHL gene, in which the complete spectrum of visceral- and central nervous system (CNS) features of VHL is present, macular, parapapillary, optic disc and ora serrata angiomas were also found. In general, however, a clear-cut genotype-phenotype correlation could not be found. Only early detection and treatment of peripheral retinal angiomas can be expected to decrease the percentage of patients with decreased visual acuity. Therefore, early detection and treatment of these tumours is of paramount importance. Ophthalmological screening of patients and persons at risk should start as early as possible. In patients with apparently sporadic retinal angiomas it is advisable to perform germline DNA analysis, since the risk of developing VHL is high, especially if the angiomas are bilateral, or unilateral and multifocal, if the patient is young, or if there is a family history suggestive of VHL.     

Localization by immunoelectron microscopy of Schistosoma mansoni antigens in the glomerulus of the hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) kidney

Gene therapy has the potential to provide cancer treatments based on novel mechanisms of action with potentially low toxicities. This therapy may provide more effective control of loco-regional recurrence in diseases such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as well as systemic control of micrometastases. Despite current limitations, retroviral and adenoviral vectors can in certain circumstances provide an effective means of delivering therapeutic genes to tumour cells. Although multiple genes are involved in the process of carcinogenesis, mutations of the p53 gene are the most frequent abnormality identified in human tumours. Pre-clinical studies both in vitro and in vivo have shown that restoration of p53 function can induce apoptosis in cancer cells. Phase I clinical trials now show that p53 gene replacement therapy is feasible and safe using both retroviral and adenoviral vectors, and that it induces tumour regression in patients with advanced NSCLC and recurrent head and neck cancer. Other pre-clinical studies indicate that gene therapy may have useful synergy with cytotoxic and radiation therapy. This paper describes the different gene therapy strategies under investigation and the pre-clinical data that provides a rationale for the gene replacement approach, reviews clinical trial data and presents novel ideas for improving current vectors and gene delivery to tumours.     

Filtration of diaspirin crosslinked hemoglobin into lung and soft tissue lymph

Diaspirin crosslinked hemoglobin (DCHb) is a new blood substitute manufactured from human blood. To evaluate its microvascular filtration properties, we infused DCLHb into unanesthetized sheep (10%, 20 ml/kg) and measured the flow and composition of lung and soft tissue lymph. For comparison, we also infused human serum albumin (HSA; 10%, 20 ml/kg). DCLHb raised systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures from baseline values of 83 +/- 7 and 13 +/- 2 mm Hg, respectively, to peak values of 113 +/- 9 and 26 +/- 3 mm Hg (p < 0.05 versus baseline). These increases were significantly greater than those associated with HSA, which raised systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures from baseline values of 86 +/- 4 and 13 +/- 2 mm Hg, respectively, to peak values of 97 +/- 3 and 21 +/- 7 mm Hg (p <= 0.05 versus baseline and versus DCLHb). These differences reflect the known pressor properties of DCLHb. Accordingly, DCLHb raised lung and soft tissue lymph flows to peak values of 12.2 +/- 3.8 and 1.6 +/- 0.7 ml/30 min, respectively, while HSA raised lung and soft tissue lymph flows to peak values of 7.5 +/- 4.8 and 4.6 +/- 1.9 ml/30 min, respectively (p <= 0.05 versus DCLHb). The half-times of DCLHb equilibration from plasma into lung and soft tissue lymph of 1. 0 +/- 0.3 and 2.1 +/- 1.1 h, respectively, were significantly faster than HSA equilibration half-times of 3.1 +/- 0.2 and 3.8 +/- 0.9 h. Filtration differences between DCLHb and HSA appear to be due to the pressor properties DCLHb.     

Potent and selective bicyclic lactam inhibitors of thrombin: Part 2: P1 modifications

The synthesis and antithrombotic activity of a series of nonpeptide bicyclic thrombin inhibitors is described. We have explored the SAR with modifications to the P1 site. The introduction of arginine mimetics at the P1 site led to potent and selective thrombin inhibitors.     

Stem cell factor enhances the adhesion of AML cells to fibronectin and augments fibronectin-mediated anti-apoptotic and proliferative signals

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cells express the SCF receptor c-kit (CD117) on their cell surface and demonstrate enhanced adhesion to fibronectin (FN) following exposure to stem cell factor (SCF). Increased adhesion occurs within 5 min, is dose dependent, and persists beyond 2 h. Baseline and enhanced adhesion occur through the surface FN receptor very late antigen-5 (VLA-5, CD49e/CD29) which is expressed by AML cells. Unstimulated AML cells exposed to FN undergo less apoptosis than controls (inhibition 22.5 +/- 7.0%, P = 0.02, n = 8). Exposure to SCF alone without FN also inhibits AML cell apoptosis (by 19.0 +/- 7.7% compared to controls, P = 0.06, n = 8). Simultaneous exposure to SCF and FN increases the inhibition of AML cell apoptosis to 37.8 +/- 7.9% (P = 0.005 compared to control, P = 0.04 compared to FN alone, P = 0.06 compared to SCF alone) demonstrating that SCF not only enhances the propensity of AML cells to adhere to FN, but also results in an additive survival benefit following FN contact. Some but not all the reduction in apoptosis is mediated through VLA-5. The combination of SCF and FN also affects proliferation, resulting in a synergistic enhancement of AML cell proliferation in half the cases studied. When normal CD34+ human haemopoietic progenitors were studied, FN had little effect on their apoptosis and failed to enhance the anti-apoptotic effect of SCF. It did, however, synergise with SCF in promoting CD34+ cell proliferation. Exposure of AML cells to SCF and FN, both of which can be found in high concentration in the bone marrow stroma, inhibits apoptosis. Cytokines and extracellular matrix proteins augment each others' effects since SCF enhances adhesion to fibronectin, which in turn augments the survival signal delivered by the cytokine alone. Cytokine and adhesion receptors can combine to affect cell characteristics including proliferation and survival.     

The simian T-lymphotropic virus STLV-PP1664 from Pan paniscus is distinctly related to HTLV-2 but differs in genomic organization

We have isolated a highly divergent simian T-lymphotropic virus, STLV-PP1664, from a wild-caught bonobo (Pan paniscus). Previous phylogenetic analysis suggested that this virus represents an additional type of STLV but this has now become a matter of discussion. We have now obtained and analyzed the entire genome of STLV-PP1664. All major genes and their corresponding viral messengers were identified. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis indicated that this virus, together with the closely related panp isolate, belongs to an early lineage within the PTLV-2 clade, differing from HTLV-2 by about 25%. In contrast to the HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 LTR, only two 21-bp repeats instead of three were found in the STLV-PP1664 LTR. Additional messengers, resulting from alternative splicing, potentially encode five different accessory proteins from open reading frames in the pX region: prorfI, porfII, ptorfV', and two isoforms of Rex. The amino acid sequences of these proteins are only distinctly related to the accessory proteins from HTLV-2. These data suggest a different genomic organization of the STLV-PP1664 pX region than that of HTLV-2. We conclude that STLV-PP1664, although related to HTLV-2, has some distinct features in the LTR and the pX regions, the impact of which needs further investigation. Although arguments pro and contra a distinct classification are nearly equally balanced, we propose to classify this virus as an STLV-2, designated STLV-2PP1664.     

Delta opioid peptide [D-Ala2,D-leu5]enkephalin blocks the long-term loss of dopamine transporters induced by multiple administrations of methamphetamine: involvement of opioid receptors and reactive oxygen species

Delta opioid peptide [D-Ala2,D-leu5]enkephalin (DADLE) can prolong organ preservation and increases myocardial tolerance to ischemia. Our study examined the protective property of DADLE against methamphetamine- (METH) induced dopaminergic terminal damage in the central nervous system. Because the neurotoxicity of METH involves reactive oxygen species, we also examined if DADLE might be an antioxidative agent in vitro. DADLE at 2 and 4 mg/kg (i.p.), given 30 min before each METH administration (5 or 10 mg/kg, i.p., four injections in a day at 2-hr intervals), dose-dependently blocked the METH-induced long-term dopamine transporter loss. The opioid antagonist naltrexone blocked this action of DADLE in both aspects of striata but tends not to affect the effects of DADLE in the nucleus accumbens. DADLE did not alter changes in body temperature induced by METH. The reduction of striatal dopaminergic content and tyrosine hydroxylase activity caused by METH, however, were not blocked by DADLE. In vitro, DADLE was approximately equipotent to glutathione in inhibiting both superoxide anion formation induced by xanthine oxidase and hydroxyl radical formation evoked by ferrous/citrate complex. DADLE was only slightly less potent than glutathione in inhibiting the iron/ascorbate-induced brain lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that DADLE can protect the terminal membranes of dopaminergic neurons against METH-induced insult but not the loss of dopaminergic content and tyrosine hydroxylase activity and that this action of DADLE might involve opioid receptors as well as the sequestration of free radical.     

Wave-front curvature as a cause of slow conduction and block in isolated cardiac muscle

We have investigated the role of wave-front curvature on propagation by following the wave front that was diffracted through a narrow isthmus created in a two-dimensional ionic model (Luo-Rudy) of ventricular muscle and in a thin (0.5-mm) sheet of sheep ventricular epicardial muscle. The electrical activity in the experimental preparations was imaged by using a high-resolution video camera that monitored the changes in fluorescence of the potentiometric dye di-4-ANEPPS on the surface of the tissue. Isthmuses were created both parallel and perpendicular to the fiber orientation. In both numerical and biological experiments, when a planar wave front reached the isthmus, it was diffracted to an elliptical wave front whose pronounced curvature was very similar to that of a wave front initiated by point stimulation. In addition, the velocity of propagation was reduced in relation to that of the original planar wave. Furthermore, as shown by the numerical results, wave-front curvature changed as a function of the distance from the isthmus. Such changes in local curvature were accompanied by corresponding changes in velocity of propagation. In the model, the critical isthmus width was 200 microns for longitudinal propagation and 600 microns for transverse propagation of a single planar wave initiated proximal to the isthmus. In the experiments, propagation depended on the width of the isthmus for a fixed stimulation frequency. Propagation through an isthmus of fixed width was rate dependent both along and across fibers. Thus, the critical isthmus width for propagation was estimated in both directions for different frequencies of stimulation. In the longitudinal direction, for cycle lengths between 200 and 500 milliseconds, the critical width was < 1 mm; for 150 milliseconds, it was estimated to be between 1.3 and 2 mm; and for the maximum frequency of stimulation (117 +/- 15 milliseconds), it was > 2.5 mm. In the transverse direction, critical width was between 1.78 and 2.32 mm for a basic cycle length of 200 milliseconds. It increased to values between 2.46 and 3.53 mm for a basic cycle length of 150 milliseconds. The overall results demonstrate that the curvature of the wave front plays an important role in propagation in two-dimensional cardiac muscle and that changes in curvature may cause slow conduction or block.