Neuroprotective properties of valproate

Neuropsychiatric disturbances are extremely common in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and represent integral features of the illness, as well as appropriate targets for therapy. We are interested in designing trials aimed at preventing or delaying the emergence of psychopathology in AD. For symptomatic treatment of agitation, mood stabilizers, particularly sodium valproate, have proved to be beneficial in some patients. Since these effects take several weeks to emerge, we considered that they might be dependent on potentially neuroprotective actions of valproate, such as inhibition of apoptosis and slowing of neurofibrillary tangle formation. In this article we present the rationale for testing the neuroprotective potential of valproate experimentally in mouse models of tauopathy and in a clinical trial of patients with AD who lack psychopathology at baseline. Together, these studies will provide important tests of the hypothesis that valproate, either through inhibition of tau phosphorylation or some other mechanism, is a useful therapeutic agent to modify disease progression in AD.     

Synthesis and anti-microbial activity of benzo-condensed heterocyclic derivatives

The synthesis of 2,4-dione derivatives of 1,5-benzodithiepine, 1,5-benzodiazepine and 1,5-benzothiazepine and the anti-microbial activity in vitro of these derivatives and of analogous of 1,5-benzodioxepine, 1,5-benzoxathiepine and 1,5-benzoxazepine, previously prepared, are reported. Some of these compounds showed a good activity against some Gram positive microorganisms and blastomycetes.     

Immunostaining for P-glycoprotein in the diagnosis of thyroid carcinomas.

The morphologic distinction between thyroid carcinoma and certain benign thyroid conditions can be difficult in selected cases. P-glycoprotein (Pgp), a glycoprotein associated with tumor multidrug resistance, has been reported to be expressed in thyroid carcinoma but not in benign thyroid conditions. To determine the specificity of immunostaining for Pgp in the diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma, we studied formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 69 cases of various thyroid lesions using a commercially available monoclonal antibody to Pgp (C219, Centocor, Malvern, PA) and an avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique. Positive reactivity was seen in 15 of 37 (41%) benign thyroid conditions and in 23 of 32 (72%) thyroid carcinomas. We conclude that immunostaining for Pgp is not specific in the diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma.     

Wilms' tumor in adults

A rare case of metastatic nephroblastoma on the right side in a 28-year-old female patient is presented. Complete remission was achieved by inductive chemotherapy with vincristine, Adriamycin, actinomycin D and cyclophosphamide and subsequent radical nephrectomy. There was no evidence of disease 24 months after the initial diagnosis had been made. The problems specific to the diagnosis and treatment of adult Wilms tumor are discussed. A chemotherapy regimen known to be successful in childhood Wilms tumor was shown to be equally effective in our adult patient.     

Altersspezifische Trends des risikoreichen Alkoholkonsums in Deutschland: Parallele oder unterschiedliche Verläufe?

Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz - Nach der Collectivity-of-Drinking-Cultures-Theorie von Skog finden Veränderungen des Alkoholkonsums in allen...     

Relationship of Body Core Temperature and Warm-up to Knee Range of Motion

This study examined the effects of submaximal, treadmill exercise-induced body core temperature (BCT) increase on selected knee range of motion (ROM). Twenty males, 18-35 years old, were tested (randomized crossover) for ROM, BCT, and heart rate (HR), followed by either Treatment I (20 minutes of rest) or Treatment II (20 minutes of submaximal running). The two treatments were subsequently followed by a two-minute passive stretch. Range of motion was assessed before and after passive stretch treatment intervention. Treatment means differed for BCT and HR (p < 0.001) but not for ROM after exercise intervention. It was concluded that 20 minutes of exercise increased BCT (>1 degrees C) but had no effect on knee ROM. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1991;13(3):126-131.     

The muscular vascular index. Analysis of the vascularization of the muscles of the forearm]

The results of an anatomic study based on 50 fresh adult cadaver upper extremities are analysed. All the arterial pedicles of each forearm muscle were counted, and each muscle was weighed. Each forearm contained an average number of 264 muscular pedicles. The relative mass fraction of each muscle was calculated, as was its "muscular vascular index" or MVI (number of pedicles divided by the weight of the muscle in grams). Half of the forearm muscles had a significant statistical relationship between their weight and their number of vascular pedicles. The other half had no statistical relationship. These two statistical muscular groups (with and without a statistical relationship) did not clearly correspond to anatomic or functional groups. No muscular group based on the average of MVI was found. Each of the 20 forearm muscle had finally its own characteristics of weight, number of pedicles, and MVI. The average MVI was 0.9 (from 0.4 to 1.8). The global muscular vascular index (GMVI) is the division of the total number of muscular pedicles of a forearm by the total muscular weight of this forearm. The average GMVI was 0.8 (from 0.4 to 1.6). In spite of its theoretical and practical limits, the MVI concept approximately reflects the high vascular density of the forearm muscles.     

Risk factors for relapse in clinical stage I nonseminomatous testicular germ cell tumors: results of the German Testicular Cancer Study Group Trial.

PURPOSE: To prospectively assess potential risk factors for relapse in clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis (CS I NSGCT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: From September 1996 to May 2002, 200 patients with CS I NSGCT were prospectively assigned to retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND), and risk factor assessment was performed within a multicenter protocol. One hundred sixty-five patients had an adequate minimum follow-up of 12 months (mean, 34.5 months) or had pathologic stage II. RESULTS: Pathologic stage II disease was found in 27.9% of patients. Only 0.6% of patients relapsed in the retroperitoneum after confirmation of pathologic stage I disease. With reference pathology, vascular invasion (VI) was most predictive of stage in multifactorial analysis (accuracy, 65.1%). However, the positive predictive value (PPV) of VI to predict patients who have metastatic disease or relapse during follow-up was only 52.7%. With absent VI, low-risk patients had a negative predictive value (NPV) of 76.9%. With a combination of several risk factors, the PPV increased to 63.6% and the negative predictive value increased to 86.5%. CONCLUSION: Even with an optimal combination of prognostic factors and reference pathology, more than one third of patients predicted to have pathologic stage II or relapse during follow-up will not harbor metastatic disease and, therefore, would be overtreated with adjuvant therapy. However, patients at low risk may be predicted at an 86.5% level, and thus, surveillance in highly compliant patients would be a valuable option. For high-risk patients, further reduction of adjuvant treatment is necessary.