Molecular mechanisms of cell cycle control in the mouse Y1 adrenal cell line

Y1 adrenocortical tumor cells possess amplified and overexpressed c-Ki-ras proto-oncogene, displaying chronic high levels of the c-Ki-Ras-GTP protein. Despite this oncogenic lesion, we previously reported that Y1 cells retain tight regulatory mechanisms of cell cycle control typified by the mitogenic response triggered by FGF2 in G0/G1-arrested cells. ACTH, on the other hand, elicits cAMP/PKA-mediated antimitogenic mechanisms involving Akt/PKB dephosphorylation/deactivation and c-Myc protein degradation, blocking G1 phase progression stimulated by FGF2. In this paper we report that ACTH does not directly antagonize any of the early or late sequential steps comprising the mitogenic response triggered by FGF2. In effect, ACTH targets deactivation of constitutively phosphorylated-Akt, restraining the potential of c-Ki-Ras-GTP to subvert Y1 cell cycle control. Thus, we can consider ACTH a tumor suppressor rather than an antimitogenic hormone. In addition, we present initial results showing that high constitutive levels of c-Ki-Ras-GTP render Y1 cells susceptible to dye upon FGF2 treatment. This surprising FGF2 death-effect, that is independent of the well known FGF2-mitogenic activity, might involve a natural unsuspected mechanism for restraining oncogene-induced proliferation.     

Prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea with Lactobacillus sporogens and fructo-oligosaccharides in children. A multicentric double-blind vs placebo study

AIM: The aim of this paper is to determine the efficacy of a fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS)-Lactobacillus sporogenes preparation in the prevention of diarrhea due to antibiotics in childhood. METHODS: A multicentre, randomised, double-blind versus placebo study was carried out. A total of 120 children, with active infections requiring antibiotics, were enrolled in the study and treated for 10 days either in the experimental group (F) or in the placebo one (P). The results of the study were recorded from the patients' diary and from follow-up clinical examinations. RESULTS: Out of 98 evaluable patients, 71% in group F had no diarrhea versus 38% in group P. The duration of diarrhea in F and P groups was 0.7 vs 1.6 days (p=0.002), respectively. CONCLUSION: Prophylaxis with Lactobacillus sporogens, associated to FOS, significantly reduced the number of days and duration of events in children with antibiotic-induced diarrhea.     

A brief and unobtrusive instrument to detect simulation and exaggeration in patients with whiplash syndrome

The objective of this study was to develop and test a brief and unobtrusive instrument to detect exaggeration and simulation in whiplash syndrome. The instrument consists of eight scenarios with ten response options that have to be ordered according to how easy a behavior is to perform. Twenty-five simulating and 25 non-simulating patients with whiplash syndrome of grades 2 and 3 according to the Quebec Task Force classification as well as 25 simulating and 25 non-simulating controls completed the instrument. In a cross-validation study 20 controls and 20 patients participated. Malingering and exaggeration scores were determined for each subject and patient. The scores were summed up and compared across malingering and exaggerating subjects and controls and cut-off values were determined to classify the patients. T-tests and a discriminant analysis were used to determine classification accuracy. The instrument correctly identified 94% of the simulators and 84% of the exaggerators in both samples. This brief and unobtrusive instrument can detect exaggeration and simulation in whiplash syndrome.     

Chemokine production by natural killer cells from nonagenarians

In this study we investigated whether purified NK cells, derived from a group of nonagenarian healthy subjects, were able to produce the chemokines MIP-1alpha, RANTES and IL-8, and also characterized the effect of IL-12 or IL-2 immunomodulatory cytokines (that are among the most effective inducers of NK lytic activity and soluble factor secretion) on the induction, in vitro, of these chemokines and on the modulation of the corresponding receptors. This study provides evidence that human NK cells from healthy subjects over 90 years old retain the ability to synthesize MIP-1alpha, Rantes and IL-8 chemotactic cytokines, that NK cells isolated from these subjects can be activated to significantly up-regulate the production of these chemokines in response to stimulation by IL-12 or IL-2 cytokines (even though production remains lower than that observed in young subjects), and that NK cells express the corresponding chemokine receptors.     

The Y chromosome and male fertility and infertility

Since 1995, thanks to a large number of studies, Y chromosome microdeletion screening has become part of the routine diagnostic work-up of severe male factor infertility. Many initial contradictory issues such as variability in deletion frequency, markers to be tested, presence of deletions in 'fertile' men, and genotype-phenotype correlation has been resolved. Past and present unresolved issues are discussed in this review.     

Cholelithiasis and renal cysts: simultaneous laparoscopic treatment

Laparoscopic surgery has been increasingly used in different fields of surgery. This report concerns the authors' experience with combined laparoscopic cholecystectomy and symptomatic renal cyst decortication. The mean diameter of the cysts was 11.2 cm. and involved the left and right kidney in 3 and 1 patient, respectively. All cysts were peripheral. Surgery was performed using 4 trocars in 3 cases and 5 trocars in the other. The mean operative time was 110 minutes and mean blood loss 40 cc. Postoperative pain was minimal. The mean duration of postoperative ileus was 2.2 days. No significant complications were observed. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 3.5 days. At follow-up examinations all patients were pain-free. Recurrence of the cyst was observed in only one case. Combined laparoscopic cholecystectomy and renal cyst decortication is technically feasible in selected cases and does not seem to significantly affect the perioperative course of cholecystectomy.     

The clock-drawing test in elderly Italian community dwellers: associations with sociodemographic status and risk factors for vascular cognitive impairment

To evaluate whether performance in the clock-drawing test (CDT) is associated with sociodemographic status and risk factors for cognitive impairment, we examined 744 Italian community dwellers aged > or =65 (73 +/- 6) years scoring > or =24 on the MMSE. CDT was scored by two different methods, the Sunderland and the Wolf-Klein methods. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, clinical and biochemical variables were also recorded. For both scoring methods, lower CDT scores were associated with age, poor education, increased serum C-reactive protein and history of cancer. Associations of lower CDT scores with increased serum glucose and history of cerebrovascular disease were also found for the method with the highest sensitivity to cognitive impairment. This study shows that in elderly community dwellers, CDT may be not totally free from sociodemographic biases, and that it is associated with risk factors for cognitive impairment and frailty.     

3,4-二氯苯丙烯酰另丁胺对大鼠脑缺血-再灌注损伤的影响

目的：研究新的桂皮酰胺类衍生物,３－４二氯苯丙烯酰另丁胺（ＡＥＤ８８０１）对大鼠脑缺血／再灌注损伤的影响。方法：采用Ｐｕｌｓｉｎｅｌｌｉ四血管阻断大鼠脑缺血／再灌注模型,观察了ＡＥＤ８８０１对脑组织中水含量、氨基到含量、６－ｋｅｔｏ－ＰＧＦ１α和ＴＸＢ２含量,以及二者之比值的影响。结果：一ＡＥＤ８８０１能够降低脑缺血／再灌注大鼠所引起的脑水含量增加。二采用氨基酸自动分析仪进行检测,发现脑缺血／再灌