Dopamine differentially regulates dynorphin, substance P, and enkephalin expression in striatal neurons: in situ hybridization histochemical analysis.

Dopamine regulation of the levels of dynorphin, enkephalin, and substance P messenger RNAs in rat striatal neurons was analyzed with in situ hybridization histochemistry (ISHH). Relative levels of peptide mRNA expression in the patch and matrix compartments of the dorsolateral striatum were compared among control rats, rats treated for 10 d with apomorphine, rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system, and rats with nigrostriatal dopaminergic lesions followed 2 weeks later by 10 d of apomorphine treatment. Image analysis of ISHH labeling demonstrated that the number of neurons expressing each peptide mRNA remained constant, whereas the relative level of peptide mRNA per neuron changed significantly, depending on the experimental treatment. Dynorphin mRNA expression increased following chronic apomorphine treatment: striatal patch neurons increased to an average of 100% above control values, whereas striatal matrix neurons showed only a 25% increase. Dynorphin mRNA expression decreased following 6-OHDA lesions: patch neurons showed an average 75% reduction in expression, whereas matrix neurons showed no significant change. In animals with 6-OHDA lesions followed by apomorphine treatment, both patch and matrix neurons showed an average increase in dynorphin expression of 300% above control levels. Changes in dynorphin mRNA levels with these treatments were matched by qualitative changes in dynorphin immunoreactivity both in the striatum and in striatonigral terminals in the substantia nigra. Neither substance P nor enkephalin mRNA levels showed a significant difference between the striatal patch and matrix compartments in any experimental condition (in the dorsolateral striatum). Substance P mRNA expression was increased an average of 50% after 10 d of apomorphine treatment and showed an average decrease of 75% following 6-OHDA lesions of the mesostriatal system. There was no significant change in the expression of substance P mRNA in striatal neurons compared to control values in rats with combined 6-OHDA lesion and apomorphine treatment. Enkephalin mRNA expression was not significantly altered by chronic apomorphine treatment but showed an average increase per cell of some 130% above control levels following 6-OHDA-induced lesions of the mesostriatal system. In animals with a 6-OHDA lesion and apomorphine treatment, enkephalin mRNA was also elevated but not significantly above the levels produced by the lesions alone. These data show that the expression of dynorphin, enkephalin, and substance P is differentially regulated by the mesostriatal dopaminergic system and, further, suggests that the mechanisms by which this regulation occurs may be different for the 3 peptide families.     

The impact of sequential quality assessment exercises on laboratory performance: the multicentre ECAT Angina Pectoris Study. Report from the European Concerted Action on Thrombosis and Disabilities (ECAT)

As an adjunct to a European multicentre prospective study, five quality assessment (QA) exercises, spanning a period of 2.5 years, were undertaken. In these, fifteen laboratories from eight countries each performed ten haemostatic factor assays. The design of the QA exercises allowed the between-duplicate, between-day and between-laboratory coefficients of variation (CVs) to be calculated. The between-duplicate CV decreased by a factor of one quarter, and the between-day CV by a factor of one third, over the five exercises. The activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) assay consistently showed the lowest CVs, while there was notable improvement in the between-day CVs for von Willebrand factor related antigen (vWF R:Ag) and factor VIII clotting activity (VIII:C). However, the between-laboratory CV, assessing extent of agreement between the different laboratories, did not apparently improve over the five exercises. Thus, while QA exercises may be very useful in improving the performance of haemostatic assays according to criteria which an individual laboratory can assess, improving agreement on haemostatic assay results between laboratories may be more difficult to achieve.     

Sudden cervical pain: spontaneous cervical epidural hematoma

Three cases of cervical epidural hematoma are reported. Acute neck pain usually associated with a mild effort, closely followed by radicular pain and a neurologic deficit below the lesion is the typical presentation of this extremely rare and difficult diagnosis. As prognosis depends on preoperative neurologic state, the authors emphasize the importance of prompt identification of this lesion. The diagnosis is confirmed by computed tomography, and emergency neurosurgical laminectomy is mandatory.     

Double-blind, placebo-controlled comparison of clonazepam and alprazolam for panic disorder

To test the reported antipanic efficacy of clonazepam, the authors randomized 72 subjects with panic disorder to 6 weeks of treatment with either alprazolam, clonazepam, or placebo. Endpoint analysis demonstrated a significant beneficial effect of both active treatments, but not placebo treatment, on the frequency of panic attacks, overall phobia ratings, and the extent of disability. Comparison of the two active treatments revealed no significant differences and no consistent tendency for one agent to be favored over another, although power to detect small differences was limited. Sedation and ataxia were the most common side effects reported, but these effects were mild and transient and did not interfere with treatment outcome. The results of this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial are consistent with previous reports of clonazepam's antipanic efficacy.     

Are haemostatic and fibrinolytic parameters predictors of preeclampsia in pregnancy-associated hypertension?

The plasma levels of several haemostatic and fibrinolytic parameters were measured before and after delivery in 61 hypertensive pregnant women of whom 22 developed preeclampsia, and compared to the results obtained in 42 normal pregnant women. In the two last weeks before delivery (D less than or equal to -15) tPA antigen, PAI-1 activity, vWF:Ag/FVIII:C ratio, ATIII activity and platelet count were found to be significantly different in the hypertensive pregnant women with and without preeclampsia. Combined all together, an association of three of these five parameters were found to be pathological (i.e.:tPA:Ag greater than or equal to 19 ng/ml, PAI-1 activity greater than or equal to 58 IU/ml, vWF:Ag/FVIII:C ratio greater than or equal to 2.6, ATIII activity less than or equal to 73%) in none of the hypertensive women without preeclampsia and in only 35% of the preeclamptic group. A positive correlation was demonstrated between vWF:Ag/FVIII:C ratio and tPA:antigen levels suggesting that both tPA and vWF:Ag could be considered as early indicators of a possible micro angiopathy occurring in preeclampsia. However, due to the high dispersion of the results, it appears that the investigated haemostatic and/or fibrinolytic criteria give only presumptive arguments before assigning risk for preeclampsia development among hypertensive pregnant women.     

Sodium reabsorption by the Henle loop in humans

In a previous study, we described a new method [3] to measure Na reabsorption by each segment of the human nephron independently. Reabsorption was expressed as equivalent volumes of solute-free water (CH2O) generated by the loop of Henle (CH2O-HL) and by the distal tubule (CH2O-DT), and dissipated by back diffusion (BD) across collecting ducts (CH2O-BD). These data were obtained during maximal water diuresis (MWD). The present study was undertaken to calculate CH2O-HL by experiments performed during maximal antidiuresis (MA). For this purpose, a new theoretical approach was devised, described by algebraic equations which allowed calculations of segmental transport during MA alone, where only CH2O-HL could be calculated independently. The study was performed on 14 normal volunteers who were studied twice by clearance measurements, firstly during MWD and again during MA. In each experiment, clearance periods were performed during baseline conditions and during the administration of furosemide (0.7 mg/kg bolus injection followed by 0.06 mg/kg/min maintenance infusion). From the values measured during either condition, segmental reabsorption was calculated. During MWD, CH2O-HL averaged 19.4 + 10.4, during MA 20.4 + 8.0 ml/min/GFR X 100; p greater than 0.05. The paired measurements were significantly correlated (r = 0.80; p less than 0.01). These data demonstrate that CH2O-HL obtained with the original theory is a reproducible result that can be confirmed with independent measurements obtained during different experimental conditions. Thus, measurements of segmental Na transport in the human nephron are feasible and can contribute important informations on disease states.     

Cancer patterns in Jordan 1975-1979

A total of 3,604 primary malignant tumours diagnosed histologically at the Departments of Pathology in Jordan during the period 1975-1979 were analysed. The relative frequency by age, sex and site of these tumours and age-standardised incidence rate are presented. Truncated standardised incidence rates for selected tumours were compared in Jordan and other countries. Except for the urinary bladder tumours, there is a striking resemblance between Jordan and other Middle Eastern countries in the pattern of tumour-occurrence in most sites. Skin malignancies are the dominant tumours in the general and male population, breast in female population and lymphomas in children. Noteworthy are the histologically advanced bladder cancers and the relatively young females affected by breast cancer at first diagnosis. Childhood tumours comprised 7.4% of the total cancers in the present study.