Periocular involvement in cutaneous leishmaniasis

OBJECTIVE: Although cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) occurs mostly in the facial area, periocular involvement accounts for 2-5% of the facial lesions. CL lesions localized in the periocular region can easily be confused with various other diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the frequency of periocular involvement in CL in the Cukurova region of Turkey, as well as the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and methods of treatment of this disease. METHODS: Between December 1998 and December 2004, patients who were diagnosed with CL were evaluated prospectively with respect to periocular involvement. RESULTS: From the 2066 patients evaluated with CL, 2622 lesions were identified. In 59 (2.9%) of these patients, a total of 66 (2.5%) lesions were located in the periocular area. Thirty-two (48.5%) of these lesions were of the papular type, 15 (22.7%) the nodulo-ulcerative type, 10 (15.2%) the plaque type, and nine (13.6%) the nodular type. Dacryocystitis was identified in four patients with periocular involvement. Over the follow-up period, no ocular or periocular deformities or complications developed in these patients. CONCLUSION: Patients suspected of CL should be evaluated and treated early in the course of their disease to prevent any permanent ocular or periocular deformities.     

Permeability of pure lipid bilayers to melatonin

Abstract: Melatonin, the chief hormone of the pineal gland, has been reported to interact with a variety of different cells. This ubiquitously acting hormone has been found to interact with protein receptors both at the cell membrane and in the nucleus. Moreover, melatonin was recently shown to be a very potent hydroxyl radical scavenger. The present work focuses on the interaction of melatonin with pure lipid bilayers. It is shown that melatonin can cross multilamellar lipid vesicles, which are used here as model systems for the lipid phase of biological membranes. Thus, the data prove that melatonin can easily pass through the cell membrane and bath every part of the cell, as previously suggested in the literature. Melatonin lipid association constant was calculated based on the change of the hormone fluorescence intensity due to its penetration into the hydrophobic lipid phase. Though melatonin was recently shown to be highly soluble in aqueous media, its lipid association constant is rather high, indicating that the biological action of the hormone is likely to be at the membrane level, either via its interaction with membrane receptors, and/or as a lipoperoxidation radical scavenger.     

Effects of the antimigraine compound zolmitriptan ('Zomig') on psychomotor performance alone and in combination with diazepam in healthy volunteers

Zolmitriptan (Zomig^TM) is a 5HT_1B/1D agonist which has the ability to cross the intact blood-brain barrier to access central as well as peripheral receptors. Because of the potential for central nervous system side effects, this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-period crossover study evaluated the effects of 2.5 and 5 mg doses of zolmitriptan on psychomotor performance and investigated any pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic interaction with diazepam. Twelve healthy volunteers received the following "treatments" as single doses: zolmitriptan 2.5 mg, zolmitriptan 5 mg, diazepam 10 mg, zolmitriptan 2.5 mg+diazepam 10 mg, zolmitriptan 5 mg+diazepam 10 mg and placebo. Pre-dose and at 1, 4, 8, and 24 h post-dose, the following validated battery of psychomotor tests was performed: Bond-Lader visual analogue scales (calmness, contentedness, and alertness factors), critical flicker fusion test, choice reaction time (recognition, motor, and total reaction times), finger-tapping test, number cancellation test and digit symbol substitution test. Plasma concentrations of zolmitriptan, its active metabolite, and diazepam and its active metabolites were measured at the same timepoints. Zolmitriptan 2.5 and 5 mg had no effect on psychomotor function when given alone. In contrast, diazepam 10 mg had profound effects, consistent with its sedative properties, but there was no synergism on concomitant administration of either dose of zolmitriptan. Plasma concentrations of zolmitriptan, diazepam, and their respective active metabolites were similar when the two drugs were given alone or in combination.     

Decrease in the fatigue resistance of nickel-titanium rotary instruments after clinical use in curved root canals.

OBJECTIVE: The changes in fatigue resistance of nickel-titanium rotary ProFile instruments after clinical use for shaping 10 curved molar root canals were evaluated in this study. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-five sets of files #20, #25, and #30 and tapers .04 and .06 were divided into 2 groups, one with 10 sets of new files that were tested in a fatigue test bench device as a control. The other, experimental group, with 15 sets of clinically used files, was tested in the same device. The Student t test was employed to compare mean values of the measured parameters. RESULTS: A statistically significant decrease in the number of cycles to failure was determined for the clinically used files, as compared with the new ones. The fracture point was the same for all files tested. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical use of ProFile instruments for shaping curved canals reduces their fatigue resistance.     

Connective tissue growth factor expression and Smad signaling during mouse heart development and myocardial infarction.

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is reported to be a target gene of transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) in vitro. Its physiological role in angiogenesis and skeletogenesis during mouse development has been described recently. Here, we have mapped expression of CTGF mRNA during mouse heart development, postnatal adult life, and after experimental myocardial infarction. Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between CTGF and the BMP/TGFbeta signaling pathway in particular during heart development in mutant mice. Postnatally, CTGF expression in the heart became restricted to the atrium. Strikingly, 1 week after myocardial infarction, when myocytes have disappeared from the infarct zone, CTGF and TGFbeta expression as well as activated forms of TGFbeta but not BMP, Smad effector proteins are colocalized exclusively in the fibroblasts of the scar tissue, suggesting possible cooperation between CTGF and TGFbeta during the pathological fibrotic response.