Virome of Ixodes ricinus,Dermacentor reticulatus,and Haemaphysalis concinna Ticks from Croatia

Tick-borne diseases are a serious threat to both public and veterinary health. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing to characterize the virome of three tick species implicated in the spread of vector-borne disease throughout Croatia. Ten viruses were identified, including seven potential novel species within the viral families Flaviviridae, Nyamiviridae, Rhabdoviridae, Peribunyaviridae, Phenuiviridae, and Nairoviridae.     

Development of potential anti‐cancer agents: Diazenes and derivatives

The call for the discovery of more effective agents to treat cancer has become urgent. Recently, we have synthesized new compounds: diazenes. So far, we have demonstrated that several of them inhibited the growth of tumor cells, but their solubility and biological activity were relatively low. Therefore, new compounds have been synthesized to improve their solubility and biological efficacy. In the present study, we screened cytotoxicity of 26 new diazenes and their derivatives on human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells. The most active compound was tested also on human laryngeal carcinoma, breast adenocarcinoma, and glioblastoma cells, as well as on two drug‐resistant sublines derived from cervical and laryngeal carcinoma cells. Cytotoxicity of new compounds was determined using a colorimetric MTT assay. Results show that diazene SB‐681 was the most efficient one, reducing significantly survival of HeLa cells, with IC₅₀ value of 16.3 μM. This compound applied in low doses inhibited also the growth of other cell lines tested, among which were two drug‐resistant cell lines. The observed activity could be explained by the influence of groups attached to the diazene functionality, namely 2‐chloroethylaminocarbonyl moiety and pentafluorophenyl moiety attached to the diazene nitrogen‐nitrogen double bond. Our data indicate that SB‐681 is a promising leading compound in the development of a novel class of antineoplastic agents. Drug Dev. Res. 61:95–100, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Immunocytochemical study of endocrine cells in pelvic ileal reservoirs

The distribution and morphology of intestinal endocrine cells was investigated in the mucosa of pelvic ileal reservoirs using immunocytochemical methods. Endoscopic biopsies were obtained from 15 patients after the construction of a modified J-pouch. The mucosa of the reservoir showed a variable degree of colonic metaplasia in all cases. No relevant quantitative variations of gut endocrine cells were detected, as revealed by immunostaining for the general marker, chromogranin, compared with normal ileal mucosa. Immunostaining for different peptide-containing cells resulted in normal number and morphology of serotonin, enteroglucagon, peptide tyrosine-tyrosine, and somatostatin-containing cells. Neurotensin cells were less numerous than in normal mucosa. The role played by gastrointestinal hormones in the adaptive response of the intestine to pouch construction is, presently, unclear. Further studies involving measurements of fasting and meal-stimulated levels of gut hormones in pouch patients might clarify this aspect.     

Serotonin and Serotoninergic Agents Affect Proliferation of Normal and Transformed Lymphoid Cells

Blastogenic transformation of murine spleen cells elicited with concanavalin A was suppressed by serotonin 10^--¹² to 10^--⁶ M, and marginally stimulated by its antagonists ketanserin and propranolol in low concentrations (10^--¹⁵ to 10^--¹¹ M). Ketanserin (5-HT₂ receptor ligand) and propranolol (5-HT_1A and beta-adrenergic ligand) did not block the suppressive effect of serotonin if used along with it in equimolar concentrations (10^--⁹ M). Ergot-alkaloid dihydroergosine suppressed, whereas dihydroergotoxin stimulated the bldstogenic transformation. Opposite effects of the agents were obtained in experiments with mouse myeloma X63/Ag 8.653 and hybridoma SHV 125 cell lines, which unlike normal lymphoid cells, are homologous cell populations and proliferate spontaneously. The data indicate that serotonin and its antagonists interfere directly with mitosis and/or autocrine stimulation of target cells.     

Gastric Lymphoma Presenting as Phlegmonous Gastritis

Phlegmonous gastritis is an uncommon local or diffuse bacterial infection of the stomach wall. It is an extremely rare disease with a fulminating course and a high mortality rate. A majority of cases are diagnosed only postmortem, and early diagnosis is crucial for survival. This used to be common in the preantibiotic era; a resurgence of cases has occurred of late due to the spread of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. There are varying local and systemic associations like gastric ulcer, gastric carcinoma, post-therapeutic endoscopy, postsurgery, human immunodeficiency virus infection, malnutrition, Kaposi’s sarcoma, myeloma, leukemia, Sjogren’s syndrome, and glucocorticoid use. We report a case of phlegmonous gastritis in a 70-year-old lady associated with gastric lymphoma. She succumbed to death on the fifth day of hospitalization despite broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy. She could not be operated upon due to the onset of multiorgan dysfunction syndrome and multiple comorbidities. To our knowledge, gastric lymphoma presenting as phlegmonous gastritis has not been reported in published English literature.     

Android and gynecoid types of obesity as factors in the onset of certain related diseases

The prevalence of some diseases was studied in 238 android and 720 gynoid obese women and 180 android obese men with the aim to establish the relationship between the type of obesity and relevant diseases. In the selected group of obese patients (25 android and 90 gynoid obese women and 26 android obese men) fed on a reducing diet (1000 kcal--4.2 M.J.) 67 women were engaged in intensified physical activity during the 90 days of dieting. The relationship between the weight loss and the type of obesity as well as the relationship between the weight loss in women engaged in intensified physical activity and those abstaining from it was investigated. The investigation has shown that the prevalence of hypertension, coronary heart disease and diabetes was much higher in men and women affected by the android type of obesity than in women affected by the gynoid type of obesity. The prevalence of gallbladder's as well as venous system diseases and spondylosis in women affected by both types of obesity was much higher than in android obese men, but the prevalence of constipation was higher in gynoid obese women. From data relating to response to reducing diet it is concluded that the weight loss was equal among the women affected by the android and gynoid types of obesity, but the weight loss in android and gynoid obese women engaged in intensified physical activity was significantly higher than in those abstaining from it.2+herefore, for the prevention and     

Intrahepatic lithiasis. Study of thirty-six cases and review of the literature.

In 2,700 operations for biliary tract stones, intrahepatic lithiasis (stones located proximal to the confluence of the main hepatic ducts) was discovered in 36 patients (1.3 per cent). The diagnosis of intrahepatic lithiasis was determined only via intraoperative chalangiography in thirty-two cases (88.9 er cent); in 23 per cent of our cases of intrahepatic lithiasis, jaundice was never observed. This confirms that intraoperative cholangiography should be performed routinely in every case of biliary lithiasis. The removal of stones was generally performed by an indirect approach (papillostomy and/or choledochotomy). In 16.7 per cent of our cases, a direct approach was indicated. It is extremely important, after removal of calculi, to assure ample bilioenteric flow. Our surgical approach was therefore based mostly on the caliber of the biliary tract. When the tract was dilated less that 2 cm (in 20 cases), choledochohepaticotomy with papillostomy was most often performed (12 cases, 60 per cent). When the dilatation was more that 2 cm (12 cases), Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy was performed in all. There was no operative mortality, although the long-term follow-up results were poor in 9.6 per cent of the cases.