Naloxone interferes with granulocytopoiesis in long-term cultures of mouse bone marrow; buffering by the stromal layer

Long-term cultures of mouse bone marrow cells were treated with naloxone, starting at the time of culture initiation or in the 2nd or 4th week of culture. Cell proliferation was suppressed and the ratio of immature and mature granulocytes to macrophages diminished by naloxone treatment. The effect depended on the timing of naloxone addition to the cultures and on its concentration, with a bell-shaped dose-response curve. High and low concentrations of naloxone (10⁻⁴, 10⁻⁶, 10⁻¹⁴ M) interfered with hematopoiesis more strongly than the intermediate concentrations (10⁻⁸ to 10⁻¹² M). Early cultures lacking the stromal layer were more sensitive to naloxone than the cultures with established stroma. The bell-shaped dose-response curve has been attributed to an interplay of specific (opioid-receptor-mediated) and nonspecific mechanisms. Opioidergic mechanisms apparently participate in the regulation of hematopoiesis.     

Molecular aspects of implantation: Integrins {beta}5, {beta}3 and {alpha}v are apically distributed in endometrial epithelium

Several adhesion molecules have been shown to occur at the surfaceof endometrial cells. One of these is the integrin     

Texture properties affecting the accuracy of surface attitude judgements

Prior studies of the perception of surface shape and attitude from texture have focused on measuring the sensitivity of the visual system to the various geometric deformations induced by projection. Studies that examine variations in accuracy caused by spatial properties of the texture itself are fewer, and often confound multiple, potentially important properties. Here we examine the perception of surface attitude for a broad range of synthetic textures that may represent the types of structure encountered in the natural world. These stimuli allow us to isolate the respective roles of texels, spatial scale structure, discrete symmetries and regularity in the judgement of both the slant and tilt of textured surfaces. Texels, spatial scale structure and discrete symmetries were all found to play a role. Discrete rotational symmetries were found to be particularly important for accurate tilt estimation, likely mediated by skew symmetry and/or linear perspective cues. The operational range of viewing distances over which accurate attitude judgements can be made is greatly extended when texture structure is distributed over multiple scales. Small biases caused by variations in the spin of symmetric textures are observed and are consistent, at least qualitatively, with a Bayesian cue combination model previously proposed by .     

Three siblings with Robert''s syndrome

A Yugoslavian family with one female and two male infants with Robert's syndrome is described. The main features were: (1) tetraphocomelia with missing or malformed bones of arms and legs; (2) bilateral cleft lip and palate; (3) ectrodactyly; (4) syndactyly of the digits; (5) hypertelorism with exophthalmos at birth; (6) congenital heart defect; (7) low birth weight and failure to thrive. These observations raise the reported cases of Robert's syndrome--including questionable ones--to a total of 26. The most likely basic etiology is a major single recessive gene mutation.     

A comparison of the antinociceptive and temperature responses to morphine and fentanyl derivatives in rats

In addition to producing antinociception, opioids exert profound effects on body temperature. This study aimed at comparing antinociceptive and hyperthermic responses between two groups of μ-opioid receptor agonists: fentanyl (4-anilinopiperidine-type) and morphine (phenanthrene-type) derivatives in rats. Analgesic activity was assessed by tail immersion test and the body temperature by insertion of a thermometer probe into the colon. Fentanyl (F), (±)-cis-3-methyl fentanyl (CM), (±)-cis-3-carbomethoxy fentanyl (C), (±)trans-3-carbomethoxy fentanyl (T) and (±)-cis-3 butyl fentanyl (B) produced dose-dependent increase in antinociception and hyperthermia. The relative order of analgesic potency was: CM(11.27)>F(1)>C(0.35)≥T(0.11)≥B(0.056). Similar to this, the relative order of hyperthermic potency was: CM(8.43)>F(1)>C(0.46)≥T(0.11)≥B(0.076). Morphine (M), oxycodone (O), thebacon (T) and 6,14-ethenomorphinan-7-methanol, 4,5-epoxy-6-fluoro-3-hydroxy-α,α,17-trimethyl-, (5α,7α) (E) also produced dose-dependent increase in antinociception and hyperthermia. Among morphine derivatives the relative order of analgesic potency was: E(56)>O(5)≥T(2.6)>M(1), and similar to this, the relative order of hyperthermic potency was: E(37)>O(3)≥T(2.3)>M(1). Morphine (phenanthrene-type) and fentanyl (4-anilinopiperidine-type) derivatives produced hyperthermia in rats at doses about 2 times lower, and 6–11 times higher, than their median antinociceptive doses, respectively. This study is first to identify difference between these two classes of opioid drugs in their potencies in producing hyperthermia. Further studies are needed to clarify the significance of these findings.     

Cancer Mortality Among Men in Central Serbia: 1985-2006 Survey Study

Aim

To analyze cancer mortality trends in men in Central Serbia during 1985-2006 period.

Methods

Mortality rates and trends for the most frequent cancers in men (lung, stomach, colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancer) were calculated. Mortality rates for all cancers were adjusted by direct standardization. Percentage changes of the rates were calculated as the percentage difference between the rates of two successive years and then as a mean of these changes for the entire observed period. Trend lines were estimated using linear regression.

Results

Total cancer mortality in men increased, with mean percentage of annual changes being 1.53% (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.09-3.16). Lung, stomach, colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancers represented 58.1% and 61.6% of total cancer deaths in 1985 and 2006, respectively. Increasing trends were observed for all investigated cancers: mean annual percentage change for lung cancer was 2.31%(95% CI, 1.03-3.59), for colorectal cancer 2.23% (95% CI, -0.18-4.65), for prostate cancer 3.06% (95% CI, -2.07-8.18), and for pancreatic cancer 1.58% (95% CI, -2.17-5.32). Stomach cancer mortality significantly decreased in age groups 40-49 and 50-59 years.

Conclusion

The most frequent cancers in men in Central Serbia, ie, lung, colorectal, prostate, and pancreatic cancer, showed an increasing trend. Only stomach cancer mortality decreased over time.Cancer mortality in the European Union (EU) (1) and the United States (2) peaked in the late 1980s and has declined thereafter. Since 1988, the total cancer mortality in men from the EU has leveled off, and declined by an average 1.3% per year over the last 10 years due to the combined effect of early detection and improved treatment (3). The prevention of cancer in the EU was defined by the Code Against Cancer in 1987. The Code was revised in 1994 (4) and again in 2003 (5) as new member states entered the Union.There are geographic differences in cancer burden between Western and Eastern Europe. According to estimates from 2002, cancer mortality in men was higher in Central-Eastern European countries than in North-Western countries (6). In Serbia, neither prevention activities nor mass screening tests were applied, with the sole exception of the government’s effort to implement tobacco control.The aim of this study was to analyze recent changes in cancer mortality trends for men in Serbia, a country with approximately 5.5 million population (excluding the two autonomous provinces), in the period 1985-2006.     

The association of V249I and T280M fractalkine receptor haplotypes with disease course of multiple sclerosis

We investigated the association of CX3CR1 genotypes/haplotypes with MS and performed the prediction analysis of protein sequence variants' effects on CX3CL1/CX3CR1 interaction. We found no association of CX3CR1 with MS susceptibility. Frequency of I(249)T(280) haplotype was significantly lower in SP compared to RR patients (RR>10 years, OR=0.30, 95%CI=0.11-0.79, p=0.01; OR=0.53, 95%CI=0.18-1.56, p=0.2, in SP<10 years vs. RR>10 years). Prediction analysis showed that I249 T280 protein variant would significantly affect CX3CL1/CX3CR1 interaction. Our results suggest that CX3CR1 I???T??? haplotype could have protective effect for switch to SP MS. Further research is warranted to validate and replicate currently observed results.