Sexuality during the menopause

Although the evidence is not conclusive, overall many sexual changes seem to occur in the climacteric years. It would be easy to propagate and perpetuate longstanding beliefs and myths that would do a great disservice to all of the women to whom our care is dedicated. In the coming years it is hoped that we shall learn more about how to understand these changes. In recent years the International Menopause Society has actively encouraged work in this area. An entire issue of its journal Maturitas is devoted to a series of scientific papers on sexuality in the climacteric years. For those who desire further reading that issue is strongly recommended. All medical professionals who come into contact with women during the climacteric years should be prepared to ask about sexuality and to deal with any concerns that arise. Taking a good sexual history along with a good general medical history and full social background is the best starting point for coping with these concerns. How to take a comprehensive sexual history is well described by Munjack and Oziel. Of course, it is not usual to take this full history on every woman with menopause symptoms. A few key questions should identify the woman who has sexual problems and facilitate selection of appropriate questioning for each patient (Table 2). Often, taking such a history allows the physician to identify a problem area that may be helped by medication or, more often, by education and simple office counseling. When it is clear that these simple approaches will not be adequate, the physician should have good resources for referral to the appropriate specialist, whether it be gynecologist, menopause center, psychologist, family therapist, or sex therapist.     

CEA and CA 19.9: an evaluation by new statistical technics on a group of elderly patients

New parametric and non parametric statistical methods have been compared in the evaluation of experimental data of CEA and CA 19.9 using a brief program in BASIC. We have found that the distribution of the two markers is the same of that described in literature except for both the means that we have found being slightly higher than that ones described by other authors.     

Effects of antimalarial drugs on interleukin 1-induced cartilage proteoglycan degradation in-vitro

Previous studies having shown that chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine could reduce interleukin 1 (IL-1)-induced cartilage degradation in-vitro, the effects of a range of antimalarial drugs on the cartilage proteoglycan degrading actions of porcine leucocyte (pI 4.8) alpha-interleukin 1 (syn. catabolin) have been examined using the standard bovine nasal cartilage culture system. The anti-IL-1 effects in this system were specific to several aminoquinoline and aminoacridine analogues having a side chain with a tertiary amino group similar to that of chloroquine. Aminoquinoline compounds devoid of this side chain and the tertiary amino, as well as pyrimidines or biguanides with antimalarial activity were without effect. Mefloquine, the most potent of the compounds active against porcine alpha-IL-1, was only equipotent with chloroquine and its hydroxyanalogue against human recombinant alpha-IL-1. This suggests that there may be subtle differences in the receptors for these drugs and interleukins in bovine cartilage. The results provide further evidence for the specificity and utility of antimalarial drugs in the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions, especially in relation to actions on IL-1.     

Is the driver drunk? Oculomotor sobriety testing

Recently a new test involving observation of ocular pursuit movements, end-point nystagmus and angle of lateral deviation at which nystagmoid movements begin has been used by law enforcement agencies to determine the blood alcohol level of suspected drunk drivers. When properly administered and scored, this test can correctly identify approximately 80% of drivers with alcohol levels of 0.10% or greater. The test is more accurate than the traditional coordination or mental computation tests previously used, but questions may be raised about the use of the test with suspects who have ocular problems such as high refractive errors, chronic nystagmus, etc.     

Immunohistochemical characterization of extracellular matrix in the developing human cornea

Collagen, fibronectin and laminin are important components of the extracellular matrix of the human cornea. We used the immunofluorescence technique with polyclonal antibodies directed against these proteins and to bullous pemphigoid antigen (BPA), in order to study their distribution in human corneas from 8 weeks of gestation to term and in adult corneas. Immunoreactivity was observed with antibodies to type I collagen in the limbus and the corneal stroma at 8 weeks of gestation. At 11 weeks of gestation it was found in epithelial basement membrane (EBM) and Descemet's membrane (DM) and continued thus throughout fetal and adult life. Type II collagen was not detected in fetal or adult cornea. Type III collagen was detected during 8-20th weeks of gestation in the EBM, DM and stroma. After 27th weeks of gestation, type III collagen could no longer be detected in the central cornea. Type IV collagen was detected in the EBM as early as 8 weeks of gestation and remained positive throughout fetal and adult life. Descemet's membrane was negative for type IV collagen at 8 weeks of gestation and became positive thereafter. Immunostaining for fibronectin in DM was negative at 8 weeks of gestation, followed by patchy staining of corneal stroma and EBM up to the age of 37 weeks of gestation. Staining in the EBM was negative or variable up to 70 years of age, and then became positive again in a 77 year old individual. Staining for LN was positive in the EBM after 8 weeks of gestation. Staining was negative in DM at that age, but became positive after 9 weeks of gestation. Staining for BPA was negative at 8-9 weeks of gestation, then gradually became positive.     

Synthesis and bacterial mutagenicity of the cyclopenta oxides of the four cyclopenta-fused of isomers of benzanthracene

Many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons containing peripherallyfused cyclopenta rings are believed to be activated primarilyby epoxidation of the cyclopenta ring. The cyclopenta epoxidesof a series of four cyclopenta benzanthracene derivatives, benz[e]aceanthrylene-5,6-oxide,benz[j]ace-anthrylene-1,2-oxide, benz(l)anthrylene-1,2-oxideand benz[k]acephenaceanthrylene-4,5-oxide were synthesized fromtheir parent hydrocarbons by formation of the bromohydrin followedby dehydrobromination, and characterized by u.v. – vis,and ¹H n.m.r. spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The mutagenicityof these compounds was investigated in the Ames plate incorporationassay with Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98. All the oxideswere active without exogenous metabolic activation (170–320His⁺ revertants per nanomole) and also toxic above 0.5 µg/plate.Addition of S9 protein did not increase, and generally decreased,the mutagenicity of the oxides, while toxicity was largely unchanged.These results are consistent with the postulated role of cyclopentaoxides as major contributors to the mutagenicity of the parentcompounds in the Ames assay.