Diethyl 2-phenyl-2 tellurophenyl vinylphosphonate: an organotellurium compound with low toxicity

It is well-known that organotellurium compounds can have antioxidant activity in vitro, but in vivo these compounds can be potentially toxic to rodents. Here we investigated the potential in vitro and ex vivo toxicity of a new beta-organochalcogenyl vinylphosphonate, the diethyl 2-phenyl-2 tellurophenyl vinylphosphonate. The in vitro antioxidant activity of this organotellurium compound was also investigated. In vitro, the rate of dithiotreitol (DTT) oxidation was increased and the activity of cerebral, renal and hepatic delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase (delta-ALA-D) was decreased by diethyl 2-phenyl-2-tellurophenyl vinylphosphonate (120-1200 microM), indicating that this compound oxidize-SH groups. The antioxidant activity was also observed in brain, liver and kidney, in very low concentrations (0.4, 1.0, 4.0, 10.0 and 40.0 microM), and this capacity was comparable to the antioxidant standard organotellurium compound, diphenyl ditelluride. In vivo, delta-ALA-D activity in liver, kidney and brain of mice treated for 12 days with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as vehicle, 25, 75 or 250 micromol/kg of diethyl 2-phenyl-2-tellurophenyl vinylphosphonate was not affected. Furthermore, only one animal treated with the highest dose died, whereas all animals treated with diphenyl ditteluride died in the fourth day. These results suggest that this novel organotellurium compound interacts with the sulfhydryl groups, however only at higher doses when compared with diphenyl ditelluride. Since diethyl 2-phenyl-2 tellurophenyl vinylphosphonate had low toxicity to mice after sub-chronic exposure, it becomes important to investigate its possible pharmacological properties.     

Obsessive-compulsive disorders and structural cerebral alterations. Description of 3 cases

Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders have emerged as a differentiated entity, characterized with intrusive and obsessive thoughts or repetitive behaviors whose major syndrome would be the classical obsessive-compulsive disorder. In order to spread this concept among neurologists, we present three cases that can be considered as obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, in which structural cerebral lesions co-exist. Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders share with obsessive-compulsive disorder several clinical and neurobiological characteristics as well as their therapeutic response. Nevertheless, obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders have a lesser positive familial history incidence and a later start than obsessive-compulsive disorder. Recent neurobiological studies using functional and structural neuroimaging in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder together with neuropsychological studies reveal the existence of defects in the following neural circuits: frontal-orbital-basal ganglia-thalamus-cortical and their limbic connections. In a similar manner as it occurs with obsessive-compulsive disorder, research on obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders will provide the pathophysiological basis of the obsessive-compulsive disorder in the dysfunctionality of the previously mentioned neurological circuits.     

Vascular endothelial growth factor plasma levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and primary antiphospholipid syndrome

The objective of this study was to assess the possible role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS). We studied 28 patients with SLE, 10 patients with PAPS, and 24 healthy controls. VEGF plasma levels were measured by ELISA. Immunolocalization of VEGF was done in renal tissue from SLE patients and cadaveric controls. Our results showed that VEGF plasma levels were increased in SLE patients compared with PAPS and controls. The correlation between clinical manifestations and VEGF levels revealed that SLE patients with renal failure had significantly increased plasma VEGF levels (134.1 + 91.0 pg/ml) compared with SLE patients with normal renal function (42.9 + 19.0 pg/ml), PAPS patients (41.9 + 26.6 pg/ml), and controls (36.2 + 27.0 pg/ml; P < 0.01). Immunostaining showed a strong expression of VEGF in SLE renal tissue samples. Our preliminary results indicate that VEGF is increased in plasma from patients with lupus nephritis and a moderate degree of renal failure and is overexpressed in renal tissue from these patients.     

Immune responses against SARS-coronavirus nucleocapsid protein induced by DNA vaccine

The nucleocapsid （N） protein of SARS-coronavirus （SARS-CoV） is the key protein for the formation of the helical nucleocapsid during virion assembly. This protein is believed to be more conserved than other proteins of the virus, such as spike and membrane glycoprotein. In this study, the N protein of SARS-CoV was expressed in Escherichia coli DHSalpha and identified with pooled sera from patients in the convalescence phase of SARS. A plasmid pCI-N, encoding the full-length N gene of SARS-CoV, was constructed. Expression of the N protein was observed in COS1 cells following transfection with pCI-N. The immune responses induced by intramuscular immunization with pCI-N were evaluated in a murine model. Serum anti-N immunoglobutins and splenocytes proliferative responses against N protein were observed in immunized BALB/c mice. The major immunoglobulin G subclass recognizing N protein was immunoglobulin G2a, and stimulated splenocytes secreted high levels of gamma interferon and IL-2 in response to N protein. More importantly, the immunized mice produced strong delayed-type hypersensitivity （DTH） and CD^8＋ CTL responses to N protein.     

人工神经元网络用于复方氯丙嗪的含量测定

将误差反向传播(BP)的人工神经元网络(ANN)模型，用于复方氯丙嗪紫外重叠光谱分 析。对ANN模型的参数进行了优化。采用f(x)二1/(1+e^-x)作为网络节点的输入输出转换函数的三 层神经网络具有较佳性能，当取隐含节点数为15时，该网络预测结果的最小平均相对误差为1.22％， 将研制的ANN模型用于复方氯丙嗪含量测定，其结果与药品标准法和偏最小二乘法(PLs)一致。     

Multidimensional volumetric imaging of pulmonary infiltrates for measuring therapeutic response to antifungal therapy in experimental invasive pulmonary aspergillosis

Pulmonary infiltrates in neutropenic hosts with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis are caused by vascular invasion, hemorrhagic infarction, and tissue necrosis. Monitoring the dynamics of pulmonary infiltrates of invasive aspergillosis is an important tool for assessing response to antifungal therapy. We, therefore, introduced a multidimensional volumetric imaging (MDVI) method for analysis of the response of the volume of pulmonary infiltrates over time to antifungal therapy in experimental invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in persistently neutropenic rabbits. We developed a semiautomatic method to measure the volume of lung lesions, which was implemented as an extension of the MEDx visualization and analysis software using ultrafast computerized tomography (UFCT). Volumetric infiltrate measures were compared with UFCT reading, histopathological resolution of lesions, microbiological clearance of Aspergillus fumigatus, and galactomannan index (GMI). We also studied the MDVI method for consistency and reproducibility in comparison to UFCT. Treatment groups consisted of deoxycholate amphotericin B (DAMB) at 0.5 or 1 mg/kg of body weight/day and untreated controls (UC). Therapeutic monitoring of pulmonary infiltrates using MDVI demonstrated a significant decrease in the infiltrate volume in DAMB-treated rabbits in comparison to UC (P相似文献   

Cognitive rehabilitation combined with drug treatment in Alzheimer's disease patients: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation combined with acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChE-I) treatment in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease and their relatives. METHOD: Thirteen patients with mild Alzheimer's disease treated with rivastigmine 6-12 mg/day for more than two months started cognitive rehabilitation training. Before and after the cognitive rehabilitation training patients were assessed through cognitive tests, activities of daily living scale, neuropsychological battery and scales to evaluate caregivers' depressive and anxiety symptoms. Six patients were randomized to a combined treatment group (AChE-I plus cognitive rehabilitation and caregiver support) and seven patients to a control group (AChE-I only) and followed up for five months. RESULTS: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores (p = 0.047) and backward digit span scores (p = 0.018) were significantly different between the groups on follow-up. The combined treatment group showed a better positive treatment effect on cognitive and neuropsychological tests applied to patients and reduction of psychiatric symptoms was observed in their caregivers (nonsignificant). CONCLUSION: Cognitive rehabilitation associated with AChE-I treatment can potentially be useful to stabilize or improve cognitive and functional performance of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease and can reduce caregivers' psychiatric symptoms.     

Evaluation of two 13-loci STR multiplex system regarding identification and origin discrimination of Brazilian Cannabis sativa samples

International Journal of Legal Medicine - According to the Brazilian Federal Police (BFP), the Brazilian Cannabis sativa illicit market is mainly supplied by drugs originated from Paraguay and...