FISH characterization of the Xq21 breakpoint in a translocation carrier with premature ovarian failure

A panel of ordered YAC clones, isolated using STSs in the Xq13-Xq23 region, was used to characterize by Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) the Xq21 breakpoint in a t(X;1)(q21;p34) translocation female with premature ovarian failure. The YAC 949E11 was found to span the breakpoint, but also to join the two non-overlapping YACs 36CB1 and 40AB3, proximal and distal, respectively, to the patient's Xq21 breakpoint.     

Epidural sacral anesthesia with 3% mepivacaine in rectal surgery

The authors think that the sacral epidural anaesthesia effected with Mepivacaine 3%, 6 ml (180 mg) and Fentanyl 2 ml (100 mcg) is perfectly indicated for the proctologic surgery as it is of simple execution and presents a short latency (12 min.), good deepness and perfect haemodynamic stability. Besides, it does not endanger the lower limbs innervation. No urinary retention.     

ECG COMPARED WITH MYOCARDIAL ULTRASTRUCTURE IN ANOXIC FOETUSES OF NORMAL AND HYPERGLYCAEMIC RABBITS

The heart function, as recorded by ECG, was correlated to the ultrastructural state of the myocardial cells. The material consisted of 4 rabbit mothers. Two were used as experimental animals, and were given 120 ml of 30% glucose solution intravenously on the 29th day of pregnancy. The other two served as controls. After the infusion, the rabbits were sacrificed, and their foetuses removed by laparotomy. One foetus was placed in a paraffin bath at 37°C for ECG recording, and the others were placed in physiological saline. The two parameters, i. e., ECG and ultrastructural state of the myocardial cells, were correlated at various times. Pathological changes in the ECG were found to be reflected in ultrastructural changes in the cells. These changes were similar in the experimental animals and in the controls, but occurred earlier in the latter animals than in the former.     

Endothelium-dependent inhibition of the contractile response is decreased in aorta from aged and spontaneously hypertensive rats

BACKGROUND: Stimulation of vascular 5-hydroxytryptamine-2C (5-HT(2c)) receptors produces contraction in rat aorta. We investigated the effect of aging on endothelium-dependent inhibition of contractile responses in thoracic aorta from normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). METHODS: Endothelium-intact and denuded aortic rings were prepared from young (7-9 weeks old) and senescent (65-70 weeks old) WKY and SHR rats. Changes in isometric tension elicited by 5-HT, in the absence or in the presence of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or indomethacin were recorded. RESULTS: In aorta from WKY and SHR, 5-HT elicited concentration-dependent contractions, which were increased by endothelium removal. The ability of endothelium to depress contractile response to 5-HT was found to be reduced in vessels from senescent animals, mainly in SHR. L-NAME increased the sensitivity and maximal effect to 5-HT in endothelium-intact but not in denuded aortic rings from young WKY rats. The effect of L-NAME was lower in young SHR compared with age-matched WKY rats, but it did not modify the response to 5-HT in senescent rats. Indomethacin did not affect contraction in arteries from young WKY or in denuded aortic rings from young SHR and aged WKY. In contrast, the inhibitor attenuated the response in endothelium-intact vessels from young SHR and aged WKY, and this effect was more marked in arteries with and without endothelium from senescent SHR. Thus, inhibition of cyclooxygenases by indomethacin revealed an enhanced endothelium-dependent modulation of contraction in senescent and hypertensive rats. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that hypertension and aging decrease the negative modulator role of endothelium, in 5-HT-induced vasoconstriction in aorta from WKY and SHR. Data also point out that endothelial dysfunction involves an increased formation of vasoconstrictor prostanoids, which counteract nitric oxide effects. In addition, SHR endothelium releases contractile prostanoids at an early stage of hypertension, whereas in old SHR vascular smooth muscle also releases prostanoids, which contribute to 5-HT-induced contraction.     

Antifungal activity and studies on mode of action of novel xanthoxyline-derived chalcones

Chalcones and chalcone-like compounds, most of them new ones, prepared by base-catalyzed condensation of appropriate aldehydes and xanthoxyline, were tested for antifungal properties against a panel of yeasts, hialohyphomycetes as well as dermatophytes with the agar dilution assay. Results indicate that neither the sole presence of a "xanthoxyline-like" substitution pattern nor a 2'-OH substituent on ring A are sufficient for these compounds to have antifungal properties. The chalcone 3-(2-chlorophenyl)-1-(2'-hydroxy-4',6'-dimethoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one, with a Cl atom in the ortho position of benzene ring B showed the best antifungal activity against standardized strains of Trichophyton rubrum (MIC = 12.5 microg/mL) and inhibited all of the ten clinical isolates of T. rubrum tested (MIC at which 50 % [MIC(50)] and 90 % [MIC(90)] of the isolates were inhibited = 12.5 and 25 microg/mL). Regarding its mode of action, the Neurospora crassa assay showed a blotchy appearance in the inhibition halo produced by this chalcone, strongly suggesting that it could act by inhibiting the fungal cell wall. This chalcone seems to be an hyphal malformation inducer, since a clear curling of the hypha was observed in this hazy zone at a magnification of x 400. This work strongly contributes to the knowledge of the antifungal properties of hydroxy-chalcones.