Cerebrospinal fluid analyses in migraine patients and controls

To investigate the role of central neurotransmitters in the pathogenesis of migraine, we measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of certain amino acids (glycine, taurine, glutamine) and metabolites of biogenic amines (5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and homovanillic acid) in 38 migraine patients and compared them with the levels from 10 headache-free controls. The levels of taurine, glycine and glutamine were significantly higher in the migraine patients (p < 0.0001 for taurine and glycine; p < 0.0009 for glutamine); there were no significant differences among the three migraine subgroups (infrequent migraine, frequent migraine and transformed migraine). In seven patients subsequently treated with divalproex sodium, CSF taurine levels decreased significantly from pretreatment baseline values. These data support the concept that migraine is at least in part a disorder of central neurotransmission.     

Trachoma in Australia: an update

In 2001, one of the authors wrote in the Medical Journal of Australia about trachoma explaining that Australia is the only developed country in the world where blinding trachoma still exists. Ten years later, the same is still true, but there is some progress and the situation in Australia is starting to change. However, this progress has been somewhat glacial, especially compared with the rapid changes being made in other ‘undeveloped’ parts of the world.     

Interrelationship between TP53 gene deletion, protein expression and chromosome 17 aneusomy in gastric adenocarcinoma

Background  

This study evaluates the existence of numerical alterations of chromosome 17 and TP53 gene deletion in gastric adenocarcinoma. The p53 protein expression was also evaluated, as well as, possible associations with clinicopathological characteristics.     

GPR55 ligands promote receptor coupling to multiple signalling pathways

Background and purpose:

The aim of the current study was to investigate the role of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism via cyclooxygenase (COX) in the endothelial dysfunction of penile arteries from pre-diabetic, obese Zucker rats (OZR).

Experimental approach:

Penile arteries from OZR and from lean Zucker rats (LZR) were mounted in microvascular myographs to assess vascular function and COX expression was determined by immunohistochemistry.

Key results:

Acetylcholine (ACh) and AA elicited relaxations that were impaired in arteries from OZR. Inhibition of both COX-1 and COX-2 reduced the relaxant effects of ACh and AA in LZR but not in OZR. Inhibitors of COX-1 and of the TXA₂/PGH₂ (TP) receptor enhanced the relaxations induced by AA in both LZR and OZR, whereas COX-2 inhibition enhanced these responses only in OZR. TP receptor blockade did not restore ACh relaxant responses in arteries from OZR. Inhibition of COX-1 increased basal tension in OZR and this contraction was blunted by TP receptor blockade. The vasoconstrictor responses to noradrenaline were augmented by indomethacin and by COX-2 inhibition in LZR but not in OZR. Immunohistochemical staining showed that both COX-1 and COX-2 are expressed in the endothelium of penile arteries from both LZR and OZR.

Conclusions and implications:

Vasoactive prostanoids were formed via constitutively active COX-1 and COX-2 pathways in normal rat penile arteries. Under conditions of insulin resistance, the release and/or effects of vasodilator prostanoids were impaired, contributing to the blunted endothelium-dependent vasodilatation and to the enhanced vasoconstriction.     

Safety and cardiovascular behavior during pulmonary function in patients with Marfan syndrome

Cipriano GFB, Peres PAT, Cipriano G Jr, Arena R, Carvalho AC. Safety and cardiovascular behavior during pulmonary function in patients with Marfan syndrome. Marfan syndrome (MS) is a dominant autosomal connective tissue disease that impacts multiple systems, such as the cardiovascular system, tissue viscoelastic properties, bone calcification matrix and, most specific to the present investigation, pulmonary parenchyma. The aim of the present study was to evaluate pulmonary function (PF) in patients with MS and relate it to thoracic cage abnormalities (TCA) and the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias during the spirometric exam (SE). A sample of 75 subjects (46 with MS) underwent clinical, anthropometric, echocardiographic, radiographic and PF evaluation; 51 subjects (33 with MS) had their electrocardiogram (ECG) information evaluated during PF. These individuals were matched and compared with a healthy control group (CG). Forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume (FEV) in the first second (FEV₁) in the patients with MS were significantly lower in comparison with the CG (p = 0.012 and 0.0006) and predicted values (p = 0.04 and 0.003). Subgroup analysis based on TCA revealed differences between patients with MS with two combined abnormalities (scoliosis + pectus) in comparison with both the CG (p = 0.012 and 0.002) and patients without abnormalities (p = 0.05 and 0.006). There were no differences regarding the occurrence of arrhythmia during exertion on the SE. There was a correlation between clinical history, cardiovascular behavior and PF. PF is reduced in patients with MS, and deformities in the thoracic cage appear to contribute to this reduction. Despite the apparent structural alterations in the cardiovascular system in this population, exertion during the SE appears to be safe.