Dermatoglyphic peculiarities in patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome

The dermatoglyphic patterns of fingertips and palms of 115 patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) were analysed and compared with the data from 199 control individuals from Germany. The following combination of dermatoglyphic patterns appears to be characteristic to WBS: an excess of whorls on all fingertips; high termination values of the main lines D, B, and A; frequent absence of C triradius (C°); high frequencies of ulnar loops on the hypothenar and distal loops on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th inter digital areas, of distal axial triradii t", and of abnormal palmar creases such as simian crease and Sydney lines. The combination of fingertip and palmar patterns expressed by a “Log.Score-Index,” provides a high degree of discrimination between the WBS patients (92%) and the control group (88%). A “phantom picture” for WBS was constructed, which can be used for its diagnosis. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

High vs low anxiety-related behavior rats: an animal model of extremes in trait anxiety

In addition to their robust difference in trait anxiety, as illustrated by a variety of behavioral tests, HAB and LAB rats differ in their stress coping strategies, the former being more susceptible and vulnerable to stressor exposure and preferring more passive strategies. HAB rats of either gender show signs of a hyper-reactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, thus resembling psychiatric patients. As shown by in situ hybridization and microdialysis in freely behaving animals, both the expression and release of vasopressin in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus are higher in HAB than in LAB rats, thus contributing to the HPA axis hyperdrive. Accordingly, in HAB animals, administration of a V1 receptor antagonist normalized the pathological outcome of the dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing hormone test and triggered behavioral changes toward reduced anxiety and active stress coping. Pharmacological validation has revealed signs of depressive-like behavior, as HAB but not LAB rats have shown more active stress coping behavior and a normalized HPA axis after treatment with paroxetine. Of interest, this antidepressant reduced the hypothalamic overexpression of vasopressin; this novel mechanism of action is likely to contribute to paroxetine effects on both behavioral and neuroendocrine parameters. Cross-mating and cross-fostering paradigms showed that the divergent emotionality in HAB vs. LAB rats is determined genetically, rather than postnatally through maternal behavior. As the behavioral and neuroendocrine phenotyping pointed to the vasopressin gene as a candidate gene critically involved in anxiety, preliminary genetic approaches have been focused on this gene, revealing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promotor area of the vasopressin gene in HAB, but not LAB rats. HAB/LAB rats are thus proving to be a unique animal model to identify and characterize neurobiological, neuroendocrine, and genetic correlates of trait anxiety, and perhaps depression, in humans.     

Polymere imidazolcarbonsäuren, 2. Über das schwermetallionenbindungsvermögen von chelatharzen mit 4,5-sicarboxyimidazolyl-gruppen

The swelling behaviour, the time-dependence of the uptake of Cu²⁺-ions, and the pH-dependence of the uptake of Cu²⁺-, Ni²⁺-, Cd²⁺-, Zn²⁺- and Mg²⁺-ions of crosslinked poly[1-(4,5-dicarboxy-1-imidiazolyl)ethylene] ( 1 ) and poly{1-[p-(4,5-dicarboxy-2-imidazolyl)phenyl]ethylene} ( 2 ) were investigated. Both resins have a high selectivity for heavy metal ions. For resins 1 the uptake of heavy metal ions in the presence of an excess of EDTA was studied. Furthermore the possibility to remove Hg²⁺-ions from aqueous alkalichloride solutions by resin 1 was investigated.     

Tolerance and immunity to the inducible self antigen C-reactive protein in transgenic mice

The understanding of immunological tolerance has been greatly aided by the development of transgenic animal models in which expression of a specific T cell receptor (or B cell receptor) and its cognate self antigen is experimentally controlled. In most cases, expression of the self antigen was constitutive and did not allow for variation of its time- and dose-dependent expression pattern, parameters which are known to influence the balance of tolerance versus immunity. We describe a transgenic model in which expression of human C-reactive protein (hCRP), an acute-phase protein, is tightly controlled at basal levels (female mice express around 10^?9 M and male mice 5 × 10^?7 M circulating hCRP) and is highly inducible (induction factor of 25–500). T cells from C57BL/6 mice recognize two epitopes of hCRP termed A (residues 79–95) and B (residues 87–102). Different efficacies of presentation in vitro and in vivo identify epitope A as subdominant and epitope B as dominant. T cells of non-induced hCRP transgenic mice are tolerant to the dominant epitope, but reactive to the subdominant epitope. A hCRP-specific IgG antibody response is detectable in transgenic mice, but is weaker than in littermates. Upon induction of hCRP, both T cell epitopes are presented by thymic and splenic antigen-presenting cells (APC) in vivo. Kinetics of presentation by splenic APC closely match serum kinetics of hCRP, whereas presentation in the thymus is considerably prolonged. This model enables epitope-specific T cell tolerance to be studied as a function of time- and dose-dependent expression of the self antigen.     

Modifizierung von homo- und copolymeren des epichlorhydrins durch polymeranaloge umsetzungen

Poly(epichlorohydrin) and poly(epichlorohydrin-co-ethylene oxide) were modified by reaction with potassium thiocyanate (KSCN), tetrabutylammonium p-toluenesulfinate (NBu₄SO₂C₇H₇) and tetrabutylammonium benzenesulfinate (NBu₄SO₂C₆H₅). Though the substitution of chlorine in the polymers with these nucleophilic reagents in most cases is accompanied by side reactions, appropriate reaction conditions allow degrees of substitution higher than 90% to be obtained. The glass transition temperature (T_g) of the thiocyanate-modified homo- and copolymer exhibits only a small increase with increasing degree of substitution. While the T_g of the original homo- and copolymer is observed at ?20°C and ?38°C, respectively, the glass transition of the highly substituted homopolymer occurs at ?12°C and for the copolymer at ?31°C. On the other hand, the thiocyanate-modified polymers show a remarkably higher decomposition temperature of about 250°C as compared with that of the unmodified polymers (160–180°C). In addition, the solubility is markedly influenced by the substitution. While the original homo- and copolymers are soluble in, e.g., benzene and toluene, the highly modified products are only soluble in polar solvents such as THF, acetone, DMSO and diglyme. Introducing sulfonyl groups, the resulting polymers exhibit a glass transition temperature increased to a greater extent. For the homopolymer with the highest degree of substitution (98,3%), a T_g of 73°C is observed. Concerning the decomposition temperature, a drastical increase up to 370°C occurs. Finally the influence of phase transfer catalysts on the described reactions was investigated.     

Microproteins in amniotic fluid as an index of changes in fetal renal function during development

Protein content and protein composition were studied in amniotic fluid obtained from 171 healthy pregnant women between the 16th and 38th week of gestation, using microgradient gel electrophoresis to separate proteins according to their molecular size into albumin (68 KD), proteins of low molecular weight (LMW proteins, <68 KD), and proteins of high molecular weight (HMW proteins, >68 KD). Additionally -1-microglobulin (-1-MG, 33 KD) and -2-microglobulin (-2-MG, 11,8 KD) were analysed as micromolecular marker proteins. Concentrations of LMW proteins were 0.15–0.22 g/l, of -1-MG 28.4–34.5 mg/l, and of -2-MG 7.2–11.6 mg/l during the second trimester of gestation, and thereafter decreased progressively to 0.03 g/l, 14.1 mg/l and 2.4 mg/l respectively near term. The same developmental trends were confirmed by calculating the protein/creatinine ratios in amniotic fluid. The concentrations of LMW proteins found in the first postnatal urine of 73 healthy infants born prematurely or at term were similar to those in amniotic fluid of corresponding fetal age. Concentrations of albumin and HMW proteins in postnatal urine were about 5% and 15% respectively when compared with amniotic fluid concentrations. No strong correlation existed between gestational age and either of the analysed proteins which would allow accurate assessment of fetal maturation by protein analysis in amniotic fluid. It is concluded that fetal urinary excretion is the major determinant of the microprotein content of amniotic fluid. Microproteins seem to reflect an increasing tubular reabsorption capacity, which accelerates rapidly after the second trimester of gestation.     

Cystometric changes in the early phase of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats: evidence for sensory changes not correlated to diabetic neuropathy

Summary 1. The effect of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes on rat urinary bladder function was investigated by means of in vivo cystometry and in vitro recording of bladder strips contractility. A group of sucrose-fed animals was included to determine to what extent the STZ-induced changes were ascribable to the increased diuresis. 2. After 7–9 weeks from STZ injection there was a marked increase in weight of bladder and ureters. Cystometry revealed a marked increase in bladder capacity (volume threshold) although pressure threshold and amplitude of micturition contraction were unaffected. Sucrose-fed animals, having normal blood glucose levels but a similar increase in urine production exhibited cystometric changes identical to those of STZ animals. 3. In vitro experiments indicated that the response to field stimulation (0.1–20 Hz) is reduced in STZ-pretreated but increased in sucrose-fed animals, as compared to controls. 4. The content of urinary bladder and ureters in sensory neuropeptides (substance-P, neurokinin-A and calcitonin-gene related peptide-like immunoreactivity) was increased by STZ diabetes when values were corrected for the increased weight of these organs. 5. The capsaicin-induced contraction of the rat isolated bladder strips, presumably caused by neuropeptides released from intramural sensory nerves, is unaffected by STZ diabetes. 6. These findings indicate that STZ diabetes produces, at an early stage, changes similar to those reported to occur in the human disease, e. g. a greater bladder capacity with unimpaired voiding function. The increased bladder capacity of STZ-rats seems largely, if not solely, ascribable to changes in physical properties of the detrusor muscle, thereby allowing accomodation of greater than normal volumes with similar increase of intraluminal pressure. No sign of diabetic neuropathy of the capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves can be observed at this stage (7–9 weeks) of STZ diabetes. Send offprint requests to P. Santicioli at the above address     

Impact of postanesthesia care unit delirium on self-reported cognitive function and perceived health status: a prospective observational cohort study

Quality of Life Research - The objective of this study was to determine the influence of postanesthesia care unit (PACU)&nbsp;delirium on self-reported cognitive function and perceived health...