Novel 1-indanone Thiosemicarbazone Antiviral Candidates: Aqueous Solubilization and Physical Stabilization by Means of Cyclodextrins

Purpose  

To investigate cyclodextrin-mediated solubilization and physical stabilization of novel 1-indanone thiosemicarbazone (TSC) candidate drugs that display extremely high self-aggregation and precipitation tendency in water.     

Further evidence for linkage of familial hyperaldosteronism type II at chromosome 7p22 in Italian as well as Australian and South American families

BACKGROUND: Familial hyperaldosteronism type II is a hereditary form of primary aldosteronism not attributable to the hybrid CYP11B1/CYP11B2 mutation that causes glucocorticoid remediable aldosteronism (or familial hyperaldosteronism type I). Although genetic defect(s) underlying familial hyperaldosteronism type II have not yet been elucidated, linkage to chromosome 7p22 was previously reported in two Australian families and a South American family with familial hyperaldosteronism type II. OBJECTIVE: To seek evidence of linkage to chromosome 7p22 in two Italian families with familial hyperaldosteronism type II based on markers that have already yielded evidence of linkage in one South American and two Australian familial hyperaldosteronism type II families and to assess the combined multipoint logarithm of odds score in these five families (two Australian, two Italian, and one South American). METHODS: Primary aldosteronism was diagnosed or excluded using widely accepted clinical and biochemical criteria. Genotypes of affected and unaffected Italian patients from two families were analysed using seven closely spaced microsatellite markers at 7p22, and multipoint logarithm of odds scores were calculated to assess linkage with familial hyperaldosteronism type II. RESULTS: All known affected individuals (four and two, respectively) from each of two Italian families shared identical haplotypes for the seven markers, consistent with linkage of the disease locus with the 7p22 region. The combined multipoint logarithm of odds score for five families showing linkage at 7p22 was highly significant at 5.22 (theta = 0) for markers D7S462 and D7S517. CONCLUSION: Linkage in two Italian families makes this the third geographical area to show linkage of familial hyperaldosteronism type II at 7p22, emphasizing the likely importance of this locus in identifying the causative mutation.     

Growth factor treatment prior to low-dose total body irradiation increases donor cell engraftment after bone marrow transplantation in mice

Low-toxicity conditioning regimens prior to bone marrow transplantation (BMT) are widely explored. We developed a new protocol using hematopoietic growth factors prior to low-dose total body irradiation (TBI) in recipients of autologous transplants to establish high levels of long-term donor cell engraftment. We hypothesized that treatment of recipient mice with growth factors would selectively deplete stem cells, resulting in successful long-term donor cell engraftment after transplantation. Recipient mice were treated for 1 or 7 days with growth factors (stem cell factor [SCF] plus interleukin 11 [IL-11], SCF plus Flt-3 ligand [FL], or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [G-CSF]) prior to low-dose TBI (4 Gy). Donor cell chimerism was measured after transplantation of congenic bone marrow cells. High levels of donor cell engraftment were observed in recipients pretreated for 7 days with SCF plus IL-11 or SCF plus FL. Although 1-day pretreatments with these cytokines initially resulted in reduced donor cell engraftment, a continuous increase in time was observed, finally resulting in highly significantly increased levels of donor cell contribution. In contrast, G-CSF treatment showed no beneficial effects on long-term engraftment. In vitro stem cell assays demonstrated the effect of cytokine treatment on stem cell numbers. Donor cell engraftment and number of remaining recipient stem cells after TBI were strongly inversely correlated, except for groups treated for 1 day with SCF plus IL-11 or SCF plus FL. We conclude that long-term donor cell engraftment can be strongly augmented by treatment of recipient mice prior to low-dose TBI with hematopoietic growth factors that act on primitive cells.     

Do Women with Epilepsy Have More Fear of Childbirth During Pregnancy Compared with Women without Epilepsy? A Case‐Control Study

ABSTRACT: Background: Although anxiety and depression in populations with epilepsy have been studied, no research on fear of childbirth in women with epilepsy have been conducted. The purposes of this study were to examine whether a significant difference occurred in fear of childbirth between pregnant women with epilepsy and pregnant healthy controls and to evaluate the most common fears. Methods: Fifty pregnant women with epilepsy and 50 pregnant women without epilepsy were assessed at a gestational age between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, using two questionnaires for the measurement of fear of childbirth, an open question, and a clinical interview. Results: We found that during pregnancy, women with epilepsy experienced a significantly higher rate of fear of childbirth when compared with healthy controls, whereas after delivery, the experiences and feelings about childbirth are almost the same as those of women without epilepsy. Conclusions: Our findings signify the importance of the assessment of the fear of childbirth, especially in women with epilepsy, and the need to offer professional and ad hoc support to those who suffer from it. (BIRTH 35:2 June 2008)     

Obtaining new formulations of inclusion resin for optical microscopy. Introduction of its use in animal tissue

Using different plasticizers, we have obtained two formulations for inclusion synthetic material. Both formulations were evaluated following two criteria: Shore D tests of hardness reported for this kind of compounds, and histopathological studies in animal tissue. Through these tests of hardness we have confirmed that both materials have the adequate properties to be used as means of inclusion. These produced results very similar to those reported previously. From the histopathological studies performed, we were able to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed formulations. Comparatively, we also selected the use of di-ethylhexyl phthalate as a very effective plasticizer, obtaining clearer results of the details of the tissue, as well as being easier and faster to use, among other advantages.     

Fibroblast growth factor-1 and -2 preserve long-term repopulating ability of hematopoietic stem cells in serum-free cultures

In this study, we demonstrate that extended culture of unfractionated mouse bone marrow (BM) cells, in serum-free medium, supplemented only with fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-1, FGF-2, or FGF-1 +2 preserves long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Using competitive repopulation assays, high levels of stem cell activity were detectable at 1, 3, and 5 weeks after initiation of culture. FGFs as single growth factors failed to support cultures of highly purified Lin(-)Sca-1(+)c-Kit(+)(LSK) cells. However, cocultures of purified CD45.1 LSK cells with whole BM CD45.2 cells provided high levels of CD45.1 chimerism after transplant, showing that HSC activity originated from LSK cells. Subsequently, we tested the reconstituting potential of cells cultured in FGF-1 + 2 with the addition of early acting stimulatory molecules, stem cell factor +interleukin-11 + Flt3 ligand. The addition of these growth factors resulted in a strong mitogenic response, inducing rapid differentiation and thereby completely overriding FGF-dependent stem cell conservation. Importantly, although HSC activity is typically rapidly lost after short-term culture in vitro, our current protocol allows us to sustain stem cell repopulation potential for periods up to 5 weeks.     

Education, care and management technologies: a reflection based on nursing teachers' conception

This study involved the teachers of sixteen Nursing Courses at Higher Education Institutions in the State of Rio Grande do Sul and aimed to identify the care, education and management technologies that are used and/or produced in their professional praxis in professionalizing subjects. This text presents a research extract and focuses on the conceptions about the different types of technologies the teachers approached. Data were collected through a questionnaire with closed and open questions and later analyzed according to the methodological framework of content analysis. The study revealed that most teachers presented a restricted concept of the theme, manifesting difficulties for technology use and production and suggesting ways of support to overcome these difficulties, with a view to improving professional praxis.