Lack of effects of typical and atypical antipsychotics in DARPP-32 and NCS-1 levels in PC12 cells overexpressing NCS-1

Background

Schizophrenia is the major psychiatry disorder, which the exact cause remains unknown. However, it is well known that dopamine-mediated neurotransmission imbalance is associated with this pathology and the main target of antipsychotics is the dopamine receptor D₂. Recently, it was described alteration in levels of two dopamine signaling related proteins in schizophrenic prefrontal cortex (PFC): Neuronal Calcium Sensor-1 (NCS-1) and DARPP-32. NCS-1, which is upregulated in PFC of schizophrenics, inhibits D₂ internalization. DARPP-32, which is decreased in PFC of schizophrenics, is a key downstream effector in transducing dopamine signaling. We previously demonstrated that antipsychotics do not change levels of both proteins in rat's brain. However, since NCS-1 and DARPP-32 levels are not altered in wild type rats, we treated wild type PC12 cells (PC12 WT) and PC12 cells stably overexpressing NCS-1 (PC12 Clone) with antipsychotics to investigate if NCS-1 upregulation modulates DARPP-32 expression in response to antipsychotics treatment.

Results

We chronically treated both PC12 WT and PC12 Clone cells with typical (Haloperidol) or atypical (Clozapine and Risperidone) antipsychotics for 14 days. Using western blot technique we observed that there is no change in NCS-1 and DARPP-32 protein levels in both PC12 WT and PC12 Clone cells after typical and atypical antipsychotic treatments.

Conclusions

Because we observed no alteration in NCS-1 and DARPP-32 levels in both PC12 WT and Clone cells treated with typical or atypical antipsychotics, we suggest that the alteration in levels of both proteins in schizophrenic's PFC is related to psychopathology but not with antipsychotic treatment.     

Pulmonary Tuberculosis Presenting with Cutaneous Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis

Summary This case report deals with a rare association: tuberculosis and cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis. The patient was a 36-year-old man with no significant past medical problems. He presented with a palpable purpura on both legs, low-grade fever, cough and expectoration, progressive dyspnea due to a massive left pleural effusion and a symmetric swelling on his ankles and wrists. Skin biopsy yielded a histological diagnosis of leukocytoclastic vasculitis and the primary diagnosis was only achieved after performing a pleural biopsy, which unequivocally showed the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This case shares many features with the few cases already reported in the medical literature. Possible pathogenic mechanisms are reviewed and discussed in detail. Received: May 4, 1999 · Revision accepted: September 19, 1999     

Prior exercise does not affect chylomicron particle number following a mixed meal of moderate fat content

Background  

A single session of exercise has been reported to reduce fasting and postprandial triacylglycerol concentrations on the subsequent day. It is possible that exercise also reduces chylomicron particle number, which may underlie the observed reduction in postprandial triacylglycerol concentration. In the present study we aimed to determine whether a single session of exercise reduces fasting and postprandial chylomicron particle number on the subsequent day. In a randomised crossover design eight lean and healthy male and female subjects attended two postprandial testing days. On the previous day the subjects either performed 90 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or did not perform any exercise. Fasting blood samples were then collected prior to ingestion of a moderate fat mixed meal (0.44 g fat, 0.94 g carbohydrate, 0.27 g protein/kg body weight), blood was then collected after 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, and 8 h.     

Prognostic factors in salvage surgery for recurrent oral and oropharyngeal cancer

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic decisions in recurrent oral and oropharyngeal squamous carcinoma (SCC) remain controversial. METHODS: Two hundred forty-six consecutive patients who underwent salvage surgery for recurrent squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity and oropharynx were studied. The tumor sites were lip, 33 cases; oral cavity, 143; oropharynx, 70. The previous treatment was surgery in 73 patients, radiotherapy in 96, combined surgery and radiotherapy in 76, and chemotherapy in one. The clinical stage of recurrence was I/II in 51 cases and III/IV in 195 cases. The disease-free interval (DFI) was less than 1 year in 156 cases and greater than 1 year in 90 cases. RESULTS: The rate of recurrence was 54.9%, and the overall 5-year actuarial survival rate was 32.3%. The significant prognostic factors in multivariate analysis were restage (p = .049) and DFI (p = .045). CONCLUSION: Patients with recurrent oral and oropharyngeal SCC at initial clinical stages (rCS I and II) and with a DFI greater than 1 year had a favorable prognosis.     

Modified Lateral Thoracodorsal Flap: A Way Out of a Difficult Problem

Background

Breast deformities, often attributable to surgical mutilations as a result of mammary carcinoma treatment, still are a challenge to plastic surgeons. Interesting alternatives for the frequently used musculocutaneous flaps are local flaps such as the lateral thoracodorsal flap developed by Holmström in 1986. This flap is simple to raise and involves no sacrifice of important muscular structures. This report aims to demonstrate the use of the modified lateral thoracodorsal flap in an immediate mammary reconstruction for a patient who refused any other scar.

Methods

A case report describes a patient presenting with breast cancer after reduction mammaplasty who was treated with a skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction.

Results

Satisfactory defect correction was accomplished with adequate silicone implant covering and a natural ptotic breast shape.

Conclusions

The versatility of this flap and its simple execution make it an important option for diverse breast reconstruction situations. The lateral thoracodorsal flap provides aesthetic results similar to those with other reconstruction methods, but without major complexity. The authors believe that it could be an interesting tool for the treatment of a breast anomaly.     

Oxygen therapy improves renal function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may cause edema independently of cardiac function. This study assessed the effects of oxygen therapy in renal hemodynamics and excretion of sodium and water in COPD patients. Twelve COPD patients without cor pulmonale (PaO2 < or = 60 mmHg), aged 66 +/- 9 years, were studied before and after 72 h of O2 therapy. Oxygen increased PaO2 from 56 +/- 4 to 85 +/- 22 mmHg (p < 0.0001), whereas PaCO2 did not change significantly. Oxygen induced significant increments in glomerular filtration rate (90 +/- 21 to 111 +/- 36 mL/min/1.73 m2, p = 0.03), sodium filtered load (10 +/- 3 to 12 +/- 5 mEq/min, p = 0.004), sodium excreted load (79 +/- 67 to 194 +/- 106 mEq/day, p = 0.0006), fractional excretion of sodium (0.51 +/- 0.49 to 1.30 +/- 1.32%, p = 0.015) diuresis (1048 +/- 548 to 1893 +/- 440 mL/day, p = 0.002), osmolar clearance (1.43 +/- 0.7 to 2.08 +/- 0.6 mOsm/min, p = 0.008) and decreased hematocrit (48 +/- 4 to 44 +/- 3%, p = 0.0038). Renal plasma flow and filtration fraction did not change after oxygen. In summary, use of oxygen caused increases of 36% in GFR, 35% in filtered load of sodium, 118% in diuresis, 258% in excreted load of sodium, and 178% in fractional excretion of sodium. These data suggest that oxygen-induced natriuresis and diuresis were likely more dependent of changes in the tubular manipulation of sodium than in glomerular hemodynamics. These changes occurred with a mild increase in PCO2, showing that oxygen therapy caused renal improvement independently of amelioration of hypercapnia.     

Debiasing effects of education about appropriate antibiotic use on consumers' preferences for physicians

A major goal of this research was to identify an antibiotic education intervention that would increase young adult consumers' preference for physicians who do not unnecessarily prescribe antibiotics for simple acute upper respiratory infections (URIs). Results clearly showed that consumers who read the CDC brochure entitled, "A New Threat to Your Health: Antibiotic Resistance" significantly preferred the physician who would not prescribe antibiotics for a URI on Day 3. They also inferred that this physician had significantly greater ability than the physician who would prescribe antibiotics. In contrast, consumers who did not read the CDC brochure significantly preferred the physician who would prescribe antibiotics for a URI on Day 3. They also inferred that this physician had significantly greater ability and greater concern for patients than the physician who would not prescribe antibiotics. Thus, consumers with low knowledge exhibited a treatment bias and preferred physicians who provided more treatment, and consumer education successfully reversed the treatment bias.