Prospective study of antigenemia,plasma viremia and lymphocytic viremia in HIV-infected hemophiliacs

A total of 186 blood samples from 24 HIV-1 seropositive hemophiliac patients, monitored every four months for 29 months, were investigated for the presence of viral antigen in plasma. In addition, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were cultured for HIV-1, using normal PBMC as a target for replication. Antigenemia was detected in 51 % of the patients and from PBMC in 87.5 % of the patients. The incidence of HIV isolation in asymptomatic patients (42.8 %) was similar to that found in symptomatic patients (51.4 %). Patients with opportunistic infections had a higher incidence of lymphocytic viremia (p<0.05). Plasma viremia was closely associated (p<0.05) with low CD4+ counts and infection progression. The persistence of antigenemia was also a marker of a poor clinical course. In treated patients, plasma viremia was the marker that better correlated with the clinical course, and it did not appear during the first nine months of therapy. Zidovudine doses of >500 mg/day significantly lowered the appearance of antigenemia and lymphocytic viremia (p<0.05).     

Static stabilizers of the shoulder joint

Anatomic dissection of 220 cadaver shoulders was performed to find out more about the static stabilizers of the shoulder joint. The static stabilizers, i.e. the glenohumeral ligaments, were always found to be present and strong in healthy shoulders. It was revealed that in anatomic preparations with all the organs removal except the synovial capsule, the capsule ligaments completely stabilized the joint. Anterior dislocation at 45 degrees of abduction was prevented by the superior and medial glenohumeral ligaments, while at 90 degrees of abduction the inferior glenohumeral ligament prevented dislocation. When anterior dislocation has occurred even the coracohumeral ligament must be ruptured. A new finding recorded is that the glenoid labrum is the origin of the inferior glenohumeral ligament and not a triangular static organ enlarging the socket and having a similar function to the menisci in the knee. This ligament is the most important ventral stabilizer of the humeral joint. With the conventional arthrotomy technique the medial and inferior ligaments are immediately cut through and therefore cannot be seen. The inferior glenohumeral ligament must be reconstructed in cases of anterior recurrent dislocation.     

Synthesis of N-(phosphonoacetyl)-dipeptide derivatives and evaluation of their antihypertensive activity

A series of N-(phosphonoacetyl)-dipeptide derivatives was synthesized for pharmacological testing as antihypertensive compounds. Several of these compounds demonstrated a moderate antihypertensive effect in Wistar spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR) with p.o. dosing. ACE inhibition by the compounds was studied using ACE from rat plasma and lung. Inhibitors containing esterified C-termini are pro-drugs and showed activity only for plasma ACE.     

Isolated neuropraxy of the musculocutaneous nerve

Authors describe a case of isolated posttraumatic neuropraxy of the musculocutaneous nerve. With the presentation of this very rare case attention is called, based on literary date, to the fact that the above injury can be mixed with the distal tendon rupture of the biceps.     

Bioplastique as a Complement in Conventional Plastic Surgery

This research presents reports of cases where a biocompatible and alloplastic biomaterial—Bioplastique—was used, associated with conventional plastic surgery or as a complement to it, with the aim of achieving a better final aesthetic result. Four cases are presented where Bioplastique was used in association with rhytidoplasty, rhinoplasty, and other surgical techniques. This material has shown itself to be appropriate to complement surgery; achieving a final result which would not be possible without any resort to a complement or any other hard procedure by the surgeon and is not more traumatic for the patient.     

Results of a 2-year examination of patients with essential hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy

A study of 52 middle-aged males with essential hypertension, unaccompanied by cardiovascular disorders, is reported. The patients were divided into 2 groups with respect to the type of treatment they received: 30 patients on beta-adrenoblockers and 22 patients on methyldopa. The patients were treated continuously for 2 years under one-dimensional echocardiographic control. The greatest drop in arterial blood pressure and ventricular septum thickness was seen within the first 6 months of treatment, while posterior-wall hypertrophy disappeared altogether. Although there was no further drop in blood pressure after 6 months, the thickness of the ventricular septum remained reduced for at least 2 years. Regression of left-ventricular hypertrophy was not accompanied with any deterioration of left-ventricular performance, nor was it related to additional use of vasodilators.     

Neurotensin injected into the nucleus accumbens blocks the psychostimulant effects of cocaine but does not attenuate cocaine self-administration in the rat

The neuropeptide neurotensin (NT) has been shown to modulate mesolimbic dopaminergic activity. Neurotensin injected into the VTA produces motor stimulation and release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens. In contrast, when neurotensin is administered into the nucleus accumbens, it produces neuroleptic-like effects such as attenuation of the locomotor activity elicited by psychostimulants. In the present study, the hypothesis that neurotensin injected into the nucleus accumbens might modulate the psychostimulant and reinforcing actions of cocaine was tested. In experiment one, rats were trained to self-administer cocaine intravenously on an FR5 schedule of reinforcement. Following the establishment of baseline responding, rats were implanted with bilateral cannulae in the nucleus accumbens. One week later, rats were injected into the nucleus accumbens with various doses of neurotensin (4.2, 8.4 and 16.7 μg, total doses bilaterally) immediately prior to the self-administration session. No significant effects were found with any of the doses of neurotensin tested on the self-administration of cocaine. However, in experiment 2, neurotensin at doses of 4.2 and 16.7 μg injected into the nucleus accumbens significantly reduced the locomotor activation induced by an acute injection of cocaine (15 mg/kg i.p.) and a dose of 16.7 μg attenuated the locomotor activation induced by amphetamine (0.75 mg/kg i.p.). Thus, neurotensin in the nucleus accumbens appears to specifically modulate the acute locomotor activating properties of cocaine but not cocaine self-administration. Different mechanisms by which NT interacts with dopamine in the nucleus accumbens may provide a means of selectively altering psychostimulant motor actions without affecting psychostimulant reinforcement.