Pinealectomy interferes with the circadian clock genes expression in white adipose tissue

Melatonin, the main hormone produced by the pineal gland, is secreted in a circadian manner (24‐hr period), and its oscillation influences several circadian biological rhythms, such as the regulation of clock genes expression (chronobiotic effect) and the modulation of several endocrine functions in peripheral tissues. Assuming that the circadian synchronization of clock genes can play a role in the regulation of energy metabolism and it is influenced by melatonin, our study was designed to assess possible alterations as a consequence of melatonin absence on the circadian expression of clock genes in the epididymal adipose tissue of male Wistar rats and the possible metabolic repercussions to this tissue. Our data show that pinealectomy indeed has impacts on molecular events: it abolishes the daily pattern of the expression of Clock, Per2, and Cry1 clock genes and Pparγ expression, significantly increases the amplitude of daily expression of Rev‐erbα, and affects the pattern of and impairs adipokine production, leading to a decrease in leptin levels. However, regarding some metabolic aspects of adipocyte functions, such as its ability to synthesize triacylglycerols from glucose along 24 hr, was not compromised by pinealectomy, although the daily profile of the lipogenic enzymes expression (ATP‐citrate lyase, malic enzyme, fatty acid synthase, and glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase) was abolished in pinealectomized animals.     

Immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization detection of growth-hormone-producing cells in human thymoma.

We have studied 25 thymomas by both immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization for the presence of growth hormone (GH)-producing cells. Our results indicate that 1) GH-immunoreactive cells were present in 13 of 17 thymomas of cortical and predominantly cortical type but not in medullary (spindled) thymomas (n = 3) or low- to high-grade thymic carcinomas (n = 5), 2) GH-positive cells were mainly located at the periphery of the neoplastic lobules, at the periphery of the perivascular spaces and in the areas of medullary differentiation, 3) cells containing GH mRNA appeared at locations similar to those of GH-immunoreactive cells, and 4) GH-immunoreactive material was present only in the epithelial cell component as revealed by immunoelectron microscopy. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates the occurrence of GH-producing cells in noncarcinoid thymic tumors. The relevance of GH in thymoma cell biology requires additional investigations.     

Peripheral hemodynamic and humoral effects of oral zofenopril calcium (SQ. 26,991) in patients with congestive heart failure

In 14 patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) of various grade (NYHA class 2-4) the effects of zofenopril calcium (SQ 26,991) on blood pressure and forearm circulation were studied by venous occlusion plethysmography. Changes in plasma renin activity (PRA), aldosterone, Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) were also measured. Two hours after oral administration of 7.5 mg of zofenopril we observed a decrease in blood pressure, heart rate, and forearm vascular resistance along with an increase in venous distensibility. Zofenopril also decreased ANP levels in a manner directly related to peripheral venodilatation (r = .64; P less than .05) and modified arginine-vasopressin (AVP) proportionally to the fall in blood pressure observed in response to drug administration (%SBP/%AVP: r = .64, P less than .05; %DBP/%AVP: r = .67, P less than .05). Hemodynamic and humoral responses to zofenopril occurred without any significant unwanted adverse reaction, even in patients with greater pressor reduction. We conclude that oral acute zofenopril administration, in patients with congestive heart failure, causes an arterial and venous forearm vasodilatation which is probably involved in the acute changes in plasma levels of ANF and AVP observed after drug administration.     

Postretention relapse of mandibular anterior crowding in patients treated without mandibular premolar extraction.

Treatment stability is one of the most important objectives in orthodontics, but, despite decades of research, it is still agreed that the stability of aligned teeth is variable and largely unpredictable. This study aimed to evaluate the relapse of mandibular anterior crowding in patients treated without mandibular premolar extraction. The sample comprised 40 patients of both sexes with Class I or II malocclusions who received nonextraction treatment in the mandibular arch with edgewise mechanics. Lateral cephalograms and dental casts of each patient were obtained at pretreament, posttreatment, and 5 years postretention. Relapse of mandibular anterior crowding was assessed, and associations between this relapse and other clinical factors were also investigated. Mandibular anterior crowding was measured by the Little irregularity index, and the data were evaluated by the Mann-Whitney test. The mean relapse of mandibular anterior crowding was 1.95 mm (26.54%) over the long term. No clinical factor studied was predictive of crowding relapse in the long term.     

Rehabilitation: the Cinderella of neurological research? A bibliometric study

Rehabilitation is under-represented in the neurological literature on disabling diseases. A Medline search was conducted to retrieve the articles published between January 1991 and June 1994 under the main headings of Stroke, Parkinson's disease, Multiple sclerosis, Brain injury, Ataxia and Dementia. These were then combined with the sub-heading Rehabilitation. The former search yielded 27724 articles, the latter 1272 (4.6%). In 1992, the Journal of Citation Reports (JCR) assigned to Journals publishing rehabilitation papers an average Impact Factor (IF) of 0.7–2.8 (median 1.8): that is, 31–90% (depending on the various main headings, median 68%) of the average IF given to Journals publishing non-rehabilitation papers. In the present study, the weight of the literature was defined as the product of the number of articles multiplied by the IF of the corresponding Journal (IF=0 for non-JCR Journals). Across the various neurologic conditions, the weight of the Rehab literature was 0.1–7% (median 2%) of the weight of the non-Rehab literature. The results suggest that neurology is still reluctant to face the disability challenge.

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Sommario La riabilitazione è scarsamente rappresentata nella letteratura neurologica sulle patologie che causano disabilità. Gli Autori hanno interrogato la banca-dati Medline nella ricerca degli articoli pubblicati fra il Gennaio 1991 ed il Giugno 1994 sotto le parole-chiave Stroke, Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Brain injury, Ataxia e Dementia. È stato poi eseguito un incrocio con la parola-chiave secondaria Riabilitazione.La prima ricerca ha prodotto 27724 articoli mentre la seconda ne ha prodotti 1272 (4.6%). Nel 1992 il Journal of Citation Reports (JCR) ha attribuito alle Riviste che hanno pubblicato articoli con tema riabilitativo un Impact Factor (IF) medio di 0.7–2.8 (mediana 1.8), pari al 31–90% (a seconda della parola-chiave principale: mediana delle percentuali 68%) dell'IF medio attribuito alle Riviste che hanno pubblicato soltanto articoli su temi non riabilitativi. In questo studio è stato definito come peso della letteratura il prodotto del numero di articoli per l'IF delle rispettive Riviste (IF=0 per le Riviste non censite dal JCR). A seconda delle diverse patologie neurologiche, il peso della letteratura riabilitativa variava fra 0.1 e 7% (mediana 2%) del peso della letteratura non riabilitativa.I risultati suggeriscono che la Neurologia sia ancora riluttante ad affrontare la sfida che le pone la disabilità.

     

Tolerance of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-sensitive patients to the highly specific cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors rofecoxib and valdecoxib.

BACKGROUND: Selective inhibitors of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) are generally tolerated by patients sensitive to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that inhibit COX-1. Valdecoxib is a new sulfonamide-containing COX-2-specific inhibitor indicated for the treatment of acute pain, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical tolerance to rofecoxib and valdecoxib in patients who previously developed urticaria and angioedema while taking classic NSAIDs. METHODS: Patients with challenge-proven NSAID cutaneous sensitivity were submitted to single-blinded controlled oral challenges with rofecoxib, 50 mg, and valdecoxib, 40 mg. RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients (19 females and 9 males; mean +/- SD age, 28.6 +/- 15.0 years; age range, 10-61 years) participated in this study. Twenty-two (85%) of 26 patients who underwent skin tests were atopic, as demonstrated by a clinical history of rhinitis and/or asthma plus positive immediate-type skin hypersensitivity test results. A previous exclusive cutaneous reaction pattern (urticaria and/or angioedema) had occurred in 10 patients (36%), whereas a mixed pattern of skin and respiratory symptoms had occurred in 18 patients (64%). Twenty patients (71%) were multiple reactors, and 8 patients (28%) were single reactors. In this current study, 2 patients (7%) taking rofecoxib experienced angioedema, and 1 patient (4%) taking valdecoxib experienced urticaria. CONCLUSIONS: Rofecoxib and valdecoxib can be safely used by most NSAID-sensitive patients with cutaneous reactions. Our findings suggest that isolated cross-reactions may occur in these patients, and for this reason, controlled oral provocation may be prudent when prescribing valdecoxib or rofecoxib for patients who have previously had urticaria or angioedema triggered by NSAIDs.