Intravenous magnesium sulphate effect on maternal serum and amniotic fluid cytokines levels in preterm labour patients.

Our objective was to evaluate the effect of intravenous magnesium sulphate administration to patients with preterm labour on maternal serum and amniotic fluid IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-10 and TNFalpha concentrations. Thirty-six patients at 24-34 weeks of singleton gestation, who presented with contractions (> or = 8 in 60 min) had amniocentesis to rule out intrauterine infection. The patients received intravenous MgSO4 for tocolysis. Twenty-six patients had amniocentesis performed before initiation of MgSO4 (controls) while 10 others had the procedure during tocolytic therapy (study patients). Magnesium, IL-1beta, IL-6, TNFalpha and IL-10 concentrations were measured. Study and control groups were statistically compared using Student t test. Mean magnesium levels were significantly higher in the study group (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences between the cytokines levels in maternal serum and in amniotic fluid between the groups. Our results suggest that the mechanism of magnesium as a tocolytic agent may not be mediated via the examined cytokines.     

Prolonged Storage of Red Cells: The Effect of pH, Adenine and Phosphate

Prolonged storage of red blood cells (RBCs) at 4 °C results in decreased intracellular ATP levels with diminished posttransfusion survival. Meryman described a preservative medium, exceptional in its capacity to increase these intracellular levels during the first weeks of storage and later in maintaining adequate levels, for extended storage periods. We modified this medium, investigated its constituents, and found that its ATP-preserving effect was unrelated to its tonicity or to the presence of mannitol. Throughout storage, RBC potassium leakage and lactate production were moderate. No evidence of osmotic swelling was detected. In spite of high ATP levels, the cells became echinocytes, thus discounting a direct correlation between shape and metabolic status. The most striking finding in this study was that the prestorage pH of the blood unit (pH 7.0), has a crucial contribution in elevating nucleotide levels in a medium containing high levels of phosphate (18–10 m M ) and adenine. We suggest that a combined effect of optimal pH, adenine, glucose and phosphate in the medium contributes to the ability of the RBCs to synthesize the necessary purine nucleotides by the 'salvage pathway'.     

New multiple congenital anomalies: Mental retardation syndrome (MCA/MR) with facio-cutaneous-skeletal involvement

Five unrelated patients (a male and 4 females) were affected with a previously undefined multiple congenital anomalies/mental retardation syndrome which has been designated the facio-cutaneous-skeletal (FCS) syndrome and which includes mental retardation with specific sociable, humorous behavior, characteristic facial appearance, excessive generalized skin, postnatal growth failure, and skeletal involvement. Consanguinity was noted in 2 patients, thus autosomal recessive inheritance is suggested. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

How do monkeys view faces?—a study of eye movements

Face perception plays a crucial role in primate social communication. We have investigated the pattern of eye movements produced by rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) as they viewed images of faces. Eye positions were recorded accurately using implanted eye coils, while neutral upright, inverted and scrambled images of monkey and human faces were presented on a computer screen. The monkeys exhibited a similar eye scan pattern while viewing familiar and unfamiliar monkey face images, or while viewing monkey and human face images. No differences were observed in the distribution of viewing times, number of fixations, time into the trial of first saccade to local facial features, and the temporal and spatial characteristics of viewing patterns across the facial images. However, there was a greater probability of re-fixation of the eye region of unfamiliar faces during the first few seconds of the trial suggesting that the eyes are important for the initial encoding of identity. Indeed, the highest fixation density was found in the eye region of all the face images. The viewing duration and the number of fixations per image decreased when inverted or scrambled faces were presented. The eye region in these modified images remained the primary area of fixation. However, the number of fixations directed to the eyes decreased monotonically from the upright images through the inverted versions to the scrambled face images. Nonetheless, the eyes remain the most salient facial substructure regardless of the arrangement of other features, although the extent of salience which they attain may depend both on the low level properties of the eyes and on the global arrangement of facial features. Electronic Publication     

Deletion mapping in Alport syndrome and Alport syndrome-diffuse leiomyomatosis reveals potential mechanisms of visceral smooth muscle overgrowth

Diffuse leiomyomatosis is associated with the inherited kidney disease Alport syndrome, and characterized by visceral smooth muscle overgrowth within the respiratory, gastrointestinal and female reproductive tracts. Although partial deletions of the type IV collagen genes COL4A5 and COL4A6, paired head-to-head on chromosome Xq22, are known to cause diffuse leiomyomatosis, loss of function for type IV collagen does not explain smooth muscle overgrowth. To further clarify pathogenic mechanisms, we have characterized novel deletions in patients with Alport syndrome-diffuse leiomyomatosis or Alport syndrome alone. A 27.6-kb deletion, in a female with Alport syndrome-diffuse leiomyomatosis, is marked by the most proximal, i.e. most 5', COL4A5 breakpoint described to date. By comparing this deletion to others described here and previously, we have defined a minimal overlap region, only 4.2 kb in length and containing the COL4A5-COL4A6 proximal promoters, loss of which contributes to smooth muscle overgrowth. A novel deletion in a male with Alport syndrome alone is>1.4 Mb in length, encompassing COL4A5 and COL4A6 entirely, as well as neighboring genes. We postulate that loss of the 4.2-kb region in diffuse leiomyomatosis causes misregulation of neighboring genes, contributing to smooth muscle overgrowth. Deletion of the neighboring genes themselves may afford protection from this condition.