Synthesis of new 3-aryl-4,5-dihydropyrazole-1-carbothioamide derivatives. An investigation on their ability to inhibit monoamine oxidase.

Some differently substituted 3-aryl-4,5-dihydropyrazoles-1-carbothioamides have been synthesised with the aim to investigate their monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity. The chemical structures of the compounds have been characterized by means of their IR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR spectroscopic data and elemental analyses. All the active compounds showed a selective activity towards the B isoform of the enzyme, regardless of the substitution on the heterocyclic ring. The inhibition of the enzymatic activity was measured on human recombinant MAO isoforms, expressed in baculovirus infected BTI insect cells. Docking experiments were carried out with the aim to rationalize the mechanism of inhibition of the most active and selective compound.

[Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen syndrome: description of 2 further cases]. / La sindrome di Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen: descrizione di due nuovi casi clinici.

In this paper we describe the clinical and radiographic features of a spondylo-epi-methaphyseal dysplasia. Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen syndrome. In these two new cases, without severe mental retardation, we have highlighted the clinical and radiological findings, progression of the skeletal changes that have allowed us to make a diagnosis.

Increased chromosome fragility in lymphocytes of short normal children treated with recombinant human growth hormone.

A few years ago it was reported that some growth-hormone-deficient children had developed leukemia following therapy with human growth hormone. This raised concern that this therapy may stimulate tumor development. Since it is known that the tendency to develop cancer is closely related to chromosome breakage, we decided to investigate whether recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy can increase chromosome fragility. Ten short normal children were studied during their first year of treatment. Lymphocytes were collected at 0, 6 and 12 months of rhGH therapy, and we assessed the rate of spontaneous chromosome aberrations, the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges, the proliferative rate indices, the expression of common fragile sites induced by aphidicolin, and the sensitivity towards the radiomimetic action of bleomycin. At 6 months of therapy, there was a significant increase in bleomycin-induced chromosome aberrations, which remained unchanged after 1 year of treatment. An increase in spontaneous chromosome rearrangements at 6 and 12 months of therapy was also observed. These findings are further supported by data obtained from the analysis of 16 short normal children already on rhGH therapy.

[Multiple pterygium syndrome: description of a new clinical case]. / Sindrome dello pterigio multiplo: descrizione di un nuovo caso clinico.

Multiple Pterygium Syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by short stature, multiple pterygium, joint contractures, vertebral fusions and minor facial anomalies. Due to the extreme phenotypic variability of this syndrome many mild cases may be misdiagnosed or not recognized. The importance of an early diagnosis is to provide an adequate follow-up of these children in order to try to prevent many of the clinical problems they may encounter in their life-time.

Population cytogenetics of aphidicolin-induced fragile sites.

Chromosome fragile sites are inducible by aphidicolin in cultured human lymphocytes. To assess the frequency and distribution of these common fragile sites in the general population, a cytogenetic survey was performed on 126 subjects, 59 males and 67 females, whose age ranged from 1 day to 72 years. Common fragile sites, induced by aphidicolin, were widespread and showed a remarkably different sensitivity among individuals; age influenced the overall frequency of fragile sites. Moreover, both age and sex seemed to modulate the expression of specific fragile sites. In our population, the most common fragile sites were: 3p14, 16q23, Xp22, 6q26, 1p31, 4q31, 1p22, 7q22, 2q33, 3q27, 2q31, 7q32, 14q24, 10q22, 5q31, 2q37, 6p21.