Monosodium luminol upregulates the expression of Bcl-2 and VEGF in retrovirus-infected mice through downregulation of corresponding miRNAs.

The retrovirus ts1 is a mutant of Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMuLV) that causes neurodegeneration (ND) in susceptible mice. Our previous studies showed that the antioxidant drug monosodium luminol (GVT) prevented the development of ND in ts1-infected mice. In this study, we analyzed effect of GVT on the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 protein (Bcl-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in central nervous system (CNS) tissues of these animals. Our data showed that GVT treatment of ts1-infected mice significantly increased their expression of Bcl-2 and VEGF in brainstem compared with ts1-infected untreated mice. We also studied the expression of specific microRNAs (miRNAs) such as miRNA-15 and -16 (targeting Bcl-2), and miRNA-20 (targeting VEGF). We found that the expression of miRNAs inversely correlated with the upregulation of their target proteins in ts1-infected untreated as well as in GVT-treated-ts1-infected mice. The data showed that GVT treatment prevented ts1-induced ND at least in part by upregulating Bcl-2 and VEGF expression, what likely occurred as a consequence of downregulation of their corresponding miRNAs.

[Surgical treatment of cerebellar infarction: Five case studies]. / Le traitement chirurgical des accidents vasculaires ischémiques du cervelet : à propos de cinq cas.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Surgical management of cerebellar infarction remains controversial. What surgical procedure should be performed when a patient presents neurological deterioration? When is the right moment to operate? Different treatments were proposed including decompressive suboccipital craniotomy, external ventricular drainage, or endoscopic third ventriculostomy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed five cases of cerebellar infarction treated with suboccipital craniotomy, excision of necrotic tissue, and duraplasty within a period of six months. RESULTS: The five patients were evaluated with regard to presenting symptoms, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) before surgery, timing of surgery, computed tomographic scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), neurological improvement, and outcome within a follow-up period of one year. Four patients made a good recovery, one patient died three days after surgery without neurological improvement. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that decompressive suboccipital craniotomy may be an effective solution for good recovery if the patient is operated early, at the moment of the neurological deterioration.

Identification of cancer stem cells in dog glioblastoma.

There is increasing evidence in some malignancies that the tumor clone is heterogeneous in regard to proliferation and differentiation. The cancer stem cell hypothesis implies that not all the cells in the tumor have the same capacity to proliferate and maintain the growth of the tumor. Only a relatively small fraction of cells in the tumor, termed cancer stem cells (CSCs), possess the ability to proliferate and self-renew extensively. In the past decade, several groups have reported the existence of a CSC population in different human brain tumors from both children and adults. We report here the identification of a CSC population from a Boxer dog with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) that possesses a great capacity for proliferation, self-renewal, and differentiation. This cloned cell line is aneuploid, forms neurospheres in culture, possesses CSC markers, and reproduces the original dog GBM when inoculated into the nude mouse brain.

Epidemic cholera during refugee resettlement in Malawi.

BACKGROUND: In June 1988 a cholera epidemic occurred in a Mozambican refugee population resettling in southern Malawi. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted to determine possible risk factors for disease. The characteristics of 48 refugee households with any member(s) hospitalized for suspected cholera were compared to 441 randomly sampled refugee households without hospitalizations. RESULTS: Vibrio cholerae 01 was isolated from 50% (5/10) of case-patient stool cultures. Having any water containers with > or = 10 T capacity was associated with a significantly lower odds of suspected cholera in households (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] : 0.003-0.12), as was having metal cooking pots (aOR = 0.3, 95% CI : 0.12-0.7), after adjusting for length of residence and socioeconomic status (logistic regression model). Households with two or more children < 5 years old were at markedly increased odds of suspected cholera (P < 0.0001). These results suggest that water containers and cooking pots served important preventive functions during this cholera outbreak. Young children may have contributed to cholera transmission, but the reason(s) remains undetermined.

[The eye manifestations in phosphorus-calcium metabolic disorders]. / Manifestari oculare în tulburarile metabolismului fosfo-calcic.

The investigation of a number of 286 patients having disorders of binocular seeing shows a very frequent association of these to spasmophilia, especially for persons of feminine sex during their third or fourth decades of life. The medicamentous treatment of spasmophilia has ameliorated the disturbing binocular seeings, which had appeared again after stopping the treatment for a long time. The authors recommend the cover-test end the examination using Maddox's experiment for tracing rapidly out the binocular seeing disturbings. In order to stimulate the movements of the ocular globe in an reverse sense to the deviation formed by the oculomotor existed lack of poise, it had been used the prescription of classes with prisms assembled conversely to the classic rules, having the indication of wearing them for 3-4 hours a day.

Practical field epidemiology to investigate a cholera outbreak in a Mozambican refugee camp in Malawi, 1988.

Of all populations affected by cholera, refugees are at particular risk of infection due to overcrowding and poor sanitation. Between 15 March and 17 May 1988, 951 cases of cholera were registered at the cholera treatment centre in a Mozambican refugee camp in Malawi. The epidemic duration was 65 days. Vibrio cholerae biotype E1 Tor serotype Inaba was isolated. To identify high-risk groups and potential risk of acquiring the disease, an epidemiologic investigation was conducted. The attack rate of recorded cases was 2.6% with a range from 0.9 to 5.1% for different sections of the camp. The case fatality rate was 3.3% and decreased from week 1 to week 6. The epidemic started in the section near the market place and radiated out. A matched-pair case-control study of food and water consumption was performed early in the outbreak. It showed that cases were more likely to use shallow wells (surface wells) instead of boreholes compared to controls (OR = 4.5, CI = 1.0-20.8, P = 0.04) and that cases were more likely to have had contact with the market than controls (OR = 3.5, CI = 0.7-16.8, P = 0.09). None of the food items available at the market was more likely to be preferred by cases than controls. Recommendations included early case finding and treatment, temporary closure of the market, tetracycline prophylaxis of contacts, and water chlorination.

Cardiac disturbances in thyrotoxicosis: diagnosis, incidence, clinical features and management.

In the present paper we studied 403 patients with different etiopathogenic and clinical forms of thyrotoxicosis: toxic multinodular goiter (36.7%), toxic adenoma (4.9%), Graves' disease (27.04%), transient thyrotoxicosis (subacute thyroiditis, painless thyroiditis, Hashitoxicosis) (21.09%), T3-thyrotoxicosis (9.42%), thyrotoxicosis factitia (0.74%). Eighty-seven patients (21.5%) had cardiac disturbances. The following arrhythmias were most common: atrial fibrillation (4.00%), ventricular premature beats (2.77%), paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (2.23%), atrial flutter (1.00%). Congestive heart failure occurred in 10.42% of the cases. Paroxysmal tachyarrhythmias were converted to sinus rhythm in 90% of the subjects, by a selected and sustained treatment: drug therapy (carbimazole 30-40 mg/day, Lugol solution 1/2/20, 10-15 drops/day, beta-adrenergic blockers (propranolol--60-120 mg/24 hrs), calcium channel blockers (verapamil--40-60 mg/24 hrs), cardiac glycosides (deslanosid) or DC cardioversion. In order to prevent recurrences and/or complications, drug therapy was subsequently completed with subtotal thyroidectomy or radioactive iodine (131I) therapy. Thus, we succeeded in maintaining the patients in a euthyroid state, in sinus rhythm and with an adequate cardiovascular function in 95.4% of the cases.

[Population trends in Romania and trends in the major demographic indicators, 1980-1989]. / Evolutia populatiei Romaniei si a principalelor fenomene demografice in perioada 1980-1989.

PIP: In this second part of a two-part article on population trends in Romania for the decade of the 1980s, the authors examine trends in general, and infant mortality and nuptiality trends.^ieng

Practical field epidemiology to investigate a cholera outbreak in a Mozambican refugee camp in Malawi; 1988

Of all populations affected by cholera; refugees are at particular risk of infection due to overcrowding and poor sanitation. Between 15 March and 17 May 1988; 951 cases of cholera were registered at the cholera treatment centre in a Mozambican refugee camp in Malawi. The epidemic duration was 65 days. Vibrio cholerae biotype E1 Tor serotype Inaba was isolated. To identify high-risk groups and potential risk of acquiring the disease; an epidemiologic investigation was conducted. The attack rate of recorded cases was 2.6 percent with a range from 0.9 to 5.1 percent for different sections of the camp. The case fatality rate was 3.3 percent and decreased from week 1 to week 6. The epidemic started in the section near the market place and radiated out. A matched-pair case-control study of food and water consumption was performed early in the outbreak. It showed that cases were more likely to use shallow wells (surface wells) instead of boreholes compared to controls (OR = 4.5; CI = 1.0-20.8; P = 0.04) and that cases were more likely to have had contact with the market than controls (OR = 3.5; CI = 0.7-16.8; P = 0.09). None of the food items available at the market was more likely to be preferred by cases than controls. Recommendations included early case finding and treatment; temporary closure of the market; tetracycline prophylaxis of contacts; and water chlorination

Measles outbreaks in the Mozambican refugee camps in Malawi: the continued need for an effective vaccine.

Between November 1988 and January 1989, measles outbreaks occurred in 11 Mozambican refugee camps in Malawi with five camps principally affected. A total of 1214 cases were reported. Despite the reduction of the age of measles vaccination to six months in 1987, attack rates were highest in children aged 6-9 months (10-26%); rates were also high in the 0-5 month age group (3-21%). The case-fatality rate was high among children less than five years old (15-21%). Children were being inappropriately vaccinated, either being vaccinated at less than six months of age (2-29%) or failing to receive a second dose if vaccinated at six months (0-25%). With vaccine coverage between 66-87%, vaccine efficacy in children less than five years old was estimated to be more than 90% in the camps principally affected. Reduction of the age of vaccination leads to logistical problems in vaccine delivery in refugee situations. These outbreaks again indicate the need to improve vaccine coverage with the existing Schwarz vaccine, and also highlight the urgent need for an effective single dose measles vaccine for children less than nine months of age.

[Population and demographic change in Romania during the period 1980-1989]. / Evolutia populatiei Romaniei si a principalelor fenomene demografice in perioada 1980-1989.

PIP: This is the first part of a two-part article describing population trends in Romania during the 1980s. This part examines population size and structure and fertility trends.^ieng

Studies of autoimmunity in Graves' disease before and after treatment with carbimazole.

The study was carried out on 31 patients with Graves' disease. The humoral autoimmunity was assessed by: quantitative determination of serum immunoglobulins and thyroglobulin autoantibodies (Tgl-AAbs) estimation. The cellular immunity was assessed by counting total T cells and subsets (T1 and T2) in peripheral blood (rosetting techniques). 12 out of 31 cases were restudied after 3 to 6 months of treatment with carbimazole. The obtained data were compared with those of a lot of normal subjects. The thyrotoxic patients presented high values of serum immunoglobulins G and M. After treatment, these values did not significantly change. The percentage of T2 cells was significantly decreased in thyrotoxicosis and decreased again after treatment. The percentage of T1 cells unchanged initially, increases significantly after treatment.

[The evolution of Romania's population and its numerical components in the last century]. / Evolutia populatiei Romaniei si a componentelor cresterii ei numerice in ultimul secol.

PIP: Population trends in Romania from 1886 to 1986 are reviewed. The available data on total population, birth and death rates, and natural increase are recalculated for the territory included in contemporary Romania. Data are also provided on life expectancy and on fertility and marriage rates for the period 1966-1985. Reasons for the observed increase in population are discussed.^ieng