Fetal and neonatal habituation in infants of diabetic mothers.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether maternal diabetes alters the habituation ability of fetuses and newborns. STUDY DESIGN: Two nonrandomized clinical trials were performed. First, we studied prenatal fetuses of women with pregestational diabetes, and control subjects matched for gestational age, and then we studied infants of diabetic mothers (IDM) and control subjects matched for gestational age and mode of delivery. Fetus and newborns were stimulated with vibroacoustic stimulus. RESULTS: In fetuses of diabetic mothers, the ability to habituate was lower, and the habituation rate was higher than in control subjects to all habituation tests. In the neonatal period, ability to habituate was lower (59% vs 100%; P< .001), and the habituation rate was higher (18 [14-21] vs 4 [1.2-6.8]; P< .001) in the IDM than in the control infants. We found a significant negative correlation between maternal glycosylated hemoglobin in each trimester of pregnancy and habituation ability in IDM. CONCLUSIONS: Fetuses and infants of diabetic mothers have impaired habituation ability, which is related to the degree of maternal metabolic control.

Persistence of fetal memory into neonatal life.

OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that fetal memory persists into the neonatal period. STUDY DESIGN: Forty-one newborns that had been repeatedly stimulated by using fetal vibroacoustic stimulation were compared with 31 controls. The same vibroacoustic stimulator was used for both fetal and neonatal stimulation tests. For the neonatal test the stimulus was applied against the mastoid of the newborn with the interposition of a specifically designed solid-liquid interface to simulate intrauterine conditions. Student's t-test was used. RESULTS: Neonatal habituation rate (the number of consecutive stimuli applied before a baby stopped responding) was significantly higher in those newborns who had not participate in the fetal habituation study (7.0+/-5.4 stimuli) than in those who had (4.1+/-4.1 stimuli), p=0.01. CONCLUSIONS: Newborns who were stimulated in utero habituated earlier than those who had not previously experienced the stimulation. These results suggest that fetal memory persists into neonatal life.

The crystals of a mannose-specific jacalin-related lectin from Morus nigra are merohedrally twinned.

MornigaM, a lectin from Morus nigra, belongs to the mannose-binding subgroup of the family of jacalin-related plant lectins. It was crystallized in the P6(5) space group, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 110.74, c = 159.28 A. The partially merohedrally twinned crystals could be detwinned and a subsequent molecular-replacement solution could be found using the coordinates of jacalin. Preliminary analysis clearly shows the tetrameric assembly of this protein. Furthermore, data from MornigaM crystals soaked in a mannose solution were collected.

Ethyl methyl 1,4-dihydro-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-2, 6-bis(1-piperidylmethyl)pyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate.

In the title compound, C(28)H(38)N(4)O(6), the 4-aryl substituent occupies a pseudo-axial position approximately orthogonal to the plane of the dihydropyridine ring [88.1 (3) degrees ]. The dihydropyridine ring adopts a flattened boat conformation. The H atom on the pyridine N atom is involved in a bifurcated intramolecular hydrogen bond, the acceptors being the N atoms of the two piperidylmethyl groups [N.N 2.629 (4) and 2.695 (4) A].

An unusual sesquiterpene derivative from the Caribbean gorgonian Pseudopterogorgia rigida.

A new sesquiterpene derivative named mochiquinone (1) was isolated from the Caribbean gorgonian coral Pseudopterogorgia rigida collected off northeastern Venezuela, along with the known compounds, alpha-curcumene, (-)-curcuphenol, (-)-curcuquinone, and (-)-curcuhydroquinone. The structure of the new compound was determined by spectroscopic analysis of its acetylated derivative and comparison with known compounds.

O-Isopropyl N-(2-furoyl)thiocarbamate

The title compound, C(9)H(11)NO(3)S, has crystallographic mirror symmetry, occurs in the thiocarbamate form and is stabilized in an s-cisoid,s-transoid conformation with respect to the C-N-C group. There are two intramolecular hydrogen bonds, one between the H atom of the N-H group and the O atom of the furan ring, and the other between the H atom of the secondary carbon of the isopropyl group and the S atom. The packing of the molecules is assumed to be dictated by van der Waals interactions.

Physico-chemical and solid-state characterization of secnidazole.

Secnidazole (hydroxy-2-propyl)-l-methyl-2-nitro-5-imidazole) is an antimicrobic agent. This drug has pharmacological activity against intestinal and hepatic amebiasis, giardiasis and vaginal trichomoniasis. This paper shows the physicochemical parameters of secnidazole determined during a preformulation study. The determination of the apparent partition coefficient and the profile of solubility in dependence of pH demonstrate the basic characteristic of the drug. The dissolution assay was performed to evaluate its behavior in water. For this purpose, a new spectrophotometric method, which was linear from 5 to 15 microg/ml, sensitive, precise, accurate and selective, was validated to assay the bulk drug. The evaluation of higroscopicity revealed that the drug is unstable above 54% of relative humidity. Rheological properties, such as porosity, tapped and bulk densities and percentage of compressibility were calculated. Results show a bad rheological characteristic for this drug. DSC curves do not show any physical interaction between the drug and the excipients in the compatibility studies.

Steroidal compounds from the Caribbean octocoral Eunicea laciniata.

A previously isolated trihydroxy-gorgosterol derivative (2), a new gorgosterol (3), and the known sterol cholestane-3beta,5alpha, 6beta-triol are reported from the Caribbean octocoral Eunicea laciniata collected off northeast Venezuela. Using high-resolution 2D NMR techniques, the total structural assignment and detailed stereochemistry of 2 is presented for the first time and the full structure of 3 advanced.

Tribenzylphosphine oxide.

The title compound, (C(6)H(5)CH(2))(3)PO, is an organic tertiary phosphine oxide. The molecule has threefold symmetry, with the P-O bond along the threefold axis. Main dimensions include P-O 1.488 (4), P-C 1.823 (3) A and O-P-C 114.7 (1) degrees. The crystals were accidentally obtained when preparing complexes of nickel(II) with dibenzylphosphine.

Synthesis, structural studies and pharmacological activity of novel bicyclic compounds derived from 3,4-dihydropyridones: 4-aryl-7,7-dimethyl-2,5-dioxo-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroquinolines.

The purpose of this research is to characterize the possible vascular selectivity of a series of novel bicyclic compounds derived from 3,4-dihydropyridones. We describe the synthesis, structural study by X-ray analysis and quantum chemical calculations at semiempirical (AMI) and ab initio (HF/321G) levels and pharmacological activity of these 4-aryl-7,7-dimethyl-2,5-dioxo-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroquinolines. In addition, the more favoured conformation for compounds 4a-c in solution was determined from the calculated and experimental proton coupling constants. We report the first computational study on the structure of octahydroquinolines. The results of ab initio (HF/3-21G) and semiempirical molecular orbital calculations (AMI) are compared with the data obtained by X-ray crystallographic study for 4a.

HPLC determination of polyethylene glycol 400 in urine: oligomeric profile in healthy and celiac disease subjects.

The absorption of orally administered polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been used to assess intestinal permeability. We describe a simple HPLC technique to determine the oligomeric profile of PEG excreted in urine. We measured the total (%) PEG excreted in 6 h and the ratio of the four smallest oligomers to the three largest oligomers (expressed as mean percentages). The proposed method differentiates distinct groups of subjects with varying degrees of intestinal permeability detected by intestinal biopsy. The percent of PEG excreted and the oligomer ratio values for healthy subjects were, respectively, 30.1 +/- 3.87 and 0.35 +/- 0.03; for celiac patients on a gluten-free diet, 24.5 +/- 6.65 and 0.45 +/- 0.16; and for celiac patients, 15.0 +/- 5.93 and 1.12 +/- 0.55.

Proyecto experimental de integración docente-asistencial para Falcón(PEX-IDA-Falcon). Una síntesis / Experimental proyet on the teaching care integration for Falcon.Syntesis

Se presenta una síntesis del Proyecto Experimental de integración Docente-Asistencial para Falcón. Venezuela. En el mismo se platea una alternativa para la aplicación regional de las grandes estrategias internacionales en el campo de la salud: Atención Primaria de Salud, Integración Docente-Asistencial y Medicina Familiar, que tienen como objeto alcanzar la "Salud para todos en el año 2.000 (SP/2.000)" en base a un cambio de la estructura asistencial vigente por una estructura de Niveles de Atención. Contiene una singular proposición estructural y funcional del segundo y tercer nivel de atención a llevarse a cabo en el Hospital General de Coro, consecuente con la tesis que desarrolla y a los factores concurrentes en generar la crisis del sector salud, aplicando la integración docente-asistencial como solución de fondo

[Exanthematous viral diseases and measles: serology]. / Viriasis exantemáticas y sarampión: serología.

A study of antibodies against measles virus and other viral agents is made to investigate possible existence of a false measles or "measles-like" in 48 children with this disease during an epidemic. Hemagglutination-inhibiting technique was used to determine rubella antibodies, and complement fixation technique to measure those produced against other diseases studied. Results were grouped according to the seroconversions found. The following serologic diagnoses were found: twenty eight cases of measles, one of rubella, four of Coxsackie-Echo, three of Epstein-Barr infection, two of Parainfluenza, and one of respiratory syncytial virus infection. Some of the patients with an infection due to Coxsackie-Echo or Epstein-Barr viruses were simultaneously affected by measles. Results are commented and discussed, concluding that there in not any fixed pattern in the development of viral antibodies response in the child. Four of the cases studied were "measles-like".