Neural Transdifferentiation: MAPTau Gene Expression in Breast Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND: In tumor cells, aberrant differentiation programs have been described. Several neuronal proteins have been found associated with morphological neuronal-glial changes in breast cancer (BCa). These neuronal proteins have been related to mechanisms that are involved in carcinogenesis; however, this regulation is not well understood. Microtubule-associated protein-tau (MAP-Tau) has been describing in BCa but not its variants. This finding could partly explain the neuronal-glial morphology of BCa cells. Our aim was to determine mRNA expression of MAP-tau variants 2, 4 and 6 in breast cancer cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cultured cell lines MCF-10A, MDA-MB-231, SKBR3 and T47D were observed under phase-contrast microscopy for neural morphology and analyzed for gene expression of MAP-Tau transcript variants 2, 4 and 6 by real-time PCR. RESULTS: Regarding morphology like neural/glial cells, T47D line shown more cells with these features than MDA-MB-231 and SKBR. In another hand, we found much greater mRNA expression of MAP-Tau transcript variants 2, and to a lesser extent 4 and 6, in T47D cells than the other lines. In conclusion, regulation of MAP- Tau could bring about changes in cytoskeleton, cell morphology and motility; these findings cast further light on neuronal transdifferentiation in BCa.

Decreasing landing forces: effect of instruction.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of instructions related to joint kinematics, auditory stimuli, and imagery on lowering the vertical ground reaction forces associated with landing from a jump. STUDY DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: A laboratory in an educational institution. SUBJECTS: Eighty asymptomatic subjects (27 men) with a mean age of 24 years. INTERVENTION: Subjects were randomly assigned to the following groups: (1) instruction (limb position instructions); (2) auditory cue (listen to impact sounds); (3) imagery (metaphorical); (4) control. Subjects were required to jump from a box 300 mm in height and land on a force plate. Measures of the ground reaction force were recorded before and after the intervention. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The peak vertical ground reaction force recorded at footstrike. RESULTS: The peak vertical ground reaction forces in the technical instruction and auditory groups were significantly less than those of the control group. There was no significant difference between the auditory and technical instruction groups. There was no significant difference between the imagery and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: When an aim of a rehabilitation programme is to minimise forces on the lower limb during landing type activities, the findings support the use of instructions related to kinematics as well as instructions that draw the patient's attention to the sound at impact.

Usefulness of tomography in the evaluation of patients with temporomandibular disorders: a retrospective clinical study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of temporomandibular joint tomography on the diagnosis and management of temporomandibular disorders and to determine whether there were any clinical predictors of usefulness of tomography in providing new information helpful in the treatment of these patients. STUDY DESIGN: The charts of 116 patients with temporomandibular joint tomograms were reviewed retrospectively for presenting signs and symptoms, initial clinical diagnosis, and alterations in diagnosis and management as a result of tomography. RESULTS: Common clinical diagnoses included osteoarthrosis (54%) and internal derangement (42%). Tomography changed the diagnosis in 24%, mainly adding or subtracting osteoarthrosis, and altered the management in 17%. Most of the latter were minor changes in treatment recommendations. There were few clinical variables that were related to whether tomography changed diagnosis or management. CONCLUSIONS: Tomography seems to have a minimal effect on the diagnosis or management of temporomandibular disorders based on the results of this retrospective study.

The oral examination: a study of academic and non-academic factors.

The oral examination in psychiatry for final-year medical students at Wellington and Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, was studied. Between December 1989 and April 1990, 40 medical students were videorecorded during such an examination. The transcripts of the recording of each oral, and at a later date the videorecordings, were individually scored by a panel of six research psychiatrists who were experienced examiners. In addition verbal and non-verbal behaviour was rated using visual analogue scales and the students completed personality and anxiety questionnaires. There was a low level of agreement between research psychiatrists in the allocation of oral marks. The oral score was positively associated with the level of confidence of the student and negatively with anxiety in men.

Nifedipine GITS and hydrochlorothiazide in essential hypertension.

Twenty-nine subjects with mild to moderate essential hypertension completed this 13 week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study comparing the antihypertensive effects of nifedipine GITS (N) (30-60 mg/day), hydrochlorothiazide (H) (25-50 mg/day) and placebo (P). Nifedipine GITS is a new formulation designed for once daily administration. N lowered blood pressure 15/10 mmHg (p less than 0.0005/p less than 0.0001), H 15/8 mmHg (p less than 0.0005/p 0.05), and P 4/0 mmHg (p = NS). All patients required the larger dose of active drug to control BP. No drug affected the heart rate. For N, but not H, there was a positive correlation between age and the magnitude in reduction of SBP (r = 0.79; p less than 0.005), but not for DPB. N drug levels did not correlate with its antihypertensive effect. Epinephrine, norepinephrine, aldosterone, and plasma renin activity were not affected by N. No patients on N experienced immediate vasodilator side effects. N is a well tolerated and effective antihypertensive drug that can be given once daily. It does not cause reflex stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system.

The effect of carbamazepine and lithium on remission from affective illness.

Times in remission from affective illness were prolonged during treatment with lithium carbonate and carbamazepine, but lithium was the more effective. Similar global scores for the two drugs suggested that other factors may determine their acceptability.

Placental transfer of lidocaine: effects of fetal acidosis.

To investigate whether fetal acidosis increases the placental transfer of lidocaine, resulting in higher fetal blood levels of the drug, lidocaine was infused intravenously into ten pregnant ewes to maintain plasma levels of 2-4 microgram/ml. After maternal-fetal equilibrium was reached, the fetus was made acidotic by infusing lactic acid intravenously. Fetal blood pH decreased from 7.35 to 7.10. With fetal acidemia, fetal blood lidocaine levels increased significantly from 1.60 +/- 0.11 microgram/ml to 2.72 +/- 0.26 microgram/ml. The fetal-maternal lidocaine ratio increased from 0.76 to 1.21. Correction of the acidosis by bicarbonate infusion returned the fetal-maternal ratios to control values. It is concluded that acidosis in the fetus may result in trapping of ionized lidocaine in the fetal circulation and increase the transfer of lidocaine across the placenta.

Dopamine administration in the normotensive pregnant ewe.

Dopamine was administered to pregnant ewes at randomly selected rates of 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 30, or 40 microgram/kg/min. Doses less than 10 microgram/kg/min produced no significant change in maternal areterial blood pressure, cardiac output, or renal or uterine blood flow. Higher doses increased maternal cardiac output and blood pressure, did not change renal blood flow, but decreased uterine blood flow. Dopamine consistently caused mild maternal and fetal respiratory acidosis.

The direct effects of circulating lidocaine on uterine blood flow and foetal well-being in the pregnant ewe.

We infused lidocaine intravenously into 13 pregnant ewes at a rate sufficient to maintain plasma levels between 2-4 mugm/ml, which are those commonly seen with regional anaesthesia. These levels did not change maternal blood pressure, pulse rate, cardiac output, stroke volume, total peripheral resistance, uterine blood flow or intra-amniotic pressure. Foetal blood pressure and pulse rate remained stable as did both maternal and foetal blood gases and acid-base values.