THE INFLUENCE OF ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM ON WOMEN REPRODUCTION.

The discovery of the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 in 1990 and 1993, respectively, as well as of the two main endocannabinoids, anandamide in 1992 and 2-arachidonylglycerol in 1995, was an important step in identifying the strongest homeostatic system in the human body, namely the endocannabinoid system. Ever since, research has highlighted the crucial part played by this system in all the reproduction stages: folliculogenesis, spermatogenesis, oogenesis, fecundation, transport of the egg through the fallopian tubes, blastocyte implantation and pregnancy progression, as well as its implications in the physiopathology of the reproductive system: in endometriosis, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, preeclampsia, endometrial cancer, polycystic ovary syndrome, ovarian cancer. A special attention must be paid to the phytocannabinoids, natural components originating especially from the Cannabis plant inflorescences, whose medical effects are well-established nowadays with also acting on the receptors of the endocannabinoid system. The most recent research mainly focuses on the reproductive dysfunctions and disorders of the reproductive tissues, respectively, through its action upon the endocannabinoid system. Medical cannabis is nowadays legalized in more and more countries all over the world. At the same time, recreational cannabis remains one of the most consumed drugs (in Romania the most consumed one by young adults). Therefore, it is mandatory for specialists in obstetrics and gynecology, endocrinology, public health, hygiene or for general practitioners, to permanently update their information on this subject.

Chemical and biological evaluation of some new antipyrine derivatives with particular properties.

Starting from 4-amino-antipyrine, six new compounds were synthesized and characterized. The new compounds contain moieties with particular properties, such are ionophore (benzo-15-crown-5), fluorescent (nitrobenzofurazan), stable free radical (nitroxide), or other types of biological active residues, like nitroderivatives, antipyrine or isoniazid residues. They were fully characterized by appropriate means ((1)H and (13)C NMR, IR, UV-Vis, fluorescence, EPR, elemental analysis) and some of their biological properties were evaluated. Hydrophobicity (R(M0), log P), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and antimicrobial properties are also presented and discussed.

[Acute diffuse peritonitis of a rare cause]. / Peritonita generalizata de cauza rara.

The authors report a rare case of acute onset of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with diffuse peritonitis due to bowel perforation of secondary jejunal involvement. The admission diagnosis in the 18-years-old male with acute abdominal pain for 4 days, guarding on physical examination and pneumoperitoneum on abdominal ultrasonography was peptic ulcus perforation. The palpable splenomegaly and cervical lymph nodes on ultrasonography examination might have raised suspicion of lymphoma. Surgical exploration revealed the peritonitis origin--jejunal perforation, proximal to a stenosing tumor, a gastric tumor and confirmed the splenomegaly. Small bowel resection--end to end anastomosis--and gastric tumor biopsies were performed. The pathological diagnosis was diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Some therapeutic considerations on digestive tract secondary lymphoma are made.

The combined value of chemoprophylaxis and pneumococcal vaccine in the prevention of recurrent pneumococcal meningitis.

We report the case of an immunocompetent patient who has been the subject of 39 episodes of recurrent pneumococcal meningitis over a 20 year period. The recurrences of bacterial meningitis due to cerebrospinal fluid leakage and the presence of chronic sinusitis were not influenced by the surgical repair of a fistula and the repeated surgical draining interventions on suppurating chronic sinusital foci. Phenoxymethylpenicillin treatment reduced the number of recurrences and the combination of pneumococcal vaccine and penicillin prophylaxis allowed a 5 year period free of any recurrences.

Medium-long incubation posttransfusional hepatitis (a possible immunological implication).

Icteric hepatitis which developed in the first 6 months after blood transfusion was studied in 159 cases. One fourth of these (39) occurred within a period of only 15 days: between the 30th and 45th day after transfusion. So, their incubation period was longer than that of short incubation hepatitis (type A), and shorter than that of long incubation hepatitis (type B). In these cases the incidence of HBs antibodies was more than 10 times greater than in hepatitis with long incubation, and the incidence of HBs antigen was approximately the same as in the healthy control group. This fact suggests the involvement of a special factor in their appearance, probably an immunologic (or of other nature) process giving rise to antigen-antibody complexes in the HB ag-ab system.