Comparative analysis of qualitative dermatoglyphic traits of Albanian and Turkish populations living in the area of Dukagjin Valley in Kosovo.

Dermatoglyphic prints were collected from 800 inhabitants of Dukagjin valley in Kosovo. The sample consisted of two ethnically different sub-populations who refer themselves as Albanians (N = 400) and Turks (N = 400). Qualitative analysis of prints concerned the frequency of the patterns on fingers (arch, ulnar and radial loop, whorl, accidental whorl) and on palms (Thenar and I, II, III, and IV interdigital area and the hypothenar, main line index, and the axial "t" triradius position). As was expected due to previous study of quantitative dermatoglyphic traits, in the same population the Alba-nians and Turks showed to be significantly different in most explored qualitative dermatoglyphic variables. Found differences indicated that the reproductive isolation between the Albanian and Turkish population in Kosovo is substantial, despite the fact that those two ethnic sub-populations live in the close vicinity through several centuries.

Preemptive analgesic effects of midazolam and diclofenac in rat model.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the preemptive analgesic effects of intraperitoneally administrated midazolam and diclofenac, before acute and inflammatory induced pain in rat model. One hundred twenty-eight (n=8 in each group) male Sprague Dawley rats were included in the study. Paw movements in response to thermal stimulation or paw flinching in response to formalin injection were compared after midazolam (0.1, 1, 5 and 10 mg/kg) and diclofenac (10 mg/kg), intraperitoneal administration. Saline was used as a control. Preemptive analgesic effect was significant in both tests when diclofenac and midazolam was administrated before the pain stimuli (p<0.01 and p<0.001). Intraperitoneal injection of midazolam in doses 5 and 10 mg/kg, increase the response time in hot plate test and decrease the number of flinches in formalin test (p<0.01 vs. p<0.001). ED50 of midazolam (with diclofenac) in hot plate test was 2.02 mg/kg (CI95% =-3.47-5.03 mg); and, 0.9 mg/kg (CI95% =-0.87-4.09 mg) in phase I and 0.7 mg/kg (CI95% = 0.48-6.63 mg) in phase II, in formalin test.Intraperitoneally administered midazolam and diclofenac had preemptive analgesic effects on acute thermal, and inflammatory induced pain in rats.

Preemptive analgesic effect of diclofenac: experimental study in rats.

BACKGROUND: Preemptive analgesia is an antinociceptive treatment that prevents central sensitization. Antinociceptive effects of diclofenac are well-known. The aim of this study was to investigate preemptive analgesic effects of intraperitoneally administrated diclofenac, before and after acute and inflammatory induced pain in rat model. METHODS: Forty eight male Sprague Dawley rats were included in the study. The rats are divided in five groups (n=8 per each group); Group A, diclofenac at 10 mg/kg given ip, 30 min before the nociceptive stimulus realized with hot plate test; Group B, diclofenac at 10 mg/kg given ip, 5 min after the nociceptive stimulus, realized with hot plate test; Group C, diclofenac at 10 mg/kg given ip, 30 min before the nociceptive stimulus realized with formalin test, and; Group D, diclofenac at 10 mg/kg given ip, 5 min after the nociceptive stimulus, realized with formalin test. Saline was used as a control. Paw movements in response to induced pain with hot plate test and formalin test were measured during 60 minutes. RESULTS: Preemptive analgesic effect was significant in both groups when diclofenac was administrated before the pain stimuli (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001). The significant decrease in paw movements started in 15 min after pain stimuli in group A and in 25 min, in group C. CONCLUSION: Intraperitoneally administered diclofenac had preemptive analgesic effects on acute thermal, and inflammatory induced pain in rats. Our results contain the preemptive analgesic effect of systematically administrated diclofenac.

Stimulation of Na+/K+ ATPase activity and Na+ coupled glucose transport by ß-catenin.

ß-Catenin is a multifunctional protein stimulating as oncogenic transcription factor several genes important for cell proliferation. ß-Catenin-regulated genes include the serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase SGK1, which is known to stimulate a variety of transport systems. The present study explored the possibility that ß-catenin influences membrane transport. To this end, ß-catenin was expressed in Xenopus oocytes with or without SGLT1 and electrogenic transport determined by dual electrode voltage clamp. As a result, expression of ß-catenin significantly enhanced the ouabain-sensitive current of the endogeneous Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. Inhibition of vesicle trafficking by brefeldin A revealed that the stimulatory effect of ß-catenin on the endogenous Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase was not due to enhanced stability of the pump protein in the cell membrane. Expression of ß-catenin further enhanced glucose-induced current (Ig) in SGLT1-expressing oocytes. In the absence of SGLT1 Ig was negligible irrespective of ß-catenin expression. The stimulating effect of ß-catenin on both Na(+)/K(+) ATPase and SGLT1 activity was observed even in the presence of actinomycin D, an inhibitor of transcription. The experiments disclose a completely novel function of ß-catenin, i.e. the regulation of transport.