Elevated circulating levels of IL-6 in schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia may result from immune or inflammatory disorders, which are mediated by cytokines. Data in this field are heterogeneous and often contradictory. We investigated circulating levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha, two distinct proinflammatory cytokines.

Acute L-DOPA pretreatment potentiates 6-hydroxydopamine-induced toxic effects on nigro-striatal dopamine neurons in mice.

We have studied the effect of various agents on the decreases in striatal levels of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites which were observed 14 days after an intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.

Effects of two distamycin-ellipticine hybrid molecules on topoisomerase I and II mediated DNA cleavage: relation to cytotoxicity.

Two distamycin-ellipticine conjugates were examined for their ability to modulate topoisomerase I and topoisomerase II-DNA cleavable complex formation in vitro. Hybrid molecules Distel (1+) and Distel (2+) both contain a DNA-intercalating chromophore and a tris-pyrrole element capable of binding within the minor groove of DNA. The two drugs differ only in the nature of the side chain attached to the distamycin moiety.

[New neuroleptic agents and new models for psychoses].

Atypical neuroleptics can be defined as dopamine receptor blockers which differ from typical neuroleptics in that they have a markedly lower or absent propensity for the induction of parkinsonian side effects or tardive dyskinesias. The authors are studying varied molecules considering their mechanism of action. The differences between atypical and typical neuroleptics may relate to regional specificity in site of actions and receptor binding profile.

Influence of the sample preservation mode to assess the chronic toxicity of an industrial effluent.

To improve the preservation of effluent samples, the contribution of refrigeration, freezing, and freeze-drying techniques to maintain the toxic characteristics of the samples was evaluated. To achieve this evaluation one acute test, three long-term toxicity tests, a biochemical test (P450 induction), and a mutagenicity test (Ames test) were used on the same industrial effluent. Refrigeration and freezing demonstrated a similar capacity of preservation.

Rate of relapse in multibacillary patients after cessation of long-course dapsone monotherapy supplemented by a final supervised single dose of 1500 mg of rifampin.

When multidrug therapy was implemented in Senegal, 406 multibacillary (MB) patients who had been treated for more than 10 years by dapsone alone, and who had become clinically inactive and skin-smear negative, were released from treatment. Of these 406 patients, 298 were given a supervised single dose of 1500 mg of rifampin. Subsequently, 302 of them (229 who had been given rifampin and 73 who had not) were followed up by means of annual clinical and bacteriological examinations.

Sequential modifications of topoisomerase I activity in a camptothecin-resistant cell line established by progressive adaptation.

The DNA-topoisomerase I (Topo I) inhibitor, camptothecin (CPT), is a plant alkaloid with an important antitumor activity. In order to investigate the cellular mechanism leading to the development of the resistance to this agent, we have established by progressive adaptation a P388 subline resistant to CPT. After 5 months of continuous drug exposure, the resistance index reached a value of 20 and the resistant cell line, P388CPT0.

Prevention by Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) and trolox C of the decrease in synaptosomal dopamine or serotonin uptake following incubation.

Prolonged incubation of synaptosomes in Krebs-Ringer oxygenated medium in the presence of ascorbic acid (10(-4) M) led, after 20 min, to a decrease in [3H]dopamine (DA) (synaptosomes prepared from the striatum) and [3H]serotonin (5HT) (synaptosomes prepared from the cortex) uptake. The decrease was progressive and uptake was virtually abolished after a 60 min incubation period. A concentration-dependent (from 5 x 10(-6) M) role of ascorbic acid in the decrease of [3H]DA or [3H]5HT uptake was demonstrated.

Effects of Taxotere on murine and human tumor cell lines.

Taxotere (RP 56976, NSC 628503), an analog of taxol, is an inhibitor of depolymerisation of microtubules and is currently in Phase I clinical trials. Comparisons of the cytotoxicities of Taxotere and taxol have been studied on several murine (P388, SVras) and human cell lines (Calc18, HCT116, T24, N417, KB). Taxotere was found more potent than taxol (1.

[S. Raz' method of bladder suspension and treatment of cystocele in urinary stress incontinence (short-term results)].

We performed the transvaginal approach described by S. Raz for stress urinary incontinence and cystocele. 13 patients with cystocele and stress urinary incontinence underwent the four corner Bladder neck suspension 12 patients with stress urinary incontinence alone underwent simple bladder neck suspension.

Influence of oxygen availability on the neurotoxic effect of 6-hydroxydopamine on nigro-striatal dopaminergic neurons.

The neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was intracerebroventricularly injected (50 micrograms per mouse) in mice submitted to various oxygenation conditions and the striatal levels of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites were determined by HPLC 7 days later. In normoxic conditions the striatal depletion in DA reached 50%. This effect was not modified by a normobaric hypoxia (10% O2) applied 30 min before and 30 min after the 6-OHDA injection.

The density of ryanodine receptors decreases with pressure overload-induced rat cardiac hypertrophy.

We investigate the possibility that alterations in the calcium movements of the hypertrophied rat heart might involve sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) ryanodine receptors. A decreased receptor density was observed with severe hypertrophy (0.26 +/- 0.

[Protective effect of misoprostol on the changes of transgastric potential difference induced by aspirin in man].

The measurement of transgastric electric potential difference (DDP) is an easy and reproducible method for evaluation of the gastrotoxicity of aspirin. This randomised crossover placebo-controlled trial in 12 healthy volunteers involved study of the protective effect of misoprostol (Cytotec) against the fall in DDP induced by a gram of aspirin. One day of treatment with misoprostol 200 micrograms morning and evening led to a statistically lower fall in DDP than with the placebo: area under the curve 130 +/- 315 mV.

[A bifid ureter with a blind branch. Apropos of a case].

A case of bifid ureter with a blind branch exhibiting no parenchymal connections is reported. Diagnosis was established by excretory urography. Less than twenty cases diagnosed in this way have been reported previously, the embryogenesis of the normal and bifid ureter is reviewed.

[Sex differences in schizophrenic delusions].

The authors compared delusions of male schizophrenics (56 cases) with those of female schizophrenics (41 cases) on the following points: 1) characteristics of objects of delusions, i) existence of the central object, ii) their description on this central object, iii) sex of this central object, 2) existence of the erotic-heterosexual delusion, 3) existence of the descent delusion, 4) existence of the sexual cenestopathy, and found that both sexes have many more male objects in their delusions than female objects, and that more women than men have delusions about acquaintances, erotic-heterosexual delusions, and sexual cenestopathy, while more men than women have delusions about distant or abstract objects. Comparing these findings with those of the other authors, the authors discuss them from clinical, psychopathological and psychodynamic perspectives.

Effects of various direct or indirect dopamine agonists on the latency of the acoustic startle response in rats.

The effects of dopamine agonists were investigated on the latency of the acoustic startle response in male Wistar rats. Four indirect dopamine agonist were tested: GBR 12783 (5-20 mg/kg), BTCP (5-20 mg/kg), dexamphetamine (3-6 mg/kg) and L-DOPA 100 mg/kg associated with benserazide 25 mg/kg; they induced an increase in startle latency. Apomorphine at a dose (50 micrograms/kg) known to decrease dopaminergic transmissions, was ineffective on the startle response.