Effect of 3 months of doxazosin therapy on T-cell subsets in type 2 diabetic patients.

Doxazosin, an alpha(1)-adrenergic receptor inhibitor, is commonly administered to patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension and nephropathy. The impact of 3 months' doxazosin therapy on the prevalence of activated and regulatory T lymphocytes was analysed in this pilot study of men with type 2 diabetes (n = 10) who received doxazosin 4 mg/day in addition to their ongoing therapy. The prevalence of CD4(+), CD8(+), CD25(+) and CD69(+) cells at baseline and after 3 months of add-on therapy was determined.

Methamphetamine protects against MPTP neurotoxicity in C57BL mice.

Methamphetamine (5 mg/kg) administered 30 min prior to each injection with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) (3 x 30 mg/kg, at 24 h intervals) prevents the reduction of striatal levels of dopamine and its metabolites in C57BL mice. Methamphetamine and amphetamine inhibit the uptake of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) by striatal synaptosomes of rats. A 30-min post-treatment with methamphetamine or amphetamine also prevents the MPTP-induced dopamine depletion, suggesting that their protective effect is related to the blockade of MPP+ uptake into dopaminergic neurons.

Baropacing of the carotid sinus nerve for treatment of "Intractable" hypertension.

The authors applied with success the electrical stimulation of the carotid sinus nerve in the case of a hypertension of long duration which was refractory to antihypertensive drugs. For the stimulation of the carotid sinus nerve a Medtronic "Barostat" device was implanted. Since the implantation- or rather since its usage- the blood pressure of the patient decreased to a great extent, and her complaints disappeared.