Indistinguishable patterns of recombination resulting from male and female meioses in Brassica napus (oilseed rape).

An F1 individual derived from a cross between two distinct lines of spring oilseed rape (Brassica napus) was used to produce a pair of complementary backcross populations, each consisting of 90 individuals. The F1 donated male gametes to the Male population and female gametes to the Female population. Genetic maps were generated from both populations and aligned using 117 common loci to form an integrated genome map of B.

LY303870, a centrally active neurokinin-1 antagonist with a long duration of action.

The selective neurokinin (NK)-1 antagonist LY303870 has high affinity and specificity for human and guinea pig brain NK-1 receptors labeled with 125I-substance P. It has approximately 15- to 30-fold lower affinity for rat and mouse brain NK-1 receptors, consistent with previously reported species differences in the affinities of nonpeptide antagonists for NK-1 receptors. In vivo, LY303870 blocked the characteristic, caudally directed, biting and scratching response elicited by intrathecal administration of the selective NK-1 agonist Ac-[Arg6,Sar9,Met(O2)11]substance P6-11 in conscious mice.

Metastatic breast cancer 42 years after bilateral subcutaneous mastectomies.

Subcutaneous mastectomy has a possible role as prophylaxis in patients at high risk of developing breast cancer. A case history is presented of a woman who developed metastatic breast carcinoma 42 years after bilateral subcutaneous mastectomies for non-malignant disease. This case is presented to draw attention to the persistent risk of developing breast cancer even decades after subcutaneous mastectomy and to point out that the role of such surgery in preventing breast cancer has still not been clarified.

The non-peptide NK-1 receptor antagonist LY303870 inhibits neurogenic dural inflammation in guinea pigs.

LY303870 is a competitive, high affinity NK-1 receptor antagonist. It was tested in the trigeminal stimulation-induced neurogenic dural inflammation model of migraine. The neurogenic inflammation theory of migraine pain proposes that substance P, acting through NK-1 receptors, causes dural inflammation which enhances migraine pain.

Different sensitivities of neutrophil responses to a selective protein kinase C inhibitor Ro 31-8425; redundancy in signal transduction.

Previous studies implicating a role for protein kinase C (PKC) in mediating stimulation of cellular responses by physiological agonists have relied on use of non-specific inhibitors or direct stimulation of PKC by phorbol esters. However, much of this evidence is questionable. Here, we have investigated the effects of a potent and selective PKC inhibitor, Ro 31-8425, on three different responses of human neutrophils stimulated by either a physiological agonist, C5a, or a phorbol ester, PMA.

Factors associated with elevated impedance with a nonthoracotomy defibrillation lead system.

Peak current flow across the heart determines the success of defibrillation and is inversely dependent on impedance between defibrillation electrodes. Factors associated with elevated impedance in patients with implantable defibrillators using nonthoracotomy lead systems have not been well described. Clinical and echocardiographically derived variables were analyzed in 41 patients in whom implantation of a nonthoracotomy lead system was attempted.

Nitric oxide maintains dilation of immature and mature collaterals in rat hindlimb.

The role of nitric oxide (NO) in maintaining collateral dilation was investigated in rats with acute and chronic superficial femoral artery occlusion. Collateral function was evaluated from arterial pressure measurements proximal (mean arterial pressure, MAP) and distal (PD) to the occlusion under resting and hyperemic conditions. For resting and hyperemic conditions, respectively, PD increased with the duration of occlusion from 34 +/- 2.

Computerised tomography scans of the head in a district general hospital.

We report the results of a retrospective study of all computerised tomography (CT) brain scans of adult patients carried out over a 10-week period, based on radiological and clinical records. The commonest scan results were normal (51%) and stroke (26%), with an overall diagnostic accuracy of 43/80 (54%). On the basis of a retrospective blind survey by a neurologist, 42% of scans were thought not to be indicated.

Cooperative hernia study. Pain in the postrepair patient.

Background: The Cooperative Hernia Study assessed postoperative pain in a prospective trial as part of a larger study looking at the recurrence rate and other morbidity of the Bassini, McVay, and Shouldice repairs.

Methods: Patients were randomized to one of three surgical hernia repairs. Patients were seen in follow-up at 6, 12, and 24 months and were assessed for the presence of pain, numbness, paresthesia, and recurrence.

Intestinal pseudo-obstruction, myasthenia gravis, and thymoma.

Two patients presented with abdominal pain, recurrent vomiting, weight loss, and constipation secondary to intestinal pseudo-obstruction. Both patients had symptoms and signs of myasthenia gravis, acetylcholine receptor antibodies, and thymoma. In one patient inflammatory cell infiltrates and occasional degenerate neurons were found in the myenteric plexus.

Bicycle riding and oral/maxillofacial trauma in young children.

Objectives: To investigate the frequency of oral/maxillofacial injuries in children who have had a bicycle incident and to relate this to the wearing of a protective helmet.

Design: Part of a larger prospective study in which self-administered questionnaires were completed by each child with bicycle-related injuries and their parents or caregivers.

Setting: Two tertiary-referral children's hospitals (between 1 April 1991 and 30 June 1992) and three general hospitals (between 1 August 1991 and 30 June 1992) in Brisbane.

Early collateral and microvascular adaptations to intestinal artery occlusion in rat.

The technique to repeatedly observe exactly the same vessels in the rat intestine was used to investigate vascular compensation during the 1st wk after abrupt arterial ligation. A collateral-dependent tissue region was created by ligation of three to four sequential intestinal arteries. At the center of the collateral-dependent region, arterial pressure decreased from 96 +/- 3.

Assessment of invasive growth pattern and lymphocytic infiltration in colorectal cancer.

A total of 122 specimens of colorectal cancer were re-assessed in relation to the reporting of invasive growth pattern (expanding vs. infiltrating) and presence or absence of peritumoral lymphocytic infiltrate as used in the Jass prognostic classification. Jass agreed with 69% of cases reported as infiltrating and 90% of reported as expanding.

Inhibition of NO synthase prevents acute collateral artery dilation in the rat hindlimb.

The role of endothelium-derived nitric oxide (EDNO) in the initial opening and sustained dilation of collateral vessels in the peripheral circulation was investigated. Abrupt arterial occlusion was produced by clamping the rat superficial femoral artery (SFA). Arterial pressures were measured proximal (MAP) and distal (PD) to the occlusion site.

3-Aryl-1,2-diacetamidopropane derivatives as novel and potent NK-1 receptor antagonists.

Early structure-activity studies on racemic tryptophan ester and amide NK-1 antagonists 5-7 led to the discovery that the potency of the series could be markedly increased by moving the carbonyl function in these molecules to an off-chain position as in the 3-aryl-1,2-diacetamidopropane 9. Further medicinal chemistry incorporating this change resulted in the discovery of a novel series of highly potent aryl amino acid derived NK-1 antagonists of the R stereoisomeric series (IC50's = 100 pM to > 5 microM). Compounds in this series were shown to be competitive antagonists using an in vitro NK-1 smooth muscle assay, and this data correlated well with observed human NK-1 binding affinities.

Binding of histone H1 to DNA is indifferent to methylation at CpG sequences.

The possibility that histone H1 binds preferentially to DNA containing 5-methylcytosine in the dinucleotide CpG is appealing, as it could help to explain the repressive effects of methylation on gene activity. In this study, the affinity of purified H1 for methylated and non-methylated DNA sequences has been tested using both naked DNA and chromatin. Based on a variety of assays (bandshifts, filter-binding assays, Southwestern blots, and nuclease sensitivity assays), we conclude that H1 has no significant preference for binding to naked methylated DNA.

Premalignant changes in ulcerative colitis.

Colitis-associated carcinoma is often associated with, or preceded by, noninvasive epithelial neoplastic changes termed dysplasia. Surveillance colonoscopy with biopsies looking for dysplasia is now standard practice in the management of the cancer problem in ulcerative colitis. However, this practice continues to have a number of limitations and problems that need to be understood by surgeons who may be referring such patients.

Pharmacological characterization of LY303870: a novel, potent and selective nonpeptide substance P (neurokinin-1) receptor antagonist.

LY303870 [(R)-1-[N-(2-methoxybenzyl)acetylamino]-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2-[N-(2-(4- (piperidin-1-yl)piperidin-1-yl)acetyl)amino]propane] is a new, potent and selective nonpeptide neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor antagonist. LY303870 bound selectively and with high affinity to human peripheral (Ki = 0.15 nM) and central (Ki = 0.

Ducts of esophageal glands proper and paneth cells in Barrett's esophagus: frequency in biopsy specimens.

The frequency of ducts of esophageal glands proper and Paneth cells was studied in endoscopic biopsy specimens obtained from 49 patients diagnosed as having Barrett's esophagus. Esophageal gland ducts were found in 5 (10%) of the subjects. Paneth cells were observed in 15 (31%) of the 49 patients, being located mainly among mucous cells of intestinalized crypts although a few were also noted in the surface epithelium.

Early adaptations in collateral and microvascular resistances after ligation of the rat femoral artery.

Collateral and microvascular (including feed artery) resistances in the rat hindlimb were determined immediately or 1 wk after ligation of the femoral artery. Collateral-to-microvascular resistance ratios were determined from in vivo pressure measurements proximal and distal to the ligation. Microvascular resistance was 32 +/- 2.

Children and bicycles: what is really happening? Studies of fatal and non-fatal bicycle injury.

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to ascertain the causes of accidents, injuries, and deaths in children who ride bicycles. Fatality and injury rates were also studied in order to compare with other studies.

Methods: Two studies of children were undertaken in children aged less than 15 years.

Exercise training effects on collateral and microvascular resistances in rat model of arterial insufficiency.

Experiments were performed to determine if exercise training reduces collateral or microvascular resistances in the hindlimb of rats with arterial insufficiency. After right femoral arterial ligation (age 10 wk), rats were divided into sedentary (Sed) and treadmill-trained (Tr) groups (7-9 wk, final intensity: 27 m/min, 6 degree grade, 60 min/day). Minimal resistances (mmHg.

Resistance mechanisms determining the in vitro sensitivity to paclitaxel of tumour cells cultured from patients with ovarian cancer.

Paclitaxel, a drug which stabilises microtubules, demonstrates marked activity against ovarian cancer. We investigated the sensitivity to paclitaxel of tumour cells from disaggregated solid tumours or tumour-bearing ascites from 7 ovarian cancer patients, and 21 established tumour cell lines (ovarian, melanoma and lung). Response was quantitated by [3H]-thymidine incorporation in 96-well plates or by colony growth.