The efficacy of cisapride vs. placebo and diet in patients with chronic constipation

The effects of cisapride (10 mg three times daily) on the stool evacuation characteristics, laxative consumption (symptom diary) and motility pattern (rectoanal manometry) were assessed in patients with chronic idiopathic constipation who fulfilled Rome II criteria. After a 14-day basal period on a diet rich in fiber (phase I), patients were treated with placebo (n = 20) or cisapride (n = 19) (phase II). Anorectal manometry was performed at the end of each phase. The study was controlled, randomized and double blind. Side effects related to the use of cisapride were noted and found to be mild. Cisapride and placebo increased stool frequency from 4 (1-11) to 7 (14-12) (p < 0.001) and from 4 (2-10) to 6 (2-11) (p < 0.05) per week, respectively. Straining was decreased from 69.0% to 39.7% in the cisapride (p < 0.0001) group, and from 79% to 35% (p < 0.0001) in the placebo group. Both cisapride and placebo decreased the feeling of incomplete evacuation from 91.7% to 37.5% (p < 0.0001) and from 82.7% to 39.2% (p < 0.0001), respectively. Cisapride reduced the need of laxatives and showed a tendency to normalize stool consistency but did not influence any other symptom or bowel motility parameter.     

Production of fructose and ethanol from sugar beet molasses using Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 36858

The production of enriched fructose syrups and ethanol from beet molasses using Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 36858 was studied. In batch experiments with a total sugar concentration between 94.9 and 312.4 g/L, the fructose yield was above 93% of the theoretical value. The ethanol yield and volumetric productivity in the beet molasses media with sugar concentration below 276.2 g/L were in the range of 59-76% of theoretical value and between 0.48 and 2.97 g of ethanol/(L x h), respectively. The fructose fraction in the carbohydrates content of the produced syrups was more than 95% when the total initial sugar concentration in the medium was below 242.0 g/L. Some oligosaccharides and glycerol were also produced in all tested media. Raffinose and the produced oligosaccharides were completely consumed by the end of the fermentation process when the total initial sugar concentration was below 190.1 g/L. The glycerol concentration was below 16.1 g/L. The results could be useful for a potential industrial production of ethanol and high-fructose syrup from sugar beet molasses.     

Prevalence of ColE1-like plasmids and colicin K production among uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains and quantification of inhibitory activity of colicin K

Colicin K exhibited pronounced inhibitory activity against uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains. Low prevalence of colicin K production and a relatively high prevalence of ColE1-like plasmids were determined among 215 UPEC strains from Slovenia. Sequencing of the colicin K-encoding pColK-K235 revealed a mosaic structure and the presence of the insertion sequence IS2.     

A small molecule-kinase interaction map for clinical kinase inhibitors

Kinase inhibitors show great promise as a new class of therapeutics. Here we describe an efficient way to determine kinase inhibitor specificity by measuring binding of small molecules to the ATP site of kinases. We have profiled 20 kinase inhibitors, including 16 that are approved drugs or in clinical development, against a panel of 119 protein kinases. We find that specificity varies widely and is not strongly correlated with chemical structure or the identity of the intended target. Many novel interactions were identified, including tight binding of the p38 inhibitor BIRB-796 to an imatinib-resistant variant of the ABL kinase, and binding of imatinib to the SRC-family kinase LCK. We also show that mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) found in gefitinib-responsive patients do not affect the binding affinity of gefitinib or erlotinib. Our results represent a systematic small molecule-protein interaction map for clinical compounds across a large number of related proteins.     

Effects of sex, age, body mass, and capturing method on hematologic values of brown bears in Croatia

Effects of various intrinsic and extrinsic factors on 17 hematologic values from 56 brown bears (Ursus arctos) sampled in Croatia from 1981 to 2005 were evaluated. Differences between female and male bears were detected for number of erythrocytes, sedimentation rate after 30 min, and number of leukocytes and segmented neutrophils. Significant differences between free-living vs. captive and snared vs. not snared bears were detected for the same three parameters: leukocytes, segmented neutrophils, and eosinophils. It was concluded that the physical exertion of bears snared by leg, rather than their free-living status, influenced differences of results among these groups. The obtained mean values are useful reference values for the species.     

Responses of tropical native and invader C<Subscript>4</Subscript> grasses to water stress,clipping and increased atmospheric CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> concentration

The invasion of African grasses into Neotropical savannas has altered savanna composition, structure and function. The projected increase in atmospheric CO₂ concentration has the potential to further alter the competitive relationship between native and invader grasses. The objective of this study was to quantify the responses of two populations of a widespread native C₄ grass (Trachypogon plumosus) and two African C₄ grass invaders (Hyparrhenia rufa and Melinis minutiflora) to high CO₂ concentration interacting with two primary savanna stressors: drought and herbivory. Elevated CO₂ increased the competitive potential of invader grasses in several ways. Germination and seedling size was promoted in introduced grasses. Under high CO₂, the relative growth rate of young introduced grasses was twice that of native grass (0.58 g g⁻¹ week⁻¹ vs 0.25 g g⁻¹ week⁻¹). This initial growth advantage was maintained throughout the course of the study. Well-watered and unstressed African grasses also responded more to high CO₂ than did the native grass (biomass increases of 21–47% compared with decreases of 13–51%). Observed higher water and nitrogen use efficiency of invader grasses may aid their establishment and competitive strength in unfertile sites, specially if the climate becomes drier. In addition, high CO₂ promoted lower leaf N content more in the invader grasses. The more intensive land use, predicted to occur in this region, may interact with high CO₂ to fincreasesavor the African grasses, as they generally recovered faster after simulated herbivory. The superiority of invader grasses under high CO₂ suggests further in their competitive strength and a potential increased rate of displacement of the native savannas in the future by grasslands dominated by introduced African species.     

Interaction of the eukaryotic pore-forming cytolysin equinatoxin II with model membranes: 19F NMR studies

Sea anemones produce a family of 18-20 kDa proteins, the actinoporins, which lyse cells by forming pores in cell membranes. Sphingomyelin plays an important role in their lytic activity, with membranes lacking this lipid being largely refractory to these toxins. As a means of characterising membrane binding by the actinoporin equinatoxin II (EqTII), we have used 19F NMR to probe the environment of Trp residues in the presence of micelles and bicelles. Trp was chosen as previous data from mutational studies and truncated analogues had identified the N-terminal helix of EqTII and the surface aromatic cluster including tryptophan residues 112 and 116 as being important for membrane interactions. The five tryptophan residues were replaced with 5-fluorotryptophan and assigned by site-directed mutagenesis. The 19F resonance of W112 was most affected in the presence of phospholipid micelles or bicelles, followed by W116, with further change induced by the addition of sphingomyelin. Although binding to phosphatidylcholine is not sufficient to enable pore formation in bilayer membranes, this interaction had a greater effect on the tryptophan residues in our studies than the subsequent interaction with sphingomyelin. Furthermore, sphingomyelin had a direct effect on EqTII in both model membranes, so its role in EqTII pore formation involves more than simply an indirect effect mediated via bulk lipid properties. The lack of change in chemical shift for W149 even in the presence of sphingomyelin indicates that, at least in the model membranes studied here, interaction with sphingomyelin was not sufficient to trigger dissociation of the N-terminal helix from the beta-sandwich, which forms the bulk of the protein.     

Cataract surgery and postoperative complications in diabetic patients

Diabetes mellitus influences the function and morphology of the eye lens. The cataract is the second most common complication of diabetes mellitus on the eye. A hundred patients with cataract were examined in the prospective study. The patients were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of 50 patients with cataract who had not suffered from a system or local disease. The second group consisted of 50 patients with cataract and diabetes mellitus that had lasted for at least five years. In both groups the patients underwent identical cataract extra capsular extraction with intraocular PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) lens implantation in camera posterior. The objective of this study was to compare the two groups of patients in order to find out the most common intraoperative or postoperative complications in diabetics. The most common postoperative complications in patients suffering from diabetes were inflammatory reactions and bleeding: postoperative keratopathy, uveitis anterior serous and uveitis anterior fibrinous with posterior sinechia and opacity of the posterior lens capsule as results. Postoperative visual acuity was worse in the patients in group II on the seventh day and six months after operation. It was diabetic retinopathy and its progression that caused deterioration of visual acuity. Diabetic retinopathy and its progression, as well as maculopathy were found only in patients who were not treated with photocoagulation before the operation.     

Visual loss as initial presentation of chronic myelogenous leukemia

A previously healthy 17-year old girl presented with sudden visual loss in both eyes. Visual acuity on the right eye was 0.3 and on the left eye 0.1. Fundoscopic examination showed bilateral optic disc edema, retinal venous tortuousity and dilatation, retinal blot and flame-shaped hemorrhages, Roth spots and on the left eye dark blot preretinal hemorrhage covering the fovea. Laboratory evaluation showed white blood cell count of 455 x 10(9) L. Bone marrow biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia. Chemotherapy was initiated and led to the improvement of visual acuity. Fundus changes had resolved except for the preretinal hemorrhage on left eye which decreased in size. Preretinal hemorrhage in fovea caused maculopathy on the left eye. Three months after admisson visual acuity was 1.0 on the right eye and 0.3 on the left eye. Leukemia should always be included in the differential diagnosis of optic disc edema and retinal hemorrhages.     

Paralytic strabismus as a manifestation of lyme borreliosis

Lyme disease is a multi-system organ disorder caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. Although ocular manifestations have been reported, these remain a rare feature of the disease. This report shows a 49-years old patient that has been bitten by a tick and as consequence of which developed symptoms of the Lyme disease. In 1998 the patient was hospitalized in our Eye Clinic due to operating treatment of the paralytic strabismus (abductal nerve paralysis), as a rare feature of the Lyme disease. Postoperative squint angle was significantly reduced, but without any temporal movement. Diplopia was still present, though slightly reduced with the use of prism eyeglasses. The improvement of the quality of life was achieved, as well as the patient's satisfaction.