The European acamprosate trials: Conclusions for research and therapy

In an excellent methodological approach, the European acamprosate study project showed that acamprosate increases sobriety times. In one randomized prospective study (n = 260) comparing acamprosate and placebo, with a 1-year treatment phase and 1-year follow-up phase, the authors found that acamprosate is effective only in Lesch type I and type II patients. To investigate the possible influence of diagnostic subgrouping, we applied the Lesch typology in a co-work with the main researchers of the UK study. The UK results concerning acamprosate's effects in the types do not mirror the Vienna results, but the numbers of type I and type II patients, retrospectively found as included in the UK centers, were too small for any conclusions. The distribution of the types points to the fact that too many type III and IV patients had been included to give acamprosate the chance to be effective. Following our typology and also these studies, we developed special treatment approaches. For relapse prevention studies, the cumulative abstinence duration together with the Lesch typology seems to be promising.     

Mitochondrial phylogeography of the long-eared bats (Plecotus) in the Mediterranean Palaearctic and Atlantic Islands

Long-eared bats of the genus Plecotus are widespread and common over most of the western Palaearctic. Based on recent molecular evidence, they proved to represent a complex of several cryptic species, with three new species being described from Europe in 2002. Evolutionary relationships among the different lineages are still fragmentary because of the limited geographic coverage of previous studies. Here we analyze Plecotus mitochondrial DNA sequences from the entire Mediterranean region and Atlantic Islands. Phylogenetic reconstructions group these western Palaearctic Plecotus into two major clades which split at least 5 Myr ago and that are each subdivided into further subgroups. An 'auritus group' includes the traditional P. auritus species and its sister taxon P. macrobullaris (=P. alpinus) plus related specimens from the Middle East. P. auritus and P. macrobullaris have broadly overlapping distributions in Europe, although the latter is apparently more restricted to mountain ranges. The other major clade, the 'austriacus group,' includes the European species P. austriacus and at least two other related taxa from North Africa (including P. teneriffae from the Canary Islands), the Balkans and Anatolia (P. kolombatovici). The sister species of this 'austriacus group' is P. balensis, an Ethiopian endemic. Phylogenetic reconstructions further suggest that P. austriacus reached Madeira during its relatively recent westward expansion through Europe, while the Canary Islands were colonized by a North African ancestor. Although colonization of the two groups of Atlantic Islands by Plecotus bats followed very distinct routes, neither involved lineages from the 'auritus group.' Furthermore, the Strait of Gibraltar perfectly segregates the distinct lineages, which confirms its key role as a geographic barrier. This study also stresses the biogeographical importance of the Mediterranean region, and particularly of North Africa, in understanding the evolution of the western Palaearctic biotas.     

Fine needle aspiration cytologic features of hepatic metastasis of granulosa cell tumor of the ovary. Differential diagnosis

The cytologic findings from a fine needle aspiration biopsy of hepatic metastases of a granulosa cell tumor are described. While the cytologic features of the tumor were characteristic, the early recurrence in an unusual site makes this case noteworthy. The differential diagnosis of granulosa cell tumors from other metastatic and primary liver tumors is discussed.     

Biochemical characteristics and fermentation of glucose and starch by rabbit cæcal strains ofBifidobacterium globosum

Two strains ofBifidobacterium globosum were isolated from cæcal contents of rabbits in a search for potential probiotics. Both strains fermented glucose, galactose, pentoses, maltose, raffinose and starch. Common coccidiostats (monensin, salinomycin) and antimicrobial growth promotors (avoparcin, bacitracin, nitrovin, virginiamycin) supplied at 10 mg/L inhibited their growth in cultures with glucose. Fermentation parameters of bifidobacteria on glucose and starch. When growing on starch, the two strains of bifidobacteria produced 1 mol lactate per 5.6 and 5.7 mol acetate, respectively. Corresponding values during growth on glucose were 17.3 and 8.4 mol of acetate per mol of lactate. Starch-grown cells accumulated more saccharides than cells grown on glucose (1.48vs. 0.41 and 3.12vs. 1.18 mmol glucose units per 1 g of dry matter, respectively).     

Comparison of bottom trawl stock densities in the inner Kavirondo Gulf of Lake Victoria

A comparison of mean bottom trawl stock densities (kg ha^-1) from 19 UNDP 1969/70 tows, 69 EAFFRO 1975 tows and 167 fourth quarter FFRI 1977 tows in the inner Kavirondo Gulf of Lake Victoria showed the following changes from 1969/70 to 1977.

• (1)

  A reduction in mean stock densities for Bagrus docmac, Clarias mossambicus, Haplochromis spp., Protopterus aethiopicus, Schilbe mystus and Synodontis spp.
• (2)

  An increase in mean stock densities for Lates niloticus, Tilapia nilotica and T. variabilis .
• (3)

  No change in mean stock density for Labeo victorianus .
• (4)

  No T. esculenta or Mormyrus kannume collected in 1977.

     

Electron microscope study of glial and fibroblast hybrid cells

The ultrastructure of a clone of rat glial cells, 3T3 mouse fibroblasts, and hybrids of these two cell types was compared. In the hybrids, morphological characteristics of glial cell are poorly expressed, whereas those of fibroblasts are strongly expressed. Microfibrils are seen in both parental lines. Microtubules and osmiophilic inclusions, which are frequently found in glial cells and are absent in fibroblasts, are quite rare in hybrids. By contrast, highly reticulated nucleoli, typical of fibroblasts, are prolific in hybrids. The lack of morphological expression of glial characteristics in hybrids is consistent with previous biochemical data on the expression of different functions in hybrids.     

Bilayer localization of membrane-active peptides studied in biomimetic vesicles by visible and fluorescence spectroscopies.

Depth of bilayer penetration and effects on lipid mobility conferred by the membrane-active peptides magainin, melittin, and a hydrophobic helical sequence KKA(LA)7KK (denoted KAL), were investigated by colorimetric and time-resolved fluorescence techniques in biomimetic phospholipid/poly(diacetylene) vesicles. The experiments demonstrated that the extent of bilayer permeation and peptide localization within the membrane was dependent upon the bilayer composition, and that distinct dynamic modifications were induced by each peptide within the head-group environment of the phospholipids. Solvent relaxation, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and fluorescence quenching analyses, employing probes at different locations within the bilayer, showed that magainin and melittin inserted close to the glycerol residues in bilayers incorporating negatively charged phospholipids, but predominant association at the lipid-water interface occurred in bilayers containing zwitterionic phospholipids. The fluorescence and colorimetric analyses also exposed the different permeation properties and distinct dynamic influence of the peptides: magainin exhibited the most pronounced interfacial attachment onto the vesicles, melittin penetrated more into the bilayers, while the KAL peptide inserted deepest into the hydrophobic core of the lipid assemblies. The solvent relaxation results suggest that decreasing the lipid fluidity might be an important initial factor contributing to the membrane activity of antimicrobial peptides.     

Mediterranean populations of the lesser white-toothed shrew (Crocidura suaveolens group): an unexpected puzzle of Pleistocene survivors and prehistoric introductions

An earlier study revealed the strong phylogeographical structure of the lesser white-toothed shrew (Crocidura suaveolens group) within the northern Palaearctic. Here, we aim to reconstruct the colonization history of Mediterranean islands and to clarify the biogeography and phylogeographical relationships of the poorly documented Middle East region with the northern Palaearctic. We performed analyses on 998-bp-long haplotypes of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of 143 samples collected around the Mediterranean basin, including islands and the Middle East. The analyses suggest that the Cypriot shrew belongs to the rare group of relict insular Pleistocene mammal taxa that have survived to the present day. In contrast, the Cretan, Corsican and Menorcan populations were independently introduced from the Middle East during the Holocene. The phylogeographical structure of this temperate Palaearctic species within the Middle East appears to be complex and rich in diversity, probably reflecting fragmentation of the area by numerous mountain chains. Four deeply divergent clades of the C. suaveolens group occur in the area, meaning that a hypothetical contact zone remains to be located in central western Iran.