Rhytm

In experiments on the white rats it was established that the citalopram in dose 5 mg/kg significantly affects the circadian rhytms of excretory function of kidneys, especially at night. We conclude that serotonin, which content is increased by citalopram, may serve as a neurotransmitter in circadian rhytms regulation.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of endocrine profile in patients with cardiovascular diseases has become increasingly important during the last decade. Plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels have been used as a marker of left ventricular dysfunction. However, the role of BNP in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and normal left ventricular function has not yet been determined. AIM: To examine changes in the secretion of natriuretic peptides (atrial natriuretic peptide - ANP and BNP) during exercise in patients with persistent or permanent AF...

In view of the rising prevalence of arterial hypertension and its complications throughout sub-Saharan Africa including in rural areas, the Association of the Rural Doctors of Mali asked its NGO partner, Sant6 Sud, for assistance in setting up a medical network dedicated to hypertension. This report describes the implementation of the Mali Hypertension Network (French acronym, RHYTM) that involved three stages, i.e., physician training, development of appropriate protocols and field trials. The physician training stage was carried out over a one-week period and covered all the aspects of hypertension...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

What is the effect of melatonin on jet lag syndrome? Jet lag desynchronizes the internal sleep-wakefulness cycle with the environmental light/dark cycle. Advance (but not delay) of light onset is known to abolish pineal N-acetyltransferase activity and urine excretion of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin. Measurements of pineal serotonin, the substrate of melatonin biosynthesis; N-acetylserotonin (NAS), the immediate melatonin precursor; and melatonin (high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorimetric method) in the animal (rat) model of jet lag revealed that prolonged delay of dark-phase onset disrupted the rhytms in comparable ways as the advance of light-phase onset...

Circadian expression and light-responsiveness of the mammalian clock genes, Clock and BMAL1, in the rat retina were examined by in situ hydbribization under constant darkness. A small but significant daily variation was detected in the Clock transcript level, but not in BMAL1. Light increased the Clock and BMAL1 expressions significantly when examined 60 min after exposure. The light-induced gene expression was phase-dependent for Clock and peaked at ZT2, while rather constant throughout the day for BMAL1. These findings suggest that Clock and BMAL1 play different roles in the generation of circadian rhytm in the retina from those in the suprachiasmatic nucleus...

3 cases of carbamazepine (CBZ)-induced Stokes-Adams attacks caused by intermittent total atrioventricular block, sino-atrial block with junctional escapade-rhytm and intermittent asystolia are reported. After cessation of CBZ treatment, the cardiac conduction disturbances disappeared. In 2 of the patients, the diagnosis was confirmed by resumption of treatment with CBZ after insertion of a demand pacemaker. If syncopes or changes in seizure-type occur in patients treated with CBZ, evaluation of cardiac conduction is recommended...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

EEG and clinical aspects of a newborn baby with maple syrup urine disease are presented. EEG shows in central areas "Comb-like rhytms" with pseudo-periodic background activity. These patterns seem peculiar to maple syrup urine disease according to Trottier et al. (1975). EEG findings may suggest screening for aminoacids.

Regarding the importance of benziodarone (Retrangor) -- 2-ethyl-3-(3',5'-diiodo-4'-hidrovibenzoyl)benzofuran -- in medical practic, in respect of its vasodilator and uricosuric action, a working plan was developed intending to study the biological distribution of the drug in rats Wistar and, using the plasmatic curve, to find out the existence of other compartements besides the intravascular one. With these data, the rhytms of benziodarone exchange were established, simulating its distribution in the organism...

A 41-year-old man is described in whom after a febrile disease with disturbances of sleep rhytm and exessive somnolence, extrapyramidal signs appeared increasing progressively in intensity, with a hypertonic-hypokinetic syndrome with evidence of right-sided spastic hemiparesis and hypaesthesia. After treatment with Viregyt and low doses of L-Dopa a striking improvement was obtained. Parkinsonism following lethargic encephalitis was diagnosed.