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Model systems, such as the Naples rat lines, can be used to study the effects of alcohol intake on behavior. Thus, adult male rats of the Naples Low- (NLE), High-Excitability (NHE) and random-bred control (NRB) lines had 24-h access by a bottle system to water and alcohol solutions or water only during a 6-week period (subchronic experiment). In a second series (acute exp.), rats were given a intraperitoneal injection of alcohol at different concentrations (0.0, 0.2, 0.5,1.0 and 2.0 g/Kg). Then, to evaluate differential behavioral effects, in both experiments, rats were exposed to spatial novelty (Lát-maze) for three 10-min tests, every 24-h. The behavior was videotaped and off-line analysed for horizontal activity (corner crossings: HA), vertical activity, for frequency (rearings number: VA) and scanning time (rearings duration: RD), or total activity (HVA). Short term habituation (STH), computed as activity reduction between first and second five min of day 1 test, and long term-habituation (LTH), computed as activity reduction among three days of test, were also considered. Results indicate that subchronic alcohol i) produces a significant reduction for HA (27%) but not for VA or RD in the first day of test in NRB rats only, ii) does not affect STH and LTH , iii) reduces emotionality as indexed by defecation score in NHE and NRB but not in NLE. Moreover acute alcohol reveals i) a dose-dependent increment of HA in the range 0.2-1.0 in NLE rats only, limited to the first part of the testing period, followed by a strong decrement at 2.0 g/Kg, ii) a significant fall of VA at 0.5 and 2.0 g/Kg, pertaining to the entire testing period, iii) an increment in scanning time (RD) in NLE rats only pertaining mainly to the second part of the test. Subchronic experiment with spontaneous choice of alcohol solutions at different concentrations appears to influence horizontal activity in random-bred non selected rats, with no effects in both NHE/NLE lines. In contrast, acute treatment shows dose-dependent effects in opposite directions in NLE rats only. The latter might explain the development of alcohol dependence in NLE line only

To evaluate the efficacy of the urinary test "Persona" in the recognition of the fertile period comparing hormonal assay and monitoring the follicular growth by ultrasonography.Twenty women have used "Persona" for 13 cycles (200 cycles). This device evaluates changes in E-3-G and LH concentrations and estimates the fertile days which are displayed by a red light. Inclusion criteria were: age 22-45, regular menstrual cycles (23-35 days), absence of the polycystic ovary syndrome. The participants underwent vaginal ultrasonography in several days (one of the first 7 "green days", the first "red day", the ovulation day "O", and the first "green day" after ovulation) and determination of blood concentration of LH, in the ovulation day, and progesterone, in the 21st day of cycle.Vaginal ultrasonography was in agreement with predictions of "Persona" in 96% in the first "green days", in 94% in the first "red day", in 95,8% in the ovulation day and in 97,5% in the first "green day" after ovulation. All participants with ultrasonographic evidence of ovulation had a concentration of LH included in 13-71 mUI/ml range and of progesterone included in 12-50 ng/ml range.These results suggest that the "Persona" test is effective in the recognition of the fertile period, but a correct maintenance of the microcomputer is important for the best reliability of method. The method seems to be a wellcome alternative for couples who want to use natural family planning.

The objective of this study was to measure endometrial thickness by transvaginal ultrasonography during two regimens of hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women and to compare these data with endometrial histology. Transvaginal ultrasonographic evaluation of endometrial thickness and endometrial biopsy were performed in 80 postmenopausal women before and after 6 months of HRT (between the 24th and the 28th day of the cycle). The group was randomized so that 40 women (Group A) were treated with a continuous sequential regimen consisting of 5 micrograms/day of estradiol continuously and 5 mg/day of medrogestone from the 17th to the 28th day of the cycle; and 40 women (Group B) were given continuous administration of 50 micrograms/day estradiol and 5 mg/day medrogestone. Prior to therapy, there was no significant difference in mean endometrial thickness between the groups. After 6 months of therapy, endometrial thickness was significantly increased in comparison with basal values in both groups. The mean value was significantly higher (p0.001) in Group A (8.5 +/- 3.7 mm) than in Group B (3.6 +/- 1.3 mm). In Group A, endometrial thickness wasor = 4 mm in 16.7% of patients andor = 8 mm in 69.5% of patients. In Group B, 91% of patients had an endometrium ofor = 4 mm. In both groups, the thickness of the atrophic endometrium was less than that of the other histological types of endometrium (4.1 +/- 0.3 mm for Group A and 3.5 +/- 1.2 mm for Group B). In Group A, the difference in mean endometrial thickness between the proliferative and secretory endometrium was not statistically significant. In both groups, the transvaginal ultrasonographic measurement of endometrial thickness ofor = 4 mm had a high sensitivity for detecting atrophic endometrium (83.3% for Group A and 93.7% for Group B).

The purpose of this study was to analyse soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and soluble CD8 (sCD8) molecules in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of 18 patients with definite multiple sclerosis (MS) and of 16 with noninflammatory neurologic diseases (NIND). All MS patients suffered from an exacerbation of the relapsing-remitting form of the disease within one month before examination. The mean serum levels of sIL-2R and sCD8 in the MS patients were not significantly different from those of NIND patients. Only one patient with MS had detectable sIL-2R in the CSF. CSF sCD8 was detectable in 10 of 18 MS patients and in 1 of 16 NIND patients. Our data indicate that the CSF and serum sIL-2R concentrations do not correlate with the disease activity. Conversely, increased levels of sCD8 only in the CSF of MS patients support the hypothesis of an intrathecal activation of CD8+ cells in MS. We think that CSF sCD8 can be a useful marker for the presence of activated T cells in the central nervous system.