[Systolic time intervals and echocardiographic parameters in Hegglin syndrome (author's transl)]

The cardiac function in Hegglin syndrome (HS; prolonged QT interval and shortened QS2) remains unclear. In order to estimate cardiac function of HS, left ventricular echocardiographic parameters and systolic time intervals (STI) were analyzed, and compared with those of normal subjects (N) (n = 20). Forty-six patients (pts) of HS are constituted of 23 pts with chronic renal failure, 7 with cardiomyopathy, 5 with ischemic heart disease, 5 with essential hypertension, 4 with acquired valvular disease, 1 with effusive pericarditis and 1 with Romano-Ward syndrome. Corrected preejection period (PEPc) and PEP/ET were significantly larger (0.15 +/- 0.02 vs 0.13 +/- 0.01, p less than 0.001; 0.48 +/- 0.13 vs 0.35 +/- 0.04, p less than 0.001, respectively) in HS. Corrected ejection time (ETc) was significantly smaller (0.37 +/- 0.02 vs 0.41 +/- 0.01, p less than 0.001) in HS. Mitral EF slope (DDR), ejection fraction (EF), and mean ventricular circumferential fiber shortening (mVCF) were significantly decreased (58 +/- 29 vs 92 +/- 25, p less than 0.001; 0.52 +/- 0.15 vs 0.62 +/- 0.07; p less than 0.005; 0.98 +/- 0.33 vs 1.18 +/- 0.20; p less than 0.05, respectively) in HS, but cardiac index (C.I.) did not differ. Thus, patients with Hegglin syndrome showed heart failure pattern in STI and hypodynamic cardiac function in echocardiographic parameters, and our data suggest that hypodynamic cardiac function of HS is caused by both lowered pump function and decreased myocardial contractility.

Increased risk of malignant transformation of hydatidiform moles in older gravidas: a cytogenetic study

Cytogenetic studies were performed in 35 cases of complete hydatidiform mole, and the results were correlated with maternal age and other clinical parameters. The rate of occurrence of aneuploid cells in the 18- to 39-year age group was 19% of the total cells; the rate in the 43- to 52-year age group was 25%. The rate of aneuploid cells between 2n and 3n was 20% in the latter group but only 7% in the former group. Aneuploid cells were not found in normal villi but were found to predominate in invasive mole and choriocarcinoma. These results suggest that hydatidiform mole may have a greater potential for malignant transformation in patients 40 years and older than in younger patients.

Stimulative effect of elemental sulfur on siomycin production by Streptomyces sioyaensis

The addition of elemental sulfur to the fermentation of Streptomyces sioyaensis in a soybean meal medium resulted in a three- to fourfold increase of siomycin. Further experiments on the effect of elemental sulfur during fermentation suggest that one of the key steps stimulating siomycin synthesis is the utilization of thiosulfate, which accumulates in the medium as the result of the oxidation of elemental sulfur.

Oxidation of elemental sulfur to thiosulfate by Streptomyces

Streptomyces sioyaensis, which produces the antibiotic siomycin, oxidizes elemental sulfur when added to the culture medium and accumulates thiosulfate in the fermented broth. The accumulated thiosulfate was isolated as the ammonium salt and was identified by melting point, IR spectrum, and paper chromatography. A variety of other streptomycetes also oxidized elemental sulfur and accumulated thiosulfate.