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In the present study platelet size distribution was investigated after induction of immunothrombocytopenia by rabbit-anti-mouse-platelet-serum (RAMPS) and after vincristine-induced thrombocytopenia. The platelet size distribution after a single dose of RAMPS showed a shift to larger volumes at day 1 and 2, and a decrease to slightly smaller volumes than normal at day 8. These differences, however, were not statistically significant. After vincristine administration, a dose-dependent increase of the platelet size distribution was demonstrated, which lasted from day 1-7. It is suggested that in immune-induced thrombocytopenia the young platelets released from bone marrow megakaryocytes are not exclusively large platelets. On the other hand the early appearance of large platelets after vincristine administration points to a toxic or segregating effect of vincristine on circulating platelets. Therefore, in our experiments, the platelet size is not suitable for the differentiation of young and old platelets.

Recent research has demonstrated that memory-consolidation processes can be accelerated if newly learned information is consistent with preexisting knowledge. Until now, investigations of this fast integration of new information into memory have focused on the declarative and perceptual systems. We employed a unique manipulation of a motor-sequence-learning paradigm to examine the effect of experimentally acquired memory on the learning of new motor information. Results demonstrate that new information is rapidly integrated into memory when practice occurs in a framework that is compatible with the previously acquired memory. This framework consists of the ordinal representation of the motor sequence. This enhanced integration cannot be explained by differences in the explicit awareness of the sequence and is observed only if the previously acquired motor memory was consolidated overnight. Results are consistent with the schema model of memory consolidation and offer insights into how previous motor experience can accelerate learning and consolidation processes. ispartof: PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE vol:30 issue:7 pages:963-978 ispartof: location:United States status: published

The thiocarbamate esters 4-RC6H4NHC(S)OMe (R = H, Cl, OMe, NO2, Me) react with cis-[PtCl2(PTA)2] (PTA = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane) in the presence of base to afford the platinum(II) complexes trans-[Pt{SC(OMe) NC6H4R}2(PTA)2] (R = H, Cl, OMe, NO2, Me) in high yields. The complexes were fully characterised spectroscopically and, in case of the NO2 derivate, by X-ray crystallography. Cytotoxicity of these complexes was studied in vitro in four human cancer cell lines (CH1, HT29, A549, SK-OV-3) using the MTT assay. The results show that the Cl substituted derivate is the most potent of these compounds in vitro. Moreover, this derivative is capable of partially circumventing primary cisplatin resistance in ovarian and colon carcinoma cells.