Psychological characteristics and physiological reactivity to acute stress in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder

Stress related to parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder can differently affect caregiver's physiological reactivity to acute stress. Here, parental stress levels, psychological characteristics, and coping strategies were assessed alongside measures of heart rate, heart rate variability, and cortisol during a psychosocial stress test in mothers of children with ASD (M‐ASD, n = 15) and mothers of typically developing children (n = 15). M‐ASD reported significantly higher levels of parental stress, anxiety, negative affectivity, social inhibition, and a larger preference for avoidance strategies. M‐ASD showed larger heart rate and cortisol responses to the psychosocial stress test. A positive relationship was found between parental stress levels and the magnitude of the cortisol stress response in both groups. The present findings indicate exaggerated physiological reactivity to acute psychosocial stress in M‐ASD and prompt further research to explore the role of individual differences in mediating the effects of parental stress on physiological stress responses.     

C.B‐17 SCID mice develop epicardial calcinosis with unaltered cardiac function

Inbred mouse strains are the most widely used mammalian model organism in biomedical research owing to ease of genetic manipulation and short lifespan; however, each inbred strain possesses a unique repertoire of deleterious homozygous alleles that can make a specific strain more susceptible to a particular disease. In the current study, we report dystrophic cardiac calcinosis (DCC) in C.B‐17 SCID male mice at 10 weeks of age with no significant change in cardiac function. Acquisition of DCC was characterized by myocardial injury, fibrosis, calcification, and necrosis of the tissue. At 10 weeks of age, 38% of the C.B‐17 SCID mice from two different commercial colonies exhibited significant calcinosis on the ventricular epicardium, predominantly on the right ventricle. The frequency of calcinosis was more than 50% for mice obtained from Taconic's Cambridge City colony and 25% for mice obtained from Taconic's German Town colony. Interestingly, the DCC phenotype did not affect cardiac function at 10 weeks of age. No differences in echocardiography or electrocardiography were observed between the calcinotic and non‐calcinotic mice from either colony. Our findings suggest that C.B‐17 SCID mice exhibit DCC as early as 10 weeks of age with no significant impact on cardiac function. This strain of mice should be cautiously considered for the study of cardiac physiology.     

参麦注射液对冠心病患者的治疗作用

目的 观察参麦注射液治疗冠心痛的临床效果.方法 选取我院2013年4月-2014年1月间收治的冠心病患者94例,依据治疗方案不同分为治疗组48例,对照组46例,2组患者入院均根据病情给予能量合剂、血管扩张剂、减轻心脏负荷药物,并进行对症、溶栓及抗心律失常等常规治疗,治疗组患者在常规治疗的基础上给予参麦注射液静滴治疗,1次/d,用药2周为1疗程;于治疗2疗程后观察治疗效果,并对比2组患者临床症状、心电图改善情况及红细胞超氧化物歧化酶(E-SOD)平均活性,血浆过氧化脂质(P-LPO)、红细胞过氧化脂质(E-LPO)含量变化.结果 治疗组治疗后总有效率显著高于对照组(P＜0.05);治疗组胸闷、心悸、心绞痛及ST段下移、T渡低平或倒置患者改善率显著均高于对照组(P＜0.05);治疗组治疗后E-SOD活性显著高于对照组,P-LPO、E-LPO含量显著低于对照组(P＜0.05).结论 参麦注射液可有效缓解冠心病患者临床症状,降低血中脂质过氧化物浓度,缓解心肌缺血状态.     

Use of a Checklist During Observation of a Simulated Cardiac Arrest Scenario Does Not Improve Time to CPR and Defibrillation Over Observation Alone for Subsequent Scenarios

Theory: Immersive simulation is a common mode of education for medical students. Observation of clinical simulations prior to participation is believed to be beneficial, though this is often a passive process. Active observation may be more beneficial. Hypotheses: The hypothesis tested in this study was that the active use of a simple checklist during observation of an immersive simulation would result in better participant performance in a subsequent scenario compared with passive observation alone. Methods: Medical students were randomized to either passive or active (with checklist) observation of an immersive simulation involving cardiac arrest prior to participating in their own simulation. Performance measures included time to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and time to defibrillation and were compared between first and second scenarios as well as between passive and active observers. Results: Seventy-nine simulations involving 232 students were conducted. Mean time to CPR was 18 seconds (SD = 11.6) for those using the checklist and 24 seconds (SD = 15.8) for those who observed passively (M difference = 6 seconds), t(35) = 1.46, p =.153. Time to defibrillation was 94 seconds (SD = 26.4) for those using the checklist and 92 seconds (SD = 23.8) for those who observed passively (M difference = –2 seconds), t(38) =.21, p =.837. Time to CPR was 24 seconds (SD = 15.8) for passive observers and 31 seconds (SD = 21.0; M difference = 7 seconds), t(35) = 1.13, p =.265, for their first scenario counterparts. Time to CPR was 18 seconds (SD = 11.6) for active observers and 36 seconds (SD = 26.2; M difference = 18 seconds), t(24) = 2.81, p =.010, for their first scenario counterparts. Time to defibrillation was 92 seconds (SD = 23.8) for passive observers and 125 seconds (SD = 32.2; M difference = 33 seconds), t(33) = 3.63, p =.001, for their first scenario counterparts. Time to defibrillation was 94 seconds (SD = 26.4) for the active observers and 132 seconds (SD = 52.9; M difference = 38 seconds), t(28) =.46, p =.008, for their first scenario counterparts. Conclusions: Observation alone leads to improved performance in the management of a simulated cardiac arrest. The active use of a simple skills-based checklist during observation did not appear to improve performance over passive observation alone.     

非高密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平与冠心病患者冠状动脉病变Gensini评分的相关性研究

目的 探讨非高密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平(non-HDL-C)与冠心病(CHD)患者冠状动脉病变Gensini评分的关系及临床意义。方法 对225例疑诊或既往临床诊断CHD患者予以冠状动脉造影(CAG),将造影阴性的39例作为对照组(HC组),造影阳性的186例患者诊断为CHD,结合临床特点分为心绞痛组(AP组)122例和心肌梗死组(AMI组)64例。采用Gensini评分对冠状动脉病变程度评分,测定患者全套血脂水平,探讨non-HDL-C及相关脂质成分与冠状动脉病变程度Gensini评分的相关性;同时对他汀类药物强化降脂达标,低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)<1.80 mmol/L的AP组患者进行non-HDL-C与冠状动脉病变程度Gensini评分的亚组分析。结果 AMI组non-HDL-C水平高于AP组及HC组,AP组non-HDL-C水平高于HC组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);CHD患者non-HDL-C水平与Gensini评分呈正相关(r=0.562,P<0.05);LDL-C控制达标的AP组患者,高non-HDL-C组(≥2.60 mmol/L)比低non-HDL-C组(<2.60 mmol/L)Gensini评分明显升高,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论 non-HDL-C与冠状动脉病变程度密切相关,non-HDL-C在评估LDL-C控制达标患者的冠状动脉病变程度及再发心血管事件风险上有一定价值,可作为LDL-C达标后心血管残余风险新的观察指标。     

Is dose modification or discontinuation of nilotinib necessary in nilotinib-induced hyperbilirubinemia?

Nilotinib is a specific breakpoint cluster region-Abelson leukemia virus-tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is used as an effective first- or second-line treatment in imatinib-resistant chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients. Hepatotoxicity due to nilotinib is a commonly reported side effect; however, abnormal liver function test (LFT) results have been reported in asymptomatic cases. When alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels are more than five-fold the upper limit of the normal (ULN) or when the serum total bilirubin level is more than three-fold the ULN, dose modification or discontinuation of nilotinib is recommended, resulting in decreased levels of hematological indicators in certain patients with CML. Nilotinib-induced hyperbilirubinemia typically manifests as indirect bilirubinemia without elevated ALT or AST levels. Such abnormal liver functioning is thus not attributed to the presence of a true histologic lesion of the liver. The underlying mechanism may be related to the inhibition of uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase activity. Therefore, nilotinib dose adjustment is not recommended for this type of hyperbilirubinemia, and in the absence of elevated liver enzyme levels or presence of abnormal LFT findings, physicians should consider maintaining nilotinib dose intensity without modifications.