Cellular distribution of the iron-binding protein lactotransferrin in the mesencephalon of Parkinson’s disease cases

Changes in the distribution of the iron-binding protein lactotransferrin have recently been described in the central nervous system during a variety of neurodegenerative disorders. To investigate whether lactotransferrin is associated with the neuropathological changes that characterize Parkinson’s disease, we analyzed the distribution of this protein in the mesencephalon of neurologically normal individuals and patients affected with Parkinson’s disease using quantitative immunohistochemical methods. High levels of lactotransferrin were observed in a large population of neurons in the substantia nigra of control cases. Lactotransferrin-positive neurons were severely affected by the neurodegenerative process that occurs in Parkinson’s disease as indicated by a severe decrease in the number of immunolabeled neurons in all of these cases. Quantitative analysis also demonstrated higher immunolabeling levels of lactotransferrin in the surviving neurons in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area of Parkinson’s disease cases compared to control cases. These results suggest that lactotransferrin may participate actively in the mechanism of neuronal degeneration in Parkinson’s disease. Received: 16 October 1995 / Revised, accepted: 1 December 1995     

Linkage studies of psychiatric disorders

Summary Linkage analysis has been successful in identifying the genetic basis of numerous Mendelian diseases. These successes were due in part to the rapid developments in molecular biology, which have yielded a plethora of informative genetic markers. Although there is strong evidence that the manifestation of schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorders is controlled by genes, no evidence for linkage has been established. For psychiatric disorders, the most important limiting factor is likely to be the lack of single loci with very large effects that occur with any relevant frequency. The difficulties of linkage studies in psychiatric disorders are discussed with reference to non-psychiatric genetic diseases for which linkage to genetic markers has been successful. Recommendations for collecting information to clarify the patterns of transmission of the psychiatric disorders are described.     

家禽加工流水线作业工人颈肩腕疾患的调查

对１４９名家禽加工厂作业女工的颈肩腕疾患进行了调查。结果表明：观察组职业性颈肩腕疾患ＯＣＤ，（肩周炎、尺管综合征、腕管综合征、腱鞘炎、肱骨内外髁炎）的总发生率为３９．６０％，与对照组相比差异有非常显著意义（Ｐ＜０．０１），其发生率与工龄、年龄及工种别有关。我们认为ＯＣＤ发生的职业危险因素主要是上肢反复用力活动、静力作业、不合理的操作姿势，而且低温、高温的作业环境对ＯＣＤ的发生也起到一定的促进作用。     

Screening of somatization disorder: validation of the Spanish version of the Othmer and DeSouza Test

The objective of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the Othmer and DeSouza Screening Test for Somatization Disorder. We have designed a validity study using the Standardized Polyvalent Psychiatric Interview, an instrument specifically designed to diagnose psychiatric morbidity in medical settings as the ‘golden rule’. The control group displayed ‘functional’ and ‘presenting’ somatization. The Othmer and DeSouza Screening Test, with a threshold of three symptoms, shows 88% sensitivity, 78% specificity and a misclassification rate of 17%. It is concluded that Othmer and DeSouza's screening test, with a threshold of three symptoms, is a useful tool for the diagnosis of somatization disorder in medical and primary care settings in Spain. Discrepancies with US findings are discussed on a cross-cultural basis.     

健康教育对恢复期精神疾病病人的康复作用

目的 探讨健康教育对恢复期精神疾病病人的康复作用.方法 将124例恢复期精神疾病病人随机分为观察组和对照组各62例.对照组按常规抗精神病药物治疗,观察组在此基础上实施健康教育,分别于治疗前及治疗后6周采用BPRS、NOSIE量表进行效果评定.结果 观察组病人BPRS评分明显低于对照组(p＜0 01),NOSIE评分高于对照组(p＜0.05).结论 对恢复期精神疾病病人实施健康教育,有助于改善病人的精神症状,减轻焦虑、抑郁情绪,增强社会功能,减少复发,降低残疾程度.     

失眠症患者睡眠质量的主观评估与多导睡眠图参数对比分析

目的 探讨失眠症患者对睡眠质量的主观评估,并通过对多导睡眠图(PSG)睡眠参数的定量分析,对失眠症患者的睡眠状况进行客观评估,进一步将二者进行对比分析.方法 对失眠症患者和健康人各100例运用匹兹堡睡眠质量指数问卷(PSQI)进行评定,并分别进行多导睡眠图的整夜睡眠描记,次日晨起后询问夜间睡眠情况.结果 失眠症组PSQI各成分得分及总分均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01).与对照组相比,失眠症组的睡眠潜伏期(min)延长(失眠症组43.69±11.54,对照组16.01±10.44)、总睡眠时间(min)减少(失眠症组314.65±91.89,对照组446.41±77.81)、睡眠效率降低(失眠症组64.51%±18.59%,对照组91.32%±3.58%)、快眼动睡眠时间(min)减少(失眠症组33.26±15.61,对照组93.21±21.63),差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01).失眠症组对总睡眠时间的评估较PSG检测值显著减低、对睡眠潜伏期的评估较PSG检测值显著增高,自我评估与实际睡眠情况不一致.结论 失眠症患者睡眠质量较差.失眠症患者的PSG各睡眠参数有特征性的改变,利用PSG检查发现失眠症患者对失眠情况的主客观评估不一致,存在过高估价睡眠潜伏期和过低估价睡眠时间的倾向.     

轻度认知损害向老年性痴呆转化的临床研究

目的 研究轻度认知损害(mild cognitive impairment,MCI)向痴呆自然转化过程及多奈哌齐对转化的干预影响.方法 总结98例MCI患者情况,将服用多奈哌齐和未服用任何胆碱酯酶抑制剂的遗忘型MCI(aMCI)及非aMCI患者按年龄、性别、认知减退程度及ApoEε4携带情况分层配对研究,分析各组向痴呆转化率以及MMSE、阿尔茨海默病(AD)评定量表(ADAS-Cog)和aMCI组修订韦氏记忆量表(WMS-R)变化.结果 由aMCI向AD转化率,服用和未服用多奈哌齐组于1年时分别为15.1%和8.3%(P＜0.05),2年时分别为24.2%和12.5%(P＜0.01).由非aMCI向AD转化率,服用和未服用多奈哌齐组,于1年时分别为13.0%和5.5%(P＜0.05),2年时分别为21.7%和16.6%(P＜0.05).服用多奈哌齐6个月时,aMCI组MMSE提高(0.1±1.3)分,对照组下降(0.3±2.4)分;ADAS-Cog下降(1.4±4.7)分,对照组升高(0.03±4.55)分;WMS-R改善(4.8±4.1)分,对照组下降(3.7±5.2)分,治疗组与自然病程对照组比较差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01),并可维持1～2年.多奈哌齐还能延缓携带ApoEε4的MCI患者向AD转化,但与自然病程组比较无统计学意义(P＞0.05),尚有待扩大样本量继续研究观察.多奈哌齐对认知相关区脑萎缩有减缓趋势.结论 本组资料提示,多奈哌齐能推迟MCI向AD转化.     

小儿乙状结肠冗长症病理特点分析

目的 探讨小儿乙状结肠冗长症的病理特点，以提高对该症病理特点的认识。方法 分析我科1993～2002年间经手术治疗12例小儿乙状结肠冗长症的临床病理资料。结果 小儿乙状结肠冗长症病理特点与先天性巨结肠同源病相似。主要表现为乙状结肠肠壁肥厚，部分肌纤维变性。结肠黏膜萎缩，黏膜下充血水肿；肌间神经丛减少，均可见神经节细胞发育幼稚，且数量减少或体积变小，呈固缩或空泡变性。结论 小儿乙状结肠冗长症大多有肠神经元发育异常。     

Detecting pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder and tics.

BACKGROUND: A subgroup of children with obsessive-compulsive and tic disorders are proposed to have an infectious trigger. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between group A streptococcal titers and symptom fluctuations in children with a clinical course resembling that described for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus. METHODS: Twenty-five children with obsessive-compulsive disorder and/or tic disorder were evaluated for neuropsychiatric severity and group A streptococcal antibody titers (streptolysin O, deoxyribonuclease B, and carbohydrate A) at 6-week intervals for > or = six consecutive evaluations (total visits=277). RESULTS: Children with large symptom fluctuations (n=15) were compared with children without dramatic fluctuations (n=10). Co-movements of obsessive-compulsive/tic severity and group A streptococcal antibodies were assessed. In subjects with large symptom changes, positive correlations were found between streptococcal titers and obsessive-compulsive severity rating changes (p=.0130). These subjects were also more likely to have elevated group A streptococcal titers during the majority of observations (p=.001). Tic symptom exacerbations occurred more often in the fall/winter months than spring/summer months (p=.03). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with marked obsessive-compulsive/tic symptom changes may be characterized by streptococcal titer elevations and exhibit evidence of seasonal tic exacerbations.     

Adipokines in cord blood and risk of wheezing disorders within the first two years of life

BACKGROUND: Adipokines are involved in the regulation of many inflammatory processes and are present at very high concentrations in cord blood of term infants. OBJECTIVE: We analysed data of a large prospective birth cohort study to examine whether adiponectin and leptin concentration in cord blood are determinants of wheezing disorders in children within the first 2 years of life. METHODS: Seven hundred and forty mothers and their newborns were included in this analysis. Adiponectin and leptin concentrations were measured in cord blood. The cumulative incidence of physician-reported asthma or obstructive bronchitis was recorded during a 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: During the first 2 years of life, asthma or obstructive bronchitis was reported by the caring paediatricians for 157 (19.6%) of the children. We found a strong interaction of cord blood adiponectin and history of atopic disease in the mother with respect to the risk of physician-reported asthma or obstructive bronchitis (P=0.006). Compared with children with cord blood levels in the middle quintile (reference category), the odds ratios for physician-reported asthma or obstructive bronchitis in the bottom quintile and top quintile were 0.14 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.02-0.90] and 2.12 (95% CI 0.67-6.66), respectively (P for trend=0.0003), among children of mothers with a history of atopy. This association was independent of other established risk factors. Leptin levels in cord blood were not associated with risk of asthma or obstructive bronchitis. CONCLUSIONS: In children of mothers with a history of atopy, concentrations of adiponectin in cord blood could play an important role in determining risk of wheezing disorders in early childhood.