Sleep and recovery in physicians on night call: a longitudinal field study

Background  

It is well known that physicians' night-call duty may cause impaired performance and adverse effects on subjective health, but there is limited knowledge about effects on sleep duration and recovery time. In recent years occupational stress and impaired well-being among anaesthesiologists have been frequently reported for in the scientific literature. Given their main focus on handling patients with life-threatening conditions, when on call, one might expect sleep and recovery to be negatively affected by work, especially in this specialist group. The aim of the present study was to examine whether a 16-hour night-call schedule allowed for sufficient recovery in anaesthesiologists compared with other physician specialists handling less life-threatening conditions, when on call.     

Periodontal diseases in HIV-infected patients

Abstract Periodontal diseases may be the first clinical sign of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection. Since the immunosuppression and subsequent susceptibility may alter the responses of the oral tissues as well as the microflora, both periodontal treatment and result of therapy may be modified. The periodontal diseases in HIV-seropositive patients include common as well as less conventional forms of gingivitis and periodontitis, and bacteria, mycotic and viral infections are seen. Neoplasias may also involve the periodontium; most common are Kaposi's sarcoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Recent studies of unselected groups of patients indicate that periodontal health in at least some groups of HIV-seropositive patients is better than previously reported.     

Rotavirus particles can survive storage in ambient tropical temperatures for more than 2 months

Typing and in vitro cultivation of rotavirus-positive human stool samples stored unintentionally at ambient tropical temperatures for 2 1/2 months showed that rotavirus is stable and may still be infectious in vitro. This indicates that stool specimen collection for rotavirus studies can be performed in areas and settings where reliable cold storage is not available. The retained infectivity of rotavirus particles underscores the need for safe systems for disposal of feces, in particular in developing countries where rotavirus is a major cause of childhood mortality.     

Blockade of Ca2+‐activated K+ channels in T cells: an option for the treatment of multiple sclerosis?

Voltage- and Ca(2+)-dependent K(+) channels in the membrane of both T and B lymphocytes are important for the cellular immune response. In the current issue of the European Journal of Immunology, Reich et al. demonstrate that selective blockade of the intermediate-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel (the IK channel encoded by the KCNN4 gene) prevents cytokine production in the spinal chord and ameliorates the development of EAE caused by injection of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)(35-55) in mice. These data renew the focus on the IK channel as a potential target for the development of new immune-suppressant drugs for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.     

Involution and regeneration of the thymus in mice,induced by bacterial endotoxin and studied by quantitative histology and electron microscopy

Lipopolysaccharide from S. typhosa, injected intraperitoneally into Swiss albino mice, produced acute thymic involution—maximal at 48 hours after injection, followed by regeneration that was complete within 5 to 7 days. Using tissues fixed and embedded for electron microscopy, cell counts were made with the light microscope and cytological details were examined in electron micrographs. The cellular events of involution and regeneration were similar to those produced by injection of adrenal glucocorticoids, but it remains to be determined whether or not endotoxin acts on the thymus by inciting adrenal cortical secretion. Involution appeared to be the result of both the death of small lymphocytes and reduced lymphopoiesis in the thymus. Within 48 hours, macrophages had cleared away the cellular debris and medullary epithelial cells showed signs of hypertrophy and increased putative secretory activity. Subsequently, large lymphocytes proliferated at an accelerated rate in the subcapsular cortex, the cortex grew in width by the accumulation of small lymphocytes, and regeneration ceased when the thymus had reached its former size. These observations provide circumstantial evidence for the hypothesis that in regeneration, medullary epithelial cells increase their production of a lymphopoietic hormone which stimulates mitotic proliferaton of cortical lymphocytes.     

Lanzoprazole promotes gastric carcinogenesis in rats with duodenogastric reflux

Background Duodenogastric reflux is known to cause an increased frequency of cancer in the glandular portion of the stomach in rats. Furthermore, it is debated whether inhibition of gastric acid secretion may promote gastric carcinogenesis. In the present study we examined the combined effect of gastroduodenal reflux and acid inhibition with respect to the development of gastric carcinoma in the rat.Methods Following the construction of a gastrojejunostomy in male Wistar rats, half of them were given the proton pump inhibitor lanzoprazole for 1 year. The rats were then killed and the pH in the stomach and gastrin in blood were measured. The stomach was examined macroscopically as well as histologically.Results Gastrin levels at autopsy were significantly increased in treated rats compared to the control group, confirming an effect of lanzoprazole on gastric acid secretion. Body weight was significantly reduced in the treated rats. Thirty of 79 rats developed gastric cancer, and they were all adenocarcinomas of the Lauren intestinal type. Gastric cancers occurred significantly more often in lanzoprazole-treated rats (50%) compared with controls (27%).Conclusion Lanzoprazole given orally enhances the carcinogenic effect of duodenogastric reflux in rats.