Cholecalciferol significantly increases 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in adults with cystic fibrosis

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency is increasingly being recognized and treated in patients with cystic fibrosis, although the treatment guidelines are not proven and the effectiveness of vitamin D preparations is untested. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] deficiency in a large cohort of adults with cystic fibrosis and to evaluate the effectiveness of supplementation with cholecalciferol. DESIGN: In this retrospective cohort design, baseline 25(OH)D concentrations were measured, and the effects of clinical interventions that involved either counseling on compliance or increasing supplemental cholecalciferol on serum 25(OH)D concentrations in those subjects with baseline concentrations 相似文献   

The effect of diazepam on human gastric secretion

Human basal gastric secretion is markedly reduced after oral administration of 10 mg diazepam. This effect lasts for five hours.

Gastric nocturnal secretion, collected five hours after the last meal, reveals a decline towards the morning hours with an average of 25% in placebo-treated patients. A comparison between placebo and diazepam reveals a significantly greater decrease of 47% in volume after giving parenterally 10 mg diazepam without noticeable side effects.

     

Risk factors for anemia among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at Jimma University Hospital, southwest Ethiopia

OBJECTIVE: to determine anemia and its risk factors among pregnant women METHODS: A cross-sectional analytic study was carried out among pregnant women who came for antenatal care follow up for the first time to Jimma University hospital, Jimma town, southwestern Ethiopia from May-June 2005. RESULTS: A total of 168 pregnant women who came for their first antenatal care visit to Jimma University hospital were enrolled in the study. A structured and interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data on the socio-demographic variables, dietary habit and other gynecologic and obstetric history. Dietary data were collected using food frequency questionnaire prepared for assessing nutritional factors for anemia. Sahli hemoglobinometer and a microscope were used for assessing hemoglobin level and stool for hookworm infection, respectively. Data were cleaned, edited and entered in to a computer and analyzed using SPSS for windows, version 11.0. Statistical tests were performed at the level of significance of 5%. The prevalence of anemia was 64/168 (38.2%) and the mean hemoglobin level was 11.3 mg/dl. Anemic cases were 4 times likely to have history of excess menstrual bleeding prior to the index pregnancy 2 times likely to have hook worm infection and 3 times likely not to have shoe wearing habit, 3 times likely to have birth intervals less than 24 moths between the previous pregnancy and index pregnancy (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This finding suggests the need for strengthening of interventions related to child spacing and raising awareness about family planning methods. All ANC attendants should be screened for anemia and hookworm infection at first visit and those anemic mothers and infected with hookworm should be treated appropriately. Health education should be given to pregnant mothers on family planning, and the need to gynecologic evaluation before pregnancy and the importance of wearing shoes to decrease hook worm infection and subsequent anemia.     

Vertebral artery embolic protection via ipsilateral brachial approach during left subclavian artery angioplasty and stenting--a case report

The purpose of this report is to explore angioplasty and stenting with cerebral embolic protection as a salvage procedure for a compromised carotid-subclavian bypass in the presence of antegrade vertebral artery flow. A 76-year-old woman with a carotid-subclavian bypass presented with graft infection. Failure of medical therapy to treat the infection prompted surgical removal of the graft. The native subclavian artery was still patent, but a severe complex proximal stenosis was present with antegrade flow into the left vertebral artery. Angioplasty and stenting of the subclavian artery was performed with cerebral protection achieved by positioning a FilterWire EX in the left vertebral artery via the left brachial artery approach. Deployment of a filter device in the vertebral artery via the brachial or radial approach can provide embolic protection without interfering with the subclavian artery stenting. The successful treatment of the subclavian artery enabled the complete removal of the infected graft without need for major vascular reconstruction.     

Post-natal effect of overexpressed DKK1 on mandibular molar formation

Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1) is a potent inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Dkk1-null mutant embryos display severe defects in head induction. Conversely, targeted expression of Dkk1 in dental epithelial cells leads to the formation of dysfunctional enamel knots and subsequent tooth defects during embryonic development. However, its role in post-natal dentinogenesis is largely unknown. To address this issue, we studied the role of DKK1 in post-natal dentin development using 2.3-kb Col1a1-Dkk1 transgenic mice, with the following key findings: (1) The Dkk1 transgene was highly expressed in pulp and odontoblast cells during post-natal developmental stages; (2) the 1(st) molar displayed short roots, an enlarged pulp/root canal region, and a decrease in the dentin formation rate; (3) a small malformed second molar and an absent third molar; (4) an increase of immature odontoblasts, few mature odontoblasts, and sharply reduced dentinal tubules; and (5) a dramatic change in Osx and nestin expression. We propose that DKK1 controls post-natal mandibular molar dentin formation either directly or indirectly via the inhibition of Wnt signaling at the following aspects: (i) post-natal dentin formation, (ii) formation and/or maintenance of the dentin tubular system, (iii) mineralization of the dentin, and (iv) regulation of molecules such as Osx and nestin.     

Successful covered stent-graft exclusion of carotid artery pseudo-aneurysm: two case reports and review of literature

Postendarterectomy carotid artery pseudo-aneurysm (CPA) is a relatively infrequent complication with an estimated incidence of 0.3%-0.6%. A report from a single center experience on open-surgical repair of CPA has shown the associated high morbidity and mortality. Endovascular therapy is emerging as a safer alternative to open-surgical therapy. We describe two cases of CPA treated with commercially available Viabahn stent graft system (Gore AL, Flagstaff, AZ).     

Land inheritance establishes sibling competition for marriage and reproduction in rural Ethiopia

Intergenerational transfer of wealth has been proposed as playing a pivotal role in the evolution of human sibling relationships. Sibling rivalry is assumed to be more marked when offspring compete for limited heritable resources, which are crucial for reproductive success (e.g., land and livestock); whereas in the absence of heritable wealth, related siblings may cooperate. To date, comparative studies undertaken to support this evolutionary assumption have been confounded by other socioecological factors, which vary across populations, e.g., food sharing and intergroup conflict. In this article we explore effects of sibling competition and cooperation for agricultural resources, marriage, and reproduction in one contemporary Ethiopian agropastoralist society. Here recent changes in land tenure policy, altering transfers of land from parents to offspring, present a unique framework to test the importance of intergenerational transfers of wealth in driving sibling competition, while controlling for socioeconomic biases. In households where land is inherited, the number of elder brothers reduces a man's agricultural productivity, marriage, and reproductive success, as resources diminish and competition increases with each additional sibling. Where land is not inherited (for males receiving land directly from the government and all females) older siblings do not have a competitive effect and in some instances may be beneficial. This study has wider implications for the evolution of human family sizes. Recent changes in wealth transfers, which have driven sibling competition, may be contributing to an increased desire for smaller family sizes.