Effect of dietary protein on Masheri-induced drug metabolising enzymes

The modulation of drug metabolising enzymes by Masheri extract (ME) and Benzo(a)Pyrene [B(a)P] was studied in male Sprague Dawley rats fed different dietary protein levels. Two groups of 21 days old male Sprague Dawley rats were put on a high protein diet (SHP) with 20% Casein, and a low protein diet (SLP) with 3% Casein semisynthetic based diets for 12 weeks. The SLP fed animals showed lower basal levels of the Phase I activating enzymes viz. Cytochrome P450, Benzo(a)Pyrene hydroxylase, Benzphetamine demethylase and Phase II glutathione detoxification system viz. Glutathione (GSH) and Glutathione-S-transferase. ME and B(a)P treatment significantly depleted the glutathione detoxification system in the SLP group whereas an opposite effect was observed in the SHP group. Interstingly, ME and B(a)P treated rats in the SLP group showed a higher percent increase in the hepatic and pulmonary Phase I enzyme activities than those observed in the treated ME/B(a)P treated SHP rats. Furthermore, both ME and B(a)P significantly decreased the hepatic pool of vitamin A while a concomittant increase in that of vitamin C was observed.     

The effects of age on the neural correlates of episodic encoding

Young and old adults underwent positron emission tomographic scans while encoding pictures of objects and words using three encoding strategies: deep processing (a semantic living/nonliving judgement), shallow processing (size judgement) and intentional learning. Picture memory exceeded word memory in both young and old groups, and there was an age-related decrement only in word recognition. During the encoding tasks three brain activity patterns were found that differentiated stimulus type and the different encoding strategies. The stimulus-specific pattern was characterized by greater activity in extrastriate and medial temporal cortices during picture encoding, and greater activity in left prefrontal and temporal cortices during encoding of words. The older adults showed this pattern to a significantly lesser degree. A pattern distinguishing deep processing from intentional learning of words and pictures was identified, characterized mainly by differences in prefrontal cortex, and this pattern also was of significantly lesser magnitude in the old group. A final pattern identified areas with increased activity during deep processing and intentional learning of pictures, including left prefrontal and bilateral medial temporal regions. There was no group difference in this pattern. These results indicate age-related dysfunction in several encoding networks, with sparing of one specifically involved in more elaborate encoding of pictures. These age-related changes appear to affect verbal memory more than picture memory.     

It Doesn't Happen Here: Eating Disorders in an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Economically Disadvantaged,Urban College Students

The bulk of eating disorder studies have focused on white, middle-upper class women, excluding ethnically and economically diverse women and men. Accordingly, our knowledge of prevalence rates and risk factors is reliant on this narrow literature. To expand upon the current literature, we examined eating disorders in ethnically diverse low-income, urban college students. We surveyed 884 incoming freshmen during an orientation class to assess the frequency of eating disorder diagnosis and the risk factors of child physical abuse and sexual abuse before and after age 13. We found 10% of our sample received an eating disorder diagnosis, 12.2% of the women and 7.3% of the men. The majority of these students were Latino/a or “other,” with White women receiving the fewest diagnoses. For all women, both child physical abuse and both indices of sexual abuse contributed equally to the development of an eating disorder. For men only the sexual abuse indices contributed to an eating disorder diagnosis. These results indicate that ethnic minority populations do suffer from relatively high rates of self-reported eating disorders and that a history of trauma is a significant risk factor for eating disorders in these diverse populations of both women and men.     

The effect of indobufen on the thrombogenic potential of a Dacron prosthesis in an artificial circulation

We have evaluated the effect of indobufen on the potential thrombogenicity of a Dacron vascular prosthesis in an artificial circulation. In a randomised double blind crossover study, ten healthy volunteers received indobufen 200 mg or placebo twice daily for one week. The artificial circulation, incorporating a 15 cm length of 8 mm Dacron graft was perfused for 60 mins with volunteer blood containing autologous 111In labelled platelets. Graft thrombogenicity was assessed by changes in platelet function, isotope labelled platelet studies and scanning electron microscopy. Platelet count fell significantly during graft perfusion (P less than 0.05) and aggregation was significantly inhibited by treatment with indobufen pre perfusion compared with the placebo group (P less than 0.02). While deposition of labelled platelets was not statistically significant, consumption of these platelets was greater in the placebo group (P less than 0.01). Field counts of adherent platelets made from scanning electron micrographs of the indobufen treated group were significantly lower (P less than 0.01) compared with the placebo group. We conclude that indobufen can reduce the thrombogenic potential of Dacron vascular grafts and suggest that it may be an effective antiplatelet agent for use following Dacron bypass surgery.     

Catheter balloon-related urethral trauma in children

Aim:   To review urethral injuries arising from incorrect balloon inflation in children undergoing urinary catheterisation.
Method:   Retrospective review from 1995–2006. Children who sustained catheter-related injury at The Children's Hospital at Westmead were identified through medical records database and reviewed.
Results:   Six patients were identified over the 11-year period. All six were boys. Age ranged from <1 month to 16 years. All but one occurred in hospital. All injuries were confirmed by urethrogram. Bulbar and prostatic urethra was involved in an equal number of children studied. Three patients required suprapubic catheters. Follow-up imaging revealed healing without stricture in all patients.
Conclusion:   Balloon-related urethral trauma can be avoided by educating health-care professionals on proper placement and confirmation of position of catheter. Though there were no long-term complications noted, a temporary suprapubic diversion may be needed.     

Association between prefrontal activity and volume change in prefrontal and medial temporal lobes in aging and dementia: A review

Functional neuroimaging studies have consistently reported age-related changes in prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity during a variety of cognitive tasks, including episodic memory. These changes are often interpreted within the context of one of the following three neural models of age-related changes in brain function: dedifferentiation, neural inefficiency, and neural plasticity and compensation models. Distinguishing between these competing models has proven difficult when interpreting results using functional imaging data alone. In this paper we suggest that a more accurate interpretation of age-related changes in PFC activity requires consideration of age-related differences in gray matter volume (GMv) in PFC and the medial temporal lobes (MTL). We review fMRI studies of cognitive aging that have directly examined the relationship between PFC activity and both local (PFC) and distal (MTL) GMv in older versus younger adults. We also considered how structure–function relationships may be further modified in pathological aging (i.e. mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD)).We found that when task performance was matched between age-groups there was a negative association between regional PFC volume and activity in older adults. However, when older adults performed worse than young adults we observed a positive association between volume and activity in right lateral PFC. Additionally during memory tasks, several studies revealed that PFC activity is positively related to GM volume in MTL in healthy older adults, but negatively related in MCI and AD patients. We conclude that PFC activity is related to age-related changes in local and distal GM volume reductions and that consideration of these structural measures aids the interpretation of fMRI results. Furthermore, the study of structure–function relationships may provide important insights into the biological mechanisms underlying healthy versus pathological aging.     

Classical and anaplastic seminoma: difference in survival

Classical and anaplastic seminoma are traditionally treated with radiation therapy and are said to have the same prognosis. A retrospective study was undertaken of 90 seminoma patients treated with radiation therapy between 1961 and 1985. The classical group consisted of 71 patients of whom 50 had stage I and 21 had stage II disease. The anaplastic group consisted of 19 patients of whom ten had stage I and nine had stage II disease. The median follow-up time was 64 months for the entire group. The 10-year relapse-free survival rate for the classical group was 94% and for the anaplastic group was 70% (P less than .05). For patients with classical stage I disease, the relapse-free actuarial survival rate was 98%; for patients with anaplastic stage I disease, it was 64% (P less than .02). For the classical stage II disease group, the relapse-free actuarial survival rate was 84% and for the anaplastic stage II disease group, 75% (P less than .70). Four patients in the classical group (6%) had relapses; of these, one patient had local recurrence of tumor, and three had distant metastases. In the anaplastic group, four patients (21%) had relapses; two patients had local recurrence of tumor, and two had distant metastases. Therefore the data suggest a difference in survival and relapse rates between classical and anaplastic seminoma.     

蜂胶对成纤维细胞、单核巨噬细胞系基质金属蛋白酶MMP-9表达的抑制作用

目的探讨蜂胶对糖尿病伤口愈合的作用及其机制。方法采用荧光电泳法,检测不同葡萄糖浓度（5、25mmol／L）和不同蜂胶浓度（10、50、100、200μg／ml）处理的体外培养的人成纤维细胞及单核巨噬细胞系的基质金属蛋白酶MMP-9蛋白的表达。结果高浓度葡萄糖（25mmol／L）状态下,MMP-9表达增加,但与低浓度（5mmol／L）比较,差异无统计学意义。蜂胶可显著降低MMP-9的表达,并呈剂量依赖性（P〈．05）。结论高糖能增加单核巨噬细胞系及成纤维细胞MMP-9的表达,可能会影响糖尿病患者伤口的愈合。蜂胶可抑制这些细胞MMP-9的表达,有益于细胞基质的积聚,从而有益于糖尿病患者伤口的愈合。