Opiate control of spontaneous locomotor activity in a urodele amphibian

An intraperitoneal injection of the preferential opiate receptor agonist (+/-) bremazocine HCl given to male rough-skinned newts acutely and dose-dependently reduced their spontaneous locomotor activity. Inversely, and contrary to the situation generally observed in other vertebrates, administration of the opiate receptor antagonist naloxone HCl dose-dependently and acutely stimulated locomotion. Given at a behaviorally active dosage, naloxone counteracted the inhibitory effect of bremazocine on locomotion. The behavioral influence of the two substances was observed using two different sampling techniques (continuous recording for 3 minutes: repeated instantaneous sampling for 60 minutes). These data are discussed in view of our current knowledge on the opiate regulation of locomotor activity in vertebrates.     

Nonvoluntary sexual activity among adolescents

Data from the 1987 round of the National Survey of Children indicate that seven percent of Americans aged 18-22 have experienced at least one episode of nonvoluntary sexual intercourse. Women were more likely than men to report having had such an experience, with just under half of all nonvoluntary experiences among women occurring before the age of 14. Multiple classification analysis reveals that white women who had lived apart from their parents before age 16, those who had been brought up in poverty, those who had had a physical, emotional or mental limitation when they were young, those whose parents had been heavy drinkers, those whose parents had used illegal drugs and those whose parents had smoked cigarettes when they themselves were teenagers were at significantly greater risk for experiencing sexual abuse. Six percent of young white women with no risk factors, nine percent of those with one, 26 percent of those with two, and 68 percent of those with three or more had been sexually abused before or during adolescence.     

Digital mucoid cyst excision by using the bilobed flap technique and arthroplastic resection

There are a number of proposed causes and treatment approaches for digital mucoid cysts. The described treatment outcomes for this cyst have been variable, with the highest success rate reported with complete excision and single-lobe skin flap closure. This report describes a bilobed flap reconstruction in conjunction with resection of the head of the middle phalanx. A retrospective review was undertaken to evaluate the recurrence rate, complications, and patient satisfaction with this combined procedure. Fifteen patients with an average follow-up of 4.6 years were evaluated. There were no recurrences, flap failures, or other major complications. The use of this flap allows for greater exposure than traditional semi-elliptical incisions while allowing the wide excisional defects to be closed primarily.     

Serum levels of specific glucuronidated androgen metabolites predict BMD and prostate volume in elderly men.

Androgens are important regulators of bone and prostate health in elderly men. The role of serum levels of glucuronidated androgen metabolites as predictors of BMD and prostate volume in men is unclear. We show that specific glucuronidated androgen metabolites predict BMD and prostate volume in elderly men. INTRODUCTION: Androgens are important regulators of bone and prostate health in elderly men. Local synthesis and degradation of androgens are likely to be important parameters of biological action of androgens in androgen-responsive tissues. The aim of this study was to determine the role of serum levels of glucuronidated androgen metabolites as predictors of BMD and prostate volume in elderly men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A subsample of the population-based Swedish part of the MrOS study (n = 631, average age = 75.9 years) was investigated. Bone parameters were measured using DXA. Serum levels of total testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC-MS); androstane-3alpha,17beta-diol-3glucuronide (3G) and androstane-3alpha,17beta-diol-17glucuronide (17G) were measured by liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Prostate volume (n = 159) was measured by transrectal ultrasound. RESULTS: The general pattern is that two of the glucuronidated androgen metabolites, namely 17G and 3G, are stronger positive predictors of BMD than the bioactive androgens (T and DHT). In addition, 17G is a clear positive predictor of prostate volume, explaining 4.5% of the variance in prostate volume, whereas the bioactive androgens do not display any association with prostate volume. CONCLUSIONS: Serum levels of specific glucuronidated androgen metabolites predict BMD and prostate volume in elderly men. Future studies should determine if the glucuronidated androgen metabolites also reflect other biological correlates of androgenic activity, including prostate cancer, and if low levels might be a marker of general androgen deficiency in men.     

Adenomyosis:common and uncommon manifestations on sonography and magnetic resonance imaging.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this presentation is to show the imaging findings of the common and uncommon variants of adenomyosis as seen on sonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: A 3-year database search was performed to identify women who had pelvic sonography and pelvic MRI within a 6-month interval. Images of these cases were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Eighty women were identified. Adenomyosis was diagnosed on MRI, which was used as the reference standard, in 45 of these women. The correct diagnosis was made on sonography in 73% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of the spectrum of imaging features of adenomyosis is important to use sonography effectively for diagnosing this entity and to help avoid misdiagnosis.     

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia during speech production.

The amplitude of the respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was investigated during a reading aloud task to determine whether alterations in respiratory control during speech production affect the amplitude of RSA. Changes in RSA amplitude associated with speech were evaluated by comparing RSA amplitudes during reading aloud with those obtained during rest breathing. A third condition, silent reading, was included to control for potentially confounding effects of cardiovascular responses to cognitive processes involved in the process of reading. Calibrated respiratory kinematics, electrocardiograms (ECGs), and speech audio signals were recorded from 18 adults (9 men, 9 women) during 5-min trials of each condition. The results indicated that the increases in respiratory duration, lung volume, and inspiratory velocity associated with reading aloud were accompanied by similar increases in the amplitude of RSA. This finding provides support for the premise that sensorimotor pathways mediating metabolic respiration are actively modulated during speech production.     

Retention: An unresolved workforce issue affecting rural occupational therapy services

Failure to retain health professionals in rural areas contributes to the poor health status of these communities through an inability to deliver reliable and consistent services. Considerable attention has been focused on factors affecting recruitment of health professionals. Far less is known about factors affecting the retention of occupational therapists. This was the focus of this study. Ethnographic interviews were used to explore the experiences of 10 occupational therapists who had left rural practice. Six themes emerged from the participants' experiences, from when they first considered rural practice to reflections following their departure from it. These themes were initial appeal, facing the challenge, rural practice issues, the social sphere, reasons for leaving and the value of rural experience. These factors gave rise to a proposed Model of Retention Equilibrium, which suggests that retention can be improved by addressing the imbalance between incentives to leave and incentives to stay. The model provides a useful framework for occupational therapists contemplating rural practice, as well as for health services managers responsible for service delivery in rural areas.     

Assessment of deposition of inhaled aerosol in the respiratory tract of man using three-dimensional multimodality imaging and mathematical modeling.

Multimodality medical imaging enables measurement of the three-dimensional spatial distribution of a radiolabeled aerosol within the lung. Using a conceptual spatial morphological model these data may be transformed to provide information on deposition per airway generation. This methodology has been used to study the intrapulmonary deposition patterns of two formulations of a metered dose inhaler and two nebulizers in control subjects. The nebulizer study has also been stimulated using a computer model of deposition. The comparison between derived experimental results and those from computer modeling shows areas of agreement, although there are also areas of discrepancy. The new methodology has considerable potential value in the fields of inhalation therapy and deposition modeling, although more detailed validation is still required.     

Changes of facial gingival dimensions in children

Abstract Facial gingival surfaces of maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth were monitored to evaluate changes of the width of the keratinized and attached gingiva. 96 children 6 to 12 years of age were examined 2 × with an interval of 2 years. Measurements included dental plaque, gingival inflammation, probing depth, and width of keratinized and attached gingiva. In addition, study models were used to determine the facial/lingual position of the teeth. The results of this report, evaluating well-aligned teeth only, showed that during the 2-year observation period, increases in widths of the facial keratinized and attached gingiva took place. Increases occurred for the various teeth regions examined, and for deciduous as well as permanent teeth. During transition from the deciduous to the permanent dentition, patterns of change were variable. The increase of gingival widths was greatest for sites with the smallest baseline width of attached gingiva, and smallest for sites with the greatest baseline width. It was concluded that in well-aligned teeth, a conservative, monitoring approach prior to a corrective, surgical intervention seems prudent in children of this age with a minimal zone or absence of attached gingiva.