Same-Day Yttrium-90 Radioembolization: Feasibility with Resin Microspheres

Purpose

To evaluate the feasibility of a same-day yttrium-90 (⁹⁰Y) radioembolization protocol with resin microspheres (including pretreatment angiography, lung shunt fraction [LSF] determination, and radioembolization) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver metastases.

Skin problems after a tsunami

BACKGROUND: On December 26, 2004, the biggest earthquake for 40 years, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, triggered a tsunami that pounded the coastal areas of South Asia and East Africa. The effects of the tsunami on skin conditions have not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of the tsunami on skin conditions by evaluating the skin problems of patients presenting at hospitals after the tsunami. METHODS: Between 5 and 25 January 2005, two dermatologists evaluated patients who complained of skin problems at an outpatient clinic and emergency room of a general hospital in Banda Aceh, Aceh Province, Indonesia. RESULTS: The total number of patients that presented during the study period was 235 (131 males and 104 females), and they had a total of 265 skin problems. In terms of age distribution, most subjects were in their fourth decade (23.0%), followed by the third (22.6%) and fifth decade (16.6%). The most prevalent skin problems were infections-infestations (32.5%), followed by eczemas (29.8%) and traumatic skin disorders (29.4%). In males, traumatic skin disorders were most common. The great majority of infection-infestation cases involved superficial fungal infections. Contact dermatitis accounted for three-quarters of eczema cases, and mainly involved the arms (40.0%) and legs (27.1%). The majority of traumatic skin disorders were lacerations, punctures and penetrations, and the feet (44.7%) and hands (18.8%) were most frequently affected. CONCLUSIONS: Unhygienic conditions, exposure to a hazardous environment and contact with various objects during and after the tsunami probably increased the prevalence of infections-infestations, traumatic skin disorders and contact dermatitis. To prevent these problems and associated secondary bacterial infections, health-related education and early medical management are required.     

Mycophenolate Mofetil Use Is Associated with Decreased Risk of Late Acute Rejection in Adult Liver Transplant Recipients

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) used in a triple-drug regimen has been shown to decrease acute rejection rates, compared to a double-drug regimen. The impact of MMF on late acute rejection (LAR) episodes has not been well described. To investigate the risk of LAR (rejection > or = 6 months post-transplantation) data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) were used. We studied adult primary liver transplant recipients transplanted between June 1, 1995, and April 30, 2004, with hepatitis C virus (HCV) (n = 3356), hepatitis B virus (HBV) (n = 550) or a nonviral (n = 5740) primary cause of liver disease who were recorded as receiving continuous 3-(MMF + Tacro + steroids) versus 2-drug (Tacro + steroids) therapy for at least 6 months immediately post transplantation. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significantly lower LAR rates 4 years post-transplant in 3- versus 2-drug HCV, HBV and nonviral disease patients. Multivariate regression confirmed 3- versus 2-drug therapy to be associated with a decreased risk of LAR. Late graft survival was significantly lower at 4 years post-transplant for patients with LAR 6-12 months post-transplantation versus patients with early rejection (78.0% vs. 87.0%, p < 0.001) and no rejection (88.1%, p < 0.001). Three-drug versus 2-drug therapy for a minimum of 6 months may offer a better treatment strategy to avoid the consequences and expense of LAR episodes.     

Bombesin improves survival from methotrexate-induced enterocolitis.

OBJECTIVE: The authors determined whether bombesin could improve survival from methotrexate (MTX)-induced enterocolitis. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Bombesin prevents gut mucosal atrophy, which is produced by feeding rats an elemental diet. Administration of MTX produces a lethal enterocolitis in rats fed an elemental diet. METHODS: On treatment day 0, 60 rats were divided randomly into three groups and fed an elemental diet (Vivonex TEN, Sandoz, Minneapolis, MN) as the only source of nutrition. Groups were subdivided further to receive either saline or bombesin (10 micrograms/kg, subcutaneously, three times a day) beginning either on day 0 or day 14. Methotrexate (20 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) was given to all rats 14 days after the start of an elemental diet. RESULTS: Bombesin prevented the mucosal atrophy in the ileum produced by the elemental diet and significantly decreased mortality in rats given MTX (whether given as a pretreatment or at the time of MTX administration). CONCLUSION: Bombesin significantly improved survival in a lethal model of MTX-induced enterocolitis, possibly by maintaining gut mucosal structure. Administration of bombesin to patients receiving chemotherapy may be clinically useful in preventing the severe enterocolitis induced by various chemotherapeutic agents.     

The in vitro pharmacological profile of KR31080, a nonpeptide AT1 receptor antagonist

Summary— KR31080 (2-butyl-5-methyl-6-(1-oxopyridin-2-yl)-3-[[2'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl) biphenyl-4-yl]methyl]-3H-imidazo[4,5-b] pyridine) is a potent inhibitor of angiotensin type 1 (AT₁) receptors in rabbit aorta and human recombinant AT₁ receptors. In the isolated rabbit thoracic aorta, KR31080 caused a nonparallel shift to the right of the concentration-response curves to angiotensin II (All) with decreased maximal response (pD'₂ = 10.1 ± 0.1), but had no effect on the contractile response induced by norepinephrine. KR31080 inhibited specific [¹²⁵I]AII binding to rabbit aortic membranes (AT, receptors) and [¹²⁵I][Sar¹, Ile⁸]AII binding to human recombinant AT₁ receptors in a concentration-dependent manner with IC₅₀ values of 0.84 ± 0.08 nM and 1.92 ± 0.15 nM, respectively, but did not inhibit specific [¹²⁵I)AII binding to bovine cerebellum membranes (ÀT₂ receptors). In the Scatchard analysis, KR31080 interacted with rabbit aortic AT₁ receptors in a competitive manner, similar to losartan. These results demonstrate that KR31080 is a potent and AT₁ selective angiotensin receptor antagonist which exerts a competitive antagonism in the [¹²⁵I]AII binding assay and insurmountable AT₁ receptor antagonism in the functional study.     

大学生心理素质与思想品德发展的关系

研究大学生心理素质与思想品德发展的关系，目的在于分析、发现个体在接受教育过程中的心理运动规律，从而提高思想教育的实效性。本文从马克思主义认识论和实践论的观点出发，依据教育心理学的原理，探讨了心理健康教育与思想品德教育的内在联系和相互作用，提出良好的心理素质是大学生思想品德发展的基础的观点。认为品德的形成与人的心理活动息息相关，个体如果没有良好的品德，将影响其心理素质的完善；同样，没有健全的心理素质，思想品德也不能得到很好的发展。只有思想品德教育与心理健康教育协调发展，共同作用，才能收到良好的教育效果。