Association between mortality from suicide in England and antidepressant prescribing: an ecological study

Background

There are multiple studies in different countries regarding the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. These studies showed high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Asian countries. This study tries to elucidate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its influencing factors in population of Tehran.

Methods

1210 subjects 20–64 years old were randomly selected. 25 (OH) D serum levels were measured. Duration of exposure to sunlight, the type of clothing and level of calcium intake and BMI were quantified based on a questionnaire.

Results

A high percentage of vitamin D deficiency was defined in the study population. Prevalence of severe, moderate and mild Vitamin D deficiency was 9.5%, 57.6% and 14.2% respectively. Vitamin D serum levels had no significant statistical relation with the duration of exposure to sunlight, kind of clothing and BMI. Calcium intake in the normal vitamin D group was significantly higher than the other groups (714.67 ± 330.8 mg/day vs 503.39 ± 303.1, 577.93 ± 304.9,595.84 ± 313.6). Vitamin D serum levels in young and middle aged females were significantly lower than the older group.

Conclusions

Vitamin D deficiency has a high prevalence in Tehran. In order to avoid complications of vitamin D deficiency, supplemental dietary intake seems essential.     

Following in the footsteps of smallpox: can we achieve the global eradication of measles?

Background  

Although an effective measles vaccine has been available for almost 40 years, in 2000 there were about 30 million measles infections worldwide and 777,000 measles-related deaths. The history of smallpox suggests that achieving measles eradication depends on several factors; the biological characteristics of the organism; vaccine technology; surveillance and laboratory identification; effective delivery of vaccination programmes and international commitment to eradication.     

The ketogenic diet does not alter brain expression of orexigenic neuropeptides

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and galanin are neuropeptides that are regulated by energy states and are also anticonvulsant. We tested the hypothesis that the anticonvulsant efficacy of the ketogenic diet (KD) is mediated by increased expression of NPY and galanin via alterations in food intake and energy metabolism. In situ hybridization revealed no effect of the KD on NPY or galanin mRNA expression, suggesting that increased expression of NPY and galanin do not contribute to the anticonvulsant effect of the KD.     

Intentional overdose with insulin glargine and insulin aspart

Reports of intentional massive overdoses of insulin are infrequent. A review of the literature revealed no reports of overdose attempts with either insulin glargine or insulin aspart. We report the case of a 33-year-old woman without diabetes mellitus who intentionally injected herself with an overdose of both products, which belonged to her husband. She arrived at the emergency department 15 hours after her suicide attempt, which took place the night before. Her husband had checked her blood glucose level throughout the night and had given her high-carbohydrate drinks and foods. The patient had a history of obsessive-compulsive disorder, major depression, and numerous suicide attempts. She recovered from the resulting hypoglycemia after 40 hours of dextrose infusion and was transferred to a mental health facility. The main danger associated with insulin overdose is the resultant hypoglycemia and its effects on the central nervous system; hypokalemia, hypophosphatemia, and hypomagnesemia also can develop with excess insulin administration. Dextrose infusion, with liberal oral intake when possible, and monitoring for electrolyte changes, making adjustments as needed, are recommended for the treatment of intentional insulin overdose.     

Therapeutic use of cytokines to modulate phagocyte function for the treatment of infectious diseases: current status of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and interferon-gamma

The innate immune system represents the initial arm of host defense against pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Neutrophils, monocytes, and tissue-based macrophages are major cellular components of this system. The potential ability to augment activity of the innate immune system has increased dramatically during the past 2 decades, with the discovery and development of cytokines. Four cytokines, namely granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), and interferon (IFN)-gamma, have received increasing attention as potential adjunctive agents for the treatment of infectious diseases. In various animal models of infection, therapeutic administration of each of the 4 cytokines has been shown to enhance pathogen eradication and to decrease morbidity and/or mortality. However, variable therapeutic efficacy has been reported in clinical trials conducted to date. This review summarizes the current status of the use of G-CSF, GM-CSF, M-CSF, and IFN-gamma in the treatment of infectious diseases.     

Comparison of interferon-gamma, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor for priming leukocyte-mediated hyphal damage of opportunistic fungal pathogens

Proinflammatory cytokines have been proposed as adjunctive therapeutic agents to enhance the host immune response during infections caused by opportunistic fungi. The study compared the differential in vitro priming effects of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on hyphal damage of opportunistic fungi mediated by isolated neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes, PMNL) and buffy coat cells (polymorphonuclear leukocytes/peripheral blood mononuclear cells, PMNL/PBMC) from healthy donors. IFN-gamma (1000 U/mL) effectively primed both PMNL and PMNL/PBMC for enhanced hyphal damage of Aspergillus fumigatus, Fusarium solani, and Candida albicans. G-CSF (100 ng/mL) increased hyphal damage mediated by both PMNL and PMNL/PBMC against F. solani, and GM-CSF (100 ng/mL) augmented the antifungal activity of PMNL/PBMC against hyphal forms of both F. solani and C. albicans. IFN-gamma may be superior to G-CSF or GM-CSF for enhancing the microbicidal activity of PMNL and PMNL/PBMC against opportunistic fungi.     

放线瑞香宁碱的解热镇痛作用

从青藤科植物黑吹风(Illigera sp)总生物碱中分离出一个单体,经化学鉴定命名为放线瑞香宁碱(actinodapbnine简称Ac)。分子式C_(18)H_(17)NO_4,为10-甲氧基-1,2-(次甲二氧基)-6-去甲阿朴菲-9-醇(图1)。动物实验表明,Ac具有解痉、镇痛、局麻及降低小鼠体温等作用,并证明其镇痛作用系非中枢性。本文进一步研究其镇痛作用和对不同动物正常     

Methods of early detection： would clinical breastexamination and breast ultrasonography be a good alternative to mammography？

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women[1].In the past 40 years,breast cancer incidence has doubled or even tripled in developed countries such as South Korea and Japan; whereas it is about 20% to 30% in China and India in the past decade[2-4]. An increasing incidence rate of 3%     

Secondhand smoke avoidance by preteens living with smokers: To leave or stay?

Introduction

Secondhand smoke (SHS) is hazardous to children's health. Designing interventions to reduce exposure requires understanding children's behavior in the presence of smokers, yet little is known about this behavior.

Purpose

To determine whether children's avoidance of SHS is associated with lower exposure and to explore predictors of avoidance based on a behavioral ecological model.

Method

Preteens aged 8–13 (N = 358) living with a smoker identified their primary source of SHS exposure, and reported whether they left (avoided exposure) or stayed the last time they were exposed to that person's smoke. The SHS avoidance measure was validated by examining associations with SHS exposure. Multiple Logistic Regression was used to determine predictors of SHS avoidance.

Results

Based on urine cotinine and reported exposure, preteens who left the presence of SHS had lower exposure than those who stayed. Preteens were more likely to leave SHS if they were less physically mature, had not tried smoking, had a firm commitment not to smoke, did not assist family smoking, had family/friends who discouraged breathing SHS, or had friends who disliked smoking.

Discussion

Most SHS exposure reduction interventions have targeted changes in smokers' behavior. Reductions can also be achieved by changing exposed nonsmokers' behavior, such as avoiding the exposure. Future studies should measure young people's SHS avoidance and test interventions to increase their avoidance practices.