Nasal resistance in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and nasal resistance (NR). Eighty-five consecutive patients were recruited owing to their symptoms indicating OSA. All patients received polysomnography and anterior rhinomanometry (performed during wakefulness in the supine position). Patients were divided into low and high NR groups according to their rhinomanometric results; their polysomnographic, anthropometric and demographic data were compared. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between polysomnography and rhinomanometric measurements. The two studied groups were not different in body mass index, sex and age (p > 0.05), but the high NR group showed a significantly higher snoring index (p = 0.03). Furthermore, unilateral higher NR correlated significantly with respiratory disturbance index (r = 0.30, p = 0.006) and minimal oxygen saturation (r = -0.22, p = 0.04); total NR also correlated with the snoring index (r = 0.23, p = 0.04). Stepwise multivariate regression models revealed that unilateral higher NR was predictive of respiratory disturbance index (R(2) = 0.087, p = 0.006). The research implied that NR is a possible contributing factor to snoring, with a need for further investigation to confirm the correlation between unilateral higher NR and the severity of OSA.     

Health related quality of life in adult patients with epilepsy compared with a general reference population in Taiwan

To compare the health-related quality of life (HRQL) for patients with epilepsy and health subjects, we collected the clinical and demographic data and information on health states by using the Taiwan version of World Health Organization quality of life (WHOQOL)-BREF questionnaire in 296 patients (aged 19-73 years) with confirmed active epilepsy visiting the clinic of National Taiwan University Hospital, and 296 age-, gender-, municipal- and education-matched Taiwanese healthy subjects sampled from a national health interview survey. Multiple regression analyses with stepwise selection strategy were conducted to study risk factors for impairment of HRQL. Patients with epilepsy have poorer HRQL than the healthy population in physical, psychological and social domains but not in environment domain (p<0.005). Patients with less than 4 attacks during the previous 1 month had a better score in the availability and quality of health and social care in environment domain than healthy subjects (p<0.05). After controlling other determinants, seizure frequency, and comobid with other diseases are the important factors in predicting HRQL for epilepsy patients. Patients with employment and married had a significantly better HRQL. Effective control of seizure frequency and thoughtful promotion of positive attitudes in community are essential to improve the HRQL of epilepsy patients.     

Unbearable weight: young adult women's experiences of being overweight

Being overweight is a hazard to health. Overweight people have a very negative image due to the marketing strategies for weight reduction and beauty products. Young women establishing self-image, seeking affirmation of social peers, and looking for potential mates are usually concerned about their weight and figure. To investigate the experience of young women who think they are overweight, how they come to think in this way, and the impact of this thinking, this qualitative pilot study conducted semi-structured interviews with five participants. On the basis of the qualitative method, data was subjected to constant comparison and content analysis. The phenomenon can thus be described in three major categories: (1) Social labeling of the overweight - a slim image is overwhelmingly preferred; (2) Pursuing attractiveness or health - a self-struggling process; (3) Weight reduction and self control - an endless struggle. The result of the study suggests there is a need for a competitive image to counter current obsessions with painfully slender figures in society. To protect the public's mental and physical health, nurses should play an active role in weight education based on a deeper and more dynamic understanding of being overweight.     

Prevention of macrophage adhesion molecule-1 (Mac-1)-dependent neutrophil firm adhesion by taxifolin through impairment of protein kinase-dependent NADPH oxidase activation and antagonism of G protein-mediated calcium influx

Taxifolin has been reported to down-regulate the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), a receptor-mediating firm adhesion with beta2 integrin (e.g., Mac-1) expressed on leukocytes. To evaluate whether taxifolin could modulate Mac-1-dependent firm adhesion by neutrophils, and the possible mechanism(s) underlying its anti-inflammatory action, its effects on N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) or phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-activated peripheral human neutrophils were studied. Pretreatment with taxifolin (1-100 microM) concentration-dependently diminished fMLP- or (PMA)-induced Mac-1-dependent firm adhesion and upexpression of surface Mac-1. Mobilisation of intracellular calcium and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) signal the upexpression of Mac-1 and firm adhesion by neutrophils. Taxifolin impeded the calcium influx induced by fMLP (a receptor-mediated activator) or AlF(4)(-) (a G protein-mediated activator). Taxifolin also effectively inhibited the fMLP- or PMA-induced ROS production with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) less than 10microM, possibly through impairing the activation of NADPH oxidase, a major ROS-generating enzyme in neutrophils, by restricting the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and protein kinase C (PKC). In conclusion, we propose that impairment of ROS production by NADPH oxidase through interfering with p38 MAPK- and/or PKC-dependent signals, and antagonism of G protein-mediated calcium influx may account for the inhibition of Mac-1-dependent neutrophil firm adhesion that confers taxifolin the anti-inflammatory activity.     

Association analysis of a neural nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphism and antipsychotics-induced tardive dyskinesia in Chinese schizophrenic patients

Summary. Recent findings from rodent studies with chronic administration of antipsychotic drugs have indicated the role of neural nitric oxide synthase (NOS1) on the susceptibility of tardive dyskinesia (TD). In the present study, the association between a 3-untranslated region C267T (3-UTR C267T) polymorphism of the NOS1 gene and TD as well as TD severity was investigated in 251 Chinese schizophrenic patients with long-term antipsychotic treatment (TD: 128, non-TD: 123). After adjusting the effects of confounding factors, there was no significant association between NOS1 3-UTR C276T genotypes and TD occurrence (p=0.758). With in the TD group, we could not discover a significant correlation between NOS1 3-UTR C276T genotypes and the scores of abnormal involuntary movement scale (AIMS) (p=0.219 and 0.774). We concluded that the NOS1 3-UTR C276T polymorphism might not play a major role in the susceptibility of TD development, or on the severity of TD.     

Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination of the elderly in Taiwan

In 1998, Taiwan became the first country in Asia to provide free influenza vaccination to high-risk groups, mainly the elderly. The purpose of this study is to determine: (1) the annual mortality rate from influenza and pneumococcal-related illnesses such as pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema and asthma and (2) the effectiveness of and adverse events associated with the influenza vaccination. In the elderly, influenza vaccination caused the annual death rate due chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, and asthma to decline steadily but had no effect on the annual pneumonia death rate. The only adverse effect of concern was vertigo (in approximately 2-3%).     

Meta-analysis of standard mortality ratio in cotton textile workers

Background: Pulmonary function tests may reveal obstructive lung disease with altered forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) in cotton textile workers. Since 1930, many cohort studies have been performed to assess the disease mortality rate in cotton textile workers. Materials and methods: The authors performed a meta-analysis of the SMR results of these studies. Results: From the meta-analysis, the SMRs were as follows: for all deaths, 0.792 in males and 0.873 in females; for cancers, 0.705 in males and 0.829 in females. Discussion: The male cotton textile workers were healthier than the general population. The healthy-worker effect may be one of the causes, in general workers in industry have a better mortality patterns than those not working.     

No association between the neuronal nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphism and Alzheimer Disease

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD). To examine the role of the neuronal NOS (nNOS) gene in AD, patients (n = 139) and control subjects (n = 101) were genotyped for the nNOS dinucleotide polymorphism. No association was demonstrated for AD and this particular nNOS polymorphism.     

Chemical burn caused by povidone-iodine alcohol solution--a case report

Burns associated with chemical disinfectants for skin preparation are rare. Skin irritation and maceration associated with pressure factors may contribute to its occurrence. We report a 24-year-old female with thyroid tumor who was admitted for subtotal thyroidectomy. After anesthetic induction, the patient was placed in the supine position with the trunk elevated to 20 degree. The skin over the anterior neck was sterilized with 10% Povidone-iodine (PI) alcohol solution. After a 3-hour surgery, the patient complained of burning pain over the back at the recovery room. Physical examination revealed a 9 x 11 cm area of skin lesion partially thickened amid on the middle of the back suggestive of chemical burn. After conservative treatment, she was discharged uneventfully 4 days later. Upon follow-up, the wound was seen to heal with minimal scarring within 3 weeks.