Aversion to risk and guilt

Much research has shown that cognitive processes are largely guided by individuals' states of mind (Mancini & Gangemi, 2002a, in press; Smeets, de Jong, & Mayer, 2000). In this paper, we specifically consider a state of mind characterized by guilt for having acted irresponsibly. This state is currently considered the breeding ground for the obsessive–compulsive disorder (Rachman, 2002; Salkovskis & Forrester, 2002). Our aim is to examine the impact of this state of mind on decision under risk. We hypothesize that individuals' choices (risk seeking/risk aversion) depend on how they evaluate themselves, as guilty or as victims of a wrong, and thus on moral values. People who evaluate them‐selves as guilty are expected to show a risk‐averse preference. People who evaluate themselves as victims are expected to show a risk‐seeking preference. In two different experiments, we demonstrated that non‐clinical participants' aversion to risky choices and preference for risky choices vary as a function of their moral role (guilty/victim). As predicted, in both the experiments, participants experienced intolerance for risk, making more riskless choices, in the context of guilt. Thus, aversion to risk‐taking is actually affected by a mental state of guilt. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bacterial lipase and high-fat diets in canine exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: A new therapy of steatorrhea?

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Nutrients and properties of lipases affect survival of lipolytic activity during aboral gastrointestinal transit. Whether different doses and formulations of bacterial lipase and diets affect steatorrhea was tested in pancreatic-insufficient dogs. METHODS: A dose of 0-600,000 IU of powdered and 135,000 and 300,000 IU of liquid bacterial lipase was given with a standard meal to 5 dogs with ligated pancreatic ducts. In 4 dogs, 0 or 300,000 IU (normal 6-hour postprandial amount) of powder bacterial lipase was also given with five meals containing 850 kcal with different nutrient caloric densities (mixture design). Coefficients of fat absorption during 72- hour fecal balance studies were used to assess treatments. RESULTS: With the standard meal, powder bacterial lipase reduced steatorrhea in a dose-dependent manner (P = 0.03), and 135,000 and 300,000 IU of the liquid form decreased steatorrhea more than powder bacterial lipase (P = 0.017 and 0.057, respectively). Coefficients of fat absorption with 300,000 IU of powder bacterial lipase correlated (r2 = 0.79; P < 0.001) with increasing proportions of fat calories in diets. CONCLUSIONS: Liquid bacterial lipase decreases steatorrhea more than powder, and 300,000 IU of powder bacterial lipase ingested with high-fat meals corrects canine pancreatic steatorrhea. The combination of adequate mixing of small amounts (milligrams) of bacterial lipase and high-fat meals abolishes canine steatorrhea and may abolish human pancreatic steatorrhea. (Gastroenterology 1997 Jun;112(6):2048-55)     

S-nitrosoglutathione-containing hydrogel accelerates rat cutaneous wound repair

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide (NO) plays a key role in wound repair and S-nitrosothiols like S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) are well known NO donors. METHODS: Animals were separated in two groups and submitted to excisional wounds on the dorsal surface at the first day. GSNO (100 microm)-containing hydrogels were topically applied on the wound bed in the GSNO group, daily, during the first 4 days. Control group was topically treated with hydrogel without GSNO for the same period. Wound contraction and re-epithelialization were measured. Animals were sacrificed 21 days after wounding. Samples of lesion and normal tissue were formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded for histological analysis. RESULTS: Wound contraction, measured 14 and 21 days after wounding, was greater in the GSNO group than in the control group (P<0.05 for both). The re-epithelialized wound area, measured 14 days after wounding, was higher in the GSNO group than in the control group (P<0.05). A higher amount of inflammatory cells was observed in superficial and deep areas of the granulation tissue of the control group compared to the GSNO group. Twenty-one days after wounding, thin red-yellow collagen fibers arranged perpendicularly to the surface were found in the granulation tissue of the control group, whereas in the GSNO-treated group collagen fibers were thicker and arranged parallel to the surface. Increased number of mast cells was observed in the GSNO group compared with that in the control group. Vascularization and myofibroblast distribution were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Topical application of GSNO-containing hydrogel during the early phases of rat cutaneous wound repair accelerates wound closure and re-epithelialization and affects granulation tissue organization.     

Current role of laser and photodynamic therapy in gastrointestinal tumors and analysis of a 10-year experience.

Laser energy can be used for a variety of neoplastic diseases including benign tumors, early stage malignancies, and advanced carcinomas, either with curative intent or for palliation. Nd:YAG laser photocoagulation of 168 colorectal adenomas allowed a complete eradication in 70% of cases, after a mean follow-up of 22 months. Advanced and obstructing tumors were treated with Nd:YAG laser to recanalize the lumen. In the upper gastrointestinal tract the recanalization of the lumen by means of laser photocoagulation improved the quality of life and survival. In fact, in our series of 308 patients treated, 1-year survival was 23% in recanalized patients and 7% in nonrecanalized patients. In the lower gastrointestinal tract, 289 cancer patients were treated and an amelioration of symptoms related to the obstruction was obtained in 93%. The current indication for photodynamic therapy is mainly the treatment of flat or ulcerative early stage tumors in the esophagus and stomach of high risk patients. Out of 17 patients treated, 14 were locally cured.     

Enumeration of S-phase cells in normal rat liver by immunohistochemistry using bromodeoxyuridine-antibromodeoxyuridine system

The visualization of incorporation sites of the thymidine analog bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) into DNA, detected by immunocytochemistry, has been proposed as an index of the percentage of S-phase cells in a variety of tissues and as an easy, less expensive alternative to autoradiography. This technique has not yet been applied to the study of physiological cell renewal in the normal liver. In the present study, results obtained with this method in the liver of normal young adult rats is reported. BrdU was administered in vivo and subsequent incorporation was detected by the PAP technique using monoclonal anti-BrdU antibodies. The nuclei exhibiting a positive reaction within the liver were few and accounted for about 0.45% of all hepatocytes. Positive cells were located preferentially in zone 1, which contained 82.7% of the labeled cells. Zone 2 contained 15.4%, while only 1.9% of the labeled cells were found in zone 3. Positive-staining Kupffer cell nuclei were rare (about 0.5% of all Kupffer cells) and were distributed randomly in the hepatic lobule. These findings provide quantitative data about hepatocyte renewal in the normal liver in the absence of a growth stimulus. The simplicity and the reproducibility of this technique suggests that further application of this method in situations assessing hepatic regeneration are indicated.     

Spatio-temporal expression of estrogen sulfotransferase within the hepatic lobule of male rats: implication of in situ estrogen inactivation in androgen action.

Estrogen sulfotransferase (EST) catalyzes transfer of the sulfate group from phosphoadenosine phosphosulfate to estrogenic steroids. Since estrogen sulfates do not bind to the estrogen receptor with high affinity, EST can control the intracellular level of the receptor-active estrogens. Androgen action in the rat liver, as indicated by the androgenic induction of alpha 2u-globulin, is inhibited by low levels of estrogens. Thus, in situ estrogen inactivation by EST is expected to increase hepatic androgen sensitivity. During the lifespan of the animal, rat liver undergoes three distinct phases of androgen sensitivity, i.e. prepubertal androgen insensitivity, androgen sensitivity after approximately 40 days of age, and androgen insensitivity during senescence (greater than 750 days). EST in the liver is expressed only after puberty, when the liver becomes androgen sensitive. Furthermore, localization of EST and its corresponding mRNA within the lobular unit of the liver demonstrates that only androgen-responsive hepatocytes located around the central vein contain immunoreactive EST and its corresponding mRNA. These temporal and spatial correlations of EST expression and hepatic androgen sensitivity support the concept that steroid-inactivating enzymes play important roles in sex hormone action.