Neurobiology of the early course of schizophrenia

The past three decades have seen a great upsurge in studies focusing on the neurobiology of schizophrenia. Early studies, dating back to the start of the previous century, largely relied either on post-mortem examination of the brains of older patients with chronic schizophrenia or on brain scans in patients with established schizophrenia. It was therefore difficult to appraise the effects of the illness separately from those of aging, illness chronicity and medications. Avoiding such difficulties, studies of individuals in the early phases of schizophrenia have greatly enhanced our understanding of the course and predictive value of the neurobiological changes as well as approaches to optimal early interventions. In this paper, we review what we see as key directions in neurobiology research in early schizophrenia. We first provide an overview of alterations in cognition, structural and functional neuroanatomy, and neurochemistry in the early phases of schizophrenia. We conclude by summarizing the current state of understanding of the role of genetic and environmental factors and their interactions in the etiology of schizophrenia.     

Correction to: A Multi-center,Open-Label,Single-Arm Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy,Pharmacokinetics, and Safety and Tolerability of IGSC 20% in Subjects with Primary Immunodeficiency

Journal of Clinical Immunology -     

Development and Clinical Evaluation of sdaA Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assay for Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with an Approach To Prevent Carryover Contamination

A rapid and sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for the sdaA gene of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was developed using a dUTP-uracil-N-glycosylase (dUTP-UNG) strategy to prevent carryover contamination. Evaluation of the assay using clinical specimens (n = 648) showed high specificity (97.2%) and sensitivity (100%), demonstrating its potential as a diagnostic test for tuberculosis, especially in resource-limited settings.     

参附注射液治疗心肌缺血再灌注损伤网络药理学分析

目的 基于网络药理学研究预测参附注射液治疗心肌缺血再灌注损伤的主要活性成分、作用靶标和相关信号通路,并应用体外实验验证,揭示参附注射液治疗心肌缺血再灌注损伤潜在作用机制.方法 应用中药系统药理学数据库与分析平台收集参附注射液的有效活性成分和靶点信息;在GeneCards疾病数据和DisGeNET疾病数据库中收集缺血再灌...     

Recognition of the entity “the battered child syndrome” in India

Conclusion In India there is need for the formation of legislation for the protection of the battered child. The law should enforce mandatory reporting which may even prevent the occurence of child abuse. The child’s safety should be the main concern. Everything should be done to prevent repeated trauma. The physcian’s obligation to the court is that unless he takes a firm stand and states his findings and recommendations clearly, the judge will have difficulty in making a reasonable and a fairly valid decision whether or not it is safe for the child to return home. In any event, the physician should not agree to return the child to an environment where even a moderate risk of repetition exists. Should the death of a child for someone’s wickedness be ignored? Formerly at the Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan U.S.A.     

卵巢恶性肿瘤患者外周血自然杀伤细胞活性及T淋巴细胞亚群的改变

目的了解卵巢恶性肿瘤患者外周血自然杀伤细胞（ＮＫ细胞）活性及Ｔ淋巴细胞亚群的改变,并探讨其与肿瘤的组织学类型、细胞分化程度及临床分期的关系。方法采用放射性同位素掺入法及ＯＫＴ单克隆抗体,分别检测卵巢恶性肿瘤患者外周血ＮＫ细胞活性及Ｔ淋巴细胞亚群,并采用妇科良性肿瘤患者作对照。结果卵巢恶性肿瘤患者外周血ＮＫ细胞活性较妇科良性肿瘤患者显著降低（Ｐ＜００１）,ＯＫＴ４细胞显著减小（Ｐ＜００５）,而ＯＫＴ８细胞显著增多（Ｐ＜００５）,ＯＫＴ４／ＯＫＴ８比值显著减少（Ｐ＜００５）。ＮＫ细胞活性及Ｔ淋巴细胞亚群的改变与肿瘤的组织学类型、肿瘤细胞分化程度均无关（Ｐ＞００５）,而与临床分期有关（Ｐ＜００５）,临床分期越晚,其ＮＫ细胞活性越低,ＯＫＴ４细胞越少,ＯＫＴ８细胞越多,ＯＫＴ４／ＯＫＴ８比值越小。结论卵巢恶性肿瘤患者免疫功能是低下的,且临床分期越晚,其免疫功能越低。提示患者的免疫功能与自身体内肿瘤负荷有关。     

Commercial Mesh versus Nylon Mosquito Net for Hernia Repair. A Randomized Double-blind Study in Burkina Faso

Purpose

The goal of this study was to investigate whether locally available Nylon mosquito net might be a useful alternative to expensive commercial mesh implants for hernia repair, a clinical randomized double-blind study was performed.

Materials and Methods

Over a period of 3 months 35 patients with a total of 40 inguinal hernias were randomized for hernia repair with either a commercial graft (Ultrapro^®) or a piece of sterilized 100% Nylon mesh available as mosquito net in most African village markets. The surgeons’ comfort in handling the meshes, the incidence of complications, and the patients’ quality of life before and 30 days after hernia repair were evaluated. In addition, the costs of the two materials were compared.

Results

There was no significant difference in the clinical short-term outcome of the hernia treatment or the surgeons’ comfort in handling the two different materials. The price of the locally bought Nylon mesh was 0.0043 US$ as compared to 108 US$ for the commercial mesh.

Conclusions

In situations where superior results of hernia repair depend on the use of a mesh prosthesis but where commercial material is not available or affordable, the use of Nylon mosquito net may be an alternative. Further studies with a larger number of patients and longer follow-up are justified and recommended.     

Community-based survey on female genital excision in Faranah District, Guinea

This paper reports on a community-based study in 1999 of the beliefs and practices of people in Faranah District, Guinea regarding female genital excision (FGE). Semi-structured individual interviews and focus group discussions were carried out with women of reproductive age, older women, married men, community and religious leaders, traditional practitioners and health workers. The study found that FGE was being carried out on girls aged 6-14, mostly using a traditional knife and involving total excision of the clitoris and partial removal of the external genitals, in conjunction with instruction on how young women should behave when they are married. The practice is illegal under national laws but few people were aware of this. There was a tendency towards taking girls for medical care to avoid complications, and some people suggested that FGE should be done by medical professionals, but this was a minority. More than 60 per cent of respondents thought FGE was harmful to health and supported its abolition. Many more men than women took this view; women felt under pressure to maintain the tradition. To stop FGE, local organisations need to support a process of change within the community, including awareness-raising about the law and the negative health effects of FGE, promoting alternative ceremonies, educating practitioners and supporting education and improvements in the status of women.