TREC-Rio trial: a randomised controlled trial for rapid tranquillisation for agitated patients in emergency psychiatric rooms [ISRCTN44153243]

Background  

Agitated or violent patients constitute 10% of all emergency psychiatric treatment. Management guidelines, the preferred treatment of clinicians and clinical practice all differ. Systematic reviews show that all relevant studies are small and none are likely to have adequate power to show true differences between treatments. Worldwide, current treatment is not based on evidence from randomised trials. In Brazil, the combination haloperidol-promethazine is frequently used, but no studies involving this mix exist.     

Epidemiology of signs and symptoms in temporomandibular disorders: clinical signs in cases and controls

An epidemiologic study of clinical signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) was conducted with a probability sample of adults enrolled in a major health maintenance organization (HMO). This report presents data from a first wave field examination and interview conducted by trained, calibrated dental hygienist field examiners. Significant gender differences for vertical jaw opening measures were observed but no significant age differences were found for the distribution of clinically relevant findings. Clinic cases showed smaller amounts of vertical range of jaw motion but did not differ from community cases or controls on extent of lateral, protrusive, or retrusive mandibular movements; on classification of occlusion; or on dentally related variables. Clinic cases had more pain during all jaw excursions as well as during muscle and joint palpation. Joint clicking sounds were also observed more frequently in clinic cases.     

Punishment modifies the effects of chlordiazepoxide and benzodiazepine receptors

Littermate groups of male albino rats responded under a procedure which generated comparable rates of punished and nonpunished responding. Chlordiazepoxide (3.0-30.0 mg/kg, IP) increased punished responding but had no effect on nonpunished responding. Homogenate receptor binding studies with [3H]Ro 15-1788 indicated increased benzodiazepine receptor binding in the striatum of rats who received shock. Moreover, a third group of rats exposed to noncontingent shock showed greater increases than those whose responses had been punished, suggesting that predictability and control of shock may have attenuated the effects of the noxious stimulus. Increased binding seen in the cerebellum, however, was related to the punishing effects of the electric shock since it occurred only in those animals receiving response-contingent shock. There were no changes in binding affinity in any of the brain regions tested. Site-specific alterations benzodiazepine receptors following electric footshock are related to the contingencies under which the noxious stimuli are administered. Furthermore, changes in benzodiazepine receptor binding may underlie the differential effects of benzodiazepine agonists on punished and nonpunished responding.     

Aged venous thrombi: radioimmunoimaging with fibrin-specific monoclonal antibody

Radioimmunoimaging of fresh canine venous thrombi with a murine monoclonal antibody specific for human and dog fibrin has been reported. Successful imaging of canine deep venous thrombi 1, 3, and 5 days old at the time of antibody injection is reported. Images were positive in all dogs, and the uptake of fibrin-specific antibody was equivalent to that of fresh thrombi.     

肺源性心脏病急性发作期免疫功能的改变

目的:观察肺源性心脏病(简称肺心病)急性发作期患者免疫功能的变化。方法:选择南华大学附属第一医院2004-11/2006-01收治慢性肺心病急性发作期患者60例为肺心病组,于急性加重期入院第2天7:00,空腹抽取静脉血,采用流式细胞仪检测T细胞亚群CD3 、CD4 、CD8 及自然杀伤细胞活性,免疫浊度法检测体液免疫指标(IgG,IgM,IgA及补体C3)。以同期60例健康体检者为对照。结果:120例是否受试者均进入结果分析。①T细胞亚群:肺心病组CD3 ,CD4 水平低于对照组(0.52±0.06,0.62±0.04;0.32±0.06,0.41±0.06;P均<0.05),CD4 /CD8 高于对照组(1.96±0.26,1.84±0.78,P<0.05)。②免疫血清指标:肺心病组IgA、补体C3及自然杀伤细胞活性低于对照组[(1.26±0.74),(2.45±0.85)g/L;(6200±217),(9960±302)mg/L;0.34±0.08,0.57±0.07;P均<0.05]。结论:肺源性心脏病急性发作期患者的细胞免疫和体液免疫功能均受损,尤以细胞免疫功能受损更突出,且与病情呈平行关系。     

West Nile virus in the United States: an update on an emerging infectious disease

West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus and human neuropathogen. Since the virus was recognized in New York City in 1999, it has spread rapidly across the United States, with human disease documented in 39 states and the District of Columbia. West Nile virus can cause a broad range of clinical syndromes, including fever, meningitis, encephalitis, and a flaccid paralysis characteristic of a poliomyelitis-like syndrome. Approximately one in 150 infections results in severe neurologic illness. Advanced age is the greatest risk factor for severe neurologic disease, long-term sequelae, and death. Physicians should consider West Nile virus infection when evaluating febrile patients who have unexplained neurologic symptoms, muscle weakness, or erythematous rash during late spring through early fall, or throughout the year in warm climates. West Nile virus infection has no characteristic findings on routine laboratory tests, although anemia, leukocytosis, or lymphopenia may be present. Testing for IgM antibody to West Nile virus in serum or cerebrospinal fluid (samples from the acute and convalescent phases, submitted at least two weeks apart) is the most common diagnostic method. Local or state health departments usually can perform the test within 24 to 36 hours of submission. Treatment is supportive. Prevention relies on comprehensive mosquito-control programs and measures to avoid mosquito bites, including the use of mosquito repellents containing N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide.     

Phenotypic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus, selected Enterobacteriaceae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa after single and multiple in vitro exposures to ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and trovafloxacin

The phenotypic resistance of selected organisms to ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and trovafloxacin was defined as a MIC of > or =4 microg/ml. The dynamics of resistance were studied after single and sequential drug exposures: clinical isolates of methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA and MRSA), Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were utilized. After a single 48-h exposure of a large inoculum to four times the initial MIC for the organism, the frequency of selection of resistant mutants of MSSA was greater for trovafloxacin than levofloxacin (P = 0.008); for E. cloacae, the frequency was highest for ciprofloxacin and lowest for levofloxacin and trovafloxacin; for S. marcescens, the frequency was highest for trovafloxacin and lowest for ciprofloxacin (P = 0.003). The results of serial passage experiments were analyzed both by the Kaplan-Meier product-limited method as well as by analysis of variance of mean inhibitory values. By both methods, MSSA and MRSA expressed mutants resistant to ciprofloxacin after fewer passages than were required for either levofloxacin or trovafloxacin. For the aerobic gram-negative bacilli, two general patterns emerged. Mutants resistant to trovafloxacin appeared sooner and reached higher mean MICs than did mutants resistant to levofloxacin or ciprofloxacin. Mutants resistant to ciprofloxacin appeared later and reached mean MICs lower than the MICs of the other two drugs studied. Even though individual strain variation occurred, the mean MICs were reproduced when the serial passage experiment was repeated using an identical panel of E. coli isolates. In summary, the dynamic selection of fluoroquinolone-resistant bacteria can be demonstrated in experiments that employ serial passage of bacteria in vitro.     

Granulocyte transfusion therapy in a child with chronic granulomatous disease and multiple red cell alloantibodies

A 7-year-old, 17-kg child with chronic granulomatous disease and nocardial pneumonia and osteomyelitis did not respond to antibiotic therapy and developed multiple red cell (RBC) alloantibodies (anti-c, -E, and -Jka). To provide daily granulocyte concentrates, a method was devised to reduce the number of incompatible RBCs per transfusion. Leukapheresis was done with hydroxyethyl starch, and the apheresis product was allowed to sediment by gravity in a plasma expressor for 90 minutes. The leukocyte-rich plasma was separated from the sedimented RBCs by transfer to a satellite bag, and the volume of the product was reduced by centrifugation to approximately 80 ml. RBC content was reduced from 29 +/- 7 to 2.5 +/- 1.0 ml (n = 22, p less than 0.01) and was accompanied by a 70 percent recovery of white cells (range, 49-90%). The final product contained 1.6 +/- 1.0 X 10(10) granulocytes. There were no clinical or laboratory signs of hemolysis during the course of 46 granulocyte transfusions, 37 of which were derived from c-, E-, or Jka-positive donors. The size of most apheresis donor pools is insufficient to provide phenotypically matched granulocyte concentrates daily for patients with RBC alloimmunization. The rapid, simple method described here may allow daily therapy with mismatched concentrates to be administered safely to such patients.     

大学生静态平衡能力与运动及性别的关系:定量对比分析

目的:采用定量分析方法比较体育与非体育专业大学生静态平衡能力,分析运动及性别对大学生静态平衡功能的影响。方法:于2007-01/03选取首都体育学院在校大学生共78名为受试对象,其中体育(武术)专业学生40名,非体育(康复)专业学生38名。所有选取对象了解试验目的,并同意参与本实验。采用意大利PosturalEqua平静分析系统,对实验对象分别在睁眼60s、闭眼60s两种状态下测试其静态平衡的各项指标,包括压力中心,线形图总长度,最大摆幅,线形图面积,LFS指数,压力分布,稳定性图及隆伯格值。结果:78名为受试对象均进入结果分析。①两专业学生压力中心X轴短于Y轴、压力分布前(%)高于后(%)(P<0.01)。②在闭眼状态下,体育专业男大学生在指标LFS指数和额状面上大于非体育专业(P<0.05)。③非体育业大学生在睁眼状态下,Y值女性小于男性,额状面值女性大于男性。男、女生睁闭眼差值进行比较时,女性在线形图总长度、额状面和LFT指数均大于男性(P<0.01),而线形图面积小于男性(P<0.05)。④体育专业大学生在睁眼状态下,指标参数Y值女性小于男性,额状面值女性大于男性;闭眼状态下,指标参数Y值女性小于男性,额状面值和LFS值女性大于男性。男、女生睁闭眼差值比较,女性在线形图总长度、额状面和LFT指数均大于男性(P<0.05,P<0.01),而线形图面积小于男性(P<0.05)。结论:①运动训练对大学生静态平衡影响不大,但对男性大学生的某些平衡指标却有显著影响。②性别对大学生的静态平衡均产生影响,表现为男性平衡的微控制能力优于女性。