Implications of a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa in a ballet school

Competitive pressures to achieve a slim body shape may be of importance in the etiology of eating disorders in ballet dancers. This study examines the presence of anorexia nervosa-like symptoms in a group of 49 female ballet students (mean age = 18.9 years, SD ± 1.9). All students were assessed for certain physical (weight and height) and psychological (Eating Attitude Test [EAT]) indices at the start of their academic training year. Thereafter, all subjects who presented with anorexia nervosa-like symptoms (EAT ≥ 30, and/or with current secondary amenorrhea or primary amenorrhea if aged 16 years or over) at the initial assessment, were invited for a semistructured interview (Morgan-Russel scales) to determine their diagnostic status. Another aim of the study was to assess the prognostic implications of a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa in this sample. All subjects previously interviewed were invited for a follow-up assessment at 10 months. Anorexia nervosa could be diagnosed in 2 students (4.1%), whilst another 4 students (8.2%) presented with “partial syndrome” anorexia nervosa. All diagnosed students managed to complete their academic training year. The development and implications of a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa in the ballet students are discussed.     

Incision depth affects the recovery of corneal sensitivity and neural regeneration in the cat

To assess the effect of incision depth on the recovery of corneal sensitivity and neural regeneration, adult domestic cats underwent either 8-mm circular nonpenetrating keratotomies or penetrating autografts. The contralateral eye served as control. Corneal sensitivity was determined at various intervals after surgery. The depth of incision in the nonpenetrating keratotomies, assessed by optical pachometry, ranged between 49 and 91% of total corneal thickness. The animals were ranked based on the depth of incision and the average sensitivity within the keratotomy over the 1-yr recovery period. A significant negative correlation was found between incision depth and the recovery of sensitivity (Spearman rank-order correlation r = -0.84, P less than 0.05). Some recovery of sensitivity was found in the center and periphery of the incised zone when incision depth was less than 53% of total corneal thickness. With deeper incisions, the center of the incised zone remained insensitive throughout the measurement period, while the periphery of the incised zone showed a slight recovery of corneal sensitivity, proportional to incision depth. The recovery of corneal sensitivity was higher in a small annular region just distal to the incision site. When incision depth exceeded approximately 53%, gold chloride impregnation showed that the resultant reinnervation was confined to single intraepithelial axons or localized regions of irregular epithelial fibers. With shallower incisions, the deeper stromal trunks were spared, resulting in the persistence of a reduced subepithelial plexus and basal epithelial leashes. We have shown that when an incision severs all stromal trunks, the neural regeneration is insufficient for functional recovery of corneal sensitivity at the center of an 8-mm keratotomy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Copper radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals in nuclear medicine

The chemistry, radiochemistry, radiobiology, and radiopharmacology of radiopharmaceuticals containing copper radionuclides are reviewed. Copper radionuclides offer application in positron emission tomography, targeted radiotherapy, and single photon imaging. The chemistry of copper is relatively simple and well-suited to radiopharmaceutical application. Current radiopharmaceuticals include biomolecules labelled via bifunctional chelators primarily based on cyclic polyaminocarboxylates and polyamines, and pyruvaldehyde-bis(N⁴-methylthiosemicarbazone) (PTSM) and its analogues. The chemistry of copper, of which only a fraction has yet been exploited, is likely to be applied more fully in the future.