Effect of antiinflammatory agents on neutrophil superoxide production in rheumatoid arthritis

Granulocyte superoxide production by different stimuli was studied in 14 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, and in four cases defective (O ₂ ^– generation was shown. The effect of two chemically related drugs, such as indomethacin and oxamethacin, was also evaluated, since we have previously investigated the action of antiinflammatory agents on cell locomotion. Indomethacin did not affect O ₂ ^– production, whereas oxamethacin reduced significantly superoxide generation in PMNs from all subjects tested. Moreover, the extent of the effect was dependent on the stimulant used, being larger when the activation of O ₂ ^– generating system was induced by opsonized zymosan.     

Social Inequalities in Changes in Diet in Adolescents during Confinement Due to COVID-19 in Spain: The DESKcohort Project

Adolescence is a critical period in the consolidation of healthy lifestyles that can last into adulthood. To analyze changes in food consumption and eating behaviors in high-school adolescents during the first confinement, a cross-sectional study was conducted at the end of confinement in Spain. Changes in the frequency or quantity of consumption of different types of food and food-related behaviors were analyzed. Socioeconomic and health-related variables were also considered. To determine whether dietary changes were related to socioeconomic position (SEP), Poisson regression models with robust variance were estimated. Overall, there were some changes towards a healthier diet such as an increase in fruit consumption (38.9%) and a decrease in the consumption of soft drinks (49.8%), sweets and pastries (39.3%), and convenience foods (49.2%). Some changes, however, were related to less healthy behaviors, such as a more irregular pattern of meal distribution (39.9%) or an increase in snacking between meals (56.4%). Changes towards less healthy eating were also related to students’ SEP. The risk of worsening the diet was found to be 21% higher in adolescents from a more disadvantaged SEP. Future public policies could be adapted to avoid increasing nutritional and health inequalities.     

The Role of Community Health Workers Within the Continuum of Services for HIV,Viral Hepatitis,and Other STIs Amongst Men Who Have Sex with Men in Europe

Journal of Community Health - Little is known about Community Health Workers (CHWs) who work in non-clinical settings to provide sexual health support around HIV, viral hepatitis, and other...     

Role of purinergic system in tracheobronchial reactivity of healthy and bronchopathic subjects

We have investigated the effect of inhaled adenosine on bronchomotor tone in 16 healthy and 24 allergic and non-allergic bronchopathic subjects. We determined the inhaled adenosine dose-response curves after no treatment and after treatment with aminophylline (240 mg in 10 min), reproterol (90 mcg in 2 min) and salbutamol (100 mcg in 2 min) administered intravenously 15 min before adenosine and reproterol (500 mcg) and salbutamol (200 mcg) administered by inhalation from a metered aerosol 30 min before adenosine on separate days. Without prior treatment, inhaled adenosine caused bronchoconstriction in both groups of subjects (normal, and atopic and non-atopic asthmatic ones), but the peripheral airways revealed only a moderate change in normal subjects. Aminophylline caused a greater inhibition of adenosine bronchoconstriction than did reproterol. These results suggest that inhaled adenosine bronchoconstriction involved purinergic transmission and that it is mediated via a P1/Ri (A-1/R1) receptor. Aminophylline is a potent antagonist at purinoceptor level. Reproterol inhibits bronchoconstriction by a mechanism independent of its effect on beta-adrenergic receptors. Because salbutamol, i.e. a beta 2-agonist bronchodilator, did not inhibit adenosine-induced bronchoconstriction (or very nearly so), our results support the view that reproterol antagonizes P1/Ri (A1/R1) tracheobronchial receptors.     

Treatment feasibility of a digital tool for brief self-help behavioural therapy for insomnia (FastAsleep)

Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia is efficacious and recommended for insomnia, but availability is scarce. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia self-help interventions could increase availability, especially if unguided. Optimizing cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia methods and system user-friendliness, we developed a short, digital, self-help programme—FastAsleep—based on the behavioural components of sleep restriction and stimulus control. This study investigated its feasibility and preliminary effects. Thirty media-recruited participants with moderate to severe insomnia were assessed via telephone before using FastAsleep for 4 weeks, and were interviewed afterwards. Self-ratings with web questionnaires were conducted at screening, pre-, mid- and post-treatment, and at 3-month follow-up. Primary outcomes were feasibility (credibility, adherence, system user-friendliness and adverse effects), and secondary outcomes were changes in symptom severity (insomnia, depression and anxiety). Adherence was generally high, participants' feasibility ratings were favourable, and adverse effects matched previously reported levels for cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia. Symptoms of insomnia decreased after the treatment period (Hedge's g = 1.79, 95% confidence interval = 1.20–2.39), as did symptoms of depression and anxiety. FastAsleep can be considered feasible and promising for alleviating insomnia symptoms among patients fit for self-care. Future controlled trials are needed to establish the efficacy of FastAsleep and its suitability in a stepped care model.     

Does the level of stapled ileoanal anastomosis influence physiologic and functional outcome?

PURPOSE: The aim of this investigation was to ascertain how the length of anal canal preserved above the dentate line in stapled end-to-end ileoanal anastomosis influenced late outcome. METHODS: Two groups, high cuff group and low cuff group of nine subjects with stapled anastomosis, matched for sex, age, pouch configuration, and mean follow-up, representing the highest (median, 2.5 cm) and lowest (median, 0.7 cm) anal cuff lengths in our series, were selected. Physiologic and functional parameters were appraised preoperatively, at the time of ileostomy closure, and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after reestablishment of intestinal continuity. RESULTS: At one year, the drop in mean anal canal resting pressure was 13 percent in the high cuff group (not signficant) and 31 percent in the low cuff group (P <0.05); mean maximum squeezing pressure did not differ significantly from preoperative values in both groups. The mean volume of the ileal pouch was higher in the low cuff group at all insufflation pressures. The rectoanal inhibition reflex reappeared in four high cuff group patients and in none of the low cuff group patients. Mean distention pressure (cm H ₂ O) and volume (ml) eliciting urge sensation were 80 and 360 in the low cuff group compared with 40 and 240 in the high cuff group (P ?0.05). Daytime bowel movements and night incontinence were significantly better in the low cuff group. No statistical differences were observed for night stool frequency, daytime incontinence, pad use (day and night), discrimination between gas and feces, ability to defer evacuation, and difficulty in emptying the pouch. CONCLUSION: Patients with stapled anastomoses and a low rectal cuff length, despite presenting lower anal resting pressure and absence of rectoanal inhibition reflex, had a better functional outcome in terms of continence than those with a high cuff length.     

Septo-optic dysplasia and growth hormone deficiency: accelerated pubertal maturation during GH therapy

We report four patients (three male, one female) with septo-optic dysplasia and growth hormone deficiency. All had GH therapy for a period of four to eight years until reaching final height. In all four cases bone maturation during puberty was accelerated (1.4 to 1.9 "years"/year), resulting in a final height which was clearly below the predicted height. The progress of pubertal stages was very short in all patients. In three patients TSH and prolactin release after TRH stimulation were increased. These data support a hypothalamic original of the endocrine disorder. Insufficient GH release, even after repeated GHRH stimulation, is in contrast to this assumption. In one case there was a late manifestation of neurohormonal diabetes insipidus, which indicates the possibility of later disease progression. MR imaging of the brain demonstrated variable malformation of the septum pellucidum, chiasma and nervus opticus or the pituitary gland, respectively.     

Mucocele of the minor salivary glands. 2. Diagnosis and therapy]

The Authors analyze clinical features of minor salivary glands mucocele and describe surgical treatments; three cases are reported.     

Effects of whole body hyperthermia (41.8 degrees C) on the frequency of tumor cells in the peripheral blood of patients with advanced malignancies.

PURPOSE: Combining heat with antineoplastic drugs has produced evidence of antitumor synergism. An increasing number of trials are investigating whole body hyperthermia (WBH) in combination with chemotherapy in patients with advanced malignancies. Here we investigated whether the hyperdynamic state of the circulation as a consequence of WBH may stimulate dissemination of malignant cells. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: WBH in combination with chemotherapy was administered by a radiant heat device to 20 consecutive patients with advanced epithelial malignancies. One WBH session lasted for approximately 4 h (90 min heating time, 60 min plateau at 41.8 degrees C, and 60-80 min cooling). Peripheral blood was drawn before WBH treatment (baseline), at the end of the plateau (1 h), and 24 h and 48 h thereafter. After removal of leukocytes using anti-CD45 magnetic beads, circulating tumor cells were detected immunocytochemically using the monoclonal antibody A45-B/B3, which binds to a common epitope present on various cytokeratins. RESULTS: The method used to detect tumor cells in the peripheral blood proved to be specific and very sensitive (detection limit 1 tumor cell per 1.7 x 10(5) peripheral blood mononuclear cell). Before WBH, 6 of 20 patients had cyto-keratin-positive cells in their blood. A treatment-induced increase in the number of circulating tumor cells became statistically significant at 24 h after WBH (P = 0.043) and was detected in a total of 9 patients, 5 of whom had no detectable malignant cells at baseline. There was no evidence of a correlation between an increase in the number of circulating tumor cells and increased metastasis frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that WBH might induce a temporary release of tumor cells into the circulation, but this spread appears to be clinically not significant in patients with advanced malignancies.