Deletion of aldose reductase leads to protection against cerebral ischemic injury.

Previously, we reported that transgenic mice overexpressing endothelin-1 in astrocytes showed more severe neurological deficits and increased infarct after transient focal ischemia. In those studies, we also observed increased level of aldose reductase (AR), the first and rate-limiting enzyme of the polyol pathway, which has been implicated in osmotic and oxidative stress. To further understand the involvement of the polyol pathway, the mice with deletion of enzymes in the polyol pathway, AR, and sorbitol dehydrogenase (SD), which is the second enzyme in this pathway, were challenged with similar cerebral ischemic injury. Deletion of AR-protected animals from severe neurological deficits and large infarct, whereas similar protection was not observed in mice with SD deficiency. Most interestingly, AR(-/-) brains showed lowered expression of transferrin and transferrin receptor with less iron deposition and nitrotyrosine accumulation. The protection against oxidative stress in AR(-/-) brain was also associated with less poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase-3 activation. Pharmacological inhibition of AR by Fidarestat also protected animals against cerebral ischemic injury. These findings are the first to show that AR contributes to iron- and transferrin-related oxidative stress associated with cerebral ischemic injury, suggesting that inhibition of AR but not SD may have therapeutic potential against cerebral ischemic injury.     

The effect of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on the self-esteem, depression, and self-efficacy of runaway adolescents in a shelter in South Korea.

This study examined the effects of cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBT) on the self-esteem, depression, and self-efficacy of runaway adolescents residing in a shelter in Seoul, South Korea. The study used a control group pretest-posttest design. The experimental group and the control group consisted of 14 and 13 male subjects, respectively, with subjects having been randomly assigned to these groups. The experimental group participated in a CBT that consisted of eight sessions over an 8-week period; the control group did not participate in the program. To examine the effects of the CBT on dependent variables, the Wilcoxon signed rank test was used. The scores on depression decreased significantly (z = -2.325, p = .02) and those on self-efficacy increased significantly (z = -2.098, p = .03) after the intervention in the experimental group. There was no significant change on self-esteem (z = -1.19, p = .23). In the control group, the scores on depression, self-esteem, and self-efficacy did not change significantly after the intervention period. The CBT developed in this study consisted of structured and specific content that could be usefully applied to runaway adolescents residing in a shelter.     

Serial CT findings of Paragonimus infested dogs and the Micro-CT findings of the worm cysts.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the serial CT findings of Paragonimus westermani infected dogs and the microscopic structures of the worm cysts using Micro-CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was approved by the committee on animal research at our institution. Fifteen dogs infected with P. westermani underwent serial contrast-enhanced CT scans at pre-infection, after 10 days of infection, and monthly thereafter until six months for determining the radiologic-pathologic correlation. Three dogs (one dog each time) were sacrificed at 1, 3 and 6 months, respectively. After fixation of the lungs, both multi-detector CT and Micro-CT were performed for examining the worm cysts. RESULTS: The initial findings were pleural effusion and/or subpleural ground-glass opacities or linear opacities at day 10. At day 30, subpleural and peribronchial nodules appeared with hydropneumothorax and abdominal or chest wall air bubbles. Cavitary change and bronchial dilatation began to be seen on CT scan at day 30 and this was mostly seen together with mediastinal lymphadenopathy at day 60. Thereafter, subpleural ground-glass opacities and nodules with or without cavitary changes were persistently observed until day 180. After cavitary change of the nodules, the migratory features of the subpleural or peribronchial nodules were seen on all the serial CT scans. Micro-CT showed that the cyst wall contained dilated interconnected tubular structures, which had communications with the cavity and the adjacent distal bronchus. CONCLUSION: The CT findings of paragonimiasis depend on the migratory stage of the worms. The worm cyst can have numerous interconnected tubular channels within its own wall and these channels have connections with the cavity and the adjacent distal bronchus.     

Injection sites utilized for DPT immunizations in infants.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the site utilized by nurses for administering Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids and Pertussis (DPT) injections to infants under 7 months of age. Twenty-six of the 28 agencies identified in a metropolitan area as administering DPT injections chose to participate in the study. Those individuals administering DPT injections in the agencies completed a questionnaire with a return rate of 69% (n = 55). Forty-four participants indicated that they used the anterolateral thigh, the recommended site, 100% of the time. The participants in the study administered a total of 1,453 DPT injections per month. Eighty-seven percent of those injections were administered in the anterolateral thigh, 3.6% were given in the deltoid, 5.1% were given in the dorsal gluteal, and 4% were given in the ventrogluteal. The estimated proportion of DPT injections administered at the correct site was 84.65% which is much lower than the critical value 94.06% for alpha = .05 (p less than .00001).     

Prospective randomised comparison of current coagulation and injection sclerotherapy for the outpatient treatment of haemorrhoids

The feasibility and early results of a new technique of outpatient proctoscopic coagulation of haemorrhoids by means of an electronic probe (Ultroid^®, Microvasive Inc., USA) were evaluated in comparison to conventional injection sclerotherapy. Age, symptom and sex-matched groups were analysed before and 6 weeks after outpatient treatment, using scoring systems (n=51). A mean of 6.2±0.4 ml of phenol in oil were injected over 2.4±0.2 min compared to a mean current of 15.8 ±0.2 mA over a period of 11.9±0.8 min (p<0.001, treatment time). Sclerotherapy was found significantly less tedious than coagulation. More patients complained of discomfort during coagulation, but the difference in tolerance scores between the 2 groups was not significant. Three patients in the coagulation group but none in the injection group refused to be treated by the same method again due to discomfort. Significant benefits were achieved by both modes of treatment after 6 weeks. The early cure rates for bleeding were 84% for sclerotherapy and 64% for coagulation (p=0.2) and for prolapse 56% and 44% respectively (p=0.72). Injection sclerotherapy is preferable to Ultroid^® coagulation for the outpatient treatment of haemorrhoids because it is a quicker, less tedious and more comfortable procedure with equally effective early results.

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Résumé La réalisation et les premiers résultats d'une nouvelle technique de coagulation ambulatoire des hémorroïdes au moyen d'une sonde électronique (Ultroïd, Microvasive inc. USA) on été évalués par comparaison avec la sclérothérapie conventionnelle. Deux groupes appariés selon l'âge, les signes et le sexe ont été analysés avant et six semaines après un traitement ambulatoire en utilisant un score (n=51). Une moyenne de 6,2±0,4 ml d'huile phéniquée a été injectée en 2,4±0,2 mn comparée à une application de courant moyen de 15,8±0,2 mA dans une période de 11,9±0,8 mn (p<0,001, temps de traitement). La sclérothérapie a été trouvée moins pénible que la coagulation. Plus de malades se plaignaient d'inconfort durant la coagulation mais la différence de tolérance n'était pas significative entre les deux groupes. Trois malades dans le groupe de coagulation ont refusé de poursuivre le traitement en raison du disconfort contre aucun malade dans le groupe d'injection. Les résultats furent bons dans les deux groupes après six semaines. Les résultats immédiats pour les saignements étaient de 84% et de 64% pour la coagulation (p=0,2) et pour les procidences de 56% pour la scléro-thérapie contre 44% pour la coagulation (p=0,72). Les injections sclérosantes sont préférables à la coagulation Ultroid comme traitement ambulatoire des hémorroïdes car il s'agit d'un procédé plus rapide, moins pénible et plus confortable avec des résultats immédiats aussi bons.

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Paper presented at the Spring Meeting of the British Society of Gastroenterology, University of Warwick, UK, March 1990     

SUICIDE ATTEMPT DUE TO METOCLOPRAMIDE-INDUCED AKATHISIA

Akathisia as a side-effect of metoclopramide has received increasing attention in consultation-liaison psychiatry in recent years. A case of metoclopramide-induced akathisia resulting in a suicide attempt is reported in order to highlight the suffering of such patients and the factors that lead to misdiagnosis.     

Covered metal stent for tumor obstruction of efferent loop recurrence after gastrectomy

Reports the case of a 60-year-old woman who underwent R2 total gastrectomy, and subsequent palliation of painful symptom recurrence via a membrane-covered metal stent. Received: 13 June 1996/Accepted: 31 July 1996     

Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry of the forearm: reproducibility and correlation with single-photon absorptiometry.

Although single-photon absorptiometry (SPA) has been the predominant tool used to assess bone mineral density (BMD) in the forearm, the development of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) provides the benefits of greater source stability, reduced scanning time, and improved image resolution compared to SPA. In the present study we used the DEXA bone densitometer (Hologic, Inc., Waltham, MA) to (1) measure BMD in the one-third radius and ultradistal radius; (2) examine the reproducibility of these BMD measurements; and (3) compare the BMD at the one-third radius with SPA (SP2, Lunar Corp., Madison, WI). In 65 normal women (ages 22-74 years) we examined changes in the forearm DEXA BMD with age, revealing significant quadratic regression equations. The reproducibility of DEXA BMD (mean +/- SEM) in 7 normal subjects aged 22-50 years is 0.85 +/- 0.16% for the predominantly cortical one-third radius site and 0.97 +/- 0.15% for the more trabecular ultradistal site. The regression relationship between DEXA and SPA of the one-third radius in 26 subjects (ages 22-68 years) is DEXA BMD = 0.105 + 0.826 (SPA BMD); R = 0.97, R2 = 0.94, p less than 0.0001. Bone densitometry of the forearm using DEXA may be performed relatively rapidly, providing reproducibility and image resolution that are generally superior to those observed with SPA.