Psychopaths at nuremberg? A rorschach analysis of the records of the Nazi war criminals

Sixteen Nuremberg war criminals' (NWC) Rorschach records were compared to those of Antisocial Personality Disordered (APD) incarcerated males procured by Gacono and Meloy (1988). The Meloy (1988) set of hypotheses for psychopathy was applied to the NWCs' Rorschachs. The NWCs did not match Meloy's hypotheses, and neither did the antisocial personality disordered inmates. However, individually and as a group, the NWC Rorschach variables indicated less psychopathy, according to the hypotheses, than those of the APD inmates. Unlike most previous studies, variance in type and degree of psychopathology precluded the application of a mental disorder, character structure, or trait to all, or to the majority, of NWCs. Nevertheless, common features, such as avoidance of responsibility, low self-esteem, and capacity for affection, were revealed.     

Ovine vital neutrophil extracellular traps bind and impair Haemonchus contortus L3 in a breed‐dependent manner

This study aimed to characterize neutrophil response to Haemonchus contortus (Hc) in vitro using cells from parasite‐resistant St. Croix (STC) and parasite‐susceptible Suffolk (SUF) sheep. Neutrophils from Hc‐primed and naive STC and SUF sheep were incubated with Hc larval antigen (HcLA), Hc worm antigen (HcWA) or complete media (CM). After HcLA exposure, neutrophils from STC and SUF formed extracellular traps composed of DNA. Stimulation with HcLA induced a 35‐fold increase in extracellular DNA compared to CM controls. However, extracellular DNA was not found when neutrophils were cultured with HcWA. The formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NET) in response to HcLA yields a low percentage of necrotic cells indicating a form of vital NETosis. Neutrophils from primed and naïve STC bound Hc L3 greater (93% and 68%) than SUF (78% and 45%; P < 0.001). Furthermore, STC neutrophils significantly reduced larval ATP levels compared to SUF neutrophils (0.05 μmol/L vs 0.1 μmol/L ATP, P < 0.001). These data indicate that ovine neutrophils bind, form vital NET and reduce ATP to Hc L3 in a breed and infection status–dependent manner.     

家兔失神经支配腓肠肌肌纤维退行性变与修复性再生的超微结构观察

目的:观察家兔腓肠肌失神经支配后肌纤维在退行性变与修复性再生过程中超微结构的变化,探讨失神经支配骨骼肌修复性再生障碍的机制。方法:实验于2005-04/2006-04在南方医科大学中心实验室完成。选择成年新西兰大白兔20只,切断一侧胫神经腓肠肌肌支,术后1,4,8,12,16周分别采用耳缘静脉注射空气处死4只。取实验侧和对照侧腓肠肌内侧头肌组织少许,用于制备超薄切片标本,透射电镜观察各时间点兔失神经腓肠肌肌纤维形态。结果:纳入动物20只,均进入结果分析。①正常家兔腓肠肌肌原纤维排列整齐,肌小节和Z线清晰,线粒体均匀分布在肌原纤维之间,排列规则,细胞核位于质膜周边,未见溶酶体。②失神经支配1周,肌原纤维排列基本整齐,线粒体增多,无明显肿胀。③失神经支配4周,线粒体明显增多肿胀,部分线粒体空泡样变,溶酶体增多,Z线模糊,肌原纤维间隙增大。④失神经支配8周,肌纤维明显萎缩退行性变,大部分肌原纤维消失,残留的肌原纤维变得模糊,间隙增大,肌小结丧失正常的结构,胞浆内含有大量空泡变性的细胞器,可发现畸形核,染色质浓缩、边集,肌细胞膜极度皱缩。镜下发现较多的位于基膜下活化的肌卫星细胞,细胞内含有发达的粗面内质网和丰富的胞浆。一些肌卫星细胞直接与肌纤维融合。同时在间质中可发现一些形态上很象成纤维细胞的细胞,不过这些细胞含有大量的粗面内质网,胞浆内有颗粒和微丝,少量的圆形的线粒体。在退行性变的肌纤维基膜下也可发现肌管样结构的再生肌细胞,在这些肌管内一些肌丝在一起聚集成束,没有组装成肌原纤维,没有正常的肌小结结构。在它们周围有细小的空肌管样结构,可能是以往再生的肌细胞退行性变后的残余体。在间质中可发现一些细小的肌纤维。⑤失神经支配12周,大部分肌纤维萎缩退行性变,但是仍可发现没有萎缩的肌纤维,这些肌纤维细胞核位于周边,有良好的收缩系统,纤维排列规则,Z线清晰,有完整的肌膜。⑥失神经支配16周,肌卫星细胞的数量明显减少,并可发现大量细小的肌纤维,多分布在较大的肌纤维附近,肌膜完整平滑,无皱褶。可发现核位于中央的肌纤维,胞浆内肌原纤维结构清楚,但是肌原纤维的排列远不如核位于周边的肌纤维整齐,说明其收缩系统发育不良。结论:失神经支配后肌细胞退行性变和修复性再生同时存在,再生的肌细胞不能,化发育为成熟的肌纤维,进而发生退行性变。长时间失神经支配,肌卫星细胞的耗竭是失神经支配骨骼肌晚期的主要超微结构变化。     

Indikationen zur intraoperativen Strahlentherapie

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Effects of probucol versus aspirin and versus brachytherapy on restenosis after femoropopliteal angioplasty: the PAB randomized multicenter trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of probucol and/or of endovascular brachytherapy (EVBT) on restenosis after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of femoropopliteal arteries. METHODS: A total of 335 patients (206 men; mean age 72+/-9 years) with intermittent claudication were randomized according to a 2x2 factorial design to 1 of the 4 groups: probucol, placebo, EVBT, and EVBT+probucol. Probucol (1 g/d) or placebo were given in double-blinded fashion 1 month before and for 6 months after PTA. Gamma irradiation (192Iridium, 14 Gy, 5-mm reference depth) was randomly applied in an unblinded manner from a noncentered endoluminal catheter. All patients received aspirin (100 mg/d). Primary endpoint was restenosis (>50% diameter reduction) detected by duplex ultrasound 6 months after PTA. Secondary endpoints included clinical and hemodynamic assessment. RESULTS: Restenosis in patients undergoing EVBT was 17% (23/133) versus 35% (50/142) in patients without EVBT (p<0.001); in patients treated with probucol versus placebo, the rates were 23% (31/135) and 30% (43/140, p<0.001). Three quarters (77%, 102/133) of patients were free of claudication after EVBT therapy versus 61% (87/142) without EVBT (p<0.05). Need for target vessel revascularization was 6% (8/133) with EVBT versus 14% (20/142) without EVBT (p<0.01). Late thrombotic occlusions occurred in 4% (6/133), exclusively in patients treated with EVBT after stent implantation. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular brachytherapy significantly reduces restenosis, improves symptoms, and reduces reinterventions after PTA of femoropopliteal arteries. Probucol reduces restenosis but has no additive effect when combined with brachytherapy.     

Preparation of 111In-DTPA morpholino oligomer for low abdominal accumulation

An ability to quantitate the beta cell mass by noninvasive nuclear imaging will be very useful in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diabetes. However, to be successful, radioactivity from the pancreas must not be obscured by the background radioactivity in the abdomen. Pretargeting offers the promise of achieving high target organ to normal tissue ratios. In preparation for pancreas imaging studies by pretargeting using morpholino oligomers (MORF/cMORF), it was necessary to develop a simple and efficient method to radiolabel the cMORF effector. Because we have shown that labeling the cMORF with ¹¹¹In via DTPA reduces excretion into the intestines compared to labeling with ^99mTc via MAG₃, the conjugation of DTPA to cMORF was investigated for ¹¹¹In labeling. The amine-derivatized cMORF was conjugated with DTPA using 1-ethyl-3(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) as an alternative to the conventional cyclic anhydride. The conjugation efficiency (represented by the number of DTPA groups attached per cMORF) was investigated by changing the EDC, DTPA, and cMORF molar ratios. Different open columns were considered for the purification of DTPA–cMORF. Before conjugation, each cMORF molecule was confirmed to have an amine by trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) assay using the ω-amino butyric acid as positive standard and the non-amine derivatized cMORF as negative standard. The average number of DTPA groups per cMORF was 0.15–0.20 following the conjugation over a cMORF/DTPA molar ratio of 0.5–5 and over a cMORF/EDC molar ratio of 20–60. The conjugation efficiency was lower than expected probably due to steric hindrance. A 1×50 cm P-4 column using ammonium acetate as eluting buffer provided an adequate separation of DTPA–cMORF from free DTPA. The ¹¹¹In labeling efficiency by transchelation from acetate exceeded 95%, thus avoiding the need for postlabeling purification. Despite the lower than expected conjugation efficiency in which no more than one-fifth of the cMORF were DTPA-derivatized, a specific radioactivity of at least 300 μCi/μg or 1.90 Ci/μmol of cMORF was achieved. In conclusion, a protocol is described for ¹¹¹In-DTPA–cMORF that provides the high specific activity favorable to beta cell imaging because of the low mass fraction of beta cells in pancreas (1–2%) and obviates the need for postlabeling purification.     

Occupational stress factors and alcohol-related behavior in urban transit operators

BACKGROUND: If alcohol consumption mitigates psychological and physiological aspects of the response to stressors, then alcohol consumption might be elevated for individuals exposed to high occupational stressors. Frequency of work stressors and reaction to those stressors were studied in relation to several alcohol-related outcomes. METHODS: During the period 1993-1995, 1979 transit operators underwent medical examinations for commercial driver's license renewal. Questionnaire and interview data concerning occupational stress factors and alcohol-related outcomes were available for 1386 (70.2%) of the operators. RESULTS: A positive association was found between the two job stressor-related measures and each of six alcohol-related outcomes. Of these 12 associations, ten were statistically significant. Individuals experiencing high self-reported frequency of job stressors and a higher perceived severity of those job stressors were more likely to drink and more likely to be heavy drinkers. They reported more consequences of alcohol consumption, reported increased consumption since beginning work as transit drivers, and were more likely to report drinking to deal with work stress. They also drank more, but this effect was not significant for either job stress measure. There was virtually no association between either stressor-related measure and alcohol dependency (CAGE). CONCLUSIONS: Together with other published findings, these results suggest increased alcohol-related outcomes in the presence of work stressors. This conclusion has potential implications for worksite health promotion and job design. Because our findings are cross-sectional, further research is needed to clarify the causal nature of the work stressor-alcohol association. Further research also is needed to clarify the role of individual differences and context.