A preliminary report of the short-term effect of carbonated beverage consumption on calcium metabolism in normal women

A variety of nutritional factors influence the bioavailability of calcium and increase a woman's risk of osteoporosis. Eight healthy women completed an 8-week metabolic study designed to investigate the effect of nonalcoholic carbonated beverage consumption on calcium metabolism. Compared with women receiving a control diet, women consuming a diet high in nonalcoholic carbonated beverages demonstrated similar mean serum levels of calcium, ionized calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, and osteocalcin. Twenty-four-hour urine volume, creatinine clearance, calcium-creatinine ratio, and phosphorus-creatinine ratio were similar during consumption of the diet high in nonalcoholic carbonated beverages and the control diet. Twenty-four-hour cyclic adenosine monophosphate-creatinine ratio was significantly lower in women consuming the diet high in nonalcoholic carbonated beverage compared with women receiving the control diet (342 +/- 27.4 nmol/mmol vs 409 +/- 22.1 nmol/mmol). Consumption of a diet high in nonalcoholic carbonated beverages on a short-term basis does not appear to affect adversely the serum or urinary markers of calcium metabolism.     

Simultaneous prepubertal onset of panic disorder, night terrors, and somnambulism

Concurrent acute onset of night terrors, somnambulism, and spontaneous daytime panic attacks meeting the criteria for panic disorder is reported in a 10-year-old boy with a family history of panic disorder. Both the parasomnias and the panic disorder were fully responsive to therapeutic doses of imipramine. A second case of night terrors and infrequent full symptom panic attacks is noted in another 10-year-old boy whose mother has panic disorder with agoraphobia. The clinical resemblance and reported differences between night terrors and panic attacks are described. The absence of previous reports of this comorbidity is notable. It is hypothesized that night terror disorder and panic disorder involve a similar constitutional vulnerability to dysregulation of brainstem altering systems.     

Chewing gum,stress and health

Hollingworth described chewing gum as ‘a technique of relaxation’. Recent research has examined this issue and there is evidence that chewing gum can prevent the adverse effects of acute stress. There are also plausible biological mechanisms that could explain such effects. It is now important to examine chewing gum and chronic stress and the present study involved a survey of this topic. The survey covered the ‘stress process’, collecting data on exposure to stressful events, levels of perceived stress and health outcomes. Frequency of chewing gum was also recorded. Potential confounding factors (demographics, personality and health-related behaviours) were also recorded. The web-based survey was completed by a community sample of 2,248 full-time workers (68% female. Mean age: 35 years, range 18–74 years). Sixty-one per cent of the sample were gum chewers. The results showed that chewing gum was associated with lower levels of perceived stress (both at work and life in general). Gum chewers were also less likely to be depressed and to have seen their doctor for high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Chewing gum was associated with lower levels of alcohol consumption and with cigarette smoking. Gum chewers were also more likely to be neurotic extraverts. Those who chewed gum were also more likely to be exposed to negative factors at work. Logistic regression analyses showed that the effects of chewing gum on stress and health remained significant when these confounding factors were controlled for. These results suggest that chewing gum may be a simple way of preventing stress and the negative health outcomes that are often associated with it. Intervention studies are now required and the mechanisms underlying the effects reported here need further investigation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulation model of renal replacement therapy: predicting future demand in England.

BACKGROUND: The demand for renal replacement therapy (RRT) in England has risen steadily, although from a lower base than many other developed countries. Predicting the future demand for RRT and the impact of factors such as the acceptance rate, transplant supply and patient survival, is required in order to inform the planning of such services. METHODS: A discrete event simulation model estimates the future demand for RRT in England in 2010 for a range of scenarios. The model uses current prevalence and current and projected future acceptance rates, survival rates and the transitions between modalities to predict future patient numbers. National population and mortality data, published literature and data from the UK Renal Registry and UK Transplant, are used to estimate unmet need for RRT, the impact of changing demography and incidence of Type 2 diabetes, patient haemodialysis (HD) survival and transplant supply. RESULTS: By 2010 the predicted prevalence will have increased from about 30,000 in 2000 to between 42 and 51,000 (900-1000 p.m.p.), an average annual growth of 4.5-6%. Changing transplant supply has a small effect on overall numbers but changes the proportion of patients with functioning graft by up to 8%. Even with an optimistic increase in transplant supply (11% p.a. for 5 years), numbers on HD will continue to rise substantially, especially in the elderly. The factors most influencing future patient numbers are the acceptance rate and dialysis survival. CONCLUSION: This model predicts a substantial growth in the RRT population to 2010 to a rate approaching 1000 p.m.p., particularly in the elderly and those on HD, with a steady state not being reached for at least 25 years.