Drinking patterns in the American Deep South.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the states of the Deep South are characterized by contradictory drinking norms: high abstinence paired with high consumption among drinkers. METHOD: Comparison of survey results of drinking patterns (N = 65,216) in four states of the Deep South (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi) to those in leading states in the East (New York), Midwest (Illinois), Rocky Mountains (Colorado) and West (California) for the years 1990-93. Respondents were selected by random-digit dialing and interviewed by telephone as part of a larger study conducted by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). RESULTS: A higher proportion of persons drank alcohol in 1993 than in any of the previous 3 years. Persons with higher education, with higher income, of younger age, male, white and not living in the Deep South were more likely to drink. Among drinkers, the likelihood of episodic heavy drinking decreased with higher education, income and age. In addition, women, blacks and married respondents were less likely to report heavy drinking. Region of residence is not significantly associated with episodic heavy drinking. CONCLUSIONS: The Deep South has a significantly higher proportion of abstainers from alcohol use than other regions. Among drinkers, Southerners are not more likely to engage in occasions of heavy drinking. The results are discussed in relation to Southern culture and drinking norms.     

Unzulässige Vermischung von Werbung und Funktion bei einer Arztsoftware

Zusammenfassung  1. Der Anforderungskatalog der Kassen?rztlichen Bundesvereinigung an Datenbanken und Software für Vertragsarztpraxen als Grundlage für eine wirtschaftliche Verordnungsweise bewegt sich in dem ihm vom Gesetz vorgegebenen Rahmen. 2. Eine doppelt belegte Funktionstaste einer Arztsoftware zur Verordnung von Arzneimitteln, die bei Eingabe des Codes für die diagnostische Erkrankung die ?ffnung eines Werbefensters mit einem Verordnungsvorschlag für das beworbene Medikament ausl?st, vermischt in unzul?ssiger Weise Werbung und Funktion.     

Tongue and oropharynx: findings on MR imaging

Ten healthy subjects and 44 patients with diseases of the tongue or oropharynx were studied with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Axial, coronal, and sagittal images with a thickness of 4 mm were obtained with a pixel size of 0.75 X 0.75 mm on a 256 matrix. Nineteen of the patients underwent computed tomography (CT). Nine of those patients later had surgery, and the specimens were obtained for organ sectioning. These three studies as well as clinical history and physical examination findings were correlated. MR imaging was equal to or better than CT in those patients having both examinations. However, neither CT nor MR allowed recognition of histologic features or detection of microscopic spread of disease. Direct coronal and sagittal imaging planes on MR imaging allowed visualization of intrinsic tongue musculature, not possible with CT; this was important in recognizing subtle tumor extension. For these reasons, MR is the imaging method of choice for studying diseases of the tongue and oropharynx.     

NOD鼠腹腔巨噬细胞肿瘤坏死因子α和白细胞介素水平变化与吡格列酮的干预效应

目的:观察含0.02%吡格列酮的饲料对NOD鼠糖尿病发病率的影响,分析巨噬细胞在吡格列酮预防NOD鼠糖尿病中的作用。方法:实验于2003-01/2005-01在中南大学湘雅二医院动物实验室及中心实验室完成。4周龄NOD雌鼠56只,随机数字表法分为吡格列酮组(n=25)和对照组(n=26),分别摄食含0.02%吡格列酮的混合饲料和普通营养饲料。自10周龄开始,每周测尿糖1次,尿糖阳性后用血糖仪测血糖,连续两次血糖≥16.7mmol/L即诊断为糖尿病。两组各取12周龄NOD雌鼠15只,处死前4d腹腔注射30g/L的硫代乙醇酸钠2mL,麻醉后摘除眼球法处死小鼠后腹腔灌洗收集巨噬细胞,加入脂多糖共同培养24d后收集上清,ELISA法测细胞因子肿瘤坏死因子α、白细胞介素6水平。结果:小鼠56只全部进入糖尿病发病率分析;进入腹腔巨噬细胞肿瘤坏死因子α、白细胞介素6的水平结果分析20只。①30周龄时,对照组25只小鼠有20只发生了糖尿病,发病率80.0%,平均发病时间为(139.2±38.2)d;吡格列酮组26只中有14只发生了糖尿病,发病率为53.8%,平均发病时间为(153.0±28.1)d,与对照组相比,吡格列酮组发病率明显降低(P<0.05)。②12周龄时对照组NOD鼠腹腔巨噬细胞肿瘤坏死因子α、白细胞介素6水平与吡格列酮组差异无显著性意义[(537.4±112.49),(448.9±92.18)ng/L;(551.2±108.23),(461.7±80.49)ng/L,P>0.05]。结论:吡格列酮在一定程度上预防和延缓NOD鼠糖尿病的发生;吡格列酮对NOD鼠糖尿病和胰岛炎的预防作用可能与巨噬细胞无明显关系。     

Characteristics associated with participation in DNA banking: The National Registry of Veterans with ALS

OBJECTIVE: Characteristics that may influence participation in DNA banks are not well defined. The purpose of this study was to examine characteristics associated with participation in a DNA bank among veterans diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). METHODS: Veterans who screened eligible for the National Registry of Veterans with ALS were initially contacted about the DNA Bank via telephone and then mailed a consent form. Registry participants were then categorized as consented for the DNA bank, actively refused, or passively refused (consent form not returned after >3 months and multiple reminders). The associations of consent status with age, gender, race, military branch, years of military service, VA health system use, and ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS) scores were examined. RESULTS: Registry participants (N=1020) were 98% male, 9.5% non-white, and the mean age was 64.1 years. 61.1% of participants were current VA health system users, and the branches of service were: Army (46.1%), Navy (22.1%), Air Force (23.2%), and Marines (8.3%). A total of 14.7% of Registry participants refused DNA banking (9.4% active refusal, 5.3% passive refusal). Results from multivariable models indicated participants who were non-White, VA users, or had lower ALSFRS scores (reflecting poorer function) had higher odds of refusal. Race and VA use were associated with active refusal, while age and ALSFRS score were associated with passive refusal. CONCLUSION: Although the overall refusal rate for DNA banking was relatively low, we still found important differences in consent by race, VA use, and functional status in this cohort of veterans with ALS. Because differential participation in DNA banking may influence generalizability, further efforts are needed to understand and intervene to reduce these differences.     

Quantitation of CD62, soluble CD62, and lysosome-associated membrane proteins 1 and 2 for evaluation of the quality of stored platelet concentrates

BACKGROUND: Platelets become activated during storage, which results in secretion of granules, vesiculation of microparticles, secretion of protein, and a number of other biochemical and morphologic processes that decrease the utility of platelet concentrates stored for transfusion. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: To evaluate the quality of stored platelet concentrates, the cell surface expression of specific activation-dependent antigens (CD62 and lysosome-associated membrane proteins 1 and 2 [LAMP-1, LAMP-2]) on platelets stored in a hospital blood bank over a 7-day period was examined. Relative microparticle counts and the expression of CD62 by microparticles, as well as platelet concentrate supernatant levels of soluble CD62, were determined. RESULTS: The percentage of platelets expressing CD62 increased significantly from Day 1 to Day 5 (p < 0.05) of storage; the mean fluorescence values for CD62 did not. In contrast, the mean fluorescence values of LAMP-1 and LAMP-2 rose significantly (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively) between Days 1 and 5. Significant declines in CD62, LAMP-1, and LAMP-2 percent expression and mean fluorescence were seen on Day 6 of storage (p < 0.001). Microparticle numbers increased significantly during storage and correlated with levels of CD62 protein (free and membrane-bound) (r = 0.95 vs. Day 2, p < 0.05; r = 0.88 vs. Day 5, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Flow cytometric evaluations of the expression of cell surface CD62, LAMP-1, and LAMP-2 are complementary tests that, especially when used in conjunction with the quantitation of CD62 protein, provided a simple and effective means of evaluating the quality of platelet concentrates stored for transfusion.