Fixed drug eruption to rofecoxib

Rofecoxib, used for dysmenorrhea, caused a herpetiform fixed drug eruption predominantly involving the lips with classic clinical and histological findings in a red-brown lesion on the dorsal hand.     

Small-intestinal transit during total parenteral nutrition in the rat

This investigation was designed to test the hypothesis that alterations in small-bowel motility are associated with total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Motility, as reflected by intestinal transit, was studied in rats maintained by TPN for 7–10 days and compared to that of rats fed an oral diet isocaloric with the intravenously administered solution. Transit was measured by injecting radioactively labeled chromium (Na₂ ⁵¹CrO₄) into the duodenum via permanently implanted catheters. Fifteen minutes after injection of the label, animals were killed and the linear distribution of the isotope in the gut was determined. The leading edge of radioactivity traversed 75–87% (95% confidence limit) of the gut length in enterally fed rats and 83–97% in rats on TPN. The difference between the average position of these fronts for the two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05). In addition, the regression of percent radioactivity traversing or present in a given segment on gut length yielded a slope with 95% confidence limits of –10.48 to –15.02 for orally fed control rats and –9.83 to –12.87 for rats on TPN. Differences between these slopes were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Results support the conclusion that factors which regulate small-bowel motility are not altered significantly by TPN during the time that other functional and structural changes reportedly occur.This study was supported by NIH Grants AM 18164, AI 11361, AM 16305. Dr. Castro is the recipient of NIH Research Career Development Award AI 00087. Dr. Weisbrodt is the recipient of PHS Research Scientist Development Award DA 00022.     

Cortactin and focal adhesion kinase as predictors of cancer risk in patients with laryngeal premalignancy

Novel markers are needed to accurately predict the risk of malignant transformation in laryngeal premalignancies. We therefore investigated the clinical significance of cortactin (CTTN) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) during laryngeal tumorigenesis and their potential utility as cancer risk markers. CTTN and FAK protein expression and gene amplification were assessed in 82 patients with laryngeal dysplasia and correlated with clinicopathologic parameters and laryngeal cancer risk. Increased CTTN and FAK expression was found respectively in 41 (50%) and 40 (49%) of 82 laryngeal dysplasias; protein expression was maintained or further augmented in the corresponding patient-matched invasive tumors subsequently developed. CTTN and FAK/PTK2 gene amplifications were respectively detected in 10 (12%) and 26 (32%) laryngeal dysplasias. Both CTTN and FAK protein expression increased with the grade of dysplasia; however, CTTN and FAK expression but not histology correlated significantly with increased laryngeal cancer risk (P = 0.009 and P = 0.002, respectively). Patients carrying strong CTTN- or FAK-expressing dysplastic lesions experienced a significantly higher cancer incidence (P = 0.006 and P = 0.001, respectively; log-rank test). Furthermore, FAK expression was an independent predictor of laryngeal cancer development (HR = 3.706, 95% CI: 1.735-7.916; P = 0.001) and the combination of FAK and CTTN showed superior predictive value (HR = 5.042, 95% CI: 2.255-11.274; P < 0.001). Taken together, our findings support the involvement of CTTN and FAK in malignant transformation and provide original evidence for their potential clinical utility as biomarkers for the risk of developing laryngeal cancer.     

Evidence of a causal link between health outcomes,insurance coverage,and a policy to expand access: experimental data from children in the Philippines

In this paper, we present evidence on the health effects of a health insurance intervention targeted to poor children using data from a randomized policy experiment known as the Quality Improvement Demonstration Study. Among study participants, using a difference‐in‐difference regression model, we estimated a 9–12 and 4–9 percentage point reduction in the likelihood of wasting and having an infection, respectively, as measured by a common biomarker C‐reactive Protein. Interestingly, these benefits were not apparent at the time of discharge; the beneficial health effects were manifest several weeks after release from the hospital. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High Blood Pressure Induced by Audiovisual Stimulation in Young Rats: Effect of Antihypertensive Agents

ABSTRACT

High systolic blood pressure (BP) was induced in young Wistar rats by daily exposure for 30 mins to environmental stimuli consisting of intense (100 dB) sound of 7500 cps and flashing light (0.3 cps). Maximal BP enhancement was obtained after the application of both these stimuli for 3 consecutive days. Such a hypertensive response was detected 24 hrs, but not 1 hr after the trial. High BP backed to normal 72 hrs after discontinuation of the audiovisual stimulation trials. Clinically effective antihypertensive agents (clonidine, prazosin, propranolol, practolol and metoprolol) as well as a new compound under investigation (cicletanine) were proved active in this model. Normotensive nonstressed rats run in parallel did not show any variation in their BP after administration of the same dose of the drugs assayed. This experimental model of hypertension may be a useful tool not only to test new antihypertensive agents but also to study the intriguing question of the role of stress in the development and maintenance of essential hypertension.