Healthy choices: motivational enhancement therapy for health risk behaviors in HIV-positive youth.

This study piloted a brief individual motivational intervention targeting multiple health risk behaviors in HIV-positive youth aged 16-25. Interviews about sexual behavior and substance use and viral load testing were obtained from 51 HIV-positive youth at baseline and post intervention. Youth were randomized to receive a four-session motivational enhancement intervention (N = 25) or to a wait-list control (N = 26). Of the eligible youth approached, 88% agreed to participate, and 80% percent of participants completed at least three of four sessions. The treatment group showed significantly greater reductions in unprotected sex acts and in viral load compared with controls. Although change scores for substance use were not significantly different between the two groups, paired t tests demonstrated that reductions in alcohol use and marijuana use were significant for the treatment group at the trend level. There were no significant differences in substance use from baseline to posttest for the control group. Findings demonstrate the potential of a brief motivational enhancement intervention to improve health risk behaviors in HIV-positive youth. Larger randomized clinical trials are warranted. Resources required for retention should not be underestimated.     

Rupture of the posterior tibial tendon: CT and surgical findings

Computed tomography (CT) was performed in 42 patients with 49 clinically suspected tears of the posterior tibial tendon. Twenty-eight of the 49 suspected tears were subsequently surgically explored and repaired. Three patterns of tendon abnormalities were recognized on CT scans: type I-intact, hypertrophied, heterogeneous tendon; type II-attenuated tendon; and type III-absence of a portion of a tendon. Types I and II correlated with partial rupture seen during surgery, and type III correlated with complete rupture of the tendon. CT findings were accurate in 96% of the patients who underwent surgery. In four cases (14%), tendon rupture was seen on CT scans, but the extent of the injury was underestimated and the rupture was misclassified. Reactive periostitis of the distal tibia was seen in 71% of diseased tendons and may represent an important factor in the diagnosis of tendon rupture.     

In vivo muscarinic cholinergic receptor imaging in human brain with [11C]scopolamine and positron emission tomography.

Cerebral muscarinic cholinergic receptors were imaged and regionally quantified in vivo in humans with the use of [11C]scopolamine and positron emission tomography. Previous studies in experimental animals have suggested the utility of radiolabeled scopolamine for in vivo measurements, on the bases of its maintained pharmacologic specificity following systemic administration and the exclusion of labeled metabolites from the brain. The present studies describe the cerebral distribution kinetics of [11C]scopolamine in normal subjects following intravenous injection. Scopolamine is initially delivered to brain in a perfusion-directed pattern. After 30 to 60 min, activity is lost preferentially from cerebral structures with low muscarinic receptor density including the cerebellum and thalamus. Activity continues to accumulate throughout a 2 h postinjection period in receptor-rich areas including cerebral cortex and the basal ganglia. The late regional concentration of [11C]scopolamine does not, however, accurately parallel known differences in muscarinic receptor numbers in these receptor-rich areas. Tracer kinetic analysis of the data, performed on the basis of a three-compartment model, provides receptor binding estimates in good agreement with prior in vitro measurements. Kinetic analysis confirms significant contributions of ligand delivery and extraction to the late distribution of [11C]scopolamine, reconciling the discrepancy between receptor levels and tracer concentration. Finally, a novel dual-isotope method for rapid chromatographic processing of arterial blood samples in radiotracer studies is presented. The combination of rapid chromatography and compartmental analysis of tracer distribution should have broad utility in future in vivo studies with short-lived radioligands.     

Eingeladener Kommentar: „Kriterien zur frühen Reamputation von Großreplantaten”

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Acanthoma supratrochantericum.

We report the cases of five patients with lesions of benign reactive hyperplasia of the skin in the hip joint region. In view of the distinct clinical features, and in analogy with previously reported cases of acanthoma fissuratum, we termed this condition acanthoma supratrochantericum.     

Simultaneous acquisition of emission and transmission data for improved thallium-201 cardiac SPECT imaging using a technetium-99m transmission source.

Transmission computed tomography (TCT) data provides useful complementary information to single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) reconstructions, especially for cardiac studies. In particular, TCT data has been used to correct for nonuniform attenuation in the chest. Typically the transmission data are acquired in a separate acquisition, but simultaneous acquisition is preferable both to save time and to avoid difficulties involved with registration. In this work, we present a technique for simultaneously acquiring 201Tl SPECT and TCT data using a 99mTc sheet source that requires only minor equipment modifications. The use of these isotopes results in cross-contamination of the emission and transmission data. We present a practical technique to compensate for this contamination using post-acquisition image processing. This technique was evaluated by performing phantom and patient studies. The resulting images compare well with data obtained from separate emission and transmission studies.     

Blood pressure reduction in pregnancy by sodium chloride.

Volume expansion in the presence of elevated aldosterone availabilityis a hallmark of normal pregnancy. Intravascular volume depletioncharacterizes severe pregnancy-associated disease conditionssuch as intra-uterine growth retardation, chronic hypertensionor pre-eclampsia [1]. Two hypotheses have been forwarded toexplain volume depletion in pregnancy: the first hypothesischarges inappropriate sensing of vascular ‘overfilling’,resulting in an increased transendothelial loss of fluid tothe extravascular compartment. In contrast, the second hypothesisfocuses on vascular ‘underfilling’ due to inappropriatelylow aldosterone levels. The second hypothesis is based on theassumption that a compensatory increase in the circulating fluidvolume is required in normal pregnancy to support fetal substratedelivery. According to the second concept, maternal blood pressureincreases due to counter-regulatory mechanisms when placentalblood supply is reduced [2]. In support of the ‘underfilling’hypothesis are observations that a     

Phenotypic variability of a distinct deletion in McLeod syndrome

The X‐linked McLeod neuroacanthocytosis syndrome strongly resembles Huntington's disease and has been reported in various countries world‐wide. Herein, we report two Chilean brothers with predominant psychiatric features at disease onset including schizophrenia‐like psychosis and obsessive compulsive disorder. Molecular genetic analysis revealed a small deletion in the XK gene (938‐942delCTCTA), which has been already described in a North American patient of Anglo‐Saxon descent and a Japanese family, presenting with seizures, muscle atrophy or chorea yet absence of psychiatric features. These findings argue against a founder effect and indicate a profound phenotypic variability associated with the 938‐942delCTCTA deletion. Our report supports the inclusion of McLeod syndrome in the differential diagnosis of Huntington's disease as well as acute psychosis in male subjects. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society