Blood alcohol levels of patrons leaving licensed premises in Perth,Western Australia

Abstract: We aimed to determine the alcohol consumption, blood alcohol levels (BALs) and subsequent driving of patrons leaving 15 hotels and taverns in Perth, Western Australia. Of the 414 patrons approached by interviewers on Friday and Saturday evenings, 307 (74 per cent) consented to take part. Self-reported alcohol consumption, driving intentions, perceived levels of fitness to drive and demographic information were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Observations of subsequent driving were recorded and BALs were measured by breath-alcohol meter. The patrons surveyed were predominantly male (76 per cent) and aged between 18 and 35 (87 per cent). Average reported alcohol consumption was 7.6 standard drinks for males and 4.9 drinks for females, around double the daily amount recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council. Further, 23 per cent of the sample had consumed more than 10 drinks (male) and 6 drinks (female). With respect to BALs, 37 per cent of patrons exceeded the drink-drive limit then in force of 0.087 and 56 per cent exceeded 0.05. Of greater concern, 23 per cent who were over the 0.08 legal limit were subsequently observed to drive even though they had been informed of their BAL and legal status with respect to driving. The results suggest that most young patrons drinking in Perth metropolitan hotels and taverns consume alcohol on such occasions in excess of limits currently recommended by health authorities and attain blood alcohol levels dangerous for driving. This is likely to remain unchanged without public debate as to the responsibility of licensees in serving a potentially harmful psychotropic drug and effective enforcement of liquor licensing laws.     

Comparison of three-day temafloxacin with seven-day ciprofloxacin treatment of urinary tract infections in women.

BACKGROUND. Temafloxacin is a new broad-spectrum arylfluoroquinolone antimicrobial with an extended serum half-life. METHODS. In this large, multicenter, double-blind clinical trial, 404 women with acute, uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) were randomized to receive temafloxacin 400 mg once daily for 3 days, or ciprofloxacin 250 mg twice daily for 7 days. Clinical and microbiologic evaluations were repeated at 4 to 5 days after initiation of treatment, at the end of therapy, and at 5 to 9 days posttreatment. One hundred fifteen patients who received temafloxacin and 105 patients who received ciprofloxacin met the eligibility criteria for efficacy evaluation. The predominant urinary pathogens were Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and coagulase-negative staphylococci. No pretherapy isolate was resistant to either study drug. RESULTS. Bacteriologic eradication was observed in 112 (97%) of 115 women treated with temafloxacin and 101 (96%) of 105 women treated with ciprofloxacin. Clinical cure rates at 5 to 9 days posttreatment were 90% (the remaining 10% improved) with temafloxacin and 95% (the remaining 5% improved) with ciprofloxacin. Adverse effects associated with treatment occurred in 24 (12%) women who received temafloxacin and 31 (15%) women who received ciprofloxacin. Headache (2% with temafloxacin and 2% with ciprofloxacin), nausea (3% with temafloxacin and 6% with ciprofloxacin), and somnolence (4% with temafloxacin and 3% with ciprofloxacin) were reported most often. Only three and five patients who were treated with temafloxacin and ciprofloxacin, respectively, discontinued treatment because of adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS. In this study, a 3-day treatment regimen using a single daily 400-mg dose of temafloxacin was found to be as effective as a 7-day course of ciprofloxacin in women with acute uncomplicated UTI.     

Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in patients with rhinosinusitis

Toxic shock syndrome has been associated with rhinologic surgery and medical devices, and it has been linked to a circulating exotoxin of a toxogenic strain of Staphylococcus aureus. One hundred forty patients with rhinosinusitis were studied. Nasal cultures were obtained. The microbiological characteristics are described. The carrier rate for Staphylococcus aureus was 35%. Thirty percent of patients selected for surgery were Staphylococcus aureus carriers. Toxin-capable isolates were identified in 40% of those tested. Users of cocaine, topical decongestants, and steroid sprays had a statistically higher rate of Staphylococcus aureus carriage compared to non-users. It is hoped that by identifying the population at risk and defining the factors associated with the development of toxic shock syndrome, a cogent policy of prevention can be established.     

Phase II trial of gallium nitrate,amonafide and teniposide in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer

Summary Fifty-five patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were entered into this phase II randomized study for evaluating three new agents: gallium nitrate, amonafide and teniposide. The patients had to have ECOG performance status 0 or 1, no prior chemotherapy, and adequate hematological, hepatic and renal functions. Forty-seven patients were eligible and evaluable. Fourteen were randomized to receive gallium nitrate, 18 to amonafide and 15 to teniposide. Seventy-four percent of eligible patients were male. The majority of patients (89%) had an ECOG performance status 1. ECOG grade 4 toxicity occurred twice in patients on gallium nitrate, seven times on amonafide and 18 times on teniposide. The cause of death was attributed to amonafide in one patient (from sepsis) and to teniposide in two patients (due to infection and leukopenia). There was no objective response in all the patients entered. The overall survival times ranged from 2 weeks to 156 weeks with a median of 23 weeks. There were no survival differences among the three treatment arms. We conclude that gallium nitrate, amonafide and teniposide are inactive in metastatic NSCLC and do not warrant any further testing in this disease.The contents of this study is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Cancer Institute.     

Long-Term Subdural Strip Electrocorticographic Monitoring of Ictal Déjà Vu

Summary: We report a series of 8 patients with ictal déjà vu. Subdural strip electrocorticographic (ECoG) monitoring localized the ictal epileptogenic focus as follows: right (n = 6) and left (n = 2) mesiotemporal lobe. In all 8 patients, the left hemisphere was dominant for language function based on intracarotid amytal testing. In 6 right-handed patients, ictal déjà vu was associated with a right temporal lobe focus. However, in the 2 left-handed patients, the ictal focus was left temporal lobe. Although ictal déjà vu localizes the epileptic focus to temporal lobe, this experiential phenomenon appears to lateralize to the hemisphere nondominant for handedness.     

Chronic Administration of Glucocorticoids Directly Upregulates Prepro-Neuropeptide Y and Y1-Receptor mRNA Levels in the Arcuate Nucleus of the Rat

The complete sequence of the cDNA encoding the neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y₁-receptor has recently been deduced from a rat brain library, and the presence of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) encoding Y₁-receptor protein has been demonstrated within the brain. Using quantitative in situ hybridization histochemistry, the content and distribution of Y₁receptor and preproNPY mRNAs have been investigated in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus of adrenalectomized rats receiving glucocorticoid replacement therapy for 12 days by means of either high doses of dexamethasone in their drinking water or by subcutaneous corticosterone pellets. Basal metabolic parameters such as weight gain or loss, blood glucose and plasma insulin were monitored: Dexamethasone treatment induced weight loss and a state of hyperinsulinemia with normoglycemia, while corticosterone treated animals displayed metabolic parameters identical to sham ADX animals. Within the arcuate nucleus of glucocorticoid treated animals, levels of Y₁receptor and preproNPY mRNAs were increased. In contrast, adrenalectomy itself had no effect upon Y₁-receptor mRNA levels or preproNPY mRNA levels in the arcuate nucleus. These studies demonstrate that glucocorticoids exert a stimulatory action on levels of Y₁-receptor mRNA and preproNPY mRNA levels in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. This is the first evidence to suggest that the expression of a neuropeptide-receptor gene in the central nervous system may be directly sensitive to peripheral hormonal signals.     

Inhibin and age in men

OBJECTIVE: Normal elderly men are reported to have decreased testicular function despite elevated gonadotrophin levels. We wished therefore to determine if changes in testicular function occur over the age range 19-60 years. DESIGN: Single fasting blood samples were obtained between 0800 and 0900 h. PATIENTS: Working men in a large industrial company between the ages of 19 and 60 years participated in the study. MEASUREMENTS: FSH, serum immunoreactive inhibin and total testosterone were measured, the latter two as measurements of Sertoli and Leydig cell function respectively. RESULTS: The mean baseline serum immunoreactive inhibin level was significantly lower in men from the older age groups, 31-40 years (479 U/l), 41-50 years (439 U/l) and 51-60 years (415 U/l) than in men from the youngest age group, 21-30 years (613 U/l) while serum FSH was higher in men from the older age groups, 41-50 years (3.7 IU/l) and 51-60 years (6.1 IU/l) than in men from the youngest age group, 21-30 years (2.6 IU/l). There appears to be a change in both FSH and inhibin production, consistent with a primary decline in testicular function. There was no significant difference in testosterone levels between the older age group, age 51-60 years and the younger age group, age 21-30 years. However, testosterone levels were significantly lower in the 41-50 year age group, when compared with the 21-30 year, this significance levelling out at about age 45 years. CONCLUSION: The data are consistent with the hypothesis that immunoreactive inhibin reflects inhibin bioactivity, and that inhibin plays a role in the feedback control of FSH secretion in men.