Failure of a schedule-induction procedure to increase ethanol intake in an established limited-access self-administration condition.

Determining mechanisms that can increase ethanol consumption during a single drinking bout is central to understanding alcohol abuse. When rodents are used as models to study excessive drinking, most often limited and transient increases in bout size are found with various manipulations. In a variety of studies, investigators have reported that schedule-induced drinking can result in excessive consumption of either water or alcohol (ethanol) during a single drinking period in food-restricted rats. The question examined in this experiment was, Could a schedule-induction paradigm increase bout size in nondeprived rats already self-administering ethanol? After the rats were trained to self-administer a 10% (volume/volume) ethanol solution in a fixed daily drinking session, non-response-contingent presentation of a 10% (weight/volume) sucrose solution, on a fixed-time, 120-s schedule, was used to determine whether additional ethanol consumption could be induced. This was followed by the use of a fixed-time, 300-s schedule and then, by using the fixed-time, 120-s schedule, with the presentation of a 2% (weight/volume) sucrose solution. None of these conditions induced an increase in ethanol self-administration. The results indicate that factors that control ethanol bout size in the nondeprived rat are such that the standard schedule-induction condition seems to be ineffective if an ethanol bout has occurred in the recent past.     

Altered swelling behavior of femoral cartilage following joint immobilization in a canine model.

Periods of reduced joint loading have been shown to induce changes in the biochemical composition. metabolism and mechanics of articular cartilage. In this study, changes in cartilage swelling behavior were studied following a 4-week period of joint immobilization, using a recently developed osmotic loading technique [J. Biomech, 32 (1999) 401-408]. The magnitude and distribution of swelling strains were measured in cartilage-bone samples equilibrated in physiological and hypotonic saline, relative to a hypertonic reference NaCl solution. Physicochemical parameters (glycosaminoglycan fixed charge density and water volume fraction) were determined in site-matched cartilage samples. The experimental data for swelling strains, fixed charge density and water volume fraction were used with a triphasic mechano-chemical theory [J. Biomech. Eng. 113 (1991) 245-258] to determine the effect of joint immobilization on the tensile modulus of the cartilage solid matrix. Four weeks of immobilization resulted in a significant increase in the magnitude of swelling-induced strains, and a significant decrease in fixed charge density in cartilage, as compared with the contralateral controls. Joint immobilization also resulted in decreases in values for the modulus of cartilage, as compared with the contralateral controls. Our results suggest that 4 weeks of joint immobilization had a significant effect on cartilage mechanical function that may be linked to collagen changes in the cartilage extracellular matrix.     

Paget's disease of bone in The Netherlands: a population-based radiological and biochemical survey--the Rotterdam Study.

Serum ALP may be a good indicator of Paget's disease in epidemiologic studies. Subjects with raised and normal ALP from a population cohort were matched (1 in 6, total 548), and radiographs were taken. ALP was an excellent marker of the disease (RR, 10.9), but the majority of those affected had normal ALP. INTRODUCTION: Evidence from radiographic surveys of limited skeletal sites has shown that Paget's disease of bone (PDB) is common in the elderly and has a distinct geographic variation. There is no information, however, about the relation of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, a marker of the disease, and its prevalence in the population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed data from a well-defined Dutch population cohort (the Rotterdam study) with the following specific aims: (1) to assess the relationship between serum ALP activity and prevalence of radiographically diagnosed PDB, (2) to estimate the overall prevalence of the disease in the Netherlands, and (3) to assess the appearance of the disease with time. Using a nested case-control design, subjects with an increased serum ALP and normal serum liver enzymes were matched for gender and age (1 to 6) with subjects with normal serum ALP activity. Radiographs of the thoracic and lumbar spine, pelvis, proximal femurs, knees, wrists, and hands were taken. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: PDB was diagnosed in 20.5% of subjects with elevated serum ALP activity and in 2.3% in those with normal serum ALP activity, increasing with age in both groups. The relative risk (RR) for PDB in the presence of raised serum ALP activity was 10.9 (95% CI, 4.8, 24.9). The estimated prevalence of PDB in the population was 3.6%, and the large majority (about 86%) had normal serum ALP activity, contrasting findings in bone clinics where the opposite is the case. Finally, in subjects with normal and raised serum ALP activity but no PDB at baseline, radiographs taken 6-9 years later showed no evidence of the disease. This study demonstrated that serum ALP activity is a sensitive marker of PDB in men and women >55 years of age, but the majority of those affected have normal serum ALP activity.     

Chylous Ascites Caused by Constrictive Pericarditis

Chylous ascites is an uncommon clinical entity associated with lymphatic obstruction usually caused by underlying malignancy. The authors describe a patient with chylous ascites caused by constrictive pericarditis in the absence of mechanical lymphatic obstruction. Pathophysiological mechanisms for the development of chylous ascites in constrictive pericarditis include augmented lymph production and high impedance to lymph drainage caused by central venous hypertension. After pericardiectomy, the patient's ascites and edema resolved. Constrictive pericarditis should be considered a rare but potentially curable cause of chylous ascites.     

Nursing assessment and nursing diagnosis in patients with peripheral vascular disease

Effective nursing interventions are determined by the nursing diagnoses and associated etiologies. The diagnoses are derived from a complete data base that results from a thorough assessment. As the nurse proceeds through the process of differentiating among diagnoses, the focused cue search is essential. For the client with PVD, lifestyle changes, symptomatology, chronicity of the disease, and frequent contact with the health care system are the major influences on the diagnoses. These clients are likely to have potential for injury, potential for infection, impaired skin integrity, activity intolerance, alteration in tissue perfusion, alteration in comfort, and knowledge deficit. Other diagnoses are probable but are determined by the unique characteristics of each client.     

Reciprocal translocation mosaicism in man

We report on an8-month-old girl with a de novo 5q/6q autosomal translocation with loss of the distal part of the long arm of chromosome 6 (6q23.3→6qter); clinical manifestations are peculiar craniofacial stigmata, truncal obesity and persisting hypotonia. The similarity with a previously reported patient with 6q interstitial deletion is discussed.     

Microbial infections,immunomodulation, and drugs of abuse

The use of recreational drugs of abuse has generated serious health concerns. There is a long-recognized relationship between addictive drugs and increased levels of infections. Studies of the mechanisms of actions of these drugs became more urgent with the advent of AIDS and its correlation with abused substances. The nature and mechanisms of immunomodulation by marijuana, opiates, cocaine, nicotine, and alcohol are described in this review. Recent studies of the effects of opiates or marijuana on the immune system have demonstrated that they are receptor mediated, occurring both directly via specific receptors on immune cells and indirectly through similar receptors on cells of the nervous system. Findings are also discussed that demonstrate that cocaine and nicotine have similar immunomodulatory effects, which are also apparently receptor mediated. Finally, the nature and mechanisms of immunomodulation by alcohol are described. Although no specific alcohol receptors have been identified, it is widely recognized that alcohol enhances susceptibility to opportunistic microbes. The review covers recent studies of the effects of these drugs on immunity and on increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, including AIDS.     

Adolescents'' opinions about genetic risk information, prenatal diagnosis, and pregnancy termination

Advances in genetics create increasing possibilities of diagnosing and preventing genetic disease. In most countries, the community is poorly informed about the role of genetic factors in human disease and about genetic testing and its social, emotional, and ethical implications. School education about genetics may improve this situation. Students are, of course, the adults of the future and the potential users of the new genetic tests. To gain further insight into the perception of genetic risk of adolescents and their perception of the new genetic techniques and as a starting point for setting up an adequate information campaign in Flanders, we assessed the opinions and beliefs of students with regard to health, genetic diseases, genetic risk, and genetic testing.

A standardised interview and questionnaire were administered within the scope of the two yearly medical check up of 166 fifth grade students. They were randomly selected from the group of all fifth grade high school students in seven different schools.

This paper focuses on the attitudes of adolescents towards obtaining genetic information, towards prenatal diagnosis and pregnancy termination. Adolescents in Flanders are interested in being informed about genetic risks and genetic diseases and in making use of prenatal diagnosis because they want to make informed reproductive decisions in the future and to be emotionally prepared for the birth of an affected child. They adopt a critical attitude towards pregnancy termination. The association between these attitudes and several relevant factors was investigated. This showed significant correlations between some attitudes and general health related prevention, perceived burden of genetic diseases, the importance of the value “own health”, the perceived role of society, and the regularity of religious practice. Some points for special attention were formulated with regard to information campaigns for adolescents.