Hypnotherapy: A Useful Adjunctive Therapeutic Modality in Hansen's Disease

Hypnotherapy is a useful adjunctive psychotherapeutic procedure used in various conditions such as pain disorders, atopic dermatitis, and alopecia areata. However, it is less utilized in the field of dermatology. Only limited data exist on its role in the management of various skin diseases. There is dearth of literature on the role of hypnotherapy in Hansen''s disease (HD). We report two cases of HD, one with very resistant neuralgia and the other with recurrent erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL). Both the patients were assessed using hospital anxiety and depression scale, dermatology life quality index and the neuralgia was assessed using the visual analog scale. Three sessions of hypnotherapy were given to both the patients. There was dramatic improvement in the incidence of ENL and neuralgia and we could rapidly reduce the dose of drugs used for both conditions.     

万古霉素与利奈唑胺治疗脓毒症对C反应蛋白和降钙素原的影响

目的 探讨万古霉素与利奈唑胺治疗脓毒症对C反应蛋白和降钙素原的影响。方法 选择2016年1月~2020年12月我院收治的268例脓毒症患者为研究对象,均采用万古霉素或利奈唑胺治疗,运用倾向性评分匹配法矫正组间混杂因素,通过重复测量方差分析法对用药前、用药3 d时的CRP和PCT水平变化情况。结果 268例患者中,120例行万古霉素治疗,148例行利奈唑胺治疗;在利奈唑胺组中,用药3 d时的CRP和PCT水平均低于用药前（P<0.05）;而在万古霉素组中,用药前后的CRP和PCT水平比较无差异（P>0.05）;同时,经倾向性评分匹配对混杂因素进行矫正后,两组患者的治疗有效率和生存率比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论 临床上在治疗脓毒症患者时,使用利奈唑胺治疗后,能够使CRP和PCT水平降低,起效时间短,但是万古霉素和利奈唑胺在治疗结局方面无明显差异。     

Nosocomial and community acquired uropathogenic isolates of Proteus mirabilis and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles at a university hospital in Sub–Saharan Africa

ObjectiveTo ascertain antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis) from clinical urine specimens at a university hospital in the spate of its recorded increasing resistance patterns.MethodsThe study was retrospective in nature. Data generated from urine cultures of patients at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital for a period of five years (2004–2009) were compiled. Relevant information obtained were age and gender of patients, organisms recovered and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns. P. mirabilis was identified using standard laboratory procedures.ResultsP. mirabilis showed the highest resistance against ampicillin, cloxacillin, amoxicillin, tetracycline, co-trimoxazole, erythromycin and chloramphenicol (100%–37.2%) while colistin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, nalidixic acid and nitrofurantoin recorded the highest activity (59.1%–96.9%) with no drug recording 100% activity. The resistance of the nosocomial isolates of the organism were significantly higher than the community acquired isolates against that of the common antibiotics in use (P<0.05).ConclusionsExtreme caution should be exercised in antibiotic administration in hospital setting and the potential benefits adequately assessed while control of nosocomial infections be given a priority so as to limit the spread of resistant bacteria.     

原发性十二指肠恶性肿瘤的X 线诊断

目的　探讨X线诊断原发性十二指肠恶性肿瘤的价值。方法　回顾性分析 2 1例原发性十二指肠恶性肿瘤的X线所见并与手术病理对照。结果　X线表现包括充盈缺损、黏膜改变、肠腔狭窄和龛影。结论　根据临床及X线表现 ,术前可以正确诊断原发性十二指肠恶性肿瘤。     

A holiday break for adolescents provided by the Malcolm Sargent cancer fund for children

The paper describes a holiday for a group of adolescents with cancer (from the Young Oncology Unit at the Christie Hospital, Manchester, UK) at Malcolm Sargent House, Prestwick, Scotland. The aim was to provide an opportunity for young people with cancer to build and to develop therapeutic relationships away from the pressures of hospital, home and treatment. The nature and range of care given by the nurses and social worker who accompanied them is described and includes accounts of individual progress which are demonstrated by brief case studies.     

Pharmacokinetics of biliary excretion of N-nitrosodimethylamine in rats fed diets containing levels of protein

Albino Wistar rats (Rattus norvegius) fed semi-purified diets containing 3.5%, 8%, 27%, and 64% casein, respectively, as the protein source, were poisoned with an intraperitoneal dose of 20mg N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)/kg, following cannulation of the bile duct, in vitro, under urethane anaesthesia. Bile exudates was collected at designated time intervals and analysed for unchanged NDMA using thin layer chromatography and gas liquid chromatography methods. Rats on 64% high protein diet (HPD) were the highest excretors of NDMA, followed by rats on the 3.5% kwashiorkorigenic diet (KWD), 8% low protein diet (LPD) and 27% normal protein diet (NDP) as the least excretors, in that order. The corresponding values for culmulative excretions of NDMA were 4.38%, 2.74%, 2.96% and 4.11%, and for elimination rate contents they were 54.05Kh⁻¹, 23.01Kh⁻¹, 23.76Kh⁻¹ and 48.88Kh⁻¹, while the respective elimination half-life values were 0.013h, 0.031h, 0.029h and 0.014h. The toxicological and pharmacological implication of the pharmacokinetic findings are discussed.     

Increased trinucleotide repeat instability with advanced maternal age

Nucleotide repeat instability is associated with an increasing number of cancers and neurological disorders. The mechanisms that govern repeat instability in these biological disorders are not well understood. To examine genetic aspects of repeat instability we have introduced an expanded CAG trinucleotide repeat into transgenic mice. We have detected intergenerational CAG repeat instability in transgenic mice only when the transgene was maternally transmitted. These intergenerational instabilities increased in frequency and magnitude as the transgenic mother aged. Furthermore, triplet repeat variations were detected in unfertilized oocytes and were comparable with those in the offspring. These data show that maternal repeat instability in the transgenic mice occurs after meiotic DNA replication and prior to oocyte fertilization. Thus, these findings demonstrate that advanced maternal age is an important factor for instability of nucleotide repeats in mammalian DNA.      

Psychological health in patients with genital and oral erosive lichen planus

BACKGROUND: Erosive lichen planus is a severe, recurrent and recalcitrant disease that affects several mucosal areas, mostly the genital area and the mouth, but also, for example, the oesophagus and perianal area. The disease causes serious symptoms, because of the raw, de-epithelialized mucosa and healing with scars/adhesions, which affect the patient's life in many ways. It causes, for example, difficulties in eating, drinking and going to the bathroom. Treatment is complicated and, so far, few therapeutic drugs other than steroids have been reported. OBJECTIVES: As the disease has severe implications on the patient's life it is important to investigate the psychological health of the patients, as well as the influence of stress on their health and wellbeing, in order to improve treatment. STUDY DESIGN, SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Forty-nine consecutive patients with erosive lichen planus were included during a 1-year period. The study was carried out as 'state-of-the-last-month', and stress, state anxiety, depression and 'erosive lichen planus factors', i.e. symptoms affecting daily life, were assessed. RESULTS: Eighty-seven per cent of the patients had symptoms, severely affecting daily life. Unexpectedly, oral symptoms seemed to be the most prominent. Our results showed that depression, anxiety and stress were more common in patients with erosive lichen planus than in a control group. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Erosive lichen planus is a severe disease with symptoms and complications affecting the patient's life. Our results indicate that their psychological health is also affected and emphasize the need for close collaboration between physicians, dentists with special knowledge in oral medicine and counsellors/psychologists to optimize handling of these patients.     

Profound decrease of in vivo formation of thromboxane during oestrogen therapy

Oestrogen has been proposed to influence platelet activity and formation of the vasoactive eicosanoids thromboxane and prostacyclin. Previous studies have been based on ex vivo techniques with well-known artifacts during blood sampling and ex vivo conditions. The present study is the first to assess in vivo formation through gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric analysis of the major urinary metabolites 2,3-dinor-thromboxane B₂ and 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF_1α. Ten consecutive male patients with prostatic carcinoma participating in a randomized study comparing the effects of parenteral oestrogen therapy ( n =5) with orchidectomy ( n =5) were included. Oestrogen was given as polyestradiol phosphate 240 mg i.m. every month. 2,3-dinor thromboxane B₂ and 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF_1α were analysed with the help of tetradeuterated internal carriers/standards. We found a consistent decrease of in vivo formation of thromboxane by ≈40% during parenteral oestrogen therapy ( P =0.008) and a doubling after surgical castration. The ratio of prostacyclin to thromboxane increased by ≈50% ( P =0.023) during oestrogen therapy. In conclusion, oestrogen induced a marked decrease of in vivo formation of thromboxane and a marked increase in the ratio of prostacyclin to thromboxane formation in all patients. According to current knowledge this should be beneficial for the cardiovascular system. Furthermore, thromboxane formation increased after surgical castration. The latter fact should direct attention to the influence of androgens on thromboxane synthesis. Our findings discloses a marked sex-hormone sensitivity of the thromboxane-forming system.     

Congenital chylothorax in siblings

We describe two cases of congenital chylothorax in siblings with important differences from previously described familial cases. Our findings support the likelihood of an autosomal recessive inheritance in some cases of this condition, rather than X-linked recessive inheritance, which has also been suggested. Autopsy findings from one of these cases and others previously described suggest that the pathophysiological mechanisms involved may be variable.