Changes in Sexual Patterns Following Vertical Banded Gastroplasty and Weight Loss

Weight loss following vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) is well established. Herein the effect of weight loss on sexuality was examined. Twenty-seven females and seven males (mean age 39 years) underwent VBG and returned completed questionnaires regarding preoperative and postoperative sexuality. There was a mean interval follow-up of 33 months, with a mean weight loss of 48.6 kg. In general, there was an overall increase in frequency, quality, and enjoyment of sex. Similarly, an improvement in body image, an increase in initiating sexual intercourse, and an increase in the number of sexual partners was found. A small number of patients developed psychosocial problems that limited sexual enjoyment. In conclusion, weight loss after VBG improves sexual life, though not uniformly, as new sexual problems can occur. Decreased sexual inhibition, increased sexual enjoyment and frequency, and increased frequency of orgasm characterizes many of the changes occurring after VBG with resultant weight loss. To help provide a holistic approach to the care of morbidly obese patients after VBG, the potential alterations in their sexual lives should be considered.     

Nutrition management for individuals with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in the 1990s: a review by the Diabetes Care and Education dietetic practice group

Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), or Type II diabetes, is characterized by two primary defects: insulin resistance and insulin secretion. The two major goals of management of NIDDM are to achieve near normal metabolic control and to prevent/delay the microvascular and macrovascular complications of diabetes. Nutrition, exercise, and, if necessary, medication are the three primary treatment modalities used in NIDDM. Treatment regimens need to be individualized and developed with consideration for diabetes management goals and quality-of-life issues. Lean individuals with NIDDM should be encouraged to maintain their body weight and modify food composition and eating pattern to minimize glucose excursions. The primary treatment goal for an obese individual with NIDDM is weight loss. The process of teaching nutrition and meal planning involves developing a cooperative alliance, gathering information, setting realistic goals, intervention, and maintaining change. Nutrition intervention involves providing information in stages, beginning with "survival skill" information and progressing to in-depth information. The dietitian's responsibility is to promote continuity of learning by introducing new ideas and concepts and altering the learning environment. Dietitians can expand their role in the 1990s to that of a diabetes educator taking a leadership role to ensure that the individual with NIDDM receives comprehensive and individualized care.     

Unusual fractures and dislocations of the axis vertebra

Seven percent of 400 patients with cervical spine fractures and/or dislocations had unusual lesions of the axis. The authors have analyzed axis injuries by review of radiographs and clinical data and have derived a classification of traumatic conditions. Uncommon traumatic axis abnormalities are discussed with reference to incidence, causes, clinical findings, mechanism of injury, and roentgen characteristics.Picker Scholar, James Picker Foundation     

An innovation in testing.

The testing method presented here is just one of a variety of "games" that are being utilized in teaching at all levels. It helps to make testing fun, capitalizes on the student's natural tendency to fool around, and teaches something in the process.     

磺胺类药物的毛细管高效液相色谱与电色谱研究

目的 研究毛细管高效液相色谱(μ-HPLC)和毛细管电色谱(CEC)分离磺胺类药物,建立药物微分离分析方法。方法 用ODS柱为固定相,甲醇和2 mmol·L^-1磷酸缓冲液（pH 3.0～7.0）为流动相,电压为0～-15 kV,流速为10 μL·min^-1,紫外检测波长254 nm。结果μ-HPLC在甲醇-2 mmol·L^-1磷酸缓冲液（30∶70）,pH 3.0时5种磺胺类药物实现基线分离;CEC在电压为-5 kV,甲醇-2 mmol·L^-1磷酸缓冲液（30∶70）,pH 5.0时5种磺胺类药物实现基线分离。结论电渗流随甲醇含量、缓冲液浓度增加而下降,随pH值、电压的增加而增加;溶质的保留值（k）随甲醇含量、缓冲液浓度、电压的增加而下降,随电压增加下降明显的是TMP,随pH值变化较复杂。在相同条件下对5种磺胺类药物的分离,μ-HPLC需67 min,CEC只需25 min,后者更适合于磺胺类药物的快速分离分析。     

Effect of folic Acid supplementation on the folate status of buccal mucosa and lymphocytes.

Folate deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of cancer at certain sites. There is a need to measure folate status and putative biomarkers of cancer risk in the same target tissue, or in surrogate tissues. A study was carried out to develop a method for the rapid measurement of folate in human buccal mucosa and lymphocytes and to evaluate the responsiveness of this measurement in both tissues to folic acid supplementation in healthy subjects, relative to conventional markers of folate status. Three hundred and twenty-three adults, ages between 20 and 60 years, were screened for RBC folate concentrations. Sixty-five subjects with red cell folate between 200 and 650 nmol/L participated in a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, folic acid (1.2 mg) intervention trial, lasting 12 weeks. As anticipated, a significant baseline correlation (r = 0.36, P < 0.01) was observed between red cell folate and plasma 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MeTHF). Lymphocyte total folate was significantly associated with plasma 5-MeTHF (r = 0.28, P < 0.05) and plasma total homocysteine concentration (r = -0.34, P < 0.05). Buccal mucosa total folate showed no correlation with either red cell folate or 5-MeTHF, but was significantly associated with lymphocyte total folate (r = 0.35, P < 0.01). Supplementation elicited a significant increase in lymphocyte total folate (P < 0.01), and this was strongly associated with the increase in RBC total folate (P < 0.01) and plasma 5-MeTHF (P < 0.01). Buccal mucosa total folate was not influenced by folate supplementation. Methods have been developed for the rapid measurement of lymphocyte and buccal mucosal total folate. Lymphocyte folate is sensitive to folate intake and is reflected by plasma 5-MeTHF.     

A Competency-based Model of Child Depression: A Longitudinal Study of Peer, Parent, Teacher, and Self-evaluations

In a two-wave longitudinal study of third and sixth graders ( N = 617), we obtained self-reports of depression and peer, teacher, parent, and self-reports of competence in five domains: academic, social, attractiveness, conduct, and athletic. Competency evaluations by others predicted change in self-perceived competence over time for girls, but not for boys. Depression predicted change in self-perceived competence over time for boys but not for girls. Among girls, the relative importance of parent, teacher, and peer appraisals shifted from third to sixth grade. For both boys and girls, self-perceptions of competence predicted change in depression scores over time. Furthermore, self-perceived competencies mediated the relation between competency appraisals by others and children's self-reported depression. Results are interpreted in light of a competency-based model of child depression.     

New non-cocaine-containing topical anesthetics compared with tetracaine-adrenaline-cocaine during repair of lacerations

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of three new topical anesthetics that do not contain cocaine (prilocaine-phenylephrine, tetracaine-phenylephrine [tetraphen], and tetracaine-lidocaine-phenylephrine) to that of tetracaine-adrenaline-cocaine (TAC) during laceration repair in children. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial. SETTING: The emergency department of an urban children's hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Children 1 year of age or older with a laceration /= 5 years of age using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Suture technicians, research assistants, and parents also scored pain using a seven-point Likert scale. In addition, suture technicians completed an anesthetic effectiveness scale. RESULTS: There was consistently no difference demonstrated between the effectiveness of tetraphen and that of TAC for each outcome measure of each observer group. A statistically significant difference was seen among anesthetics when comparing VAS and Likert scale scores of suture technicians and Likert scale scores of research assistants. Based on post hoc analyses, these statistically significant differences were between TAC and prilocaine-phenylephrine (suture technician VAS and Likert scale) and between TAC and tetracaine-lidocaine-phenyl-ephrine (suture technician Likert scale), but not between TAC and tetraphen. When power analyses were performed using alpha = 0.05 and beta = 0.20, it was possible to detect a difference of 1.2 VAS units for each of the observer groups. Based on anesthetic effectiveness scale scores, the three new topical preparations collectively performed significantly better on the face and scalp than on the extremities (relative risk = 1.83; 95% confidence interval 1.20 < relative risk < 2.79). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of three new non-cocaine-containing topical anesthetics. Consistently, there was no statistical difference demonstrated between the effectiveness of tetraphen and that of TAC for each outcome measure of each observer group. Tetraphen offers an effective alternative to TAC during laceration repair in children.     

Identification of differentially expressed genes in aflatoxin B1- treated cultured primary rat hepatocytes and Fischer 344 rats

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a mutagen and hepatocarcinogen in rats and humans, is a contaminant of the human food supply, particularly in parts of Africa and Asia. AFB1-induced changes in gene expression may play a part in the development of the toxic, immunosuppressive and carcinogenic properties of this fungal metabolite. An understanding of the-role of AFB1 in modulating gene regulation should provide insight regarding mechanisms of AFB1-induced carcinogenesis. We used three PCR- based subtractive techniques to identify AFB1-responsive genes in cultured primary rat hepatocyte RNA: differential display PCR (DD-PCR), representational difference analysis (RDA) and suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). Each of the three techniques identified AFB1- responsive genes, although no individual cDNA was isolated by more than one technique. Nine cDNAs isolated using DD-PCR, RDA or SSH were found to represent eight genes that are differentially expressed as a result of AFB1 exposure. Genes whose mRNA levels were increased in cultured primary rat hepatocytes after AFB1 treatment were corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG), cytochrome P450 4F1 (CYP4F1), alpha-2 microglobulin, C4b-binding protein (C4BP), serum amyloid A-2 and glutathione S-transferase Yb2 (GST). Transferrin and a small CYP3A-like cDNA had reduced mRNA levels after AFB1 exposure. Full-length CYP3A mRNA levels were increased. When liver RNA from AFB1-treated male F344 rats was evaluated for transferrin, CBG, GST, CYP3A and CYP4F1 expression, a decrease in transferrin mRNA and an increase in CBG, GST, CYP3A and CYP4F1 mRNA levels was also seen. Analysis of the potential function of these genes in maintaining cellular homeostasis suggests that their differential expression could contribute to the toxicity associated with AFB1 exposure.