The validity and reliability of chinese frontal assessment battery in evaluating executive dysfunction among Chinese patients with small subcortical infarct

OBJECTIVES: Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) is a valid and reliable screening test for evaluating executive dysfunction among whites with frontal and subcortical degenerative lesions. We studied the properties of a Chinese version of FAB (CFAB) in evaluating executive dysfunction among Chinese stroke patients with small subcortical infarct. METHODS: Concurrent validity was evaluated using Wisconsin Card Sorting Tst (WCST) and Mattis Dementia Rating Scale-Initiation/Perseveration Subset (MDRS I/P) among 41 controls and 30 stroke patients with small subcortical infarct. Discriminant validities of CFAB and its subitems were compared with those of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Internal consistency, test-retest, and interrater reliability of CFAB were evaluated. RESULTS: The CFAB had low to good correlation with various executive measures: MDRS I/P (r = 0.63, p < 0.001), number of category completed (r = 0.45, p < 0.001), and number of perseverative errors (r = -0.37, p < 0.01) of WCST. Among the executive measures, only number of category completed had significant but small contribution (6.5%, p = 0.001) to the variance of CFAB. A short version of CFAB using three items yielded higher overall classification accuracy (86.6%) than that of CFAB full version (80.6%) and MMSE (77.6%). Internal consistency (alpha = 0.77), test-retest reliability (rho = 0.89, p < 0.001), and interrater reliability (rho = 0.85, p < 0.001) of CFAB were good. CONCLUSION: Although CFAB is reliable, it is only moderately valid in evaluating executive dysfunction among Chinese stroke patients with small subcortical infarct. The clinical use of CFAB in the evaluation of executive dysfunction among this group of patients cannot be recommended at this stage.     

A cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitor from<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizopus oryzae</Emphasis>

A bile acid derivative, methyl cholate (1), was isolated from EtOAc extract of the fungus Rhizopus oryzae as a cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitor. It showed moderate inhibitory activity on cholesterol biosynthesis in human Chang liver cells. Compound 1 exhibited inhibitory effect on the later step of cholesterol biosynthesis, indicating that its action mode is different from that of statins that act on the HMG-CoA reductase.     

Normative data and developmental characteristics of hand function for elementary school children in Suwon area of Korea: grip,pinch and dexterity study

This study was designed to establish norms of hand function, and to identify developmental characteristics of hand function among the Korean children. 712 elementary school children participated in measurement of grip strength, three kinds of pinch strength, and dexterity. The hand strength of the Korean children appeared to be weaker than that of western children. The grip strength of boys was significantly stronger than that of girls in all ages for both hands. The order of magnitude of three kinds of pinch strength was, in descending order, lateral pinch, palmar pinch and tip pinch for both boys and girls. There was no significant difference of hand function according to the type of hand dominance in boys. However, girls with left hand dominance showed weakness of bilateral grip, right tip pinch, and bilateral lateral pinch strength compared with girls with right hand dominance. In conclusion, this study provided normative data of hand functions including dexterity, and enabled us to identify some developmental characteristics of hand functions for the Korean elementary school children.     

Rosuvastatin for the treatment of patients with hypercholesterolemia

OBJECTIVE: To review the currently available information on rosuvastatin in the treatment of primary hypercholesterolemia. DATA SOURCES: MEDLEY (2000-January 2001), MEDLIT, MEDLINE, EMBASE, SciSearch, Current Contents, Derwent, Drug, BIOSIS, Adis LMS Drug Alerts, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1994-July 2001) were searched; unpublished data obtained from the manufacturer were also included. STUDY SELECTION: Studies evaluating rosuvastatin including abstracts, proceedings, and data on file from the manufacturer were considered for inclusion. English-language literature was evaluated for pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic use, and adverse effects of rosuvastatin. Additional relevant citations were used in the introductory material and discussion section. DATA EXTRACTION: English-language study abstracts selected for inclusion were limited to those on human subjects. Animal data were included only if human data were not available. DATA SYNTHESIS: Resuvastatin, a new synthetic hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor (HMG-CoA RI), recently completed Phase III clinical trials. At a dosage of 1-80 mg/d, the drug significantly reduced total cholesterol and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and produced beneficial effects on other lipid parameters as well. Overall, resuvastatin was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: In hypercholesterolemic patients, rosuvastatin reduced LDL-C and other lipid parameters to a greater degree than currently available agents. One advantage of rosuvastatin is that it achieves target LDL-C goals in a greater proportion of treated patients with similar adverse events compared with those treated with other HMG-CoA RIs. The potential to reduce risk of coronary heart disease events and decrease mortality as well as cost comparisons with currently used HMG-CoA RIs remains a subject of further investigation.     

ACE inhibition modulates transforming growth factor-β receptors in the young rat

The renin-angiotensin system plays an important role in renal growth and development. Exposure of the neonate to angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors increases mortality and results in growth retardation and abnormal renal development. It has been demonstrated that ACE inhibition in the developing kidney reduces the renal expression of growth factors, which may account for renal growth impairment. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between renal growth impairment and the expression of transforming growth factor-1 (TGF-1), TGF- receptor I [TRI, activin-like kinase (ALK)-1 and ALK-5], and TGF- receptor II (TRII). Newborn rat pups were treated with enalapril (30 mg/kg per day) or vehicle for 7 days, and kidneys were removed for Western blotting of TGF-1, ALK-1, ALK-5, and TRII, and for RT-PCR of ALK-5 and TRII. TGF-1, ALK-1, ALK-5, and TRII were also detected by immunohistochemistry. Enalapril treatment resulted in an increased mortality (30.4%) by day 7, and reduced body weight and kidney weight (P<0.05 versus vehicle). Enalapril decreased renal TGF-1, ALK-1, and ALK-5 protein expression (P<0.05). Also, enalapril decreased ALK-5 mRNA expression (P<0.05). TRII expression was not changed by enalapril treatment. These results indicate that ACE inhibition in the developing kidney decreases TGF-1, ALK-1, and ALK-5 expression, which may account for renal growth impairment. TRII may not be modulated by ACE inhibition in the developing kidney.     

Effect of 11,12-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid as an additive to St. Thomas' cardioplegia and University of Wisconsin solutions on endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor-mediated function in coronary microarteries: influence of temperature and time

BACKGROUND: We examined the effect of 11,12-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET(11,12)) added to St. Thomas' Hospital (ST) solution or University of Wisconsin (UW) solution on endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF)-mediated relaxation under clinically relevant temperature and exposure time. METHODS: Porcine coronary microarteries (200 to 450 microm) were incubated with Krebs' solution (control), ST with or without EET(11,12) (300 nmol/L) at 22 degrees C for 1 hour as well as at 4 degrees C for 1 or 4 hours, and UW with or without EET(11,12) at 4 degrees C for 4 hours. The EDHF-mediated relaxation was induced by bradykinin (-10 to approximately -6.5 log M) in the precontraction evoked by U(46619) (10 nmol/L) or U(46619) (1 nmol/L) plus endothelin-1 (6 nmol/L). RESULTS: The EDHF-mediated relaxation was reduced after exposure to UW (79.7% +/- 4.6% versus 93.6% +/- 2.8%, p = 0.01) at 4 degrees C for 4 hours. One-hour exposure to ST under 22 degrees C or 4 degrees C decreased the relaxation (75.2% +/- 7.6% versus 96.7% +/- 1.6%, p < 0.05) or the sensitivity to bradykinin (-8.04 +/- 0.15 versus -8.50 +/- 0.20 log M, p < 0.05). The relaxation increased to 86.8% +/- 5.3% by addition of EET(11,12) to ST (1 hour at 22 degrees C, p < 0.05) but was unchanged when added to either ST or UW at 4 degrees C for 1 or 4 hours. CONCLUSIONS: As an additive to ST solution, EET(11,12) may partially restore EDHF-mediated endothelial function under moderate hypothermia but had no significant effect under profound hypothermia when added to either ST or UW solution. Further investigation is necessary to improve the effect.     

Loss of heterozygosity of the VHL gene identifies malignancy and predicts death in follicular thyroid tumors

BACKGROUND: Follicular thyroid tumors (FTT) usually require resection to distinguish adenoma from carcinoma. Better markers that predict histologic subtype and prognosis are needed for FTT. METHODS: Seventeen benign and malignant FTT with follow-up were selected. Pathologic diagnosis was confirmed, tumor and normal tissue were microdissected, and DNA was extracted. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products for a microsatellite marker at the von Hippel Lindau gene (VHL) gene locus (3p26) were analyzed with semiquantitative capillary gel electrophoresis to detect loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Data were assessed for statistical significance with chi(2). RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 77 months (range 29 to 120 months). Four cases were uninformative (homozygous microsatellite). Among 13 evaluable patients (6 adenomas, 7 follicular cancers) LOH of VHL was present only in carcinomas (P=.013). LOH was present in 4/4 patients with recurrence and 0/3 patients without recurrence (P=.017). Death from disease has occurred in 3 patients. LOH of VHL was strongly associated with death from disease (P=.034). CONCLUSIONS: FTT can be analyzed for LOH at the VHL gene locus. In this initial study, LOH of VHL was highly specific for malignancy and predicted death from disease. The analysis of VHL may provide for preoperative detection in cytologic samples with potential impact on clinical management of FTT.     

Genetic alterations of lung adenocarcinoma in relation to smoking and ethnicity

Adenocarcinoma of the lung is now the most common histologic subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) worldwide. In Chinese populations, the incidence of lung adenocarcinoma is amongst the highest worldwide and its development in non-smoking females is particularly striking. Information on the associated underlying genetic changes has been, however, minimal to date. The present study represents the first systematic analysis on the overall genetic changes in lung adenocarcinoma of Chinese female non-smokers. We undertook a genome-wide investigation into the abnormalities in lung adenocarcinomas of 18 life-long non-smoking Chinese females using the technique of comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). With a view to isolating the relative roles of gender, ethnicity and tobacco consumption, we recruited control groups of 10 Caucasian female non-smokers and 22 male Chinese smokers. Although gains on 1q, 5p, 7p and 8q, and regional losses on 8p, 17p, 13q and 18q were commonly seen, there were no significant differences between the Caucasian and Chinese non-smoking women. The observation suggests that lung adenocarcinomas, regardless of ethnic origin, adopt similar pathologic pathways during the accumulation of genetic events. Besides, genomic imbalances, particularly gains per tumor, were significantly more common among the tobacco-related tumors (P=0.006). In particular, regional over-representations of 13q21-q34 (P=0.044), 17q25 (P=0.015), 19q13.1 (P=0.044) and 22q (P=0.044) may have implications for the pathologic pathways associated with the tobacco-related lung adenocarcinoma.     

VIM- and IMP-type metallo-beta-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp. in Korean hospitals

We determined the occurrence of acquired metallo-b-lactamase (MBL)-producing bacteria in Korean hospitals. Among the isolates nonsusceptible to imipenem that were collected from 28 hospitals from 2000 to 2001, 44 (11.4%) of 387 Pseudomonas spp. and 38 (14.2%) of 267 Acinetobacter spp. produced MBL and had alleles of blaVIM-2 or blaIMP-1. MBL-producing isolates were detected in 60.7% of the hospitals.