Working memory performance of older adults with insomnia

Older individuals suffering insomnia typically report declines in their cognitive performance beyond what they consider to be normal changes due to the aging process. Recent neuro‐imaging studies have demonstrated frontal lobe hypo‐activation among insomniac populations when compared with healthy, good sleepers. However, research is yet to confirm whether frontal lobe hypo‐activation translates into objective declines when performing tasks hypothesized to draw upon this brain region. This study aimed to investigate whether older insomnia sufferers demonstrate significantly impaired performance on a challenging working memory task when compared with age‐matched good sleepers. Forty‐nine older individuals (mean age = 69.43 years, SD = 4.83) suffering from sleep maintenance insomnia were compared with 49 age‐matched good sleepers. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Double Span Memory Task, a computer‐based working memory task that requires participants to indicate the names and/or spatial locations of increasingly longer sequences of visually presented objects. After controlling for general intelligence, the individuals suffering from insomnia did not perform differently when compared with the good sleepers on either the simpler or more cognitively demanding components of the task. Older individuals with insomnia did not display an observable impairment of working memory in this study relative to good sleepers. Despite the mixed results from previous research, this study adds weight to the absence of objective impairment in insomniacs, at least while performing short‐term demanding cognitive tasks.     

Chemoradiation-induced changes in systemic inflammatory markers and their prognostic significance in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective:Chemoradiation (CRT) may induce a change in systemic inflammatory state which could affect clinical outcomes in oesophageal cancer. We aimed to evaluate the changes and prognostic significance of systemic inflammatory markers following definitive CRT in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.Methods:A total of 53 patients treated with concurrent CRT were included in this retrospective analysis. We compared neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR) before and after CRT using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated. Univariable and multivariable survival analysis were performed using Cox regression analysis. Clinical univariable survival prognostic factors with p < 0.1 were included in a multivariable cox regression analysis for backward stepwise model selection.Results:Both NLR (median ∆+2.8 [IQR −0.11, 8.62], p < 001) and PLR (median ∆+227 [81.3–523.5], p < 0.001) increased significantly after CRT. Higher levels of pre-CRT, post-CRT and change (∆) in NLR and PLR were associated with inferior OS and PFS. Post-CRT NLR (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02–1.07, p < 0.001), post-CRT platelets (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.05, p = 0.005), cT-stage (HR 3.83, 95% CI 1.39–10.60, p = 0.01) and RT dose (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.21–0.81, p = 0.01) were independent prognostic factors for OS in multivariable analysis. Change in NLR (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.06, p = 0.001), post-CRT platelets (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.05, p = 0.002), cT-stage (HR 3.98, 95% CI 1.55–10.25, p = 0.004) and RT dose (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.21–0.80, p = 0.009) were independent prognostic factors for PFS.Conclusion:Both NLR and PLR increased following definitive CRT. Post-CRT NLR and ∆NLR were associated with adverse survival in oesophageal SCC.Advances in knowledge:We showed that CRT increased PLR and NLR, possibly reflecting a systemic inflammatory state which were associated with poor clinical outcomes in oesophageal SCC.     

Wound healing effect of methanolic leaf extract of Napoleona vogelii(Family:Lecythidaceae) in rats

Objective:To investigate the wound healing properly of Napoleona vogelii leaf extract in folkloric medicine.Methods:Roth sexes of adult albino rats(n=25) were used in this study and another group(n=30) were subjected to acute toxicity test(LD_(50)) of the plant extract.For the LD_(50),three randomized groups of 5 rats were first treated with 10,100,1 000 mg/kg body weight(bw),orally.This w as followed by a second treatment of 1500,3000,and 5 000 mg/kg bw of the leaf extract with continual monitoring of the animals for mortality or non-mortality.Incision wounds(1.3cm) were created on the skin of five groups of 5 rals using surgical blade under anesthesia.The first group was topically treated with petroleum jelly alone,group 2 was topically applied 400 mg/mL w/v of the reference drug,Neobaein,while group 3-5 were topically treated with 5-50 mg/mL w/v of the plant extract,respectively.Results:The percentage yield of the extract was 49.80%w/w dry matter.The phytochemical analysis revealed several bioactive constituents including glycosides,tannins,alkaloids,perpenoids.saponins,steroids,proteins,and carbohydrates.The LD_(50) was beyond our experimental limit and was not determined.Increased concentrations(5,20,and 50mg/mL w/v) of the extract had significant(ANOVA,P0.05) healing effect on the incision wounds giving rise to 125%-140% while treatmentawith Neobacin resulted in 150% healing effect on the third treatment regimen compared to the control(100%).Conclusions:These data indicate that Napoleona vogelii leaf extract contains potent bioactive compounds containing wound healing activity,substantiating its use as a wound healer in folkloric medicine.     

Oxidative metabolism of the human eosinophil

We have compared the oxidative metabolism of human eosinophils (80%-90% purity) to that of neutrophils. Hexose monophosphate (HMP) shunt activity of eosinophils was higher than that of neutrophils under either resting or phagocytizing conditions. Eosinophil HMP shunt activity also was stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate, a membrane- active agent. Eosinophils showed a marked incorporation of 125I into trichloroacetic acid-insoluble material under resting conditions, which increased markedly during phagocytosis. Eosinophils likewise showed a greater reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium dye during phagocytosis than did neutrophils. Measurement of other parameters of oxidative metabolism indicated that eosinophils generated superoxide anion following phagocytosis and also elicited a burst of chemiluminescence similar to that observed during phagocytosis by neutrophils. Measurement of NADPH oxidase activity demonstrated that this enzyme was 3-6 times more active in fractions isolated from eosinophils than in corresponding fractions isolated from neutrophils; this was observed over a range of substrate concentrations. The eosinophil enzyme sedimented differently than the neutrophil enzyme with differential centrifugation; neither showed sedimentation characteristics of peroxidase. These data indicate that eosinophils possess a similar, although in some ways more potent, oxidative burst than neutrophils and are consistent with a role for NADPH oxidase in the initiation of that burst.     

Dubin-Johnson综合征1例

Dubin-Johnson综合征是一种先天性非溶血性黄疸,在临床中较罕见,需与其他原因所导致的黄疸相鉴别.本文报告了我院1例Dubin- Johnson综合征的诊治情况,有助于加深对该病的认识.     

自体骨髓干细胞移植治疗失代偿期肝硬化

选择36例失代偿期肝硬化患者,年龄37～59岁,患者在无菌条件下,从髂后上棘抽取骨髓100～200mL,在体外分离纯化骨髓干细胞后,局部麻醉下经股动脉插管经肝动脉将分离的骨髓干细胞移植于肝脏。自移植后12周,25例(69.4%)患者谷丙转氨酶逐渐降低,由平均(2788.56±357.90)nkat/L降至(1077.05±440.25)nkat/L;22例(61.1%)患者总胆红素逐渐下降,由平均(151.47±25.77)μmol/L降至(69.93±18.86)μmol/L;27例(75%)患者白蛋白逐渐升高,由平均(25.17±11.79)g/L升至(30.87±12.17)g/L。在干细胞移植后凝血酶原活动度逐渐上升,由术前平均(25.89±12.67)%上升至术后12周的(50.39±19.38)%,患者凝血机制明显改善。移植后大多数患者身体状况有明显的改善;移植后12周腹水减轻的19例(52.7%),食欲改善的28例(77.7%),体力好转20例(58.3%),腹胀减轻17例(47.2%),36例干细胞移植患者未出现严重并发症。