Screening of somatization disorder: validation of the Spanish version of the Othmer and DeSouza Test

The objective of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the Othmer and DeSouza Screening Test for Somatization Disorder. We have designed a validity study using the Standardized Polyvalent Psychiatric Interview, an instrument specifically designed to diagnose psychiatric morbidity in medical settings as the ‘golden rule’. The control group displayed ‘functional’ and ‘presenting’ somatization. The Othmer and DeSouza Screening Test, with a threshold of three symptoms, shows 88% sensitivity, 78% specificity and a misclassification rate of 17%. It is concluded that Othmer and DeSouza's screening test, with a threshold of three symptoms, is a useful tool for the diagnosis of somatization disorder in medical and primary care settings in Spain. Discrepancies with US findings are discussed on a cross-cultural basis.     

Moisturizing effect of cosmetic formulations containing Aloe vera extract in different concentrations assessed by skin bioengineering techniques

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The polysaccharide-rich composition of Aloe vera extracts (Aloe barbadensis Miller), often used in cosmetic formulations, may impart moisturizing properties to the product. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cosmetic formulations containing different concentrations of freeze-dried Aloe vera extract on skin hydration, after a single and a 1- and 2-week period of application, by using skin bioengineering techniques. METHODS: Stable formulations containing 5% (w/w) of a trilaureth-4 phosphate-based blend were supplemented with 0.10%, 0.25% or 0.50% (w/w) of freeze-dried Aloe vera extract and applied to the volar forearm of 20 female subjects. Skin conditions in terms of the water content of the stratum corneum and of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) (Corneometer CM 825 and Tewameter TM 210) were analysed before and after a single and 1- and 2-week period of daily application. RESULTS: After a single application, only formulations supplemented with 0.25% and 0.50% (w/w) of Aloe vera extract increased the water content of the stratum corneum, while after the 2-week period application, all formulations containing the extract (0.10%, 0.25% and 0.50%) had the same effect, in both cases as compared with the vehicle. TEWL was not modified after a single and after 1- and 2-week period of application, when compared with the vehicle. CONCLUSION: Our results show that freeze-dried Aloe vera extract is a natural effective ingredient for improving skin hydration, possibly through a humectant mechanism. Consequently, it may be used in moisturizing cosmetic formulations and also as a complement in the treatment of dry skin.     

Evaluation of plantar hyperhidrosis in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy

Background Sympathectomy is the treatment of choice for primary hyperhidrosis. One curious occurrence that is difficult to explain from an anatomophysiological point of view in cases of video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy (VATS) for the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis (PH) is the observed improvement in plantar hyperhidrosis (PLH). Nevertheless, current reports on VATS rarely describe the effect on PLH or just give superficial data. The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate, how surgery affects PLH in patients with PH and PLH over one-year period. Methods From May 2003 to January 2004, 70 consecutive patients with combined PH and PLH underwent VATS at the T2, T3, or T4 ganglion level (47 women and 23 men, with mean age of 23 years). Results Immediately after the operation, all the patients said they were free from PH episodes, except for two patients (2.8%) who suffered from continued PH. Compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH) of various degrees was observed in 58 (90.6%) patients after one year. Only 13 (20.3%) suffered from severe CH. There was a great initial improvement in PLH in 50% of the cases, followed by progressive regression, such that only 23.4% still presented that improvement after one year. The number of cases without overall improvement increased progressively (from 17.1% to 37.5%) and the numbers with slight improvement remained stable (32.9–39.1%). Of the 24 patients with no improvement after one year, 6 patients graded plantar sweating worse. Conclusion Patients with PH and PLH who undergo VATS to treat their PH present a good initial improvement in PLH that reduces to a lower level of improvement after the one-year period.     

Super-reactivity to amphetamine toxicity induced by schedule of reinforcement

The chronic exposure of rats to a schedule of operant water reinforcement coupled with chronically restricted access to water sensitized the animals to intermittentd-amphetamine injections (0.31–2.5 mg/kg with intervals of 12–23 days between any two injections) in such a way that this drug came to produce catastrophic losses of body weight (32.4% of control levels). In the sessions whend-amphetamine was administered, the rats were also given a total of 12 brief electric shocks. Loss of body weight was unaccompanied by parallel changes in operant behavior performance, or in food or water intake. Remarkably, in other studies with the same interventions (sham schedule sessions, water deprivation, and foot shocks), with the exception that reinforcers were never delivered,d-amphetamine did not produce catastrophic falls in body weight. This super-reactivity tod-amphetamine toxicity may be mediated by a possible stressor action of the schedule of reinforcement. Its mechanism might be analogous to the known sensitization produced by classical experimental stressor stimuli to the repeated administration ofd-amphetamine.     

Immunopotentiation of bovine herpes virus subunit vaccination by interleukin-2.

Cattle were immunized with glycoprotein IV (gIV) from bovine herpes virus-1 (BHV-1). Groups of five animals were then given either 2, 3, 4, or 5 doses of interleukin-2 (IL-2) (0.5 microgram/kg) at 12-hr intervals. Animals that received no IL-2 exhibited specific immune responses that are typical for BHV-1 infection, i.e. enhanced specific cytotoxicity, lymphocyte proliferative responses to gIV, and increased gIV-specific (ELISA) and virus-neutralizing antibodies. Treatment of animals with five doses of IL-2 significantly augmented all of these responses except serum neutralization (P less than 0.05). Furthermore, the dose of IL-2 that was selected did not induce any non-specific responses, i.e. hypergamma-globulinaemia, changes in blood chemistry, increased lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell activity, changes in mitogen responsiveness or alterations in the phenotypic profile of circulating lymphocytes. Nor were there any clinical changes associated with IL-2 therapy (e.g. depression, pyrexia, diarrhea). Animals that were treated with less than five doses of IL-2 also exhibited elevated immune responses, but they were not significantly different from untreated immunized controls. Interestingly, animals given five doses of IL-2 responded to minor contaminants present in the gIV preparation. This allows speculation that this dose regimen of IL-2 is not only a potent adjuvant for conventional vaccine immunizing doses, but will also allow the use of minute quantities of antigen for immunization.     

Serum concentration of calcium and calcitonin in hyperthyroidism caused by Graves' disease]

Serum calcium and calcitonin were determined in 13 patients (12 women and 1 man), ages ranging from 30 to 40 years, with clinical diagnosis of hyperthyroidism due to Graves' Disease, confirmed by serum determinations of T3 and T4, with the purpose of establishing the relationship that these two substances may have in this pathology. The results obtained showed a decrease in seric calcium concentration in relation to a control group (10.02 +/-) 0.48 vs 11.49 +/- 0.28 mg/dl; p less than 0.005) and an increase in calcitonin concentration (193.6 +/- 8.62 vs 116.7 +/- 7.61 pg/ml; p less than 0.0001). We also found a significative negative association (r = -0.69; p less than 0.01) between these two compounds in the group of patients with hyperthyroidism, not being found in the control group.     

How does prosthesis head size affect vibration transmission in ossiculoplasty?

OBJECTIVES: The transmission of vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the stapes footplate by an ossicular reconstruction prosthesis is affected by the size of the prosthesis head. We sought to determine if augmenting or reducing the head size of prosthesis had a systematic effect on transmission of vibrations to the stapes. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a fresh cadaveric temporal bone middle ear study. METHODS: The incus was replaced with a prosthesis using a tympanic membrane to stapes head (TASH)-type hydroxyapatite prosthesis in nine fresh cadaveric temporal bones. Three prosthesis head sizes were created: unaltered, reduced, and augmented. Stapes vibrations were measured with a laser Doppler vibrometer in response to acoustic frequency chirps at 90 dB SPL. RESULTS: All three head size prostheses resulted in smaller stapes vibrations than the intact ear. There was no difference in the vibration transmission between the three different head sizes. All prostheses showed a vibration loss of 10 to 15 dB compared to the intact ear. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Within the range of sizes tested, prosthesis head size had little impact on vibration transmission to the stapes footplate.     

Comparative susceptibilities of ampicillin and chloramphenicol resistant Haemophilus influenzae to fifteen antibiotics

Eighty-three isolates of ampicillin and chloramphenicol resistant Haemophilus influenzae were tested for susceptibility to fifteen antibiotics by the agar dilution method. Fifty-four were from paediatric patients with H. influenzae disease and 29 from nasopharyngeal carriers (pre-school children). Twenty-five strains belonged to serotype b, one to serotype a, one to serotype c and the rest were non-typable. All strains produced beta-lactamase and inactivated chloramphenicol in a rapid bioassay, suggesting the production of chloramphenicol-acetyltransferase. The most active drugs were ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, latamoxef, aztreonam and desacetyl-cefotaxime (MIC90: 0.03, 0.06, 0.12, 0.25 and 0.25 mg/l, respectively). Cefuroxime, rifampicin and imipenem (MIC90 1 mg/l), and the combination of amoxycillin and clavulanic acid (MIC90 2:1 mg/l), also showed good activity. Cefaclor, erythromycin, tetracycline, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole and cotrimoxazole were the least active of the drugs studied. The excellent in-vitro activity of the new beta-lactam agents against H. influenzae resistant to ampicillin and chloramphenicol offers a therapeutic alternative in the treatment of serious infections caused by these micro-organisms.