Dietary Tryptophan Reverses Alcohol-induced Impairment of Facial Recognition But Not Verbal Recall

The present study demonstrates that alcohol-induced memory impairment can be attenuated by pretreatment with an oral tryptophan supplementation. These results provide support for the role of a brain serotonin deficit in this impairment and highlight the impact a dietary manipulation can have on a complex behavioral process.     

晶体玻璃体视网膜联合手术治疗复杂性视网膜脱离

目的探讨玻璃体视网膜手术（ｖｉｔｒｅｒｅｔｉｎａｌｓｕｒｇｅｒｙ，ＶＲ术）联合晶体切除／超声粉碎的效果。方法对８１例（８１只眼）应用晶体玻璃体视网膜联合手术（ｌｅｎｔｉｃｕｌａｒ－ｖｉｔｒｅｏｒｅｔｉｎａｌｓｕｒｇｅｒｙ，ＬＶＲ术）治疗的复杂性视网膜脱离进行回顾性分析。结果解剖性成功者６４只眼（７９．０１％），功能性成功者４５只眼（５５．５６％）；手术成功率显著降低的原因是前部增殖性玻璃体视网膜病变（ｐｒｏｌｉｆｅｒａｔｉｖｅｖｉｔｒｅｏ－ｒｅｔｉｎｏｐａｔｈｙ，ＰＶＲ）（成功率４２．８６％，Ｐ＜０．０１）和术中／术后眼内出血（成功率５８．８２％，Ｐ＜０．０２５）。结论ＬＶＲ术是治疗复杂性视网膜脱离的主要方法；显著影响手术预后的因素是前部ＰＶＲ和术中／术后眼内出血。     

Influence of Inhaled Corticosteroids and Dietary Intake on Bone Density and Metabolism in Patients With Moderate to Severe Asthma

Objectives Compare the effect of high doses of inhaled corticosteroids on bone loss in subjects with moderate to severe asthma or mild asthma, and examine the influence of dietary intake on bone metabolism. Design A survey on the effects of corticotherapy and nutrition on bone density was conducted in 74 subjects currently being treated for asthma in the asthma clinic of Hospital Laval (Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada). Fifty-eight subjects completed the study (attrition RATE=15%).

Main outcome measures In all subjects expiratory volumes were determined and urinary analysis was conducted for hydroxyproline, calcium, phosphorus, and cortisol levels. Osteocalcin, calcium, phosphorus, cortisol, alkaline phosphatase, and γ-glutamyltransferase levels were measured in blood samples. Bone density of the lumbar spine was determined by means of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Nutrition evaluation was based on a 3-day food diary analyzed using progiciel Nutri 91. The nutritional parameters examined were calcium; phosphorus; magnesium; zinc; vitamins A, C, and D; protein; total fiber; oxalates; energy; caffeine; and alcohol in relation to bone density.

Subjects Thirty-one patients with moderate to severe asthma who had been taking more than 1,000 μg beclomethasone per day or the equivalent for more than 2 years and 27 patients with mild asthma who were taking less than 500 μg beclomethasone per day or the equivalent.

Statistical analyses performed Four factor analysis of variance with hierarchized interactions of four levels, Duncan's test, Pearson correlation coefficients.

Results Blood levels of osteocalcin and protein intake were lower in patients with moderate to severe asthma than in those with mild asthma (P<.05). Significant correlations (P<.02) were observed between bone density and calcium intake (r=.40), phosphorus intake (r=.35), protein intake (r=.30), and serum alkaline phosphatase level (r=−.30). Bone density was not significantly different between the two groups of patients with asthma.

Applications A follow-up of patients with asthma who are taking inhaled corticosteroids is needed to assess bone density, osteocalcin levels, and dietary intakes of calcium. Verify if osteocalcin level decreases over time in patients with moderate to severe asthma, monitor possible modifications in bone density, and verify if the correlation between dietary calcium and bone density is maintained. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997;97:1401–1406.     

'A good person does not feel envy': envy in a nursing community

The definition of envy is commonly based on psychoanalytical views of organizational culture. The purpose of this paper is to describe envy in a nursing community. The population study consisted of random sample of 120 subjects drawn from among the employees of one central hospital in Finland. The study material consisted of data collected by questionnaires (response rate 65%). The data were processed by various statistical methods. Open-ended questions were analysed by inductive content analysis. The results of this study indicated that the employee's view of his/her official position in the nursing community, his/her relationships with his/her fellow workers and the management as well as relationships with other nursing communities are all related to envy. The employee's view of his/her official position intensified his/her feelings of envy, if he/she had other negative feelings, anxiety, dissatisfaction with him/herself, and negative feelings towards fellow workers. The major object of envy was fellow workers' salaries. Envy towards other nursing communities was generated by alleged differences in the amount of labour, or by the charge nurse's greater interest in other sections. Employees coped with envy by hiding these feelings and being modest. Women coped with envy by being silent, while men denied the value of the object of envy.     

粉防己碱对野百合碱致大鼠肺动脉构形重建的逆转作用

以野百合碱复制Ｗｉｓｔａｒ大鼠肺动脉高压模型，用特殊染色方法观察粉防已碱对野百合碱致大鼠肺动脉构形重建的逆转作用，结果表明粉防已碱可选择性的降低野百合碱诱导的大鼠肺动脉高压的作用，并明显地逆转肺血管及肺组织损伤，降低肺动脉高压和右心室肥大，对体循环压力无影响     

The Membrane Lipid Cholesterol Modulates Anesthetic Actions on a Human Brain Ion Channel

Background: Molecular theories of general anesthesia often are divided into two categories: (l) Anesthetics may bind specifically to proteins, such as ionic channels, and alter their function directly, and (2) anesthetics may alter the functions of integral membrane proteins indirectly through modification of the physical properties of the membrane. Recent studies have provided evidence that anesthetics can bind to proteins and modify their function directly, bringing into question the role of the membrane in anesthetic interactions. To reexamine the role of membrane lipids in anesthetic interactions, an experimental approach was used in which the membrane lipid composition could be systematically altered and the impact on anesthetic interactions with potential targets examined.

Methods: Sodium channels from human brain cortex were incorporated into planar lipid bilayers with increasing cholesterol content. The anesthetic suppression of these channels by pentobarbital was quantitatively examined by single channel measurements under voltage-clamp conditions.

Results: Changes in cholesterol content had no effect on measured channel properties in the absence of anesthetic. In the presence of pentobarbital, however, cholesterol inhibited anesthetic suppression of channel ionic currents, with 1.9% (weight/weight, corresponding to 3.5 mol%) cholesterol decreasing anesthetic suppression of sodium channels by half.     

结肠腺瘤与腺癌p53,c—erbB2蛋白及CEA的表达和意义

应用免疫组化法检测１５例正常结肠粘膜，４０例结肠瘤及４０例结肠癌组织的ｐ５３，ｃ－ｅｒｂＢ２和ＣＥＡ的表达。结果发现：结肠癌患者ｐ５３，ｃ－ｅｒｂＢ２及ＣＥＡ的阳性表达率均显著高于腺瘤（Ｐ〈０．０１）。ｐ５３阳性表达在不典型增生腺瘤患者中，重度显著高于轻度病例（Ｐ〈０．０１）；在结肠腺癌患者中低分化显著高于高分化病例（Ｐ〈０．０５）；ＣＥＡ的新型单克隆抗体ｃｏｌ－１对结肠癌的敏感性和特异性均高，阳