Arterial pulse waves and velocity and systolic time intervals in diabetic children

Arterial pulse wave velocities, pulse wave contours, and systolic time intervals were recorded in thirty-nine diabetic children and were compared with recordings taken in twenty-seven normal children. Systolic time intervals were similar in the two groups of subjects. However, brachial and aortic pulse wave velocities were significantly greater in the diabetic than in the normal children (p < 0.025 and < 0.005, respectively). Also, in the diabetic children the time interval from the incisura to the midpoint of the dicrotic wave (I-D) was significantly shortened in both the brachial (p < 0.005) and carotid (p < 0.05) pulse waves as compared to the normal children. These changes in pulse wave velocity and contour are associated with increased wall stiffness that occurs with aging and suggest that the large arteries of diabetic children may exhibit acceleration of the aging process. The severity of these changes bore no direct correlation with the degree of carbohydrate intolerance as judged by insulin requirement.     

Pharmacology of Ultrasonic Vocalizations in adult Rats: Significance,Call Classification and Neural Substrate

Pharmacological studies of emotional arousal and initiation of emotional states in rats measured by their ultrasonic vocalizations are reviewed. It is postulated that emission of vocalizations is an inseparable feature of emotional states and it evolved from mother-infant interaction. Positive emotional states are associated with emission of 50 kHz vocalizations that could be induced by rewarding situations and dopaminergic activation of the nucleus accumbens and are mediated by D1, D2, and partially D3 dopamine receptors. Three biologically significant subtypes of 50 kHz vocalizations have been identified, all expressing positive emotional states: (1) flat calls without frequency modulation that serve as contact calls during social interactions; (2) frequencymodulated calls without trills that signal rewarding and significantly motivated situation; and (3) frequency-modulated calls with trills or trills themselves that are emitted in highly emotional situations associated with intensive affective state. Negative emotional states are associated with emission of 22 kHz vocalizations that could be induced by aversive situations, muscarinic cholinergic activation of limbic areas of medial diencephalon and forebrain, and are mediated by M2 muscarinic receptors. Two biologically significant subtypes of 22 kHz vocalizations have been identified, both expressing negative emotional sates: (1) long calls that serve as alarm calls and signal external danger; and (2) short calls that express a state of discomfort without external danger. The positive and negative states with emission of vocalizations are initiated by two ascending reticular activating subsystems: the mesolimbic dopaminergic subsystem as a specific positive arousal system, and the mesolimbic cholinergic subsystem as a specific negative arousal system.     

Circulating intercellular adhesion molecule 1 predicts non-specific elevation of α1-fetoprotein

Molecules governing cellular interactions have been suggested to be involved in the spurious elevation of 1-fetoprotein (AFP) in non-neoplastic liver disease. To explore this controversial issue, we measured AFP, circulating intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (cICAM-1), and common liver function tests in 111 patients (71 male, 40 female). Eighty-four patients had non-neoplastic chronic liver disease and 27 had hepatocellular carcinoma. The concentration of cICAM-1 was determined immunoenzymatically. In patients with non-neoplastic chronic liver disease, univariate analysis demonstrated a significant correlation between AFP and cholinesterase (R=–0.397,P<0.001), aspartate aminotransferase (R=0.421,P<0.001), bilirubin (R=0.231,P<0.05) and cICAM-1 (R=0.430,P<0.001). Multivariate analysis among these variables and AFP indicated cICAM-1 to be the strongest independent predictor of AFP. We conclude that cICAM-1 compares favourably with liver function tests in predicting non-specific AFP variations in non-neoplastic chronic liver disease, suggesting a link between targeting of the inflammatory damage to the hepatocyte and development of neoplasia.Abbreviations AFP 1-fetoprotein - cICAM-1 circulating intercellular adhesion molecule 1     

Chronic effects of cannabis on sensory gating

Chronic cannabis use has been associated with neurocognitive deficits, alterations in brain structure and function, and with psychosis. This study investigated the effects of chronic cannabis use on P50 sensory-gating in regular users, and explored the association between sensory gating, cannabis use history and the development of psychotic-like symptoms. Twenty controls and 21 regular cannabis users completed a P50 paired-click (S1 and S2) paradigm with an inter-pair interval of 9 s. The groups were compared on P50 amplitude to S1 and S2, P50 ratio (S2/S1) and P50 difference score (S1–S2). While cannabis users overall did not differ from controls on P50 measures, prolonged duration of regular use was associated with greater impairment in sensory gating as indexed by both P50 ratio and difference scores (including after controlling for tobacco use). Long-term cannabis users were found to have worse sensory gating ratios and difference scores compared to short-term users and controls. P50 metrics did not correlate significantly with any measure of psychotic-like symptoms in cannabis users. These results suggest that prolonged exposure to cannabis results in impaired P50 sensory-gating in long-term cannabis users. While it is possible that these deficits may have pre-dated cannabis use and reflect a vulnerability to cannabis use, their association with increasing years of cannabis use suggests that this is not the case. Impaired P50 sensory-gating ratios have also been reported in patients with schizophrenia and may indicate a similar underlying pathology.     

Influence of MRE11, RAD50 and NIBRIN protein expression on survival in pancreatic carcinoma after curative resection

The MRE11/RAD50/NIBRIN complex, a protein complex that repairs DNA double-strand breaks, could serve as an early marker for new lesions in pancreatic cancer. We determined the expression of MRE11, RAD50 and NIBRIN, and their possible prognostic value regarding survival.     

Integration of intraoral digital scans with a 3D facial scan for anterior tooth rehabilitation

This article describes a digital technique that combines intraoral digital scans with a 3-dimensional facial scan to predict the outcome of prosthodontic treatment of anterior teeth at the treatment planning phase. This approach may increase patient acceptance of the definitive treatment, as the altered facial appearance is visualized with definitive prosthodontic restorations, thereby improving communication before treatment begins.     

七元瓜环对小鼠的初步安全性评价

目的:评价七元瓜环对小鼠安全药理学,为后续研究瓜环类化合物对人体的影响以及作为新型药物辅料的开发提供基础资料数据。方法:依据中药、天然药物急性毒性研究技术指导原则的有关要求和OECD新发布急性径口毒性实验方法的有关记载,采用改良寇式法,计算出七元瓜环LD_(50)值。结果:七元瓜环LD_(50)值为49.1g/Kg。结论:七元瓜环属于无毒安全级,可作为一种新型安全、低毒的超分子药物载体,应用于超分子化学领域中。     

牛鼻子引流术在严重糖尿病足感染创面中的临床应用

目的探讨牛鼻子引流术（nose ring drain，NRD）治疗严重糖尿病足感染创面的临床效果。方法回顾分析 2017 年 6 月—2019 年 6 月采用 NRD 治疗的 35 例严重糖尿病足感染创面患者临床资料。男 24 例，女 11 例；年龄 28～82 岁，平均 54.5 岁。均为 2 型糖尿病患者，糖尿病病程 3～20 年，平均 9.4 年。糖尿病足病程 4 个月～2 年，平均 1.16 年。左足 16 例，右足 19 例。根据 Wagner 分级：2 级 11 例，3 级 20 例，4 级 4 例；均为糖尿病足创面中重度感染。术后创面采用“蚕食样”持续清创至表皮再生愈合。治疗过程中分析并总结创面分泌物细菌培养类型、临床抗生素使用时间，创面愈合方式、愈合时间、截肢比例等指标。结果35 例患者均随访，随访时间 3～6 个月，平均 4.5 个月。术后创面细菌培养结果显示，金黄色葡萄球菌 5 例、铜绿假单胞菌 4 例、大肠埃希菌 5 例、阴沟肠杆菌 3 例、凝固酶阴性葡萄球菌 3 例，其他类型 15 例。临床抗生素使用时间 3～15 d，平均 9.1 d。创面自溶性愈合，无需植皮，创面愈合时间 62～82 d，平均 72.3 d；随访过程中 3 例（8.6%）患者因血糖控制不佳，感染大面积扩散导致截肢 。创面愈合患者原创面处未出现感染复发及新生溃疡。结论应用 NRD 治疗严重糖尿病足感染创面，能有效控制创面感染，促进创面再生愈合，无需植皮且操作简便。