Sensitization to horse hair, symptoms and lung function in grooms

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the rate of occupational sensitization to horse hair in grooms and whether occupational exposure to horse hair increases respiratory and allergic symptoms and affects lung function in grooms or not. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. Two hundred grooms were randomly selected among 1000 grooms working in Veliefendi Hippodrome of Istanbul. One hundred and twenty-five subjects agreed to enter the study. Ninety-two workers who worked in the different parts of this hippodrome enrolled as the control group. A detailed questionnaire including respiratory and allergic symptoms was filled in, physical examination, skin prick tests and pulmonary function tests were performed. RESULTS: Sensitization to horse hair was 12.8% in grooms and 4.3% in controls. The difference was statistically significant (P = 0.0035). Asthma was found in 14.4% of the grooms and 5.4% of the controls, allergic rhinitis in 42.4% of the grooms and 18.4% of the controls, allergic conjunctivitis in 35.2% of the grooms and 15.2% of the controls, and allergic skin diseases in 32.8% of the grooms and 13% of the controls. The differences were statistically significant (P = 0.043, P = 0.0002, P = 0.001 and P = 0.0008, respectively). The means of FEV1, FEV1/FVC and FVC parameters were significantly lower in the groom group (P = 0.006, P = 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, being in the groom group and working years were found to be predictive factors for impairments of lung function (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSION: Occupational exposure to horse increases the sensitization to horse hair, induces asthma and allergic symptoms and also impairs lung functions.     

急性脑血管病肿瘤坏死因子-α的临床研究

目的：探讨肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）在急性脑血管病（ACVD）中的作用及其变化的临床意义。方法：选取95例ACVD患者，并设性别及年龄相匹配的血清对照组（20例）及脑脊液对照组（10例）。应用酶联免疫吸附法（ELISA）于发病后第1、3、7、14d测定血清和脑脊液中TNF-α。结果：①三种脑血管病患者血清TNF-α动态变化存在差异，脑出血和脑梗死组的峰值单间为发病后第3d，而蛛网膜下腔出血（SAH）组为第1d。②脑梗死患者血清TNF-α水平与梗死面积、神经功能缺损程度及病情恶化与否相关。③SAH组于发病后第1d、3d、7d脑脊液TNF-α值高于血清，14d时降至对照组水平并与血清无差异。结论：①脑梗死患者血清TNF-α的动态观察，可为临床预测梗死灶大小、神经功能缺损程度及病情恶化与否提供依据。②发病早期的脑梗死患者若CT未能显示病灶时，血清TNF-α的明显升高有助于临床诊断和治疗。③SAH患者脑脊液中TNF-α水平明显高于血清，进一步提示脑内神经组织可产生TNF-α。脑脊液中TNF-α的持续明显升高可能与SAH后脑血管痉挛有关。④TNF-α参与了ACVD的炎性反应过程，早期抑制TNF产生及抗炎性反应的治疗可能具有潜在的临床价值。     

bFGF对人毛囊黑素细胞增殖、活化和黑素合成作用的研究

目的　研究碱性成纤维细胞生长因子 (bFGF)对人毛囊黑素细胞 (Hairfolloclemelanocyte ,HFM )增殖活化和黑素合成的影响。方法　体外培养正常人HFM ,观察不同浓度bFGF(0 3～ 1 2ng ml)对HFM形态、增殖、酪氨酸酶活性和黑素含量的影响。结果　bFGF处理HFM 7d后 ,HFM树突增多延长 ,酪氨酸酶活性和黑素含量增加显著高于对照组 (P <0 0 1) ,以 0 6ng ml组为著。结论　bFGF能诱导HFM增殖、酪氨酸酶活性和黑素合成增加     

慢性老年精神分裂症患者认知功能及其与日常生活能力的比较研究

目的 :了解慢性老年精神分裂症患者认知功能和日常生活能力状况 ,探讨此类患者在额叶执行功能和记忆方面的神经心理功能障碍及其特征。方法 :采用简易智力状态检查 (MMSE)、日常生活能力量表 (ADL)、威斯康星卡片分类测验 (WCST)及韦氏记忆量表 (WMS)对 31例慢性老年精神分裂症和 31例正常对照组进行比较研究。结果 :慢性老年精神分裂症组MMSE得分明显低于正常对照组 (P <0 .0 1) ;而该组ADL总分明显高于正常对照组(P <0 .0 5 )。除非持续错误外 ,慢性老年精神分裂症患者的威斯康星卡片分类测验和韦氏记忆量表的各项测验成绩均差于对照组 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :慢性老年精神分裂症患者认知功能的障碍决定了患者日常生活能力的减退 ;这类患者有明显的额叶执行功能障碍和记忆障碍     

Validating the eating disorder inventory (EDI‐2) in two danish samples: A comparison between female eating disorder patients and females from the general population

The Eating Disorder Inventory, Version 2 (EDI‐2) is a questionnaire used clinically and in research all over the world. EDI‐2 is cross‐culturally valid, yet normative values may depend on culture. Norms and reliability of the Danish version have to date been lacking, and will be presented in this article, comparing patients (N = 575) and controls (N = 881). Also, internal reliability of scales is tested for both groups. Differences between norms of the Danish and the North American version of EDI were small but significant for all scales except asceticism (eating disorder patients) and ineffectiveness, interpersonal distrust and maturity fears (normal controls). For both groups the internal consistency was >0.70 for all subscales except asceticism. Although differences across the eating disorder diagnostic groups were dubious, the EDI‐2 is useful to screen for eating problems in the general population as well as to rate progress and outcome among eating disorder patients. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.     

Reduced serotonin-1A receptor binding in social anxiety disorder.

BACKGROUND: Results from studies in serotonin-1A (5-HT1A) knockout mice and previous positron emission tomography (PET) studies in humans imply a role for 5-HT1A receptors in normal state anxiety as well as in certain anxiety disorders. The objective of this study was to investigate 5-HT1A receptor binding potential (BP) in social anxiety disorder (SAD). METHODS: Using PET and [carbonyl-11C]WAY-100635, we compared a homogeneous group of 12 unmedicated, male SAD patients with 18 healthy control subjects (HC). A multivariate ANOVA with all regional BP values as dependent variables, age and four radiochemical variables as covariates was performed. RESULTS: We found a significantly lower 5-HT1A BP in several limbic and paralimbic areas but not in the hippocampus (p = .234) of SAD patients. The difference in 5-HT1A binding was most significant in the amygdala (-21.4%; p = .003). There was also a more than 20% lower 5-HT(1A) BP of SAD patients in the anterior cingulate cortex (p = .004), insula (p = .003), and dorsal raphe nuclei (p = .030). CONCLUSIONS: The lower 5-HT1A binding in the amygdala and mesiofrontal areas of SAD patients is consistent with 1) preclinical findings of elevated anxiety in 5-HT1A knockout mice, 2) a previous PET study in healthy volunteers showing an inverse correlation between 5-HT1A BP and state anxiety, and 3) another human PET study in patients with panic disorder showing reduced 5-HT1A binding, thus corroborating the potential validity of 5-HT1A receptors as targets in the treatment of human anxiety disorders.