Antisocial personality disorder, HIV risk behavior and retention in methadone maintenance therapy

In a sample of 55 consecutive methadone maintenance admissions to our clinic, 42% were diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) using the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule NIMH DIS. Individuals with ASPD exhibited greater risk for HIV infection as defined by more sexual contacts, needle use and equipment sharing. Data at 1 year follow-up were obtained on this group of patients. The objective was to compare the ASPD and non-ASPD groups with regards to demographics, drug abuse history, outcome and retention in treatment. There were no significant differences between the groups on any demographic or treatment outcome variables. Survival analysis indicated that there were no group differences in treatment retention. In conclusion, although there were no differences in treatment outcome between ASPD and non-ASPD groups it is possible that ASPD patients who drop out of treatment will be at higher risk for contracting and spreading HIV within the IV drug using population. These data also suggest that in this population the diagnosis of ASPD using primarily behavioral traits as measured in the NIMH-DIS-III, has little utility in predicting treatment outcome.     

Neurobehavioral effects among subjects exposed to high static and gradient magnetic fields from a 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging system--a case-crossover pilot study.

The interactive use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques is increasing in operating theaters. A study was performed on 17 male company volunteers to assess the neurobehavioral effects of exposure to magnetic fields from a 1.5 Tesla MRI system. The subjects' neurobehavioral performances on a neurobehavioral test battery were compared in four 1-hr sessions with and without exposure to magnetic fields, and with and without additional movements. Adverse effects were found for hand coordination (-4%, P < 0.05; Pursuit Aiming II) and near visual contrast sensitivity (-16% and -15%, P < 0.10; Vistech 6000). The results from the remaining tests were inconclusive due to a strong learning effect. No additional effect from gradient fields was detected. The results indicate that working near a 1.5 Tesla MRI system may lead to neurobehavioral effects. Further research is recommended, especially in members of operating teams using interactive MRI systems.     

吴(大士)药签选方用药特点探析

北宋名医吴本的精湛医术和高尚医德在漳州、泉州和台南民众中久为传颂，流感在慈济宫的“济世仙方药鉴”是现存有关吴本的宝贵医药资料，该药签体现了中医的选方特点和用药特点，今天仍有整理研究的价值。     

Accumulation of gliotoxin, a cytotoxic mycotoxin from Aspergillus fumigatus, in blue mussel (Mytilus edulis).

A strain of Aspergillus fumigatus has been isolated from sediments of a mussel bed. When cultured in hyper saline conditions (with sea-water), it produces a cytotoxic and immunosuppressive toxin, gliotoxin, which is excreted in an exudate. In order to know if this toxin could represent a risk for shellfish consumers, an experiment of bioaccumulation of gliotoxin in mussel has been carried out. After 6 days of contamination, toxin was accumulated in the meat of the mussels, at a level up to 2.9 microg/mg of extract weight, with a mode of contamination different to the classical digestive process described for a majority of marine toxins, but similar to the contamination mode of domoic acid.     

改进时间差攻击疗法治疗多重耐药阴沟肠杆菌的探究

[目的]研究利用改进的时间攻击疗法治疗多重耐药阴沟肠杆菌引起的感染的效果，并考究其与亚胺培南/西拉司丁治疗及传统时间攻击疗法的药物经济学成本/效果比。[方法]将38例明确诊断为产ESBLs阴沟肠杆菌感染且药敏结果皆为：对哌拉西林、环丙沙星、氧氟沙星、左旋氧氟沙星、庆大霉素、妥布霉素、头孢他啶、头孢噻肟、头孢哌酮、头孢曲松、头孢哌酮/舒巴坦、替卡西林/克拉维酸等皆耐药，而对亚胺培南/西拉司丁敏感的患者随机分为改进组、对照组、传统组。改进组患者先与磷霉素4g＋5%葡萄糖100ml于30min静脉滴注完毕后，再过30min立即给予阿米卡星0.4g＋0.9%NS250ml静脉滴注，上述治疗每日1次。对照组患者给予亚胺培南/西拉司丁1g＋0.9%NS250ml静脉滴注，每日3次。传统组患者先与磷霉素2g＋5%葡萄糖50ml静脉给予1h完毕后，立即给予阿米卡星0.2g＋0.9%NS100ml静脉滴注，上述治疗每日2次。疗程最长限为10d，其余检查治疗3组相同。考察3组的细菌清除率以及细菌清除所需的药物费用、不良反应的比较。[结果]改进组细菌清除率与对照组、传统组差异无统计学意义，并且改进组、传统组无不良反应，对照组有1例二重感染；而且改进组与对照组、传统组的细菌清除药物治疗费用差异有统计学意义。[结论]利用磷霉素＋阿米卡星的改进时间攻击差疗法能很好的治疗多重耐药的阴沟肠杆菌引起的感染，并且与采用亚胺培南/西拉司丁治疗方案及传统的时间攻击疗法相比具有较好的成本/效果比。     

Invasive ventilation in the emergency department: Part 2: Implications for patient safety

The use of mechanical ventilation in the Emergency Department requires adequate resources in order to maintain patient safety and avoid potential risks. Moreover, developments in technology require increased knowledge of mechanical ventilation techniques to address the complexity of decision-making involved. Organisational issues and system factors have the potential to negatively impact on the ability of the emergency service to provide optimum care to patients receiving mechanical ventilation. These issues include staffing and skill-mix, demand on emergency services, role-delineation, scope of practice, and current mechanisms for monitoring of quality and safety. Furthermore, in response to advances in ventilator technology, current education programs for both nursing and medical staff require review to ensure that they provide comprehensive information about the types of ventilation techniques now available and the relative risks and benefits associated with their application.This article is the second in a two-part series and explores the educational and organisational factors that impact upon safety and quality of care delivered to patients receiving mechanical ventilation in the emergency department. Recommendations for future policy development, curriculum review and reporting mechanisms to support further research in the application of mechanical ventilation in the emergency department are made.     

A comparison of the effects of a macrobiotic diet and a western diet on drug metabolism and plasma lipids in man

Summary We have compared the effects of two dietary regimens with different macronutrient compositions — a macrobiotic diet and a Western diet — on drug metabolism and plasma lipids in seven healthy volunteers.The macrobiotic diet, high in carbohydrate, low in protein and fat, and devoid of animal food sources, was eaten for a ten day control period, as was the Western diet, high in calories, fat, and protein, as well as animal food sources. We determined the influences of these diets on the clearance of orally administered antipyrine, oxazepam, and methadone, as well as on plasma lipids.There was a statistically significant change in antipyrine clearance as well as in plasma LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol after the dietary periods. This suggests that the influence of dietary changes may have some effect on the clearance of therapeutic drugs. However, this is not universal and is probably important when the drug is highly dependent on the mixed-function oxidase system.     

羟基磷灰石义眼台作为药物缓释载体减轻术后反应的临床观察

目的评价羟基磷灰石（HA）义眼台作为药物缓释载体减轻眼球摘除义眼台植入术后反应的效果。方法植入HA义眼台前，用地塞米松5mg，庆大霉素8万u，透明质酸酶1500U混合液浸泡HA义眼台15—20min后植入，手术步骤按常规。结果观察术后1周反应情况，52例中51例（98．07％）无疼痛或仅有轻度疼痛；44例（84．62％）结膜无水肿；36例（69．23％）无恶心；16例（30．77％）轻中度恶心；48例（92．31％）无呕吐。与对照组（43例）比较，术后疼痛、结膜水肿、恶心呕吐均较轻，其差别均有统计学意义（P〈0．001）。结论HA义眼台作为药物缓释载体植入眼球肌膜囊内能有效地控制术后反应，减轻患者痛苦。     

Should harm minimization as an approach to adolescent substance use be embraced by junior and senior high schools?: Empirical evidence from An integrated school- and community-based demonstration intervention addressing drug use among adolescents

The objective of this demonstration project was to determine if school-based harm minimization drug education was potentially acceptable and effective for junior and senior high school students in Nova Scotia. We conducted a four-year quasi-experimental intervention using mixed quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The intervention was a co-operative participatory research project with various activities determined by the participants. The project involved a partnership of four schools, two school boards, two regional addiction services, the provincial department of health, and a university. The outcomes evaluation was based on a sample of 1117 and 849 students in the intervention schools, compared with 3755 and 4247 students in the rest of the province, in 1998 and 2002, respectively. The evaluation of acceptability was based on an analysis of 491 documents generated from 1998 to 2002. The outcomes of effectiveness were specific risks and harmful consequences associated with substance use. We found that harm minimization was an acceptable approach to drug education targeting the senior high school population, and there was also some evidence of effectiveness in that age group in that the prevalence of several risks and negative consequences of substance use decreased significantly in the intervention schools relative to the rest of the province. In junior high school, harm minimization was found to not be an acceptable approach to drug education. This demonstration project provides evidence that school-based harm minimization may be acceptable and effective in senior high schools but may not be acceptable in junior high schools.