Cardiovascular intervention for high-risk families: the Heart Smart Program

The Heart Smart Family Health Promotion Program is a multidisciplinary, school-based program for cardiovascular risk reduction among high-risk children and their families. As a program that includes young adults at high risk, it is adaptable to a clinical practice. Nineteen fourth and fifth graders were selected as probands for elevated risk factors after a general screening to identify families for an intervention program. Twenty-three parents participated in a 12-week program focused on eating, exercise, and smoking behavior changes enhanced by behavicral support strategies. Weekly sessions were held in the auditorium/cafeteria of the elementary school and consisted of orientation and presentations, cardiovascular (CV) screening with medical feedback, activities, self-monitoring, counseling, and contingency contracting. Information gathered before and after the program included medical history, CV health knowledge and relevant behavior, blood pressure, serum lipid and lipoprotein values, anthropometric measurements, and urine electrolyte excretion. Both children and parents showed positive changes in eating habits and physical activity and significant changes in knowledge and blood pressure levels, while the children halted their weight gain. We believe this multidisciplinary, behavior-oriented, school-based program can be an effective cardiovascular risk intervention adaptable for a clinical office practice.     

Neuroimaging in Pineal Tumors

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The authors report radiological findings in 11 tumors in the pineal region, which were histologically diagnosed as germinomas, pineocytomas pineoblastomas, ependymomas, teratomas, and astrocytomas. METHODS: Computed tomography (CT) was performed in seven patients and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in all patients. RESULTS: CT showed a solid or solid/cystic mass with variable contrast enhancement. MRI showed a heterogeneous mass, with hypointense signal on T1 and iso/hyperintense signal on T2-weighted images (WI) and gadolinium enhancement. Extension to adjacent structures occurred in five patients and spread through the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in two. CONCLUSIONS: Pineal region tumors have no pathognomonic imaging pattern. MRI and CT are complementary in diagnosis and are important to determine localization, extension, and meningeal spread.     

Streptococcus sanguis bacteremia and colorectal cancer: A case report

Streptococcus sanguis, usually considered a nonpathogen of the oral cavity, was isolated from blood cultures from a patient who was subsequently found to have a cecal adenocarcinoma. Further studies are needed to determine if Streptococcus sanguis infections have diagnostic implications similar to those of Streptococcus bovis. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Cardiovascular risk in parents of children with extreme lipoprotein cholesterol levels: the Bogalusa Heart Study

Fasting serum lipids, lipoprotein cholesterol, and other cardiovascular disease risk factors were examined in 321 natural parents of children with low and/or high levels of beta- and pre-beta-lipoprotein cholesterol. Parents of children from low pre-beta-lipoprotein groups had elevated alpha- and lower pre-beta-lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Parents whose children had high beta-lipoprotein cholesterol levels also had high serum total and beta-lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Parents of children with high levels of both beta- and pre-beta-lipoprotein cholesterol had a high prevalence of both abnormal risk factor levels, as well as clinical evidence of early coronary artery disease (before age 50 years). These observations show that parents of children with high beta- and/or pre-beta-lipoprotein cholesterol levels have greatly enhanced risk for cardiovascular disease, and children mirror their parents' lipoprotein cholesterol levels. These observations emphasize the need for cardiovascular risk evaluation early in life, especially in high-risk families.     

Haemophilus aphrophilus sternal osteomyelitis

We have described a unique case of Haemophilus aphrophilus sternal osteomyelitis, with two separate infections seven years apart. Historical data suggest dental abscesses and trauma, with hematogenous seeding, as the cause. The patient responded well to surgical debridement and penicillin therapy after dental extractions.     

Arterial wall injury and proteoglycan changes in atherosclerosis

The concept of injury as a mechanism leading to atherosclerosis has been fostered by numerous studies of initiating factors and by observation of the response of cardiovascular connective tissue, ie, cellular and extracellular matrix components. Carbohydrate-protein macromolecules of the extracellular matrix are a complex group of biologically important substances that play a crucial role in mesenchymal tissue repair following injury, a process needed to maintain arterial wall integrity. Of particular interest are the proteoglycans that enter into a variety of roles, from that of inhibiting atherosclerosis and helping to maintain fibrillar structures to that of taking part in lipid deposition in the development of atherosclerosis.     

The Emergence of Clinically Abnormal Levels of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Variables Among Young Adults: The Bogalusa Heart-Study

Background. The Bogalusa Heart Study, a long-term epidemiologic investigation of the early natural history of atherosclerosis, was conducted for the first time in 1973-1974 on children from birth through the age of 14 in a biracial (black-white) population. Methods. The emergence of clinically recognizable abnormalities (obesity, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia) was studied in 1,928 young adults, ages 19-32 years, examined in the 1988-1991 survey. Results. The occurrence of morbid levels of cardiovascular disease risk factors varied by race and gender. The prevalence of severe overweight, body mass index ≥ 31.1 kg/m² for males and ≥ 32.3 kg/m² for females, was much higher for black women (20.1%) than for white women (8.7%), black men (14.0%), or white men (11.7%). The frequency of hypertension [systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 140 mm Hg, diastolic BP ≥ 90 mm Hg, or treatment for high BP] was greatest for black women (13.9%) versus black men (10.1%), white men (6.2%), or white women (5.0%). Approximately 9.5% of the men and 6% of the women had elevated LDL cholesterol (≥160 mg/dl), while elevated triglycerides (≥250 mg/dl) ranged from 0% in black females to 7.4% in white males. Dyslipoproteinemia related to HDL cholesterol (≤35 mg/dl) was more marked among white men (16%) compared with the other groups (approximately 4%). Correlations for risk factors in a subgroup of 1,587 individuals initially surveyed as children in 1973-1974 were examined as an indication of tracking over a 15-year period. Highly significant correlations were seen for obesity, blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol. Conclusion. Early identification of adverse levels of cardiovascular disease risk factors defined by clinical experience should help to predict and prevent future cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality.     

Relation of body fat distribution to hyperinsulinemia in children and adolescents: the Bogalusa Heart Study

The relation of body fat distribution to plasma levels of glucose and insulin during an oral glucose tolerance test was examined in 355 Black and White school-age children. Both central and peripheral fat were similarly related to fasting, 30-min, and 1-h glucose. Unlike peripheral fat, central body fat was more strongly related to the 1-h insulin response (r = 0.35 vs 0.26); this association remained significant for central fat independent of peripheral fat (r = 0.18). The strong relation of central fat to insulin response was noted in both races and sexes but not in either sexually immature or relatively thin children. These findings indicate that, even in early life, a central body fat pattern relates positively to insulin response to glucose load. Thus, knowledge of body fat localization may help identify persons most susceptible to hyperinsulinemia in early life.     

中药材龟板和鳖甲中DNA的提取与扩增

中药材龟板和鳖甲中ＤＮＡ的提取与扩增王亚明，周开亚，吴平，徐珞珊（南京师范大学生物系，南京２１００９７；中国药科大学生药学研究室，南京２１０００９）龟鳖类药材在我国使用历史悠久，具补阴益气的功效。《中国药典》（１９９０年版）规定龟甲（龟板）的原动物为...