Denial of Human Rights: We Must Change the Paradigm of Dementia Care

In far too many instances treatment of persons with dementia has reflected a fundamental denial of basic human rights. At times, these individuals are treated worse than the treatment of animals when the five basic freedoms of animals, described by Pachana in her editorial, are implemented. A number of such examples of dehumanizing (and “de-animalizing”) persons with dementia are presented. A case is made for the position that this is the direct result of the “medicalization” of dementia and “Alzheimer Disease.” This has led to the disenfranchisement of persons with dementia and their caregivers regarding the treatment of dementia, while medical “expertise” has led to a paradigm of learned helplessness while waiting for “the cure.” While the medicalization of dementia has been a financial success in terms of funding failed researcher to find a cure, it has been a catastrophe for the quality of life of persons with dementia and their caregivers. It is time to take control of the treatment of dementia back, and especially to listen to the voices of persons with dementia. It is time to take action NOW – to become disruptive to the current paradigm. The emperor and his cure have no clothes. We deserve better. We must make this change in paradigm our mission, to demand it, and to accept nothing less. Power to the people.     

Core body temperature in the elderly and factors which influence its measurement

Several studies have reported that core body temperature decreases with age and has greater variability in older populations. Furthermore, oral measurement, the most frequently used clinical method for determining fever, may not accurately reflect core body temperature. This study was designed to compare accurate measurements of oral and core body temperatures in a group of 93 healthy subjects, aged 62-96, under controlled conditions. Increasing age, presence of dentures, and type of thermometer were examined to determine if they affect body temperature measurements. Core temperatures did not show a negative relationship with advancing age (r = -0.02) nor did variation in temperatures increase with age. Neither the type of thermometer nor the presence of dentures significantly affected the measurement of temperature.     

Transient occurrence of extrachromosomal DNA of an Arabidopsis thaliana transposon-like element, Tat1.

Analysis of 11 genomic clones containing the S-adenosylmethionine synthetase 1 gene (sam1) of Arabidopsis thaliana revealed the presence of a 431-base-pair (bp) insertion in the 3' end of sam1 in one of these clones. The inserted sequence, called Tat1, shows structural features of a transposon. It is flanked by a 5-bp duplication of the target site DNA and has 13-bp inverted repeats at its termini. Two highly homologous elements situated in a different genomic context were isolated from a genomic library. Genomic Southern analysis indicates that there are at least four copies of Tat1 present in the A. thaliana ecotype Columbia genome. Different hybridization patterns are observed with DNAs derived from different ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana, indicating that the element has moved since the divergence of these ecotypes. In two populations of A. thaliana, linear extrachromosomal Tat1-homologous DNA has been observed. The presented data are consistent with the hypothesis that Tat1 is an active transposable element.     

一项对原发进行性多发性硬化症患者认知功能的纵向研究

有关多发性硬化症患者认知功能的纵向研究很少，并且上述研究的结果也不明确，迄今尚无专门关于原发进行性多发性硬化症（PPMS）病例系列的连续神经心理学资料。横断面分析揭示，PPMS患者的认知功能与磁共振成像（MRI）参数之间显著相关。本研究持续2年时间对来源于5个欧洲中心的99例PPMS患者的认知功能和MRI改变进行探讨。采用简易可重复问卷（一种推理能力测试）和抑郁量表每隔12个月对患者进行评估，同时在每个时间点对T1低信号负荷、T2损伤负荷和部分脑体积的MRI参数进行测算。基线和2年时患者的平均认知功能得分间无显著差异。然而，1／3患者的单独测试得分表现出绝对的认知功能下降。研究结果提示，纳入研究时的初始认知状态是2年后认知能力的一个可靠预测指标。认知功能改变和MRI改变间仅有少数几项指标显著相关，值得一提的是T1低信号负荷与2项注意力测试任务相关（r=-0．266，P=0．017；r=-0．303，P=0．012），可能是由多种因素造成认知功能和MRI参数间的这种弱相关。     

Tyramine neurotoxicity and first-pass brain technetium-99m-diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid

Tyramine induces coma in phenelzine-treated dogs with liver disease. The objective of the present investigation was to examine the influence of tyramine in these monoamine oxidase-inhibited dogs on the kinetics of Tc-99m-diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid (Tc-99m-DTPA) during its first passage through the brain by nuclear imaging techniques. The study began with anesthetized mongrel dogs (n = 10) in a supine position over the camera detector. Data acquisition was started simultaneously after the rapid intracarotid injection of Tc-99m-DTPA (5 mCi) and 60 0.5-sec images of the brain were taken. Tyramine induced increased uptake with a concomitant impairment in the elimination of Tc-99m-DTPA from the brain of these phenelzine-treated animals with hepatic injury (n = 5) as compared to pretreated animals serving as a control group or phenelzine-treated animals without liver disease. This was accompanied by an appreciable reduction in hemispheric cerebral blood flow (50.5 +/- 19.3 vs. 110 +/- 16 ml/100 g/min), respectively. Increased cerebrovascular permeability of Tc-99m-DTPA and decreased cerebral blood flow occurred concomitantly with increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure and elevation in cerebrospinal fluid catecholamines of monoamine oxidase-inhibited animals with hepatic injury.     

Cryogenic burns from aerosol sprays: a report of two cases and review of the literature.

Cryogenic burns are uncommon. We present two patients who presented to a Regional Burns Unit on consecutive days with almost identical burn injuries caused by exposure to a unique source of sub-zero temperature, the spray from an aerosol deodorant. The clinical features and management of the cases are outlined, and we discuss the mechanism of a cryogenic burn.     

Survey of women physicians on issues relating to pregnancy during a medical career

Many women in medical training want to combine a family life and a career. Of major interest to these women is determining the most desirable time for pregnancy during their medical education and career. The results of a study on women physicians' timing of pregnancy are reported. A 53 percent response rate was obtained in a randomized national survey of women physicians who had completed residency training and were less than 50 years of age. Their first pregnancies (of which 77 percent were planned) occurred as follows: prior to medical school, 4 percent; during medical school, 7 percent; in first year as house officer, 11 percent; in other residency year, 32 percent; in fellowship year(s), 13 percent; in practice, 28 percent, on leave or other, 5 percent. Seventy percent of the respondents considered "after completion of residency" to be the best time to become pregnant. Sixty percent of the respondents' maternity leaves were six weeks or less in duration. Seventeen percent required some medical leave before delivery, although only 5 percent required more than eight weeks of medical leave. Only a third reported that their training or work sites had maternity leave policies. Ninety-one percent of the respondents reported satisfaction in their careers.     

Association of common missense changes in ELAC2 (HPC2) with prostate cancer in a Japanese case–control series

 The recently identified prostate cancer susceptibility gene ELAC2 (HPC2) harbors two common missense variants, a serine to leucine substitution at residue 217 (Leu217) and an alanine to threonine substitution at residue 541 (Thr541). We genotyped the two variants in a Japanese cohort consisting of 350 prostate cancer patients 242 male population controls, and 114 male low-risk controls. Both missense alleles, Leu217 and Thr541, were carried at higher frequency in Japanese patients than in the controls (Leu217, P = 0.0012; Thr541, P = 0.0145), and the odds ratios associated with carrying these sequence variants were higher in Japanese than in Caucasians. Although the Leu217 and Thr541 variants of ELAC2 are less common in Japanese than in Caucasians, both variants confer significantly increased risk of prostate cancer in Japanese. Carriage of these variants was not associated with age at diagnosis, tumor stage, or tumor grade in these Japanese prostate cancer patients. The allele-specific pattern of risk observed in Japanese and familial Caucasian patients was qualitatively similar; however, the magnitude of that risk was considerably greater in Japanese than in Caucasians. Received: September 3, 2002 / Accepted: October 2, 2002