Effects of a very-low-calorie diet and physical-training regimens on body composition and resting metabolic rate in obese females

Sixty-nine obese females received 90 d of a liquid diet providing 2184 kJ/d in clinical trials. Groups were diet only (C), diet plus endurance exercise (EE), diet plus weight training (WT), or diet plus endurance exercise and weight training (EEWT). Changes in body weight, percent fat, fat weight, and fat-free mass were not different between groups. Declines in resting metabolic rate (RMR) were approximately 7% to approximately 12% of baseline values with no differences among groups. A significant increase in work capacity (approximately 16%) was shown for EEWT. Strength index showed declines of approximately 6% for C and EE and gains of approximately 3% and approximately 10% for EEWT and WT, respectively. These clinical trials did not show advantages of any exercise regimen over diet alone for weight loss, body-composition changes, or declines in RMR. Improvements in work capacity were limited and strength improved in groups that participated in strength training.     

Effect of the calcium entry blocker verapamil on renal ischemia

The ability of the calcium entry blocker verapamil to ameliorate the effects of renal ischemia was studied in ten sheep. Postanesthesia, bilateral cutaneous ureterostomies were placed in each sheep to facilitate urine collection and analysis. Both kidneys were made ischemic for one hour by occluding each renal artery. However, immediately before occlusion of the right renal artery, 0.05 mg/kg of verapamil was injected into the artery. Comparison of urinary creatinine excretion and urine volume for 72 h after reversal of ischemia demonstrated that those kidneys pretreated with verapamil had greater functional preservation (p less than .05). In this study, verapamil appeared to provide protection against renal damage after an ischemic insult.     

Suppurative corneal ulceration in Bangladesh

Suppurative keratitis is an important preventable cause of blindness, particularly in the developing world. This study analyses 142 cases of suppurative keratitis referred to Chittagong Eye Infirmary, Bangladesh. Some 53.5% of cases were bacterial and 35.9% were fungal. The five most common pathogens were: Pseudomonas sp. 24%, Streptococcus pneumoniae 17%, Aspergillus sp. 13%, Fusarium sp. 7% and Curvularia sp. 6%. Gram stain and culture results were consistent in 62.6% of cases. Previous antibiotic treatment was a significant factor for failure of culture isolation and less so for Gram stain failure. On Gram stain, 55.9% of pseudomonal cases were missed, but only 2% of fungal cases were missed. Over all, Gram stain had a sensitivity of 62% and positive predictive value of 84% for bacterial cases, and 98% and 94% for fungal cases, respectively. Fungal ulcers were typically filamentous, but an antecedent history of trauma was not common. The most frequent injury was due to rice grains, but the inoculum appeared to be introduced during eye washing with contaminated water. Pseudomonal ulcers occurred most frequently in the monsoon season, and Fusarium cases were seen only in the hot, dry season.     

Comparison of three immunoassays for diagnosing sensitization to latex in children with spina bifida

As natural rubber latex (latex) has become more widespread in our environment, physicians have become increasingly aware of the problem of possible allergic reactions. Many fatal and near-fatal incidents have been reported (mainly during surgery) (1—3) and data has been published on groups frequently exposed to latex, such as patients with spina bifida (4—9), healthcare professionals (10—12) and occupationally exposed persons (13). The incidence of latex allergy in children seems to be increasing (14). Tests are therefore needed which can reliably detect sensitization to latex. Our aim was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of three commercial immunoassays for measuring specific IgE in serum to latex.     

Physical symptoms/side effects during breast cancer treatment predict posttreatment distress

Background: Studies suggest that the period following completion of treatment can be distressing for cancer patients. One potentially important predictor of distress is physical symptoms/side effects during treatment.Purpose: A longitudinal, observational design was used to examine whether the number of physical symptoms/side effects experienced during treatment was a correlate of cancer-related distress and general distress 4 months after treatment completion, as measured by the Impact of Events Scale and the Mental Health subscale of the Short Form-36, respectively.Methods: Participants were 151 women who had completed chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for ductal carcinoma in situ or stage 1 or 2 breast cancer. Hierarchical multiple regression was conducted with relevant sociodemographic, clinical, and psychiatric variables entered as controls.Results: Greater physical symptoms/side effects predicted greater total cancer-related distress, intrusive thoughts, and general distress. Physical symptoms/side effects did not significantly predict avoidance. Follow-up analyses indicated that the relationship between physical symptoms/side effects and general distress was mediated by both total cancer-related distress and intrusive thoughts.Conclusions: These results suggest that patients who experience greater physical symptoms/side effects during treatment are at greater risk for later cancer-related distress and, in turn, general distress. Future research should evaluate whether early intervention with these patients is effective in preventing or reducing distress in the posttreatment period. This work was supported by a grant from the National Cancer Institute (5R01 CA082822).     

Ethnocultural identification in psychotherapy

Ethnoculturally translocated individuals, members of minority groups, and patients in cross-cultural psychotherapy frequently experience disturbances of their ethnocultural identities. During psychotherapy these patients often attribute ethnocultural qualities to their therapists in a process called ethnocultural identification. This process may be used to foster a therapeutic identification in which the therapist reflects pieces of the patient's conflicted ethnocultural identity. Cases are presented here illustrating the use of ethnocultural identification as an auxiliary therapeutic tool to facilitate coping with changing cultural values and transitional experiences, and to promote the integration of the ethnocultural self into a consolidated sense of identity.     

Enhanced chondrogenesis and Wnt signaling in PTH-treated fractures.

Studies have shown that systemic PTH treatment enhanced the rate of bone repair in rodent models. However, the mechanisms through which PTH affects bone repair have not been elucidated. In these studies we show that PTH primarily enhanced the earliest stages of endochondral bone repair by increasing chondrocyte recruitment and rate of differentiation. In coordination with these cellular events, we observed an increased level of canonical Wnt-signaling in PTH-treated bones at multiple time-points across the time-course of fracture repair, supporting the conclusion that PTH responses are at least in part mediated through Wnt signaling. INTRODUCTION: Since FDA approval of PTH [PTH(1-34); Forteo] as a treatment for osteoporosis, there has been interest in its use in other musculoskeletal conditions. Fracture repair is one area in which PTH may have a significant clinical impact. Multiple animal studies have shown that systemic PTH treatment of healing fractures increased both callus volume and return of mechanical competence in models of fracture healing. Whereas the potential for PTH has been established, the mechanism(s) by which PTH produces these effects remain elusive. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Closed femoral fractures were generated in 8-wk-old male C57Bl/6 mice followed by daily systemic injections of either saline (control) or 30 microg/kg PTH(1-34) for 14 days after fracture. Bones were harvested at days 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 after fracture and analyzed at the tissue level by radiography and histomorphometry and at the molecular and biochemical levels level by RNase protection assay (RPA), real-time PCR, and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Quantitative muCT analysis showed that PTH treatment induced a larger callus cross-sectional area, length, and total volume compared with controls. Molecular analysis of the expression of extracellular matrix genes associated with chondrogenesis and osteogenesis showed that PTH treated fractures displayed a 3-fold greater increase in chondrogenesis relative to osteogenesis over the course of the repair process. In addition, chondrocyte hypertrophy occurred earlier in the PTH-treated callus tissues. Analysis of the expression of potential mediators of PTH actions showed that PTH treatment significantly induced the expression of Wnts 4, 5a, 5b, and 10b and increased levels of unphosphorylated, nuclear localized beta-catenin protein, a central feature of canonical Wnt signaling. CONCLUSIONS: These results showed that the PTH-mediated enhancement of fracture repair is primarily associated with an amplification of chondrocyte recruitment and maturation in the early fracture callus. Associated with these cellular effects, we observed an increase in canonical Wnt signaling supporting the conclusion that PTH effects on bone repair are mediated at least in part through the activation of Wnt-signaling pathways.     

Hip fracture incidence before and after the fluoridation of the public water supply, Rochester, Minnesota.

Recent ecological comparison studies have suggested a positive association between fluoridation and hip fracture. Using data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project, we found the incidence of hip fracture for the 10 years before the fluoridation of the Rochester, Minn, public water supply was 484 per 100,000, compared with 450 per 100,000 in the following 10 years. When the effects of calendar time and age were controlled for, the relative risk associated with fluoridation was 0.63. These ecologic trend data suggest that the fluoridation of public water supplies is not associated with an immediate increase in rates of hip fracture. Further studies of this association at the individual level are clearly required before public policy decisions can be made.