Sirenomelia with an angiomatous lumbosacral myelocystocele in a full-term infant.

Sirenomelia, also known as the mermaid syndrome, is a rare congenital malformation of uncertain etiology. It is characterized by fusion of the lower limbs and commonly associated with severe urogenital and gastrointestinal malformations. In this report, we describe the first case of an infant with sirenomelia and a massive angiomatous lumbosacral myelocystocele.     

Effects of Passiflora nitida Kunth leaf extract on digestive enzymes and high caloric diet in rats

The present study investigated inhibition of pancreatic lipase and metabolic effects of high caloric diet in rats. The Passiflora nitida hydroethanol leaf extract (PNE) was used in in vitro assays or administered to rats to study dyslipidemia. Inhibition of lipase in vitro was studied by a spectrophotometric assay using orlistat as the positive control. The effects of PNE on reduction of postprandial triglyceride were studied by oral fat-overloading in rats. Metabolic alterations were induced using the cafeteria diet and 4 weeks post-treatment with PNE or orlistat and blood samples were collected and biochemical analyses were performed. Liver and retroperitoneal fat tissues were obtained to analyze weight and steatosis. IC₅₀ (μg/mL) values for pancreatic lipase inhibition were 21.2 ± 0.8 and 0.1 ± 0.01 for PNE and orlistat, respectively. Oral administration of lipid emulsion resulted in postprandial hypertriglyceridemia at 3 h postadministration and when rats were then administered PNE and orlistat there was decreased of triglyceride levels by 15 % compared to control. Although the energy consumption by the cafeteria diet had been higher, there was no significant weight gain observed in the study groups. The cafeteria diet resulted in a significant increase of weight in the retroperitoneal fat and hypertriglyceridemia levels that could be significantly reduced by PNE and orlistat treatment. We hypothesized that PNE administration prevented the hypertriglyceridemia in rats with a high caloric diet, possibly owing to reduction of lipid absorption and pancreatic lipase inhibition.     

Progress in breeding low phytate crops

Populations that depend on grains and legumes as staple foods consume diets rich in phytic acid (myo-inositol-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexkisphosphate), the storage form of phosphorus in seeds. This compound binds tightly to important mineral nutrients such as iron and zinc, forming salts that are largely excreted. This phenomenon can contribute to mineral depletion and deficiency. As one approach to solving this and environmental problems associated with seed-derived dietary phytic acid, the U. S. Department of Agriculture and others have isolated cereal and legume low-phytic acid mutations and have used these to breed first-generation low-phytate hybrids, cultivars and lines of maize (Zea mays), barley (Hordeum vulgare), rice (Oryza sativa) and soybean (Glycine max). Seed phytic acid is reduced in these crops by 50-95%. The progress in the genetics, breeding and nutritional evaluation of low-phytate crops are reviewed in this article.     

A community-based telephone survey of panic disorder in Hong Kong

Panic disorder (PD) is prevalent, impairing, under-recognized, and often mistreated. Previous surveys in Chinese communities indicate very low prevalence estimates and provide limited information about its clinical characteristics. A random telephone survey of the general population (age range, 15-60 years) in Hong Kong was conducted using a questionnaire that generated the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV-based diagnosis of PD, its symptom profile, help-seeking behavior, and health visit expenditure. Of 3,004 interviews successfully completed, 3.89% of participants (n=117) met criteria of PD in the previous 6 months. Their demographic and clinical profile resembled that of their Western counterparts. Excessive physical investigations and under-treatment were common. Participants with subthreshold PD (14.9%; n=449) exhibited a similar but attenuated clinical profile. We conclude that PD may be more common in Chinese people than what previous epidemiological surveys suggest. The present study is limited by the lack of clinical reappraisal, examination of comorbidity, and a low overall response rate. Nonetheless, it suggests that telephone interviews may provide a cost-effective alternative to large-scale epidemiological surveys for communities with limited resources for mental health research and high unmet needs for treatment.     

Generalized anxiety disorder with and without excessive worry in Hong Kong

Background: Two previous U.S. studies found that although generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) without self‐perceived excessive worry was milder than GAD with excessive worry, its persistence, impairment, and risk for subsequent onset of other mental disorders were still substantial. This study examined the implications of relaxing the “excessiveness” criterion on the prevalence and socio‐demographic profile of GAD in a Chinese population sample by considering both self and others' perception of excessive worry. Method: 2,005 respondents aged 15–65 years participated in a structured telephone interview that covered socio‐demographic profile, 12‐month DSM‐IV diagnosis of GAD, core depressive symptoms, longest duration of worry episode, number of domains of worry, impairment measured by the Sheehan Disability Scale, and treatment‐seeking. Excessive worry was assessed from the perception of both respondents and others as reported by respondents. Result: The 12‐month prevalence of GAD increased from 3.4 to 4% when the excessiveness requirement was relaxed. Excessive GAD and nonexcessive GAD had similar socio‐demographic, symptom, chronicity, impairment, depressive symptom, and treatment‐seeking profiles. Conclusion: GAD without excessive worry was less common than GAD with excessive worry but was likely to be a valid nosological entity. Future iterations of the DSM‐IV should clarify whether excessive worry should be retained and, if so, how individuals who only reported excessive worries perceived by others should be optimally assessed. Depression and Anxiety, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Concordance between telephone survey classification and face-to-face structured clinical interview in the diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder in Hong Kong

Telephone surveys of estimating mental disorders have been found to generate comparable findings to large-scale community surveys but the concordance between telephone instruments and clinical interviews is rarely examined. In this study, 100 Chinese respondents who had taken part in a telephone-based population survey of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in Hong Kong were administered the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) by clinical interviewers. The discriminability and predictive indicators of the telephone survey instrument were assessed using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Results showed that the telephone survey instrument identified individuals with a positive SCID diagnosis of GAD better than those without. Although its individual questions performed well in identifying the endorsement of the corresponding core SCID criterion of GAD, further studies are needed to find out the optimal combination of questions in the telephone instrument for identifying GAD in community surveys.     

Differentiating the growing nosocomial infectious threats <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ralstonia pickettii</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ralstonia insidiosa</Emphasis>

Differentiation of the growing nosocomial infectious threats, Ralstonia pickettii and Ralstonia insidiosa, based on nitrate reduction, desferrioxamine susceptibility, arabinose, N-acetyl-glucosamine and phenylacetate assimilation is described. These tests can be used for preliminary identification of Ralstonia pickettii and Ralstonia insidiosa resulting in more accurate identification of these species.