Smoking and Sleep Disorders

Snoring and sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) are two disorders of considerable relevance due to their high prevalence in the general population and their notable morbidity and mortality, particularly in association with their harmful effects on the cardiovascular system. As well as sex, age, weight, craniofacial malformations, alcohol consumption, and use of hypnotic drugs, it has been suggested that smoking may be a risk factor for developing sleep-disordered breathing. While there is solid evidence for the independent association between snoring and smoking in both children and adults, it is still unclear whether smoking constitutes an independent risk factor for developing SAHS, despite the many studies carried out to assess this link. This is probably because the association, if it exists, is very weak.     

Molecular Analysis of Myophosphorylase Deficiency in Dutch Patients with McArdle's Disease

We report on 8 Dutch patients with McArdle's disease from 6 unrelated families. Molecular analysis revealed the presence of four previously described mutations: the common R49X mutation, the IVS14+1G>A mutation and the recently reported R269X and Y84X nonsense mutations; and two new molecular defects: a missense mutation R138W in the homozygous state in two siblings, and a frameshift mutation c.1797delT. This first genetic study of patients from The Netherlands with McArdle's disease confirms that the R49X mutation is also the most common in Dutch patients, and that there is genetic heterogeneity within this population. Moreover, our data support the hypothesis that the Y84X mutation is a relatively frequent mutation in McArdle's patients with a Central European background, and expand the already crowded map of mutations within the PYGM gene responsible for McArdle's disease.     

Multidimensional approach to the differences between muscular and articular temporomandibular patients: coping, distress, and pain characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: This study analyzes the differences in psychological variables and symptomatology between temporomandibular disorder diagnosis subgroups. STUDY DESIGN: The sample included 114 temporomandibular disorder patients that were evaluated in coping, distress, and temporomandibular characteristics. Diagnostic muscular (n = 58) and articular (n = 56) subgroups were compared in these variables through a MANCOVA. RESULTS: Muscular patients show a higher level of general distress, specifically in the anxiety and somatization subscales and a more active coping style, with a tendency of a minor use of humor and a higher number of parafunctional habits, specifically, biting nails, hangnails, and lips. CONCLUSION: We discuss the differences found in order to design the targets of the psychological intervention of temporomandibular patients.     

Clinical behavior of prostatic specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase: a comparative study

We assayed prostatic specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase serum levels in 1,383 patients using a double antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA) 125I. Establishing the upper normal limit in 10 ng/ml for prostatic specific antigen and 2.5 ng/ml for prostatic acid phosphatase, the false positive results were only 1.9 and 5.1% in men with nonprostatic benign or malignant pathology and 0 and 2.2% in women, respectively. We detected false positive levels in 3.5 and 4.7% of the patients with noncomplicated benign prostatic hypertrophy, 64.8 and 19.2% in complicated benign prostatic hypertrophy, 24 and 16% in acute prostatitis and 3.3% in chronic prostatitis for both tumoral markers. The sensibility in patients with prostate cancer was 87.2 and 64.1%, respectively, and there was better correlation with prostatic specific antigen than prostatic acid phosphatase levels on tumoral spread and histologic grading. Finally, the clinical efficacy was higher with prostatic specific antigen and it did not increase with the quantification of both tumoral markers.     

Physical and spectroscopic methods for the evaluation of the interactions of antimitotic agents with tubulin.

The physico-chemical methods for the study of the binding of ligands to tubulin are examined in-depth, emphasizing the assumptions on which they are based and their limitations. The criteria of specificity and linkage to protein self-association are presented. It is shown that, of the direct equilibrium binding techniques, Hummel-Dreyer gel permeation chromatography and rapid ultracentrifugation are applicable only when binding is not linked to protein self-association. Disc filtration is valid only when the reverse unbinding reaction is very low. Binding linked to protein self-association can be measured by batch gel permeation or by dialysis equilibrium. The indirect techniques, such as fluorescence perturbation or difference absorption spectroscopy are discussed in terms of the assumptions on which they are based. They are shown to be used best only after characterization of the binding by direct techniques. Equilibrium binding parameters can also be deduced from careful kinetic experiments. Comparison of calorimetrically measured enthalpies of binding to van't Hoff enthalpies derived from equilibrium measurements indicates that the method of choice is calorimetric, while comparison with van't Hoff analysis can reveal the existence of reaction steps not detected by equilibrium measurements. Use of other indirect approaches, such as titration of an enzymic activity, can also lead to the detection of additional steps. The criteria are set up for the proper data analysis of ligand binding linked to protein self-association and the selection of the proper mode of linkage. It is shown how the thermodynamic contributions of various moieties of a ligand can be established by a rational structural modification of the ligand and the proper analysis of the binding measurements, in which all non-specific entropic contributions are taken into account. It is demonstrated also how a similar analysis of binding data can lead to conclusions about the reaction pathway from a comparison of equilibrium thermodynamic measurements on judiciously modified ligand molecules.     

Infected chronic hematoma mimicking soft tissue neoplasm

A rare case of an infected chronic hematoma in a patient with immunodeficiency syndrome mimicking a soft tissue neoplasm is presented. There are few reported cases of hematogenous infection of chronic hematomas, which be difficult to differentiate from soft tissue neoplasms.     

Diurnal rhythms of leptin and ghrelin in the systemic circulation and in the gastric mucosa are related to food intake in rats

We investigated diurnal changes in leptin and ghrelin levels in the stomach and in the systemic circulation and their relation to food intake rhythms in Wistar rats housed at 22 °C with a 12-h light/dark cycle and free access to food and water. Animals were sacrificed every 3 h over a 24-h period. Leptin and ghrelin levels in serum and in the gastric mucosa were analysed by immunoassay. Leptin mRNA levels were determined in the gastric mucosa by RT-PCR and in different adipose tissue depots (epididymal, retroperitoneal and mesenteric) by Northern blot. Ghrelin mRNA levels were determined by Northern blot. Gastric and serum leptin levels displayed similar diurnal rhythms, rising during the dark phase and decreasing gradually during the light phase. Leptin expression in the different adipose tissue depots correlated positively with circulating leptin levels (P<0.05), although there were some depot-associated differences. Leptin mRNA levels in the mesenteric depot correlated positively with food intake (P<0.05). In blood, ghrelin levels rose sharply just before the onset of the dark phase and dropped suddenly just after. In the stomach, ghrelin levels were high during the fasting period of light and low during the night, and correlated inversely with food intake, gastric contents and serum leptin levels (P<0.05). Leptin and ghrelin in the stomach and in the systemic circulation thus show diurnal variations that are influenced by food intake rhythms. The results agree with a role for ghrelin as a stimulant of meal initiation.