Anxiety sensitivity as a mediator of the association between asthma and smoking

Objective: Despite its negative effects, smoking is more common among individuals with asthma compared to those without. Anxiety sensitivity (fear of arousal-related sensations) is associated with both smoking and asthma; however, no research, to date, has examined the interplay between these three factors. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate the mediating role of anxiety sensitivity in the association between asthma diagnosis and smoking status. Methods: The current study was a secondary analysis of data from three existing datasets of non-smokers and smokers with and without asthma (n?=?433; 56.3% female, M_age?=?34.01 years, SD?=?13.9). Participants provided information on their asthma diagnosis status and smoking status and completed self-report measures. Results: As hypothesized, after controlling for gender, race and age, there was a significant indirect effect of asthma diagnosis on smoking status through anxiety sensitivity (95% CI?=?0.07–0.48). Conclusions: These results indicate that the association between asthma diagnosis and smoking status appears to be driven, in part, by anxiety sensitivity and suggest that anxiety sensitivity may serve as an important target for prevention and intervention efforts for smokers with asthma.     

Group testing in mediation analysis

We consider the scenario where there is an exposure, multiple biologically defined sets of biomarkers, and an outcome. We propose a new two-step procedure that tests if any of the sets of biomarkers mediate the exposure/outcome relationship, while maintaining a prespecified familywise error rate. The first step of the proposed procedure is a screening step that removes all groups that are unlikely to be strongly associated with both the exposure and the outcome. The second step adapts recent advances in postselection inference to test if there are true mediators in each of the remaining candidate sets. We use simulation to show that this simple two-step procedure has higher statistical power to detect true mediating sets when compared with existing procedures. We then use our two-step procedure to identify a set of Lysine-related metabolites that potentially mediate the known relationship between increased body mass index and the increased risk of estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women.     

可吸收性医用珊瑚人工骨的致突变性研究

目的评价珊瑚人工骨的遗传毒性。方法采用Ames试验;细胞染色体畸变试验和小鼠骨髓细胞微核试验。结果不同浓度的浸提液加与不加S9mix条件下Ames试验;细胞染色体畸变试验以及微核试验与阴性对照组比较无显著差异,结果为阴性。结论在本试验系统条件下,可吸收性珊瑚人工骨无致突变作用。     

Posterior urethral valves in patients with Down syndrome

Renal and urological anomalies in Down syndrome (DS) have received little attention compared with the nephrourological findings described in other chromosomal abnormalities. Renal hypoplasia, hydroureteronephrosis, ureterovesical and ureteropelvic junction obstruction, and vesicoureteral reflux, but not posterior urethral valves, have been associated with DS. We report the occurrence of posterior urethral valves in three male infants with DS at a single institution. All had multiple urological procedures for correction or palliation of obstruction. Children with DS may have an increased risk for developing posterior urethral valves and obstructive uropathy. Furthermore, they may also develop chronic renal failure secondary to posterior urethral valves. Therefore, we suggests that infants with DS be screened with ultrasonography for renal and urological abnormalities early in life and, if abnormal, a contrast voiding cystourethrogram be performed to rule out posterior urethral valves or other bladder or urethral abnormalities. A review of the renal and urological anomalies in DS reported in the literature since 1960 is presented.     

二氯胺基酚诱发的染色体畸变及染毒时间对畸变率的影响研究

２，４－二氯胺基酚（ＤＣＡＰ）是８３—１除草剂在哺乳动物体内的主要代谢产物。本研究以三种染毒计划观察了ＤＣＡＰ诱发Ｖ７９细胞的染色体畸变。结果表明：ＤＣＡＰ是一种染色体损伤剂，诱发的畸变主要为染色单体断裂和交换；３ｈ染毒和染毒后培养１７ｈ诱发的染色体畸变率最高，２０ｈ染毒观察不到染色体畸变，说明以高浓度短期染毒对高细胞毒性化合物的细胞遗传毒性研究可能是较好的染毒方案。     

Parental Perceptions, Early Maladaptive Schemas, and Depressive Symptoms in Young Adults

Cognitive models of depression propose that negative schemas contribute to depressive symptoms. Early experiences, particularly parenting, have been proposed to influence cognitive schemas and have also been shown to correlate with depression. This study explores the concurrent relationship between retrospective reports of parenting, Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMSs) described by J. E. Young (1994), and symptoms of depression in a sample of undergraduate students (N = 194). The EMSs of defectiveness/shame, insufficient self-control, vulnerability, and incompetence/inferiority were associated with perceptions of parenting and depressive symptomatology. There was evidence that these four EMSs partially mediate the relationship between parental perceptions and depressive symptomatology. Results are discussed in relation to previous findings, theory, and the measurement of EMSs.     

Abdominal zygomycotic thromboangiitis in a patient with AML and t(1;13;14)

 The case report of a 61 year-old man with AML M2 FAB, t(1; 13; 14) and zygomycotic mesenterial thromboangiitis is presented. Two induction cycles of chemotherapy were administered due to primary drug resistance. They were complicated by pneumonia, colonic pseudo-obstruction and perforation with peritonitis. The patient died on the 40th day of therapy, 4 days after undergoing palliative surgery. Zygomycotic thromboangiitis, which very probably contributed to the intestinal perforation, was confirmed morphologically at necropsy. The novel complex chromosomal translocation t(1; 13; 14) (q31; q32; q24) and the problems connected with the diagnosis of invasive fungal infections are discussed. Received: 26 January 1996 / Accepted: 12 June 1996     

86例脐血染色体核型分析

目的 总结脐血梁色体异常的类型。方法 对86例有产前诊断指征的孕妇,在妊娠19-35w时,行脐带穿刺术抽取脐血进行染色体核型分析。结果 染色体异常核型6例,检出率为6.98％;其中21三体3例,18三体1例,染色体变异2例。结论 染色体三体,尤其是21三体为最主要的胎儿染色体异常核型,而通过产前筛查、产前诊断的方法可以有效降低先天性缺陷患儿出生。     

Incidence of major chromosomal abnormalities in a referred population for suspected chromosomal aberrations: a report of 357 cases

The present report describes the cytogenetic findings in 357 cases referred for suspected chromosomal abnormalities because of abnormal clinical features. Chromosomal anomalies were found in 97 (27.2 %) of the cases studied. A significantly high rate of chromosomal abnormalities was found in a population with clinical abnormalities in comparison to an unselected population (0.48–0.55 %).     

489例不良孕产史患者细胞遗传学分析

目的探讨染色体异常对生育的影响.方法对489例有自然流产、胎停育或生育畸形儿史的患者进行外周血淋巴细胞培养,G显带染色体核型分析.结果 489例患者中染色体核型异常24例, 异常率达4.9%, 其中有自然流产、胎停育史的患者核型异常占20例,有生育畸形儿史的患者核型异常占4例.染色体变异共21例,占4.3%.结论染色体异常是导致不良生育的重要影响因素, 应重视遗传学检查,进行优生优育指导.