糖尿病黄斑水肿患者病变程度与脉络膜厚度的关系

目的　利用频域光学相干断层扫描深度增强（enhanced depth imaging spectral domain optical coherence tomography，EDI SD-OCT）观察糖尿病黄斑水肿（diabetic macular edema，DME）患者脉络膜厚度（choroidal thickness，CT）的变化及结构特点，探讨DME病变程度与CT的关系。方法　纳入2型糖尿病患者共123例204眼，其中69眼诊断为DME（DME组），135眼无黄斑水肿为对照组。DME眼依据OCT形态学特点进一步分为视网膜弥漫性增厚（diffuse retinal thickness，DRT）型（34眼）、黄斑囊样水肿（cystoid macular edema，CME）型（19眼）和浆液性视网膜脱离（serous retinal detachment，SRD）型（16眼），利用EDI-OCT分别测量黄斑中心凹下CT和以黄斑为中心上、下、鼻、颞500 μm、1000 μm、1500 μm、2000 μm处CT。结果　DME组黄斑中心凹下CT为（326.72±90.15）μm，对照组为（320.17±106.46）μm，两组之间无统计学差异，但黄斑中心凹下CT与视网膜厚度间具有明显正相关关系（r=0.270，P=0.025）。DME亚型CT分别为:DRT型（303.94±81.47）μm、CME型（304.42±73.98）μm和SRD型（401.63±88.80）μm，SRD型CT明显高于其他亚型（P<0.05），此外，SRD型的周边CT同样呈现均匀一致的增厚；鼻侧CT从500 μm至2000 μm呈距离敏感性降低（P<0.05），但SRD型鼻侧CT降低幅度明显变缓（P=0.195）。结论　SRD型黄斑水肿患者CT在中心凹下及周边部均显著增厚，CT与DME病变程度之间有一定相关性。     

Validating the eating disorder inventory (EDI‐2) in two danish samples: A comparison between female eating disorder patients and females from the general population

The Eating Disorder Inventory, Version 2 (EDI‐2) is a questionnaire used clinically and in research all over the world. EDI‐2 is cross‐culturally valid, yet normative values may depend on culture. Norms and reliability of the Danish version have to date been lacking, and will be presented in this article, comparing patients (N = 575) and controls (N = 881). Also, internal reliability of scales is tested for both groups. Differences between norms of the Danish and the North American version of EDI were small but significant for all scales except asceticism (eating disorder patients) and ineffectiveness, interpersonal distrust and maturity fears (normal controls). For both groups the internal consistency was >0.70 for all subscales except asceticism. Although differences across the eating disorder diagnostic groups were dubious, the EDI‐2 is useful to screen for eating problems in the general population as well as to rate progress and outcome among eating disorder patients. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.     

Safety assessment for octadecyl 3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionate (CAS Reg. No. 2082-79-3) from use in food contact applications

Octadecyl 3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate (CAS Reg. No. 2082-79-3), currently marketed as Irganox 1076 (I-76), is a sterically hindered phenolic antioxidant used in a variety of organic substrates, including those used in the manufacture of food contact articles. In 2012, the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), Office of Food Additive Safety (OFAS), initiated a post-market re-evaluation of the food contact applications of I-76. This project aimed to ensure that current dietary exposures from the use of I-76 in food contact articles are accurately captured and the safety assessment considered all relevant and available toxicological information. To accomplish these aims, the USFDA reviewed the available toxicological studies and chemistry information on food contact applications of I-76. Based on this in-depth analysis, a NOAEL of 64 mg/kg-bw/d (female rats) from a chronic rat study and a cumulative estimated dietary intake (CEDI) of 4.5 mg/p/d, was used to calculate a margin of exposure (MOE) of ∼850. We concluded that the previous and current exposure levels provide an adequate margin of safety (MOS) and remain protective of human health for the regulated uses.     

脉血康胶囊联合巴曲酶治疗突发性耳聋的临床研究

目的探讨脉血康胶囊联合巴曲酶治疗突发性耳聋的临床效果。方法选取天津市泰达医院2015年10月—2017年10月收治的突发性耳聋患者114例,随机分为对照组(57例)和治疗组(57例)。对照组静脉滴注巴曲酶注射液,首剂量为10 BU加入100 mL生理盐水,隔日1次,维持剂量为5 BU/次,每次给药时间1 h。治疗组在对照组基础上口服脉血康胶囊,3粒/次,3次/d。两组均连续治疗10 d。观察两组患者临床疗效,同时比较治疗前后两组患者听力阈值、凝血–抗凝–纤溶系统指标、血液流变学指标和炎性因子水平。结果治疗后,对照组和治疗组的临床总有效率分别为77.2%和91.2%,两组比较差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。治疗后,两组患者0.5、1、2、4 k Hz的听力阈值较治疗前均显著下降(P0.01),且治疗后治疗组听力阈值明显低于对照组(P0.01)。治疗后,两组血浆纤维蛋白原(FIB)水平和血清D-二聚体(D-D)水平均显著下降(P0.01),血清抗凝血酶Ⅲ(ATⅢ)水平显著上升(P0.01),且治疗后治疗组凝血–抗凝–纤溶系统指标优于对照组(P0.01)。治疗后,两组患者红细胞沉降率(ESR)、血浆黏度(PV)值较治疗前明显降低(P0.05),红细胞变形指数(EDI)值明显增加(P0.05),且治疗后治疗组血液流变学指标明显优于对照组(P0.05)。治疗后,两组患者白细胞介素(IL)-6、肿瘤坏死因子(TNF)-α和超敏C反应蛋白(hs-CRP)水平均显著下降(P0.01),且治疗组上述炎性因子水平明显低于对照组(P0.01)。结论脉血康胶囊联合巴曲酶注射液治疗突发性耳聋可短期内消除患者耳周感觉异常、头晕等症状,有效调节凝血–抗凝–纤溶系统平衡,改善血液流变学状态,减轻炎性反应。     

The effect of fasting on attentional biases for food and body shape/weight words in high and low Eating Disorder Inventory scorers

OBJECTIVE: To assess attentional biases associated with food and body shape/weight words in fasted and nonfasted high and low Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) scorers. METHOD: Subjects were 56 female first-year undergraduate psychology students, aged 17-24 years, participating for course credit. High and low scorers on the Drive for Thinness and Body Dissatisfaction subscales of the EDI-2 completed alternative modified dot probe tasks containing food words, body shape/weight words, and control words, under fasted and nonfasted conditions. RESULTS: Fasting increased attentional bias toward high-calorie food words across all subjects. High EDI-2 scorers also showed an attentional bias toward low-calorie words, but only when nonfasted. DISCUSSION: Food-related attentional biases, commonly observed in eating disorder patients, may reflect a pervasive concern with food-related stimuli as opposed to being simply a product of chronic hunger. That is, with increasing hunger, high EDI-2 scorers shift their focus away from low-calorie foods to high-calorie foods. This result suggests an attentional bias basis for the cycle of high-calorie binging when hungry and low-calorie food selections when less hungry.     

Low serum BDNF and food intake regulation: A possible new explanation of the pathophysiology of eating disorders

Background

Several lines of evidence suggest that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in weight regulation and eating behavior, and poorly balanced diets lead to a decrease in blood BDNF levels. However, studies regarding BDNF blood levels in eating disorders (ED) have yielded inconsistent results. We measured serum concentrations of BDNF and assessed behavior and cognition related to eating in ED patients and control subjects.

Methods

Forty female drug-free patients [19 with anorexia nervosa (AN), 21 with bulimia nervosa (BN)], who did not meet the diagnostic criteria for depressive disorder, and 24 age-matched normal control subjects were enrolled in the current study. We evaluated eating-related psychopathology and depressive symptoms using the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2), Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and measured serum BDNF levels by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Compared to normal controls, serum levels of BDNF were significantly reduced in AN, but not in BN. There was a significant positive correlation between serum BDNF levels and BMI in both AN patients (r = .649, p = .003) and BN patients (r = .626, p = .002). However, no correlation between serum BDNF levels and BMI was detected in the controls. Furthermore, there was a significant negative correlation between serum BDNF levels and the oral control subscale scores of EAT in both AN patients (r = − .506, p = .027) and BN patients (r = − .511, p = .018); whereas, no correlation was detected in normal controls.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that individuals showing more extreme food intake regulation were those with lower serum BDNF levels. This finding is contrary to that in mice where mice with reduced BDNF levels showed aberrant eating behavior. This result suggests that BDNF is no longer functioning appropriately in ED patients, which could be an important factor in the pathophysiological of ED.     

Challenges Associated with Privacy in Health Care Industry: Implementation of HIPAA and the Security Rules

This paper discusses the challenges associated with privacy in health care in the electronic information age based on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Security Rules. We examine the storing and transmission of sensitive patient data in the modern health care system and discuss current security practices that health care providers institute to comply with HIPAA Security Rule regulations. Based on our research results, we address current outstanding issues that act as impediments to the successful implementation of security measures and conclude the discussion and offer possible avenues of future research.     

A novel mutation in NFKBIA/IKBA results in a degradation-resistant N-truncated protein and is associated with ectodermal dysplasia with immunodeficiency

Alterations in nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) essential modulator (NEMO; HUGO-approved symbol IKBKG) underlie most cases of ectodermal dysplasia with immune deficiency (EDI), a human disorder characterized by anhidrosis with diminished immunity. EDI has also been associated with a single heterozygous mutation at position Ser32 of the NF-kappaB inhibitor IkappaBalpha, one of two phosphorylation sites that are essential for targeting IkappaBalpha for proteasomal degradation and hence for activation of NF-kappaB. We report a novel heterozygous nonsense mutation in the IKBA (HUGO-approved symbol, NFKBIA) gene of a 1-year-old male child with EDI that introduces a premature termination codon at position Glu14. An in-frame methionine downstream of the nonsense mutation allows for reinitiation of translation. The resulting N-terminally truncated protein lacks both serine phosphorylation sites and inhibits NF-kappaB signaling by functioning as a dominant negative on NF-kappaB activity in lymphocytes and monocytes. These findings support the scanning model for translation initiation in eukaryotes and confirm the critical role of the NF-kappaB in the human immune response.