头孢泊肟酯片在男性健康志愿者体内生物等效性研究

目的:评价头孢泊肟酯片剂在20名男性健康志愿者体内的生物等效性.方法:20名健康受试者随机、双交叉、单剂量口服国产头孢泊肟酯片(试验片)和进口头孢泊肟酯片(参比片)200mg.药物血清浓度采用HPLC法测量;药动学参数采用DAS软件处理.色谱柱为Agilent ZORBAX×SB-C18,流动相为水:乙腈:三乙胺(100:14:1,V/V/V),紫外检测波长为240nm,乙酰苯胺为内标.结果:2种制剂tl/2 ke分别为(4.74±0.46)h和(4.86±0.37)h,tmax分别为(2.90±0.20)h和(2.95±0.22)h,AUCo-24分别为(17.148±6.594)mg·h·L-1和(17.517±4.919)mg·h·L-1.试验药和参比药相比,相对生物利用度为102.15%±23.4%.结论:国产与进口头孢泊肟酯片剂具有生物等效性.     

Olfactory abnormalities in anxiety disorders

The olfactory system plays an important role in both animal and human anxiety reactions. However, results on olfactory performance during the course of clinical anxiety disorders remain scarce. Therefore, we conducted an exploratory pilot study in 17 patients currently diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Patients participated in olfactory and psychological testing and were compared to 17 healthy controls. Statistical analyses revealed significant deficits concerning olfactory discrimination in patients, while no changes in threshold and identification ability occurred. Most interestingly, patients showed higher intensity estimates and an increased rating range concerning olfactory hedonic judgements. Results are discussed in light of prior findings and related to neural correlates of olfactory perception and anxiety reactions.     

Frequency of antibodies to Toxocara in Cuban schoolchildren

Objective The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of antibodies to Toxocara in Cuban schoolchildren. Methods The frequency of antibodies to Toxocara canis was assessed with a commercial enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays kit in school‐aged children from two municipalities of Cuba. Univariate analysis and a multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, municipality and co‐infection with helminth and/or protozoa were conducted. Results The percentage of children with antibodies to Toxocara was 38.8% (392/1011; 95% CI = 36.8–42.8). Antibody positivity was significantly associated with gender and co‐infections with intestinal parasites, but not with age or municipality. Conclusion Cuban children are highly exposed to the Toxocara parasite, corresponding well with reported environmental contamination with Toxocara parasite eggs and T. canis prevalences in dogs in Cuba. Relevant policy makers and the Cuban population need to be better informed about this preventable infection.     

Le lithium chez le sujet bipolaire âgé

Regarding the burden of mental disorders in elderly patients, including morbidity and mortality, especially by suicide, and impairment of quality of life and functional autonomy, there is a need to take into account special health care needs of elderly persons. In bipolar disorders, lithium tends to be under-prescribed in elderly patients, while it is still a first line choice in guidelines. If it is true that there is a lack of controlled studies on effectiveness of lithium in elderly patients, available data from lithium side effects, especially on renal function, don’t justify this under-utilization. Moreover, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of lithium may be of particular interest in ageing, in preventing and/or controlling the occurrence of some neurodegenerative process.     

Acquired deforming hypertonia and contractures in elderly subjects: Definition and prevalence in geriatric institutions (ADH survey)

ObjectiveBy proposing a new terminology (acquired deforming hypertonia or ADH) and a new definition for contractures, the main objective of this study was to establish their prevalence among institutionalized elderly patients. Secondary objectives were to analyze the negative impact of ADH and collect the opinions of clinicians on the possible treatments available.MethodologyA multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among residents of 39 geriatric institutions (29 EHPAD and 10 USLD). All subjects presenting at least one ADH were surveyed over a one-week period.ResultsAmong 3145 observed patients (mean age 88.9 ± 9.7 years) 22% (n = 692) presented at least one ADH. In average, each patient presented 4.4 ± 3.2 ADHs. Negative consequences on self-care, nursing and difficulties in getting dressed were most frequently observed. Only 25.4% of clinicians considered the ADH to be potentially reversible. Physical therapy was the therapeutic option most frequently chosen over medication and surgery.ConclusionThis study confirms the important prevalence of ADH among elderly institutionalized patients. Consequences on the level of dependence were significant. It seems relevant to elaborate hierarchical therapeutic strategies in order to counter these disorders and the fatalism that ensues.     

Odor Hedonic Capacity and Anhedonia in Schizophrenia and Unaffected First-Degree Relatives of Schizophrenia Patients

Objective: There is increasing evidence that schizophrenia patients have difficulties in the hedonic appraisal of odors. In a prior study, we assessed olfactory hedonic perception birhinally and found that males with schizophrenia failed to attach the appropriate hedonic valence to a pleasant odor, despite correctly perceiving changes in odor intensity. Female patients, in contrast, exhibited normal responses. The current study extends this work by examining odor valence processing in unaffected first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients, to determine the extent to which this abnormality may be genetically mediated. We also examine odor valence processing unirhinally, rather than birhinally, to probe possible lateralized differences in patients’ hedonic processing deficits. Method: Individuals with schizophrenia (n = 54), first-degree unaffected family members (n = 22), and demographically matched controls (n = 45) were administered the Suprathreshold Amyl Acetate Odor Intensity and Odor Pleasantness Rating Test. Results: In contrast to family members and controls, both male and female schizophrenia probands underevaluated the hedonic characteristics of amyl acetate at lower concentrations and overevaluated its pleasantness at concentrations perceived as unpleasant by both controls and relatives. These patient-specific differences could not be explained by differences in smoking habit, medication use, or subjective ratings of odor intensity. However, they were associated with increased levels of anhedonia/asociality and negative symptomatology. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that both male and female schizophrenia patients have difficulties in the unirhinal appraisal of hedonic valence. Normal responses in unaffected first-degree relatives suggest that this is an environmentally, rather than genetically, mediated abnormality denoting negative symptomatology.     

Resting lateralized activity predicts the cortical response and appraisal of emotions: an fNIRS study

This study explored the effect of lateralized left–right resting brain activity on prefrontal cortical responsiveness to emotional cues and on the explicit appraisal (stimulus evaluation) of emotions based on their valence. Indeed subjective responses to different emotional stimuli should be predicted by brain resting activity and should be lateralized and valence-related (positive vs negative valence). A hemodynamic measure was considered (functional near-infrared spectroscopy). Indeed hemodynamic resting activity and brain response to emotional cues were registered when subjects (N = 19) viewed emotional positive vs negative stimuli (IAPS). Lateralized index response during resting state, LI (lateralized index) during emotional processing and self-assessment manikin rating were considered. Regression analysis showed the significant predictive effect of resting activity (more left or right lateralized) on both brain response and appraisal of emotional cues based on stimuli valence. Moreover, significant effects were found as a function of valence (more right response to negative stimuli; more left response to positive stimuli) during emotion processing. Therefore, resting state may be considered a predictive marker of the successive cortical responsiveness to emotions. The significance of resting condition for emotional behavior was discussed.