Development of competitive behavior as a function of culture, age, and social comparison.

Observed the choice behavior of 868 dyads of 2nd-, 4th-, and 6th-grade children from 5 different cultural backgrounds (Mexican-American, Anglo-American, Japanese, Greek, and Belgian) in the maximizing difference game, an outcome interdependence task where individualistic and cooperative motives were placed in opposition to competitive ones. In 4 cultures, boys received either social comparison feedback or only information concerning their own cumulative scores. As predicted, the level of competitive responding increased as a function of age, social comparison information, and number of trials. Further, there were systematic cultural differences. A newly developed covariation analysis revealed that individual dyad variation accounted for more covariation than the main effects noted above. Hence, several types of within-dyad analyses were performed. Finally, cultures were classified in terms of the characteristic play by dyad members and the results compared with a classification developed by M. Mead (1937), in which she ordered the cooperative, competitive, and individualistic orientations of members of 13 "primitive" societies. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Genotypes of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase and their significance for alcohol sensitivity

Genotypes of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) loci were determined, using allele specific oligonucleotides. Gene frequencies of ADH2(1) and ADH2(2) were 0.29 and 0.71, respectively, in the Japanese control group. No significant difference was found in the ADH2 genotype between the patients and the control group. Gene frequency of ALDH2(1) and ALDH2(2) were 0.65 and 0.35 in the control group, while 0.93 and 0.07, respectively in the patient group. Most of the patients, 20 out of 23, were homozygous Caucasian type. All individuals with homozygous atypical ALDH2(2)/ALDH2(2) and most of those with heterozygous atypical ALDH2(1)/ALDH2(1) were alcohol flushers, while all of the usual ALDH2(1)/ALDH2(1) were nonflushers. The results indicate that Japanese with the atypical ALDH2(2) allele are at a much lower risk in developing alcoholic liver disease than those with usual ALDH2(1)/ALDH2(1), presumably due to their sensitivity to alcohol intoxication.     

Interleukin-6 and development of vasospasm after subarachnoid haemorrhage

The authors characterized the role of interleukins in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the development of vasospasm after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), particularly interleukin-6 (IL-6). Concentrations of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), IL-6, and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were measured serially in CSF of 24 patients and in serum of 9 patients with SAH and correlated clinically. Additionally, the effects of the same cytokines on the cerebral arteries of dogs were analyzed on angiograms after intracisternal injection. Changes in levels of eicosanoids, angiogenic factors, and soluble cell adhesion molecules were investigated in the CSF of injected dogs. CSF concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8 were elevated significantly above control levels from the acute stage of SAH until the chronic stage. Patients with symptomatic vasospasm had significantly higher levels of IL-6 as well as IL-8 in CSF on days 5 and 7. Intracisternal injection of IL-6 induced long-lasting vasoconstriction in five out of eight dogs, while IL-8 did not. The diameter of canine basilar artery after IL-6 was reduced 29 +/- 5% from pretreatment diameter at 8 hours. Prostaglandins E2 and I2 were elevated in CSF for the first 4.5 hour of this IL-6-induced vasospasm. Neither angiogenic factors such as platelet-derived growth factor-AB and vascular endothelial growth factor nor soluble cell adhesion molecules were significantly elevated in CSF. IL-6, which increases to very high concentrations in CSF after SAH, may be important in inducing vasospasm, as IL-6 produced long-lasting vasoconstriction in the canine cerebral artery, which may be partly related to activation of the prostaglandin cascade.     

A case of subacute necrotizing fasciitis

We report a 48-year-old woman who developed necrotizing groin fasciitis with insidious onset. Before she visited us, she had been unsuccessfully treated with several kinds of antibiotics by other doctors for one month, because of a small ulcer covered by blackish necrotic tissue. She was referred to us because of high fever, an ulcer on the left labium majus, and a cellulitis-like lesion with severe pain on the lower abdomen. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Streptococcus intermedius, and Bacteroides uniformis were isolated from the wound. After aggressive debridement on the eighth day after admission of the whole indurated area and the fascia of the underlying muscle, healthy granulation tissue covered the defect, and the wound was finally closed with a skin graft Long-term administration of antibiotics along with insufficient and delayed surgical treatment were considered to have caused the full development of this disease.     

Flow cytometric single-cell analysis of cytokine production by CD4+ T cells in synovial tissue and peripheral blood from patients with rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To detect areas of cerebral perfusion from bypass arteries after vascular reconstruction, we administered selective intraarterial microsphere tracer into the external carotid arteries and determined (via single-photon emission computed tomography [IA-SPECT]) whether the distribution of radiotracer matched the arteriographic distribution of contrast material as shown on external carotid angiograms. METHODS: We compared the extent of regional distribution of tracer after external carotid artery injection of 20 to 40 MBq of 99mTc-HMPAO or 99mTc-ECD with that of contrast medium on the external carotid angiograms in 582 cortical regions in 12 patients with atherosclerotic occlusive disease and in 18 patients with moyamoya disease. RESULTS: Marked accumulation of tracer was found only in the expected, specific, newly developed areas of cerebral perfusion from bypass arteries. The regional distribution of tracer corresponded to that of contrast medium in 523 regions (90%) and did not correspond in 59 regions (10%). Significant overestimation of the distribution of contrast material relative to that of tracer was observed in the patients with moyamoya disease. CONCLUSION: SPECT showed slightly different distribution of tracer from that predicted by conventional angiography. IA-SPECT should enhance the analysis of newly developed areas of cerebral perfusion from the bypass arteries.     

Electrophysiological effects of ketamine on Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel in single rabbit portal vein cell

The effects of ketamine on Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel currents were studied in dispersed single smooth muscle cells from rabbit portal vein using inside-out patch clamp technique. In a near physiological K+ and Ca2+ gradient, three populations of outward rectangular single currents were recorded in isolated cell membrane of rabbit portal vein at +60 mV membrane potential. These currents were judged as Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel currents since application of EGTA or Apamin in the internal solution inhibited these currents. Application of 10(-5)M or 10(-4)M ketamine inhibited the number of occurrences of channel opening and decreased open times, but did not reduce the amplitudes. When the 10(-3)M ketamine was applied, the Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel currents were abolished. We suggest that the depression of Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel currents may explain the continuous contraction observed in rabbit portal vein at a clinical concentration of ketamine from a point of electrophysiological K+ current study.     

Changes in right ventricular hemodynamic function by unilateral pulmonary arterial occlusion test

We performed unilateral pulmonary arterial occlusion test (UPAO) for the preoperative evaluation of lung function in patients undergoing lung resection. In this test, the main pulmonary artery of either side is occluded to simulate postoperative functional status. In order to evaluate the right ventricular hemodynamic function, we measured right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) and right ventricular end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVI) throughout UPAO by thermodilution method. We investigated the relationships between changes in right ventricular hemodynamic function and postoperative complications related to cardiac functions, namely arrhythmias or heart failure. Thirty-four patients without heart disease prior to lung resection were examined by UPAO, and RVEF and RVEDVI were measured. Analyses demonstrated that changes in RVEF were inversely correlated with changes in RVEDVI. In 6 cases, RVEDVI increased from control by over 20% during UPAO. All of these patients had postoperative cardiac complications. The hypothetical ventricular function curves showed a large increase in RVEDVI relative to right ventricular stroke work index (RVSWI), suggesting a decrease in right ventricular function. In conclusion, these results suggest that changes in RVEDVI during UPAO may predict postoperative cardiac complications in patients undergoing pulmonary resection.     

Anisotropic expansion in gypsum-bonded cristobalite investment mold

OBJECTIVE: To determine the response of white blood cells in endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven patients treated with an endoluminal procedure (AAA-E) and seven patients undergoing conventional surgery (AAA-C) were included (all males, aged 52-80 years). A panel of monoclonal antibodies against CD11a, CD11b, CD11c, CD18 and L-selectin was used. To determine the surface receptors on both circulating and sequestered white blood cells, plasma from the patients and cells from healthy donors were combined for flow-cytometry. RESULTS: The expression of CD11a adhesion molecules only showed slight variations regarding granulocytes, but was more pronounced on monocytes, however, without significant differences between the two patient groups, CD11b, CD11c and CD18 molecules on both granulocytes and monocytes were significantly upregulated 60 min after the endovascular procedure compared to conventional aneurysm repair, and L-selectin molecules were by this time correspondingly cleaved off. CONCLUSION: Endovascular aneurysm repair differed significantly from conventional aneurysm surgery with peak adhesion molecule expression 60 min after balloon deflation, probably caused by release of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha).