Time stress among Norwegian physicians

In this paper perceived stress at work is examined in a nationwide representative sample of Norwegian physicians. Four questions were asked about how often the doctors experienced their working conditions as hectic and bothersome, that the work load was unacceptable, that the large number of duties prevented them form working effectively and that they had difficulty in working reasonably undisturbed. 28% of the respondents stated that their work load was often or fairly often unacceptable, while 43% often or fairly often found it difficult to carry out various tasks without being disturbed. While 19% of the physicians perceived their working situation as often hectic and bothersome, the corresponding figure among other academics was 5%. When the four questions were combined to form a measure of stress, about one fifth of the doctors proved to be highly stressed. In a multiple linear regression analysis (N = 2,304) the physician's perceived autonomy was the strongest predictor of stress, i.e. doctors who feel they can substantially influence the planning and organization of their work achieve the lowest scores for stress. Heads of hospital departments are more stressed than physicians who work outside hospital. Stress also increases with increasing frequency of overtime and with increasing amounts of voluntary overtime.     

Effect of 14 days'' subcutaneous administration of the human amylin analogue, pramlintide (AC137), on an intravenous insulin challenge and response to a standard liquid meal in patients with IDDM

Individuals with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM or type 1 diabetes) are deficient in both insulin and amylin, peptides secreted by the beta cell. We have investigated the effects of amylin replacement therapy employing the human amylin analogue, pramlintide (25, 28, 29-pro-human amylin, previously referred to as AC137), upon the responses to a standardized insulin infusion (40 mU. kg-1. h-1) for 100 min and a liquid Sustacal meal (360 kcal) in 84 healthy IDDM patients. Following baseline evaluations, patients were randomly assigned to receive subcutaneous injections of placebo, 30, 100 or 300 micrograms pramlintide 30 min before meals for 14 days. There was no meaningful difference between adverse events reported by the 30-micrograms pramlintide and the placebo groups, but ten subjects withdrew due to nausea, eight of these in the 300-micrograms dose group. Peak plasma pramlintide concentrations for the 30-micrograms group were 21 +/- 3 and 29 +/- 5 pmol/l on Days 1 and 14, respectively. These values are similar to postprandial plasma amylin concentrations in normal volunteers. The plasma glucose, free insulin, glucagon, epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations during the insulin infusion test before and after therapy were identical in each of the group. Prior to pramlintide therapy, Sustacal ingestion produced a 4.0-4.8 mmol/l rise in plasma glucose concentrations in each of the groups. Pramlintide therapy reduced postprandial hyperglycaemia as reflected by the 3-h incremental AUCglucose (AUCglucose above or below fasting glucose concentration) Day 1 vs Day 14: 30 micrograms, 322 +/- 92 vs -38 +/- 161 mmol/l.min, p = 0.010; 100 micrograms, 317 +/- 92 vs -39 +/- 76 mmol/l.min, p = 0.001; and 300 micrograms, 268 +/- 96 vs -245 +/- 189 mmol/l.min, p = 0.077. Thus, pramlintide therapy with these regimens did not appear to impair either in vivo insulin action or the counter-regulatory response to hypoglycaemia but did show a clear effect of blunting postprandial hyperglycaemia following a standardized meal.     

Nutritive value of hot water- or cocoa-pod ash solution-treated cocoa bean cake for broiler chicks

We recently reported on the immunolocalization of type II secretory nonpancreatic phospholipase A2 (snpPLA2) in human atherosclerotic lesions. In the present study, we present data on the distribution and ultrastructural localization of snpPLA2 in adjacent nonatherosclerotic and atherosclerotic regions of human arteries. Electron microscopy (EM) of immunogold labeling techniques with a monoclonal antibody was used to analyze arterial tissue. The human specimens analyzed were obtained from autopsy and surgery cases. The results with EM showed a stronger snpPLA2 immunoreactivity in regions of arteries with atherosclerotic lesions than in regions without lesions from the same individual. snpPLA2 immunoreactivity was stronger in the arterial intima of atherosclerotic than of nonatherosclerotic tissue. EM-immunogold examination revealed that the majority of snpPLA2 was localized along the extracellular matrix, associated with collagen fibers and other extracellular matrix structures. Intracellular snpPLA2 was observed in electron-dense vesicles in intimal cells. snpPLA2 was also found in contact with large, extracellular lipid droplets. These results support the hypothesis that extracellular snpPLA2 is localized at sites where it may hydrolyze phospholipids from lipoproteins and lipid aggregates retained in the extracellular matrix of the arterial wall. This may be a mechanism for in situ release of proinflammatory lipids, free fatty acids, and lysophosphatidylcholine in regions of apolipoprotein B accumulation, which are abundant in atherosclerotic lesions.     

The significance of colour velocity and spectral Doppler ultrasound in the differentiation of liver tumours

BACKGROUND: The distinction between malignant mesothelioma (MM) and adenocarcinoma (ACA) in cytologic specimens frequently is difficult, often requiring immunocytochemistry to support the diagnosis. Recent reports have proposed the utilization of antibodies to mesothelial cell clone HBME-1 and thrombomodulin (TM), because they are immunoreactive in MM and less commonly reactive in ACA. Immunoreactivity for the monoclonal antibody CA 19-9 has been observed in many ACAs and reportedly is absent in MM. METHODS: In this study, immunostaining was performed on formalin fixed, paraffin embedded cell blocks from effusions or fine-needle aspirations using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method. Thirty-eight MMs and 49 ACAs were tested using antibodies to CA 19-9, HBME-1, and TM. RESULTS: Anti-CA 19-9 stained only 1 of the 37 cases of MM tested (3%), but stained 24 of the 49 cases of ACA (49%). Anti-HBME-1 stained 34 of 38 cases of MM (89%), and 28 of 43 cases of ACA tested (65%). Anti-TM stained 24 of 36 cases of MM (67%), and 21 of 40 cases of ACA tested (53%). CONCLUSIONS: CA 19-9 has utility as part of an immunocytochemical panel for distinguishing ACA from MM, because a positive staining reaction would make the diagnosis of MM unlikely. Although HBME-1 and TM can identify MM positively, each frequently is detected in ACA, thus limiting the utility of these antibodies in cytologic specimens.     

The organization of the cortical projection system of the putamen in dogs

Organization of cortical projections in dorsal and ventral segments of putamen rostral and caudal regions was studied in dogs using retrograde axonal transport of horse radish peroxidase. Dorsal region was shown to receive projections from neo- and mesocortex, while ventral is linked with all cortical units: neo-, meso- and allocortex. Dorsal part of putamen is to greater extent connected with cortical fields, relating to motor aspects of behavior (motor, premotor and somatosensory). Ventral region basically receives projections from the so called limbic cortical fields (cingular, insulary, orbital, periamygdalary and perirhinal). However, results of the present study do not allow to conclude on absolute division of projections of functionally different systems and only indicate the prevalence of one of them in certain topographic zone of the structure studied, i.e. elements of distinctive topography. consisting in presence of dorsal motor and ventral limbic morpho-functional regions are characteristic for dog putamen. No diversities in distribution of cortical projectional fibres along rostrocaudal axis of the structure were revealed. Initial neurons, projecting in putamen are of multilaminary localisation in the cortex.     

Modern methods of medical rehabilitation in traumatic detachment of retina

Condition was studied of collective specific immunity against diphtheria in vaccinated children who ranged from 2 to 15 years old, living in the industrial region of Pridneprovye, with special reference for the degree of the technogenous environmental pollution. To determine specific cellular sensibilization to diphtherial antigen. LAIT was used for the first time. The studies made showed that in a region under health-hazard conditions lower level of antitoxic antidiphtherial immunity occurs more frequently than in non-polluted areas (twice as much of the values), which fact suggests that technologeous pollution may have a suppressive effect on formation of postvaccinal immunity. Apart from measuring the level of specific antibodies for control of the formation of the immune responsiveness to be monitored you may use LAIT and measure levels of R-proteins.     

The effect of an original analog of the C-terminal fragment of vasopressin on the behavior of white rats

Ethinylestradiol (EE) has evident paradoxical effects on cancer risk for human breast and hepatic cancer which parallel in some respects its effects on estrogen-induced neoplasms in the hamster kidney and liver. EE has been shown to be only weakly carcinogenic in the hamster kidney, but the most potent carcinogenic estrogen in the hamster liver following prolonged treatment. Unexpectedly, when EE and potent carcinogenic estrogens, such as diethylstilbestrol (DES), 17beta-estradiol (E2) and Moxestrol (MOX), are administered concomitantly, estrogen-induced carcinogenesis in the kidney is completely prevented. In studying this novel finding, we found that, compared with E2 exposure alone, EE at 0.05 and 1.0 nM significantly (P < 0.001) inhibited the rise in proliferation of cultured primary hamster proximal renal tubular (PRT) cells in the presence of E2 (1.0 nM). Consistent with these findings, combined EE + DES treatment for 5.0 months reduced hamster kidney c-myc, c-fos and c-jun RNA expression to 43, 37 and 52%, respectively, compared with levels observed after DES treatment alone. Interestingly, TAM + DES treatment for the same period also resulted in the same low level of RNA expression of these proto-oncogenes. c-MYC, c-FOS and c-JUN protein products were comparably reduced after either EE + DES or TAM + DES treatment. It appears that c-fos expression and c-FOS protein levels in the hamster kidney were more responsive to TAM inhibition. These data demonstrate that EE possesses unique anti-tumorigenic properties in vivo in the hamster kidney. Additionally, the observed anti-estrogen-like effect of EE on cell proliferation of cultured PRT cells suggests that EE may interfere critically with estrogen receptor (ER)-mediated mitogenic pathway(s) affected by potent carcinogenic estrogens, thus preventing subsequent gene dysregulation and, hence, tumor development. Based on competition studies, the differential binding of EE to hamster kidney ER relative to that of the other estrogens (E2, DES, MOX) appears not to contribute to the prevention of estrogen carcinogenesis at this organ site by EE.     

Distribution of T-bands and telomeric (TTAGGG)n nucleotide repeats on chromosomes of Bos taurus

Distribution of T-bands on mitotic chromosomes of Bos taurus was studied. Association of T-bands with telomeres and enrichment of T-bands with genes, with a known localization is described. After THA-banding on the chromosomes of cattle, telomeric and pericentromeric regions of all autosomes showed bright fluorescence. The exception was for chromosome 7, which did not have telomeric T-bands. Interstitial T-bands were detected only on chromosomes 7, 16, and Y (7q13, 7q15, 7q22, 7q24, 16q21, and Yp12). A total proportion of centromeric, telomeric, and interstitial T-bands was 11.19, 9.97, and 2.02% of the length of the haploid chromosome set, respectively. By means of fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), the presence of the telomeric repeat (TTAGGG)n was shown not only in telomeric regions of all autosome, but also in all pericentromeric regions. The obtained data are indicative of the specificity of T-banding on the chromosomes of Bos taurus.     

Spatial organization of cortical and subcortical afferent projections of the neostriatum in dogs

Injury to the facial nerve in the temporal bone presents a challenge to the recovery of nerve function, in that the fallopian canal in which it lies is poorly vascularized. This study was designed to determine if wrapping an intratemporal facial nerve defect repaired with a cable graft with a well-vascularized temporoparietal fascial (TPF) flap would improve facial nerve regeneration. To evaluate this question, a defect was created in the intratemporal left facial nerve of 10 rabbits. All nerves were repaired using cable grafts. In 5 animals, the nerve graft was wrapped with temporoparietal fascia, whereas in the other 5 rabbits it was not. Three additional animals underwent exposure only. The contralateral nerve served as a control in all animals. Quantitative analysis of the nerve graft 12 weeks after repair revealed greater recovery of original fiber diameter and myelin sheath thickness in TPF flap-wrapped repairs. Histological evidence of improved neural regeneration and functional nerve recovery was also seen in the repairs where the TPF flap was utilized. Nerve conduction and electromyographic studies of the cable-grafted nerve at 6 and 12 weeks were equivocal, however.