Computerized medication instruction for psychiatric inpatients admitted for acute care

We studied the efficacy and feasibility of using computer-based instruction to provide medication information to hospitalized patients with acute psychotic conditions. Patients were randomly assigned to receive computer-based (n = 21) or personal instruction (n = 21); for the final analyses the computer group was expanded to include 13 patients from a pilot study. Outcome measures were knowledge retention (indicated by changes in test scores) and compliance with medication regimens after discharge (indicated by telephone follow-up at one week, one month, and three months). The subjects reacted positively to the computer program. Knowledge retention and compliance were similar in the computer and control groups. We conclude that psychiatric inpatients admitted for acute care can participate in, and learn from, computerized medication instruction.     

Electrospray ionization and collision-induced dissociation of antibiotic polyether ionophores

The hypothesis of the present study was that previous experience of caries may serve as an indicator for individualised bitewing examinations in 15-19-old adolescents. One hundred adolescents, all 19 years old, were randomly selected from the files of public dental clinics in the County of Orebro. For 93 adolescents the total number of radiographs were summed for every patient from the age of 3 to 19 by assessing the files of public dental clinics and by assessing the files of the dental radiology department. All sets of bitewing radiographs from 14 up to and including the age of 19 were assessed with respect to approximal caries. The average number of intraoral radiographs exposed in a patient from the age of 3 through 19 was 24.4. It was shown that 70 to 80% of 14-19-year-old-adolescents had had a bitewing examination every year. The decision to perform a bite-wing examination in a 15-year-old was significantly correlated to the number of surfaces with initial caries at the age of 14. In the other age groups, none of the investigated variables was found to be significantly correlated to the performance of radiographic examinations.     

Activity and inhibition of elastase in GCF

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of free elastase in GCF Samples were taken from inflamed sites in 12 subjects with gingivitis alone and from inflamed sites with and without tissue destruction in 19 patients having periodontitis. Elastase activity was measured with a low molecular weight substrate. To distinguish between free elastase and elastase bound to alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2MG), an excess of alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) was added to the samples. The activity that could be inhibited by A1AT was considered as free elastase, and the uninhibited activity as derived from the elastase-A2MG complex. The elastase-A1AT complex was measured with an ELISA. Free elastase was found in almost all samples, but both the total amount and the proportion of free elastase were higher in samples from sites showing destruction. The elastase-A2MG complex was also increased in sites with tissue destruction, while there was no significant difference in the amount of A1AT complex between the 3 categories of sites. In conclusion, our study clearly reveals free elastase in GCF The elevated levels of free elastase in sites showing tissue destruction seem to be due to a combination of increased release of elastase and an inactivation of A1AT.     

Binding and phosphorylation of tubulin by G protein-coupled receptor kinases

Although the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (betaARK) mediates agonist-dependent phosphorylation and desensitization of G protein-coupled receptors, recent studies suggest additional cellular functions. During our attempts to identify novel betaARK interacting proteins, we found that the cytoskeletal protein tubulin could specifically bind to a betaARK-coupled affinity column. In vitro analysis demonstrated that betaARK and G protein-coupled receptor kinase-5 (GRK5) were able to stoichiometrically phosphorylate purified tubulin dimers with a preference for beta-tubulin and, under certain conditions, the betaIII-isotype. Examination of the GRK/tubulin binding characteristics revealed that tubulin dimers and assembled microtubules bind GRKs, whereas the catalytic domain of betaARK contains the primary tubulin binding determinants. In vivo interaction of GRK and tubulin was suggested by the following: (i) co-purification of betaARK with tubulin from brain tissue; (ii) co-immunoprecipitation of betaARK and tubulin from COS-1 cells; and (iii) co-localization of betaARK and GRK5 with microtubule structures in COS-1 cells. In addition, GRK-phosphorylated tubulin was found preferentially associated with the microtubule fraction during in vitro assembly assays suggesting potential functional significance. These results suggest a novel link between the cytoskeleton and GRKs that may be important for regulating GRK and/or tubulin function.     

Fluorescence in situ hybridization with a synthetic (T2AG3)n polynucleotide detects several intrachromosomal telomere-like repeats on human chromosomes

The relevance of clinical signs of infant hip dysplasia and the importance of a sonographic newborn-hip screening are often discussed. Between 1984 and 1990 at our department 6532 infant hips were examined both clinically and sonographically. Sonographic hip findings were pathological in 71.7% of the hips with positive clinical Roser-Ortolani sign and in 100% of the hips with positive Hilgenreiner sign. In contrast, pathological hip types according to Graf were seen only in 18% of the hips with limitations of the abductions of the hip joint. Examining other clinical signs for infant hip dysplasia within this study, as well we can conclude, that only the Roser-Ortolani sign and that of Hilgenreiner showed a high specificity for infant hip dysplasia, while most of the clinical signs e.g. limitation of abduction in the hip joint are rather unspecific.     

Cloning and expression of the cDNA for rat NAD+-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase

Following interleukin-1 (IL1) stimulation, an IL1 receptor associated kinase (IRAK) is rapidly recruited to the receptor complex. However, it is not understood if IRAK is able to interact directly with the intracellular portion of the IL1-RI or if its recruitment is mediated by a different molecule. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we have analysed possible protein-protein interactions between IRAK, IL1-RI and IL1-RAcP. We found that IRAK is able to interact with the equivalent cytoplasmic region of the IL1-RAcP but is unable to interact with the cytoplasmic region of the IL1-RI. Immunoprecipitation of the IL1-RAcP followed by Western blot analysis using anti-IRAK antibodies revealed that IRAK co-precipitated with the IL1-RAcP. We propose that, in non-stimulated cells, IRAK is bound to the IL1-RAcP and therefore, following IL1 stimulation, both molecules are recruited simultaneously to the ILI-RI complex.     

Prospective study of high grade anal squamous intraepithelial neoplasia in a cohort of homosexual men: influence of HIV infection, immunosuppression and human papillomavirus infection

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of developing high grade anal squamous intraepithelial neoplasia (HG-AIN) in relation to HIV infection and immunosuppression, after controlling for the effects of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study of 158 HIV-seropositive and 147 HIV-seronegative homosexual men presenting to a community-based clinic with initially negative anal cytologic and colposcopic findings. METHODS: Subjects completed self-administered questionnaires, underwent cytologic screening, and standardized unaided and colposcopic examination of the proximal anal canal for presence of abnormalities suggestive of AIN. Anal specimens were screened for HPV DNA. RESULTS: HG-AIN developed in eight (5.4%) and 24 (15.2%) HIV-seronegative and -seropositive men, respectively. Risk of HG-AIN among HIV-seronegative men was associated with detection of anal HPV types 16 or 18 by Southern transfer hybridization (STH), detection of HPV 16 or 18 at the lower levels by polymerase chain reaction but not by STH, and with number of positive HPV tests; HG-AIN risk among HIV-seropositive men was associated with detection of HPV 16 or 18 only by STH, detection of HPV types other than 16 or 18, CD4 count < or = 500 x 10(6)/l, and number of positive HPV tests. HIV-induced immunosuppression remained an independent predictor of HG-AIN after adjusting for type and level of detection of HPV; HIV infection predicted HG-AIN risk after adjustment for number of positive HPV tests. CONCLUSIONS: The association of HG-AIN with HIV, independent of HPV type, level of HPV detection and number of positive HPV tests, suggests that this increased risk cannot be entirely explained by an effect of HIV on HPV detection. Future studies focusing on factors more specific to the local microenvironment in the anal canal should help clarify these issues.