Depression after smoking cessation: case reports

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smokers with a history of major depression are at risk for developing depressive mood when they attempt cessation. Whether cessation can also provoke more severe depressions, however, has not been well documented. METHOD: Six case reports of severe depressive episodes after smoking cessation are described. RESULTS: Four cases occurred among smokers with a history of major depression but who were not depressed at the time of cessation. Two cases involved smokers with no previous history of major depression. Variability in both the timing and the outcome of the postcessation depressions was observed. CONCLUSION: The risk that depressive states may emerge or be exacerbated after smoking cessation, particularly in patients with a history of major depression, must be kept in mind in the treatment of nicotine dependence.     

Determination of diethylcarbamazine, an antifilarial drug, in human urine by 1H-NMR spectroscopy

1H-NMR spectroscopy is a convenient method for determination of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) in urine, and can be used to monitor medication with the drug. Urine samples were mixed with 10% of deuterium oxide as a spectrometer field frequency lock, which is the only sample pretreatment required. Tailored excitation with the 1331 pulse was used for water peak suppression. The quantification of DEC was carried out with the triplet of the N-ethyl group, for which the T1 relaxation time was 1 s. In aqueous solutions, amounts below 1 microgram ml-1 of DEC could be easily detected. In urine, the detectability depended on the level of chemical noise but was better than 10 micrograms ml-1. The accuracy and precision of the method were better than 15%. Analysis of urine from volunteers receiving a single therapeutic dose of DEC (6 mg kg-1 body weight orally) showed that the drug was eliminated in unchanged form during 2 days, in agreement with earlier results. The concentration of DEC in urine several hours after the intake exceeded 100 micrograms ml-1 making the 1H-NMR assay rapid and easy. No significant amounts of the N-oxide of DEC could be detected.     

Autologous stem cell transplantation. From bone marrow to selected blood stem cells: 100 consecutive procedures at a single center

One hundred consecutive autologous stem cell transplants are reported: Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma 51 cases, Hodgkin's disease 27 cases, acute leukaemia 14 cases, multiple myeloma seven cases and chronic myeloid leukaemia one case. Most patients were in their second or later remission. The overall three-year survival for all patients was 60% and the three-year disease-free survival was 50% for lymphoma patients and 30% for acute leukaemia patients. The dominant source of stem cells was bone marrow during 1993, but from 1994 it has been peripheral blood, now totalling 33 cases. There were 12 toxic deaths, all among patients who were heavily treated before bone marrow harvest and transplantation. The patients transplanted with blood stem cells had significantly shorter duration of pancytopenia, and hospital stay, but their disease-free survival was not longer than that of a comparable group of bone marrow transplanted patients. Six patients were transplanted with purified CD34+ cells (selected by avidity column (Ceprate (R)), and had duration of thrombocytopenia and hospital stay similar to the patients transplanted with unmanipulated blood stem cells, but slightly longer duration of neutropenia. We conclude that high-dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation in not too heavily pretreated patients is a safe procedure irrespective of the source of stem cells.     

Significance of radioisotope bone marrow uptake on 99m technetium sulphocolloid scan in portal hypertension

A prospective study of 101 consecutive patients of portal hypertension was carried out to study the possible relationships between bone marrow activity on 99m technetium labelled sulphocolloid scan and severity of liver disease, etiology of portal hypertension and cirrhosis, as well as presence and extent of collateral circulation, including esophageal varices. The patients were divided into 4 etiological groups: alcoholic cirrhosis (ALD), (38) non-alcoholic cirrhosis (NALD) (35) non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis (NCPF) (14) and extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO) (14). Patients of cirrhosis were categorised according to modified Child-Pugh's classification. Esophageal varices were graded endoscopically as (1) no varix (2) small varices (< 5mm) (3) large varices (> 5mm). All patients underwent radionuclide imaging using 99m Technetium labelled sulphocolloid and bone marrow activity was studied. Evaluation of portasystemic collaterals was done ultrasonically. We found that 16.6%, 44.6% and 72.72% patients with Child A, B and C cirrhosis respectively, had increased marrow activity (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between marrow activity of patients with ALD (52.6%) and NALD (40%). None of the non-cirrhotic patients demonstrated bone marrow uptake of radioisotope. There was no significant difference between bone marrow uptake presence of lienorenal collaterals and presence or size of esophageal varices. We thus conclude the bone marrow activity on radioisotope scanning depends only on the severity of liver disease and does not vary a according to the etiology of cirrhosis, or presence and extent of portasystemic collaterals, including esophageal varices.     

High degree of occult tumor contamination in bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells of patients undergoing autologous transplantation for non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma

Treatment of cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells with dbcAMP increased [3H]STX binding with an EC50 of 126 microM and a half-effective time of 12 h; dbcAMP (1 mM x 18 h) raised the Bmax approximately 1.5-fold without altering the Kd value. Forskolin (0.1 mM) or IBMX (0.3 mM) also increased [3H]STX binding, while dbcGMP had no effect. Effects of dbcAMP and forskolin were abolished by H-89, an inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Cycloheximide (10 microgram/ml) and actinomycin D (10 microgram/ml), inhibitors of protein synthesis, nullified the stimulatory effect of dbcAMP, whereas tunicamycin, an inhibitor of protein glycosylation, had no effect. Treatment with dbcAMP augmented veratridine-induced 22Na influx, 45Ca influx via voltage-dependent Ca channels and catecholamine secretion, while the same treatment did not alter 45Ca influx and catecholamine secretion caused by high K (a direct activation of voltage-dependent Ca channels) [25]. Na influx via single Na channel calculated from 22Na influx and [3H]STX binding was quantitatively similar between non-treated and dbcAMP-treated cells. Brevetoxin allosterically enhanced veratridine-induced 22Na influx approximately 3-fold in dbcAMP-treated cells as in non-treated cells. These results suggest that cAMP-dependent protein kinase is involved in the modulation of Na channel expression in adrenal medulla.     

Oxygen and pH fluctuations in rivers

A mathematical model for oxygen fluctuations in a river reach, involving photosynthesis, total community respiration, and reaeration is presented. Analogy is established between diurnal oxygen fluctuations and diurnal pH-fluctuations. Comparison is made between oxygen production and respiration, and carbon dioxide consumption and production.Twin curve analysis of diurnal oxygen fluctuations and diurnal pH-fluctuations is made of measurements on a single river reach in Denmark. The measurements were carried out about once a month for a little more than one year. The analysis has revealed seasonal variations of the river parameters: total daily gross production of oxygen, total community respiration and reaeration coefficient. These parameters are important for river modelling.     

Evaluation of Consumer Acceptance and Quality of Thermally and High Hydrostatic Pressure Processed Blueberries and Cherries Subjected to Cellulose Nanofiber (CNF) Incorporated Water-Resistant Coating Treatment

This study evaluated the influence of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) incorporated layer-by-layer water-resistant coating on consumer acceptance of blueberries and cherries processed in light syrup thermally (TP, 97 °C for 7 min) or non-thermally (high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), 414 MPa for 10 min). The coating technique was validated on canned blueberries in a commercial canning operation. Consumers (n?=?75 and 77 for blueberry and cherry study, respectively) scored overall, color, aroma, and texture likeness of coated and uncoated processed fruits using a 9-point hedonic scale and firmness intensity using a 5-point just about right (JAR) scale. Coating treatment significantly (P?<?0.05) increased aroma and texture liking scores of TP and HHP blueberries compared with uncoated ones, but did not impact overall and color liking scores. Coated TP (2.67) and HHP (2.96) blueberries received closer to JAR score in firmness that uncoated ones (1.88 and 2.57, respectively). Informing consumers about the benefit of developed coatings altered consumers’ attitude from negative (~?80 and ~?57% gave “neutral” and “disliking” scores on TP and HHP samples, respectively) into positive status (“I would like the overall appearance”). Coating treatment resulted in higher aroma liking scores in HHP cherries, but decreased (P?<?0.05) overall and color liking scores on both TP and HHP cherries due to the presence of visible coating substances onto fruit surface. In commercial canning process, coated blueberries showed great retention of bioactive compounds and firmness. This study demonstrated that CNF incorporated layer-by-layer coating is promising to produce high quality of processed fruits in light syrup.