Calcipotriol toxicity in a dog

The article describes the objectives and design of a prospective study of the prevalence, incidence and course of psychiatric disorders in a representative sample of non-institutionalized Dutch adults. A total of 7146 men and women aged 18-64, contacted through a multistage sample of municipalities and households, were interviewed at home in 1996. The primary diagnostic instrument was the CIDI, which determines the lifetime occurrence of DSM-III-R disorders. The disorders included were: mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia and other non-affective psychotic disorders, and dependence and abuse of psychoactive substances. Follow-up measurements in the same sample were scheduled at 12 and 36 months. The net response to the first measurement was 69.7%. Poststratification weightings were applied for gender, age, marital status and degree of urbanization. Limitations and advantages of the study design are discussed. Findings are reported elsewhere in this issue.     

Formation of octa- and heptachlorodibenzo-p-dioxins during semi anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge

Octa- and heptachlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (OCDD and HpCDD) were formed during semi anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge at low temperature (20 degrees C). A twofold increase of OCDD and HpCDD was found after a digestion period of 192 days even if concentrations were corrected by corresponding accumulation factors caused by the degradation of biomass. Other polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/F) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) were not increased. Under strictly anaerobic and aerobic conditions, however, no OCDD and HpCDD were formed. Semi anaerobic formation of OCDD and HpCDD may explain the prevalence of higher chlorinated PCDD in the homologues pattern typical for sewage sludge.     

Group B Streptococcal septicaemia/meningitis in neonates in a Singapore teaching hospital

Several studies have indicated that frequent allelic losses in some specific chromosomal regions occur during colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. To clarify the correlation between such allelic losses and metastatic potential, the allelotype of lymph node-positive early CRCs, which are small but extremely malignant cancers consisting of metastatically competent cells, were investigated. Nineteen paraffin-embedded specimens of early CRC (pT1 tumors according to TNM classification) with positive lymph nodes were collected. The tumor tissues were examined for loss of heterozygosity (LOH), using microsatellite markers on chromosomes 1p34-36, 8p21-22, 14q32, 18q21 and 22q12-13. The relationship between p53 protein expression and the metastatic status was also investigated by immunohistochemical staining. A group of 20 early CRCs with negative lymph nodes having a similar distribution of macroscopic appearance were used as controls. Among the 19 node-positive tumors, LOH at 8p21-22 and 18q21 was detected in 11 cases (57.9%) and 17 cases (89.4%), respectively. Allelic losses within these 2 regions in node-positive tumors were significantly more frequent than that in node-negative ones (p < 0.01). No significant correlation was found between LOH at 1p34-36, 14q32 or 22q12-13 and lymph node metastasis. p53 protein expression was not significantly associated with lymph node metastasis. Our results suggest that putative tumor suppressor genes, which may be involved in the metastatic process of CRC, are located on chromosomes 8p21-22 and 18q21. Allelic losses in these regions are possible risk factors for lymph node metastasis of early CRC.     

SV40 large T antigen with c-Jun down-regulates myelin P0 gene expression: a mechanism for papovaviral T antigen-mediated demyelination

Expression of myelin proteins has been shown to be altered in transgenic mice that express papovaviral large tumor (T) antigens. This paper analyzes the effect on P0 gene expression in secondary Schwann cells transfected with the SV40 T antigen gene and in Schwann cells immortalized by T antigen. In secondary Schwann cells, both T antigen and c-Jun are required for significant inhibition of the P0 promoter; expression of only one of the proteins is insufficient for repression of the P0 gene. T antigen, c-Jun (p39), and c-Jun-related protein (p47) form an immunoprecipitable complex in SV40 immortalized Schwann cell lines, and T antigen and c-Jun bind independently and as a complex to the P0 promoter. Our data suggest that the probable molecular mechanism underlying the hypomyelination observed in transgenic animals expressing T antigen may be due to the repression of the P0 gene by T antigen and c-Jun.     

Favourable effect of olive oil in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The effect on blood pressure, blood glucose and lipid levels of a high-fat diet rich in monounsaturated fat compared with a carbohydrate-rich diet

The aim of the study was to elucidate the role of the neuropeptide galanin in the regulation of somatotropic and gonadotropic function in normal women. Thirteen normally ovulating (aged 28 to 40 years), non-obese (body mass index, 18.4 to 27.1 kg/m2) women with infertility due to a tubal or male factor were studied. Each woman underwent three tests: (1) bolus intravenous (IV) injection of growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (GHRH) (1-29)NH2 1 microgram/kg plus gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) 100 micrograms at time 0; (2) IV infusion of porcine galanin 500 micrograms in 100 mL saline from -10 minutes; and (3) bolus IV injection of GHRH(1-29)NH2 1 microgram/kg plus GnRH 100 micrograms at time 0 plus IV infusion of porcine galanin 500 micrograms in 100 mL saline from -10 to +30 minutes. All results are expressed as the mean +/- SEM. GH peak after GHRH was 14 +/- 5 micrograms/L; porcine galanin significantly increased serum GH (GH peak, 7.3 +/- 1.2) with respect to baseline levels. No significant differences were observed between either GH peak or GH absolute values after galanin as compared with GHRH alone. Porcine galanin significantly enhanced GH response to GHRH (peak, 31.4 +/- 4.4 micrograms/L) with respect to either GHRH or galanin alone. Luteinizing hormone (LH)/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) peaks after GnRH were 16.5 +/- 5.3 and 17.4 +/- 4 IU/L, respectively. Porcine galanin did not cause significant increases in serum LH and FSH levels with respect to baseline.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Recommendations on the contents of medical reports in rectal carcinoma: II: Physician''s letter. Orienting guides in the interdisciplinary patient care process

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a hypoxia inducible angiogenic and vascular permeability factor. Although VEGF expression in glioblastoma is induced by hypoxia, its expression in renal cell carcinoma and hemangioblastoma is thought to be related to mutation of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene. It is not certain whether other lesions in VHL syndrome are associated with an elevated VEGF level. We report a VHL syndrome patient with multiple hemangioblastomas and bilateral epididymal clear cell papillary cystadenomas. In situ hybridization revealed high levels of VEGF mRNA in the clear cells of the epididymal tumor and the stromal cells of the hemangioblastoma. This lends support to the notion that upregulation of VEGF is caused by loss of the wild-type VHL protein. We postulate that the elevated VEGF levels may account for the cyst formation and vascularized stroma present in these VHL-associated tumors.     

Influence of different fat emulsions with 10 or 20% MCT/LCT or LCT on lipoproteins in plasma of patients after abdominal surgery

In patients after elective abdominal surgery, different fat emulsions were used to compare their efficacy in total parenteral nutrition and in normalizing plasma lipoprotein levels. In five different groups with 5 patients each, half of the nonprotein calories were given as medium-chain triglycerides/long-chain triglycerides (1:1) or as long-chain triglycerides alone in 10 or 20% fat emulsions or as glucose alone in a control group for 7 days. After surgery, an initial decrease of all plasma lipoprotein components was followed by a different behavior of glyceride-glycerol, cholesterol, phospholipids, and apolipoproteins. Glyceride-glycerol in very-low-density lipoproteins and high-density lipoproteins is increasing during infusion of fat emulsions and decreasing during overnight interruption of infusions. After the 7-day infusion period, there was no significant difference in very-low-density lipoprotein glyceride-glycerol as compared with the values before different infusions. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is reaching and exceeding preoperative concentrations between the 4th and the 7th day, most during infusion of 10% fat emulsion and especially due to an increase of free cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I reach preoperative levels during infusion of fat emulsions but not with glucose alone. Higher than preoperative values are reached in phospholipids with all fat infusions already on day 4. Abnormal lipoprotein X occurred least with the medium-chain/long-chain triglyceride 20% fat-infusion. This fat emulsion is suggested as having the best normalizing effect on plasma lipoproteins and best tolerance in patients after surgery.     

Pattern of macrophage subpopulations in post-traumatic bone infections after combined operative/antibiotic treatment

Serum samples of 485 uveitis patients were screened for the presence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies using a standardized immunofluorescence test (IIF) on neutrophil granulocytes. Seventeen of these sera contained cytoplasmic (C)-ANCA antibodies, while two of the sera contained perinuclear (P)-ANCA antibodies (both antinuclear antibody (ANA)-positive, one anti-myeloperoxidase (MPO)-positive). None of the C-ANCA-positive sera reacted with proteinase-3 in ELISA using a highly purified proteinase-3 preparation. Four C-ANCA and one P-ANCA-positive serum reacted with MPO. The majority of the sera did react with azurophilic granules in ELISA. The implication of these results is that in patients with uveitis a positive C-ANCA test is not diagnostic for Wegener's granulomatosis, but is most probably caused by the presence of autoantibodies against as yet unknown constituents of azurophilic granules.