Establishing the psychometric properties of the DSM-III-R personality disorders: implications for DSM-V

In this study, symptom (item) level data were used to perform a psychometric analysis of the DSM-III-R personality disorders (PDs). Determined for each PD criteria set were convergent validity, discriminant validity, and internal consistency. The results indicated that the majority of the PD criteria sets (6 of the 11 ) possessed adequate convergent validity, although discriminant validity was problematic for most of these disorders. Internal consistency was also weak for the PD criteria sets, with only 3 of the 11 exceeding a minimum cutoff score of .70. The present study employed a methodology modeled after the one reported by Morey (1988a), and the results of the two studies were highly similar. Consistent findings across the two data sets can be taken to reflect the actual psychometric properties of the DSM-III-R PDs. The success of our replication demonstrates the potential that large-scale psychometric investigations hold for aiding the development and refinement of the DSM PDs.     

Tryptophan is present in glial cells and photoreceptors in the chicken retina

Tryptophan is a large neutral amino acid which is utilized in the biosynthesis of neuroactive substances such as serotonin and melatonin. However, it has been unclear where pools of tryptophan might be localized. Using a specific antiserum against tryptophan, we demonstrate that in the chicken retina tryptophan is present in radial glial cells and photoreceptors, but not in other neuronal elements. These data suggest that serotonergic neurones are probably dependent upon the transfer of tryptophan from the glial cells in order to manufacture serotonin and other tryptophan derivatives in the brain. If glia do supply tryptophan to neurones then this process will have significant practical implications for our basic understanding of and pharmacological manipulation of serotonergic systems.     

Grouped random effects models for Bayesian meta-analysis

Meta-analysis refers to quantitative methods to combine results from independent studies so as to draw overall conclusions. Frequently, results from dissimilar studies are inappropriately combined, resulting in suspect inferential synthesis. We present a straightforward method to identify and address this problem through the development of grouped random effect models for meta-analysis. We examine 15 comparative studies that investigate the efficacy of a new anti-epileptic drug, progabide. The flexibility of this modelling scheme is exemplified by the result that the open studies support the efficacy of progabide while the closed studies support the reverse hypothesis. Bayesian approaches for meta-analysis are preferable because of the small number of studies prevalent in meta-analysis. We specify diffuse proper prior and hyperprior distributions to assure posterior propriety. We investigate sensitivity of the posterior to choice of prior. We use Gibbs sampling and the Metropolis algorithm to generate samples from the relevant posteriors. We analyse posterior summaries and plots of model parameters to suggest solutions to questions of interest.     

In vitro transcorneal permeation of ketorolac tromethamine from buffered and unbuffered aqueous ocular drops

In vitro transcorneal permeation of ketorolac tromethamine from 0.5% w/v solutions containing equimolar (0.02 M) concentrations of citrate (pH 6.5), phosphate (pH 6.5 and 7), citrate-phosphate (pH 7) and borate (pH 7) buffers was studied using goat cornea. Cumulative % permeation was maximum with phosphate buffered drops of pH 6.5. The effect of pH and ionic strength on permeation of ketorolac tromethamine from buffered (phosphate) drops was next investigated. Cumulative % permeation of ketorolac tromethamine from buffered drops was pH dependent being maximum at pH 4.5. Adjustment of ionic strength of drops to 0.2 resulted in decreased permeation of drug. Permeation of ketorolac tromethamine from unbuffered drops of varying pH and ionic strength 0.2 was also pH dependent and was maximum at pH 4.5. Buffered drops of pH between 4.5-5.5, ionic strength 0.2, provided better permeation of drug compared to unbuffered drops of same pH and ionic strength. Above pH 6.5 unbuffered drops showed better permeation than buffered drops. Increase in molarity of phosphate buffer (pH 4.5) used in making drops, between 0 to 0.15 M increased permeation. Aqueous drops of ketorolac tromethamine formulated in 0.15 M phosphate buffer of pH 4.5 and ionic strength 0.2 showed maximum cumulative % permeation in vitro. Considering lacrimation induced drug loss in vivo, by buffer of high concentration, ketorolac tromethamine drops formulated in buffer of low molarity, pH 4.5 and ionic strength 0.2 appear suitable.     

Increased living donor volunteer rates with a formal recipient family education program

As part of our ongoing studies to characterize molecular alterations in a well-defined series of surgically resected esophageal cancers, we examined the expression of 2 ras-regulated genes, whose products (osteopontin and cathepsin L) previously were shown to be associated with tumor invasion and metastasis. RNA was extracted from primary esophageal tumors (adenocarcinomas, 19; squamous-cell carcinomas, 6) and matched histologically normal esophageal mucosa from the distant resection margin. Northern analysis was used to quantitate RNA, relative to an 18S rRNA control, and immunohistochemistry to assess the tissue distribution of osteopontin. In addition, H-, K- and N-ras mutations were studied in the same tissues using PCR and hybridization with allele (mutant)-specific oligonucleotide probes. We demonstrated a K-ras mutation (codon 12, GTT) in one esophageal adenocarcinoma. The ras-regulated gene osteopontin was over-expressed in 100% of squamous-cell carcinomas and in 58% of adenocarcinomas relative to matched normal esophageal mucosa. Patterns of immunoreactivity for osteopontin protein also varied between squamous-cell carcinomas (tumor cell staining) and adenocarcinomas (predominantly tumor-infiltrating macrophages). Expression of cathepsin L also varied with esophageal tumor histology, with over-expression in 58% of primary esophageal adenocarcinomas and 33% of squamous-cell cancers.     

Late displacement of a fracture dislocation at the lumbosacral junction. A case study

STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective single-patient case report with a literature review. OBJECTIVE: To report on an uncommon injury: traumatic fracture-dislocation of the lumbosacral junction with delayed displacement. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Only 31 cases of traumatic fracture-dislocation of the lumbosacral junction were found in the English literature. Only three previous reports refer to this injury occurring with a posterior displacement. This is the first report of this type of injury displacing in a delayed manner. METHODS: Chart review. RESULTS: Open reduction, Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Osteosynthesefargen instrumentation, and interbody fusion resulted in a satisfactory clinical result with no neurologic impairment. CONCLUSIONS: The present study reports a very rare injury consisting of traumatic dislocation of the lumbosacral joint, presenting with displacement 2 months after injury. The patient was treated successfully with surgery even though the injury displaced in a delayed fashion.     

Time course of mossy fiber sprouting following bilateral transection of the fimbria/fornix

Lesions of the fimbria/fornix (FF) lead to a variety of epileptiform changes in hippocampal activity. In epilepsy, as well as in several experimental preparations of epilepsy, aberrant sprouting of the dentate gyrus mossy fibers (MF) is observed and has been hypothesized to play a critical role in the generation of seizure activity. We therefore sought to determine whether MF sprouting also follows FF transections. FF transections did indeed lead to MF sprouting, which became apparent at 14 days and reached asymptotic levels at 28 days post-lesion. These results indicate a possible mechanism for the epileptiform activity seen following FF lesions and provide an additional example of the diverse epileptogenic treatments that are accompanied by MF sprouting.     

Bidirectional modulatory effect of orphanin FQ on morphine-induced analgesia: antagonism in brain and potentiation in spinal cord of the rat

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the relation of hysterectomy and oophorectomy to heart disease risk factors. METHODS: Data were collected and analyzed for 1150 women aged 50 through 89. RESULTS: Of these women, 21.8% reported hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy; 22.1%, hysterectomy with ovarian conservation. Compared with women without hysterectomy, oophorectomized women, especially those 20 or more years postmenopause, had increased lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, and insulin; blood pressures were increased among current estrogen users. Women with hysterectomies with ovarian conservation had similar or more favorable risk factors than nonhysterectomized women. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral oophorectomy, but not hysterectomy, may have long-term negative consequences for heart disease risk factors not totally ameliorated by estrogen use.     

Persistence of hepatitis C virus in newborn mice brain cell culture

A model of chronic infection of primary cultures of suckling mouse brain (SMB) cells actively producing hepatitis C virus (HCV) is developed. Destruction and repopulation of cells was observed for at least 6 months; this phenomenon was paralleled by virus release in culture medium. Persistent HCV contained in SMB cultures induced a cytopathogenic effect in PS, BHK-21, Vero, HAK, and click embryo cell cultures, its infective titers being 10.0-12.0 lg TCD50/0.2 ml. Persistent HCV formed heterogeneous plaques under agar in chick embryo cells. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) regularly detected the HCV RNA at the stage of cell destruction in the culture fluid of HCV-infected cell cultures. The cytopathogenic activity of persistent HCV was neutralized by anti-HCV positive patients' sera with the neutralization index of 8.0-9.0 lg. The results of persistent HCV neutralization were confirmed by PCR. Immunofluorescence detected virus-specific HCV antigens in 15-40% of infected cells. Hence, the SMB-HCV system realized the cytopathogenic potential of HCV circulating in the blood of patients with hepatitis C. This system is promising for the study of the pathogenesis of HCV infection at a cellular level, for screening for specific and nonspecific antiviral agents, and for preparing native virus-specific proteins and RNA.