ECT in Parkinson's disease. Changes in motor symptoms, monoamine metabolites and neuropeptides

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was given to 16 non-depressed, non-demented patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). In all the patients an antiparkinsonian effect was seen, lasting for 18 months in one patient, 3-5 months in seven patients, and a few days to four weeks in eight patients. After ECT the levels of homovanillic acid and neuropeptide Y in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were significantly increased. The eight patients with long lasting motor improvement after ECT had significantly lower CSF-3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol compared to the group with short lasting improvement. Five patients developed transitory mental confusion after ECT. In these patients, and in no others, a high albumin-ratio was found already before ECT was given - an indication of blood CSF barrier damage. Our results suggest that ECT is valuable in patients with drug refractory PD or PD with intolerance to antiparkinsonian drugs.     

Neuropsychology as a specialized health service listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology..

A survey was sent to 500 practitioners randomly selected from the 1985 National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology to determine (a) what criteria the sample had used to determine their own listed specialization in neuropsychology and (b) other characteristics of their involvement in the specialty. Survey results were divided and presented according to those practitioners who described themselves professionally as neuropsychologists and those who did not. We found that in spite of a considerable amount of effort by organized clinical neuropsychology to define and establish a specialization, including specific criteria for education and training, practitioners who list neuropsychology in the Register rely on an exceedingly broad range of items as criteria, extending from independent study and workshop attendance to professional board certification. There continues to exist a schism between those who view neuropsychology as a subspecialty of clinical psychology and those who see it as a mature specialization requiring minimal qualifications that include formalized education and supervised training. It became apparent that listing neuropsychology as a specialty in the Register, although implying much, actually says little or nothing about competency within the specialization. Because of this, practitioners need to use sound ethical and professional restraint when defining and determining their level of competency in this area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The outcome of ankylosing spondylitis: a study of 100 patients

The outcome was studied in 100 patients with adult-onset primary ankylosing spondylitis (AS). After a mean disease duration of 16 yr, 51.5% of the patients were employed in full-time work. Cessation of work occurred at a mean disease duration of 15.6 yr, and was significantly associated with female sex, low levels of education, acute anterior uveitis, 'bamboo spine' and the co-existence of non-rheumatic diseases. Functional outcome was studied by analysing activities of daily living, and revealed similar findings in males and females. Most of the loss of function occurred during the first 10 yr of disease, and correlated significantly with the occurrence of peripheral arthritis, spinal X-ray changes of AS and development of 'bamboo spine'. After > 20 yr of disease, > 80% of the patients still complained of daily pain and stiffness, and > 60% reported daily use of drugs.     

Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus

Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) is recognized as a variant of Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and affects mainly middle-aged Caucasian women. The clinical picture is characterized by typical skin lesions, joint or muscle pain and occasionally arthritis. Serious systemic manifestations such as affection of the central nervous system and kidneys are rarely observed. Most SCLE patients are strongly photosensitive, which is associated with the presence of anti-SSA and/or anti-SSB antibodies. The disease can mimic both Sj?gren's syndrome and SLE. The course is characterized by exacerbations and remissions. SCLE sometimes occurs concomitantly with other diseases of both a rheumatological or non-rheumatological nature, and it has also been discussed whether SCLE might be an example of a paraneoplastic syndrome. Treatment with hydroxychloroquine is usually effective. Five patients with SCLE are described.     

Hereditary angio-oedema: new clinical observations and autoimmune screening, complement and kallikrein-kinin analyses

Sinus cavities are often a major obstacle to the placement of dental implants in the posterior maxilla, especially when early tooth loss has occurred. Several grafting procedures aimed at reducing the expanded volume of these pneumatic cavities have been routinely utilized since 1979. Essentially, these techniques have consisted of recreating the necessary viable bone volume at the floor of sinus cavities by placing different bone substitute materials to allow for the insertion of endosseous implant devices. The progress achieved in the refinement of the surgical procedures and the knowledge acquired in the field of patient screening and selection, choice of biomaterials, management of complications, etc., have made sinus graft surgery highly codified and predictable. A comprehensive statistical study by multifactorial procedures was carried out to establish a Burt Contingency Chart. This chart visualizes the frequencies of all the "modality combinations" among the selected "qualitative parameters" and, by a " factorial analysis", the "multiple correlations", so that the "statistical affinities" that may exist among the same variables can be determined. This critical study endeavors to search for and reveal the favorable clinical, biologic and scientific parameters necessary for the success of sinus graft surgery on short-, medium-, and long-term bases (more than nine years). It is a particularly homogenous study, since all the operative procedures have been carried out exclusively by the author under standardized conditions. The wide variety of biomaterials utilized by the author since 1979 shows the development of bone substitute biomaterials as they have been introduced into the market during the past 15 years. The large number of patients treated, the variety of grafting materials, the important success rate obtained, and the long duration of patient follow-up have been instrumental in enabling us to establish scientifically significant results. Autogenous bone and its combinations with calcium- and phosphorus-containing biomaterials remain undoubtedly the best all-purpose biomaterials. The synthetic biomaterials have their own specific indications according to their stable (non-resorbable) or unstable (resorbable) nature and their rates of metabolic "turnover". Differently treated bones from the tissue bank (if not contaminated or immunologically questionable) behave in a fashion not unlike autogenous bone. Root-form implants are by far the best implants in the reconstructed sinus sites, while other implant types (subperiosteal implants, etc.) inserted beneath the reinforced osseous sinus floor, buccal wall, and pyramidal process, also have their indications.     

A prospective study of 287 patients with polymyalgia rheumatica and temporal arteritis: clinical and laboratory manifestations at onset of disease and at the time of diagnosis

A prospective study of 287 patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA), including polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and temporal arteritis (TA), was conducted during 1987-1994. All patients were evaluated prior to the start of drug treatment. During the same period, 31 patients with GCA, of whom 12 cases had TA, were admitted to other departments in the hospital. At onset of disease, all patients were > or = 50 yr of age. Peripheral arthritis was found in 24.4% of patients with PMR, while none of the patients with TA exhibited such manifestations. Clinical features at onset of disease differed from those appearing at presentation to the hospital. Thus, the gradual development of a full-blown clinical picture may be responsible for the delay in diagnosis of GCA. The majority of cases (80%) presented with "pure' PMR without clinical signs or symptoms of concomitant TA. In a random sample of 68 patients with "pure' PMR, histological examinations of biopsy specimens of the temporal artery revealed inflammatory changes in three patients only (4.4%). Consequently, arterial biopsy in patients with clinical features of PMR only, appears to be unnecessary. Among patients with TA referred to the department of internal medicine, general malaise, loss of weight and sustained fever were prominent manifestations. Such features may thus necessitate a diagnostic arterial biopsy even in the absence of clinical arteritis or myalgia. Both ESR and CRP were within normal levels in 1.2% of the cases. Further clinical and laboratory examinations performed at diagnosis of GCA disclosed only one case of malignancy. Routine chest X-rays did not reveal unexpected pathological findings. Permanent and complete blindness due to arteritis was observed in one patient only. No association between GCA and thyroid dysfunction was detected.     

Study of the Effect of Technetium as a Component of the Catalysts of the REE Compounds on the Process of Decomposition of Monohydrides of Silicon and Germanium

Russian Microelectronics - The effect of technetium as a component of the catalysts of the REE compounds on the decomposition process of monohydrides of silicon and germanium during the growth of...     

Determination of Ochratoxin A in Bread: Evaluation of Microwave-Assisted Extraction Using an Orthogonal Composite Design Coupled with Response Surface Methodology

An analytical method using microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and liquid chromatography (LC) with fluorescence detection (FD) for the determination of ochratoxin A (OTA) in bread samples is described. A 2⁴ orthogonal composite design coupled with response surface methodology was used to study the influence of MAE parameters (extraction time, temperature, solvent volume, and stirring speed) in order to maximize OTA recovery. The optimized MAE conditions were the following: 25 mL of acetonitrile, 10 min of extraction, at 80 °C, and maximum stirring speed. Validation of the overall methodology was performed by spiking assays at five levels (0.1–3.00 ng/g). The quantification limit was 0.005 ng/g. The established method was then applied to 64 bread samples (wheat, maize, and wheat/maize bread) collected in Oporto region (Northern Portugal). OTA was detected in 84 % of the samples with a maximum value of 2.87 ng/g below the European maximum limit established for OTA in cereal products of 3 ng/g.     

Classification of Four Almond Cultivars Using Oil Degradation Parameters Based on FTIR and GC Data

Four almond cultivars (Marcona, Guara, Garrigues and Butte) have been classified using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and gas chromatography (GC) data. The data were obtained by completing the first stages of a thermal oxidative degradation process. The degradation process was monitored by using the variations in the main fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) content determined by GC and to changes in the infrared spectra recorded using the ATR-FTIR technique. In order to classify the almond cultivars, a stepwise linear discriminant analysis was applied to the data. The results indicated that, although the four almond oils evaluated here have a similar fatty acid composition, differences in linoleic acid content may be linked to oxidative stability. Butte cultivar samples had higher linoleic acid content and were more prone to oxidative deterioration.