Peer drug associations and emotional restraint: Causes or consequences of adolescents' drug use?

A 3-wave longitudinal design was used to examine the relationships among emotional restraint, peer drug associations, and gateway drug use in a sample of 1,256 middle school students. Structural equation modeling was used to compare 3 models: (1) One model viewed drug use as a consequence of emotional restraint and peer variables; (2) 1 viewed drug use as a cause of restraint and peer variables; and (3) 1 included reciprocal effects. All 3 models fit the data fairly well. However, the reciprocal model fit the data significantly better than either of the others. Within this model, low emotional restraint was significantly related to subsequent increases in gateway drug use among boys. In contrast, peer drug models and peer pressure were not related to subsequent changes in gateway drug use. Changes in peer drug models were, however, predicted by previous levels of gateway drug use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cardiac tamponade as a presentation of primary hypothyroidism in a young woman

Pericardial effusion (PE) as a hypothyroidism associated sign, is something that can be found with relative frequency; nevertheless, cardiac tamponade (CT) as the first sign of this disease may be considered exceptional especially in young patients. We report a 31 years old woman with clinical symptoms and signs of CT that in the forward workshop was diagnosed of primary hypothyroidism as cause of the CT. We shortly describe the case and review the literature, emphasizing the importance of the knowledge of CT trigger factors in myxedematous PE, as well as its usual benign evolution with hormonal treatment, without recurrences of the CT after pericardiocentesis is performed. This justify a conservative approach, in spite of the slow resolution of the PE what can take as long as 1.5 years.     

Abnormal sensory nerve conduction in multifocal demyelinating neuropathy with persistent conduction block

Two patients exhibited chronic, slightly asymmetric weakness and wasting with fasciculations of the upper limb and hand muscles. Motor nerve conduction studies showed features of multifocal conduction block in nerve segments other than those usually involved in entrapment syndromes. The F wave was markedly delayed in the median and ulnar nerves. Transcranial cortical and cervical root magnetic stimulation showed bilaterally delayed thenar responses with normal central conduction time. Needle electromyography demonstrated a chronic denervation pattern with large polyphasic motor units in several muscles of the upper limbs. Sensory symptoms were mild and limited to paresthesias in the fingertips. Sensory nerve conduction velocity and sensory nerve action potential amplitudes were normal in elbow-to-wrist and wrist-to-finger segments of the median and ulnar nerves, but there was a delayed cortical response and unrecognizable Erb's point and cervical responses in the somatosensory evoked potentials to median nerve electrical stimulation. Electrophysiologic examination was normal in most nerves of the lower limbs. These two patients, meeting clinical and electrophysiologic criteria of multifocal neuropathy with conduction block, demonstrate that sensory fibers may also be involved in this syndrome.     

Synthesis and evaluation of some functionalized difuran diesters as plasticizers for PVC

Butyl, hexyl, and 2-ethylhexyl diesters of 1,1-bis(5-carboxyl-2-furyl)-2,2-dichloroethene, hexyl and 2-ethylhexyl diesters of 1,1-bis(5-carboxyl-2-furyl) ketone, and the hexyl diester of 1,1-bis(5-carboxyl-2-furyl)methane were synthesized from furfural and evaluated for their plasticizing abilities toward PVC, by the application of dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and [di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate] as a standard of reference. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Patient characteristics, MRI examination, and dopaminergic drug response in clinical possible Parkinson''s disease

As hypersensitivity to natural rubber latex (NRL) has become an increasingly recognized problem in children, identification of all groups at risk seems important. In this study hypersensitivity to NRL was evaluated in 337 children with potential risk factors. We identified by questionnaire children's underlying diseases, history of surgical procedures, evidence of atopy and patient's history of NRL-specific reactions. Hypersensitivity to NRL and other allergens relevant in the Düsseldorf area was evaluated by skin prick test and specific IgE. In 9.2% of all children hypersensitivity to NRL was observed. Significant risk factors for hypersensitivity to NRL were, among the underlying diseases, spina bifida (odds ratio 29.2), hydrocephalus internus (10.1), gastrointestinal malformation (5.2) and atopy (2.2). Surgical procedures with significant risk were the implantation of a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt (15.7) and surgery of the gastrointestinal tract (3.1). Frequency of surgical procedures correlated (p < 0.001) with risk of hypersensitivity. Frequent surgery and atopy were found to have an additional effect on the risk of hypersensitivity. Information about previous NRL-specific reactions obtained by questionnaire was of little predictive value when performing multivariate analysis. For children at high risk for hypersensitivity to NRL preoperative evaluation and, in case of hypersensitivity, preventive measures seem to be advised.     

p53 gene therapy in vivo of herpatocellular and liver metastatic colorectal cancer

Tumor suppressor genes such as p53 contribute to the oncogenic process via loss-of-function mechanisms such as genetic mutation or complex formation with other cellular or viral proteins. p53 is mutated in approximately 50% of human tumors and has an important role in the genesis or progression of both colorectal and hepatocellular cancers. Colorectal cancer is leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States, whereas hepatocellular cancer is the leading worldwide cause of cancer death; the liver is a primary site of morbidity in both diseases. Because systemic tumor suppressor gene therapy is currently not feasible, we have chosen to develop a regional form of such therapy directed at primary or metastatic liver neoplasms. Gene replacement therapy with p53 is a promising new strategy to treat advanced human cancers.