Thrombolytic therapy in stroke. What do clinical tests prove?

Despite the increased risk of intracranial haemorrhage associated with the use of thrombolytic treatment of stroke. American studies have shown patients treated with rt-PA (recombinant plasminogen activator) within three hours of the onset of symptoms to manifest 30 per cent less disability at three-month follow-up than those placebo. However, until satisfactory criteria for the use of rt-PA are available, caution is essential, and thrombolytic therapy should be restricted to specialised centres. It is also important to promote public awareness of the stroke patient's need of immediate treatment at a specialised stroke unit.     

Psychosocial barriers to health promotion in an American Indian population

Northern Plains Indians (N = 200) completed the Indian Specific Health Risk Appraisal and measures assessing beliefs about risk factors and personal risk. Participants rated personal risk optimistically, judged their risk factor standing as superior to that of their peers, and neglected to consider risk factor standing when appraising personal risk. Moreover, participants were often not improving their standing on risk factors they considered relevant to their health. Such biases in health beliefs may prevent health interventions from being successful.     

The effects of short-term parenteral nutrition on human liver protein and amino acid metabolism during laparoscopic surgery

Almost 2000 bovine milk fats were analysed by gas chromatography to investigate the influence of typical barn and pasture feeding of cows on trans-C18:2 isomers (with at least one trans double bond) including the conjugated linoleic acid cis delta9, trans delta11 (c9,t11) as well as the cis delta9, cis delta12 linoleic acid. Moreover, small cow herds were used to determine the influence of pasture Feeding with young and older grass as well as the impact of an energy deficit or the variation of quantity and technical treatment of fed rape-seed on the content of C18:2 isomers in milk fat. The contents of trans-C18:2 (w/o c9,t11) and c9,t11 in 1756 milk fats on average amounted to 0.63% resp. 0.75%. These contents increased from barn feeding, in winter with 0.46% resp. 0.45% over the transiton period in spring and late autumn with 0.66% resp. 0.76% to pasture feeding in summer with 0.87% resp. 1.20%. Milk fat samples from bulk milk obtained weekly during one year from 4 large West German milk collection areas confirmed and completed the data found for the 1756 milk fats. The percentage of linoleic acid with a mean value of 1.24 (n = 1756) varied irregularly during the different feeding periods. The content of the conjugated linoleic acid c9,t11 could be raised considerably up to triple the normal amount by different changes in feeding. However, the content of trans-C18:1 fatty acids was strongly increased as well, respectively.     

Potentiation of 5-fluorouracil-leucovorin activity by alpha2a-interferon in colon adenocarcinoma xenografts

The present study examined the effect of received support on adjustment by foreign students, with data from 33 Chinese students who completed questionnaires at three occasions: three months (the first period), nine months (the second period), and one year and nine months (the third period) after they arrived in Japan. The Social Support Scale for Chinese Students in Japan (Jou, 1993a) and items for measurement of adjustment were used in the questionnaires. Analysis of Variance results revealed no differences among the amounts of support received during the three periods, but compared with the first or second, adjustment was better during the third period. Results from path analysis indicated that support in the first period was positively related to adjustment in the first period, the first period adjustment and second period support positively to the second period adjustment, and only the second period adjustment positively to the third period adjustment. Thus, the present study suggests that it is especially necessary to provide more support to foreign students during the critical early period in order to facilitate their adjustment.