Psychiatric comorbidity, health status, and functional impairment associated with alcohol abuse and dependence in primary care patients: Findings of the PRIME MD-1000 study.

The psychiatric comorbidity, health, and functioning of primary care patients with alcohol abuse and dependence (AAD) was investigated in a sample of 1,000 patients. Psychiatric symptomatology was assessed with the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) diagnostic system. Health and functional status was assessed with the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form General Health Survey (SF-20). Results indicated that use of the PRIME-MD system brought about a 71% increase in physician recognition of AAD. AAD patients were diagnosed with substantial psychiatric comorbidity, and they reported poorer health and functioning than did patients without any psychiatric disorders. However, they reported less impairment and psychiatric comorbidity than did patients with other psychiatric disorders. Results also indicated that AAD patients' health and functioning were associated with the presence or absence of psychiatric comorbidity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pulmonary function threshold for distinguishing ventilatory- and nonventilatory-limited patients with airflow obstruction

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may demonstrate great variability between results on the pulmonary function test (PFT) compared to those on the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPXT). The purpose of this study was to correlate PFT and CPXT indices and to identify PFT threshold values for predicting exercise capacity in patients with airflow limitation. Fifty-seven patients (48 men and 9 women) of mean age 66.4 +/- 4.8 years with COPD and 40 age-matched control patients underwent PFT and CPXT. Based on the CPXT results, the patients were divided into ventilatory-limited (VL) and nonventilatory-limited (NVL), and the findings were correlated with the PFT indices. Linear regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between dyspnea index (VEmax/MVV) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). The cutoff value for VL was FEV1 < 38% and for NVL FEV1 > 68%. The prominent limiting symptom (61%) in the VL group was dyspnea sensation, with leg discomfort presenting in only 14%; corresponding rates in the NVL group were 38% and 31%. We conclude that the FEV1 is a reliable index for distinguishing VL from NVL COPD patients during CPXT at two extremes: below 38% of the predicted value (VL) and above 68% of the predicted value (NVL).     

Fatal cyst formation after fetal mesencephalic allograft transplant for Parkinson''s disease

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the structural transitions and changes in ligand binding properties of different albumins during the pH-dependent structural transition, often referred to as the N-B transition. METHODS: Structural transitions were evaluated by means of spectrometry, differential scanning calorimetry and chemical modification. In addition, ligand binding properties were investigated using typical site-specific bound drugs (warfarin, phenylbutazone, ibuprofen and diazepam). RESULTS: Conformational changes, including N-B transition, clearly occurred in albumins from all species used in this study. The conformational stabilities of all the albumins were clearly lost in the weakly alkaline pH range. This was probably the result of the destruction of salt bridges between domain I and domain III in the albumin molecule. In addition, the profiles of the ANS-induced fluorescence were different and could be classified into two patterns, suggesting that hydrophobic pockets in the albumin molecules were different for the different species. The data suggest that the amino acid residues responsible for the transitions were some of the His residues located in domain I. Further, the ligand binding properties of the albumins were slightly different but statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The overall mechanisms of the N-B transition may be similar for all the albumins, but its impact is considerably different among the species in terms of both structural characteristics and ligand binding properties. Furthermore, the transitions appear to be multi-step transitions.     

Flow fields in electromagnetic stirring of rectangular strands with linear inductors: Part II. computation of flow fields in billets,blooms, and slabs of steel

The model presented in Part I of this series of papers is used to compute flow velocities in the longitudinal stirring of steel blooms and billets, and in the horizontal stirring of steel slabs. In longitudinal stirring of blooms and billets the reverse flow is on the side of the strand opposite to the inductor. The effects of penetration depth of the electromagnetic force, of the force itself, of the length of the stirrer, and of the width of the liquid core were determined. In horizontal stirring of slabs the reverse flow takes place outside of the stirrer region, forming the so-called butterfly stirring pattern. The characteristics of this flow field depend to a considerable extent on the width of the stirrer. The effects of stirrer width, of thickness of the liquid core, of force and of width of the slab were elucidated. The maximum velocities in both types of stirring are represented as simple formulae.     

Phase I studies with Baker's Antifol (BAF) (NSC 139105)

Phase I studies were conducted in 58 adult cancer patients with Baker's Antifol (BAF), a new active-site directed inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase. Dose escalation ranged from 10 to 250 mg/m2/day X 5 days and courses of treatment were repeated every 2-3 weeks. Biologic effects were observed mostly at doses greater than 100 mg/m2/day X 5 days. The patients developed myelosuppression during 19% of the trials. Other types of toxicity were dermatitis in 12 to 30% and stomatitis in 7 to 38% of the trials. Toxicity was directly related to the impairment of the patient's liver function. Two partial responses (in a patient with adenocarcinoma of the lung and a patient with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder) occurred. BAF is an active new chemotherapeutic agent which deserves further clinical trials in patients with various malignancies.     

Curupira tefeensis (Olacaceae) — A Rich Source of Very Long Chain Fatty Acids

The fatty acid composition of the seed oil of Curupira tefeensis was analysed by capillary GC of their methyl esters. The gaschromatographic assignments were ensured by corresponding mass spectra. The oil is composed to more than 62% of very long chain fatty acids (>C18). Erucic acid is found to be the main component (35%). The position of the double bonds of the monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAME) was verified after derivatization with dimethyl disulfide and subsequent GC/MS analysis. All identified MUFAME belong to the (n-9-)type. The UV-spectroscopical data show that approx. 1.2% conjugated acetylenic fatty acids occur in the oil. Furthermore IR- and NMR-spectroscopical investigations and the basic analyses of the seed were carried out.