Effects of depressive symptoms on health behavior practices among older adults with vision loss.

Objective: The authors examined the interface between visual impairment and depressive symptoms on health behaviors, self-care, and social participation among adults ages 65 and older. Method: The authors analyzed data from the 1997–2004 National Health Interview Survey on visual impairment and depressive symptoms for 49,278 adults ages 65 and older, comparing visually impaired adults (n = 8,787) with and without depressive symptoms with a reference group of adults with neither condition (n = 3,136) for outcome measures: physical health, health behaviors, and difficulties with self-care and social participation. Results: Adults with visual impairment and severe depressive symptoms were more likely than adults with neither condition to smoke (14.9%, adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.6), be obese (28.2%, AOR = 1.9), be physically inactive (80.5%, AOR = 3.0), have fair–poor health (76.0%, AOR = 26.5), and have difficulties with self-care (27.9%, AOR = 11.8) and social participation (52.1%, AOR = 10.9). Discussion and Conclusions: Older visually impaired adults with depressive symptoms are vulnerable to health decline and further disablement without timely interventions that target smoking cessation, healthy eating, and increased physical activity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hydroxyurea for treatment of unresectable and recurrent meningiomas. I. Inhibition of primary human meningioma cells in culture and in meningioma transplants by induction of the apoptotic pathway

PURPOSE: Venous aneurysms have been reported to occur in most major veins. These aneurysms may be misdiagnosed as soft tissue masses or as inguinal or femoral hernias. Venous aneurysms of the deep system have been associated with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). To more precisely characterize these lesions, we reviewed our experience with the disease. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of our experience over 22 years was performed. The presentation and management of these lesions were reviewed and compared with the literature. RESULTS: Thirty-nine venous aneurysms were reported in 30 patients. There were 14 men and 16 women. The patients' ages ranged from 3 to 75 years. Thirty aneurysms were located in the lower extremities, four in the upper extremity, and five in the internal jugular vein. Fifty-seven percent of lower extremity aneurysms occurred in the deep system. Patients' symptoms were a mass (75%) associated with pain (67%) and swelling (42%). Thromboembolism occurred in six patients, DVT in three, and PE in three. Eight of nine patients (89%) who had aneurysms of the superficial venous system had their condition misdiagnosed. Diagnosis was made by phlebography (60%), color flow duplex scanning (27%), continuous-wave Doppler scanning (10%), or magnetic resonance imaging (10%). The aneurysm size ranged from 1.7 to 6.0 cm. Management consisted of tangential excision in five (17%), total excision in 23 (77%), and observation in seven (6%). CONCLUSIONS: Venous aneurysms are unusual vascular malformations that occur equally between the sexes and are seen at any age. Most patients have a painful mass of the extremity, and diagnosis is achieved by radiologic examination. Superficial venous aneurysms of the inguinal region are often misdiagnosed. Thromboembolism is more common in aneurysms involving the deep venous system. Because of their potential morbidity, management should be surgical in the majority of cases.     

Activation of type IV procollagenases by human tumor-associated trypsin-2

Increased production of proteinases, such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), is a characteristic feature of malignant tumors. Some human cancers and cell lines derived from them also express trypsinogen, but the function of the extrapancreatic trypsin has remained unclear. In this study we cloned and sequenced trypsinogen-2 cDNA from human COLO 205 colon carcinoma cells and characterized the ability of the enzyme to activate latent human type IV procollagenases (proMMP-2 and proMMP-9). As shown by cloning and N-terminal amino acid sequencing, the amino acid sequence of tumor-associated trypsin-2 is identical to that of pancreatic trypsin-2. We found that both pancreatic trypsin-2 and tumor cell-derived trypsin-2 are efficient activators of proMMP-9 and are capable of activating proMMP-9 at a molar ratio of 1:1000, the lowest reported so far. Human trypsin-2 was a more efficient activator than widely used bovine trypsin and converted the 92-kDa proMMP-9 to a single 77-kDa product that was not fragmented further. The single peptide bond cleaved by trypsin-2 in proMMP-9 was Arg87-Phe88. The generation of the 77-kDa species coincided with the increase in specific activity of MMP-9. In contrast, trypsin-2 only partially activated proMMP-2. Trypsin-2 cleaved the Arg99-Lys100 peptide bond of proMMP-2 generating 62-65-kDa MMP-2 species. Trypsin-2-induced proMMP-2 and -9 conversions were inhibited by tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor added either prior to or during activation indicating that proMMPs were not activated autocatalytically. Trypsin-2 also activated proMMPs associated with tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases, the complexes of which are thought to be the major MMP forms in vivo. The ability of human tumor cell-derived trypsin-2 to activate latent MMPs suggests a role for trypsin-2 in initiating the proteinase cascade that mediates tumor invasion and metastasis formation.     

Prediction of posttraumatic stress disorder by immediate reactions to trauma: a prospective study in road traffic accident victims

Road traffic accidents often cause serious physical and psychological sequelae. Specialists of various medical faculties are involved in the treatment of accident victims. Little is known about the factors which might predict psychiatric disorders, e.g. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after accidents and how psychological problems influence physical treatment. In a prospective study 179 unselected, consecutively admitted road traffic accident victims were assessed a few days after the accident for psychiatric diagnoses, severity of injury and psychopathology. All were inpatients and had to be treated for bone fractures. At 6-months follow-up assessment 152 (85%) of the patients were interviewed again. Of the patients, 18.4% fulfilled the criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (DSM-III-R) within 6 months after the accident. Patients who developed PTSD were injured more severely and showed more symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD a few days after the accident than patients with no psychiatric diagnosis. Patients with PTSD stayed significantly longer in the hospital than the other patients. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the length of hospitalization was due mainly to a diversity of factors such as severity of injury, severity of accident, premorbid personality and psychopathology. Posttraumatic stress disorder is common after road traffic accidents. Patients with PTSD at follow-up can be identified by findings from early assessment. Untreated psychological sequelae such as PTSD cause longer hospitalization and therefore more costs than in non-PTSD patients.     

Chloride conduction of nasal fibroblasts in polyposis patients with cystic fibrosis and in patients without cystic fibrosis. Relevance for the ENT physician]

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a complex systemic disease that has pathological alterations in the upper airways, including the recurrent formation of nasal polyps. Although the fibroblast is the predominant cell type in nasal stroma and nasal polyps, little is known about the electrophysiological properties of nasal fibroblasts. We investigated whether fibroblasts possess a cAMP-regulated chloride conductance which is impaired in patients with CF. Thus far the few studies concerning conductance in fibroblasts have been performed on skin fibroblasts using indirect methods and have yielded conflicting results. Therefore we studied chloride conductance in fused nasal fibroblasts by employing conventional microelectrodes. We have demonstrated that a cAMP-regulated chloride conductance is present in fibroblasts. However, this chloride conductance cannot be activated in fibroblasts from CF-patients. Thus, we present direct evidence that the impairment of the cAMP-regulated chloride conductance in CF is not confined to epithelial cells but also affects the fibroblast. We discuss how this conductance might modulate fibroblast proliferation to produce polyp formation.     

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 type IV collagenase/gelatinase implicated in the pathogenesis of Sj?gren''s syndrome

Integrin-ligand binding generates many intracellular signals, including signals to initiate focal contact formation and to regulate cellular decisions concerning growth and differentiation. Oligomerization of the beta subunit cytoplasmic domain appears to be required for many of these events. In order to study these processes, we have generated a novel chimeric protein, consisting of the chicken integrin beta 1 cytoplasmic domain connected to the central rod domain of a neuronal intermediate filament, alpha-internexin. This chimeric protein, when expressed transiently in 293T cells, oligomerizes in a beta cytoplasmic domain-dependent manner. This oligomerization requires the membrane proximal amino acids LLMII of the beta 1 cytoplasmic domain, as demonstrated by deletion analysis. Therefore, the integrin beta cytoplasmic domain in this system contains an oligomerization function, which may provide some insight as to the function of intact integrins in vivo.     

Axial loading of the spine during CT and MR in patients with suspected lumbar spinal stenosis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of compressive axial loading in imaging of the lumbar spine in patients with clinically suspected spinal stenosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 84 patients were examined, 50 with CT (after intrathecal contrast administration) and 34 with MR. First the dural sac cross-sectional area (CSA) was determined with the patient in the supine psoas relaxed position (PRP). Then the CSA was determined during supine axial compression in slight extension (ACE), obtained with a specially designed loading device. A measurement error study was performed. RESULTS: A minimum difference in CSA of 15 mm2 between PRP and ACE was found to be significant. In 40/50 (80%) of CT-examined patients and in 26/34 (76%) of MR-examined patients a significant difference in CSA was found. In 25/84 (30%) of the patients there was a significant difference at more than one level. CONCLUSION: For an adequate evaluation of the CSA, CT or MR studies should be performed with axial loading in patients who have symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis.     

Fiber-optic ellipsoidal flextensional hydrophones

Calculations of circumferential strain, polar and equatorial displacement, lowest natural frequency, buckling pressure, and optical pressure sensitivity for an oblate-spheroidal-shell fiber optic hydrophone are presented using the theory for thin shells. Sample designs based on these calculations are compared to other fiber-optic hydrophone designs of similar dimensions and materials. A prolate-spheroidal-shell hydrophone design is also presented