Personality and depression: a validation study of the depressive experiences questionnaire

This study investigated the validity of Blatt's model of depression as indicated by his operational measure of its constructs via the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ; Blatt, D'Afflitti, & Quinlan, 1976). Hypothesized relations between the two relevant scales of the DEQ and Tellegen's (1982) Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ) were examined. Participants consisted of 195 women, including 67 hospitalized unipolar depressives, 77 never-hospitalized unipolar depressives, and 51 nonpsychiatric controls. Overall, the results partially supported the validity of the DEQ even though all participants were women and prior studies have indicated the DEQ's greater discriminative validity for men than for women. However, several of the most strongly predicted relations, such as between DEQ Self-Criticism and MPQ Achievement were not confirmed. Coherent, significant relations between scales of the two measures remained after partialling out the effects of severity of depression.

Personality and Depression: A Validation Study of the Depressive Experience Questionnaire

This study investigated the validity of Blatt's model of depression as indicated by his operational measure of its constructs via the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ; Blatt, D'Afflitti, & Quinlan, 1976). Hypothesized relations between the two relevant scales of the DEQ and Tellegen's (1982) Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire, (MPQ) were examined, Participants consisted of 195 women, including 67 hospitalized unipolar depressives, 77 never-hospitalized unipolar depressives, and 51 nonpsychiatric controls. Overall, the results partially supported the validity of the DEQ even though all participants were women and prior studies have indicated the DEQ's greater discriminative validity for men than for women. However, several of the most strongly predicted relations, such as between DEQ Self-Criticism and MPQ Achievement were not confirmed. Coherent, significant relations between scales of the two measures remained after partialling out the effects of severity of depression.

Model for the examination of evolutionary trends in tooth development

Through the use of serial computerized tomography (C-t) scans, two distinct developmental stages can be identified in mature teeth. C-t scans thus provide a non-destructive method for assessing growth within individual teeth, as well as for comparison of the development of modern and fossil teeth. The second deciduous molar (DM2) and first permanent molar (M1) resemble one another morphologically, despite differences in size and developmental rates. Thus, they provide an excellent model for studying variation in growth within an individual. To test the C-t method, we first examined a recent archaeological sample and then examined teeth from Skhul I. Serial C-t scans were used to compare two distinct developmental stages represented by the dentine-enamel junction (DEJ) and outer enamel surface (OES), respectively, in mandibular DM2 and M1 of 31 archaeological specimens. The difference in form and size between these two surfaces in and between teeth was calculated from intercusp distances measured at the DEJ and OES using the form distance matrix. Intercusp distances at the DEJ and OES of these teeth were then compared to their counterparts in the DM2 and M1 of Skhul I, taken here as representative of early anatomically modern Homo sapiens sapiens. Form differences between paired DM2 and M1 at the DEJ were smaller than those at the OES, supporting the hypothesis that differences between the two teeth increase throughout development. The increase in intercusp distances from the DEJ to OES was found to reflect the angulation of cusps relative to one another, rather than enamel thickness. Form differences between the Skhul DM2 and M1 were smaller than those observed in the recent series, and the recent M1 differed more than the DM2 from its fossil counterpart. The similarities found between the Skhul permanent and deciduous teeth and the recent DM2, may reflect a similar growth pattern. This would contribute to earlier crown completion in the fossil M1.

Tarsoconjunctival advancement: a modified surgical technique to correct cicatricial entropion and metaplasia of the marginal tarsus

Severe eye burns and mucocutaneous cicatricial disorders frequently cause upper and lower lid entropion with metaplasia of the tarsal conjunctiva, dislocation of the meibomian gland orifices, trichiasis, and tarsal scars near the lid margin. Between 1985 and 1993, 26 patients (29 eyes, 36 lids) were treated by excision of pathologic tissue and advancement of the tarsoconjunctival layer. The presented procedure is used mainly in cicatricial entropion with keratinization of the marginal tarsus.

PET brain mapping study of auditory verbal supraspan memory versus visual fixation in schizophrenia

Changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), associated with performance of an auditory verbal supraspan memory task, were studied in eight remitted DSM-III-R schizophrenic patients and eight pair-wise matched normal controls. Four positron emission tomography (PET) scans, using the [15O]-H2O technique, were acquired: two while subjects fixated a cross hair and two while performing a verbal free-recall supraspan memory task. Task performance showed typical patterns of recency and primacy effects in both groups; however, patients performed more poorly than controls on the primary (working) memory aspect of the task. Regions showing rCBF changes overlapped in both groups and were similar to those seen in previous studies of normals; however, patients had smaller increases in rCBF than controls in frontal and superior temporal cortical regions bilaterally. Our results suggest that remitted patients with schizophrenia demonstrate impairments of capacity-limited information processing, which may be related to metabolic dysfunction within a distributed network of brain structures, including the prefrontal and temporal cortical regions; however, dysfunction limited to the frontal cortex cannot be ruled out by the results of this experiment.

Collagen VI regulates normal and transformed mesenchymal cell proliferation in vitro

Suggestions exist that, in addition to traditional growth factors, the extracellular matrix (ECM) of a cell can regulate its proliferation. This hypothesis was investigated with normal and transformed fibroblasts because they exhibit specific intracellular responses after adherence to ECM and produce large quantities of ECM proteins. Although cells cultured on different ECM proteins grew more rapidly than those on plastic, adherence and cell growth on an individual ECM protein were not correlated. To test if ECM can stimulate cell growth, soluble ECM proteins were given to cells after plating. In this culture system only collagen VI (CVI), at a concentration of 20 microg/ml in medium, increased 3T3 cell number to 402% of control by 72 h. Similar increases of human fibroblasts and HT 1080 cell numbers were noted. DNA synthesis of all three cell types increased 24 h after addition of soluble CVI. A mixture of CVI single chains, yielded by reduction and alkylation, was not stimulatory. However, this mixture efficiently inhibited the DNA synthesis induced by native CVI. Antibody inhibition studies showed that the region of CVI stimulating proliferation differs from the site bound by the integrin receptor alpha2beta1, which mediates cell adhesion to immobilized CVI. Heparin inhibited a portion of CVI-induced proliferation. These data demonstrate that CVI can stimulate mesenchymal cell growth via a pathway that is independent of the integrin alpha2beta1 and that the stimulatory region appears to be within the native helical portion of the collagen.

Co-ordinating care for Canadian travellers

Case management is a popular term these days. It refers to caring for the whole patient and his or her family by incorporating all necessary resources available within the community.

Fatal cerebellar haemorrhage due to phenprocoumon poisoning

A 32-year-old patient died of a cerebellar haemorrhage and the blood coagulation analysis before death suggested defective synthesis of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors due to vitamin K deficiency. The post-mortem toxicological examination of different tissues revealed phenprocoumon poisoning as the cause of death. The differential diagnosis of vitamin K deficiency and the toxicology of hydroxycoumarins are discussed.

Functional interaction of cytosolic hsp70 and a DnaJ-related protein, Ydj1p, in protein translocation in vivo

In order to analyze the in vivo role of the SSA class of cytosolic 70-kDa heat shock proteins (hsps) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we isolated a temperature-sensitive mutant of SSA1. The effect of a shift of mutant cells (ssa1ts ssa2 ssa3 ssa4) from the permissive temperature of 23 degrees C to the nonpermissive temperature of 37 degrees C on the processing of several precursor proteins translocated into the endoplasmic reticulum or mitochondria was assessed. Of three mitochondrial proteins tested, the processing of only one, the beta subunit of the F1F0 ATPase, was dramatically affected. Of six proteins destined for the endoplasmic reticulum, the translocation of only prepro-alpha-factor and proteinase A was inhibited. The processing of prepro-alpha-factor was inhibited within 2 min of the shift to 37 degrees C, suggesting a direct effect of the hsp70 defect on translocation. More than 50% of radiolabeled alpha-factor accumulated in the precursor form, with the remainder rapidly reaching the mature form. However, the translocation block was complete, as the precursor form could not be chased through the translocation pathway. Since DnaJ-related proteins are known to interact with hsp70s and strains containing conditional mutations in a dnaJ-related gene, YDJ1, are defective in translocation of prepro-alpha-factor, we looked for a genetic interaction between SSA genes and YDJ1 in vivo. We found that a deletion mutation of YDJ1 was synthetically lethal in a ssa1ts ssa2 ssa3 ssa4 background. In addition, a strain containing a single functional SSA gene, SSA1, and a deletion of YDJ1 accumulated the precursor form of alpha-factor. However, no genetic interaction was observed between a YDJ1 mutation and mutations in the SSB genes, which encode a second class of cytosolic hsp70 chaperones. These results are consistent with SSA proteins and Ydj1p acting together in the translocation process.

[Expert assessment of initial surgical management after experimental chemical eye burn]

BACKGROUND

Initial surgical treatment of severe eye burns is important for the long lasting healing period. To look closer at the efficacy of the early surgical treatment and the possible consequences for woundhealing, the surgical interventions were examined in an animal experiment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The right eye of 20 rabbits each was burned with 1 n NaOH for 30 seconds followed by a surgical treatment 48 hours later. In the first study necrosectomy, tenonplasty, application of an artificial epithelium and blepharoplasty was withdrawn and the fornices were prevented from cicatrization by mechanical treatment treatment with blunt spatula. Antiinflammatory depotinjection of Volon A 40 was applicated additionally. After an interval of 4-18 weeks the eyes were examined histologically.

RESULTS

A higher risk for infections could be observed in eyes which underwent blepharorhaphy. Furthermore proliferative processes and corneal ulcerations were predominant. In contrast to these findings the latter complications could be prevented due to the clinical inspection of the artificial epithelium and described mechanical irritation of the fornices in the second study.

DISCUSSION

It could be shown that proliferative processes are major complications after severe burns of the eye. Nevertheless the intensity could be minimized by the consequent therapy. Furthermore it could be demonstrated that the artificial epithelium is an effective tool providing good prognosis for subsequently planned keratoplasty. To enable necessary postoperative inspection blepharoplasty should be avoided.

Rapid purification and characterization of two distinct N-deoxyribosyltransferases of Lactobacillus leichmannii

Two distinct N-deoxyribosyltransferases of Lactobacillus leichmannii, designated as DRTase I and DRTase II, were separated and purified almost to homogeneity by one-step affinity chromatography. DRTase I is distinguished by specifically catalyzing the direct transfer of 2-deoxyribosyl residues from purine deoxyribonucleosides to free purine bases, whereas DRTase II has a rather broad substrate specificity and is able to transfer the deoxyribosyl moiety between pyrimidines and between purines and pyrimidines. Furthermore, in addition to the different substrate spectrum, we clearly differentiated the two enzymes by comparing their varying temperature/activity and pH/activity profiles, their kinetic constants, their behaviour in Western blot analysis, and their N-terminal amino acid sequences. Denaturing and non-denaturing DISK-PAGE revealed strong evidence that both intact enzymes consist of hexamers with subunit molecular weights of approximately 20,000 for DRTase I and 18,000 for DRTase II.

Characterization of the factor VIII defect in 147 patients with sporadic hemophilia A: family studies indicate a mutation type-dependent sex ratio of mutation frequencies

The clinical manifestation of hemophilia A is caused by a wide range of different mutations. In this study the factor VIII genes of 147 severe hemophilia A patients--all exclusively from sporadic families--were screened for mutations by use of the complete panel of modern DNA techniques. The pathogenous defect could be characterized in 126 patients (85.7 percent). Fifty-five patients (37.4 percent) showed a F8A-gene inversion, 47 (32.0 percent) a point mutation, 14 (9.5 percent) a small deletion, 8 (5.4 percent) a large deletion, and 2 (1.4 percent) a small insertion. Further, four (2.7 percent) mutations were localized but could not be sequenced yet. No mutation could be identified in 17 patients (11.6 percent). Sixteen (10.9 percent) of the identified mutations occurred in the B domain. Four of these were located in an adenosine nucleotide stretch at codon 1192, indicating a mutation hotspot. Somatic mosaicisms were detected in 3 (3.9 percent) of 76 patients, mothers, comprising 3 of 16 de novo mutations in the patients mothers. Investigation of family relatives allowed detection of a de novo mutation in 16 of 76 two-generation and 28 of 34 three-generation families. On the basis of these data, the male:female ratio of mutation frequencies (k) was estimated as k = 3.6. By use of the quotients of mutation origin in maternal grandfather to patients mother or to maternal grandmother, k was directly estimated as k = 15 and k = 7.5, respectively. Considering each mutation type separately, we revealed a mutation type-specific sex ratio of mutation frequencies. Point mutations showed a 5-to-10-fold-higher and inversions a >10-fold-higher mutation rate in male germ cells, whereas deletions showed a >5-fold-higher mutation rate in female germ cells. Consequently, and in accordance with the data of other diseases like Duchenne muscular dystrophy, our results indicate that at least for X-chromosomal disorders the male:female mutation rate of a disease is determined by its proportion of the different mutation types.

Molecular characterization of the xerC gene of Lactobacillus leichmannii encoding a site-specific recombinase and two adjacent heat shock genes

Sequencing of four overlapping DNA fragments comprising 3.527 kb isolated from a L. leichmannii genomic library revealed three complete open reading frames (ORFs) and one that was truncated. The deduced amino acid sequences of the complete ORFs showed considerable similarities with the already known sequences of the xerC, hslV, and hslU gene products of Escherichia coli: the site-specific XerC recombinase, a member of the lambda integrase family, and the HtpI resp. HtpO heat shock proteins. The deduced amino acid sequence of the fourth, incomplete ORF upstream the xerC gene showed strong homology with the gid A gene product of B. subtilis.

[Establishing human, conjunctival fibroblast cultures as a test system for evaluating ophthalmic drugs]

BACKGROUND

Chronic inflammation of the anterior eye segment caused by severe burns has to be treated by several drugs. Often it is very difficult to recognize the relationship between drug and side effects. Although the results were usually satisfying, proliferation of the conjunctival tissue was observed. Therefore the question was raised whether these proliferations might have been a side effect of the drugs. To answer this question, we established cultures of human conjunctival fibroblasts for ocular toxicity testing of drugs used in the therapy of severe eye burns.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Conjunctival fibroblasts from young donors were cultured under standard conditions (37 degrees C, 5% C02, 95% RH) in Medium 199 supplemented with 20% FCS without antibiotics. At the time of inoculation the following drugs were added: aprotinin, prednisolone, chloramphenicol and methylhydroxypropylcellulose. Cell growth was observed and growth kinetics were estimated by hemocytometer over a period of 7 days.

RESULTS

The investigations of prednisolone showed the well-known dose-dependent anti-proliferative effect. The application of methylhydroxypropylcellulose resulted in decreased cell growth and in total cell detachment. Experiments with aprotinin and chloramphenicol showed no effects on the growth behaviour. The application of a drug mixture lead to similar results as in experiments with prednisolone.

DISCUSSION

The presented cell-culture system is able to reproduce specific effects, especially the toxicity of ophthalmic drugs but a complex interaction of an inflammatory reaction, e.g. after severe eye burns, cannot be simulated. The network of reactions and the interaction of many substances playing an important role during this process are too complex.

The determination of 11-nor-delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (THCCOOH) in meconium

The determination of 11-nor-delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (THCCOOH), the major urinary metabolite of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in meconium is extremely difficult because of the high concentration of lipids in the specimen and the low concentration of drug present. A simple, robust, analytical procedure for the screening and confirmation of THCCOOH in meconium is presented. To our knowledge, the procedure is the first published method for the successful confirmation of THCCOOH in meconium and is used routinely in our laboratory for the purpose of detecting marijuana use during pregnancy.

Molecular cloning and characterization of the pyrB gene of Lactobacillus leichmannii encoding aspartate transcarbamylase

The Lactobacillus leichmannii pyrB gene, encoding pyrimidine biosynthetic enzyme aspartate transcarbamylase (ATCase), was cloned from a partial genomic library lying on a 1468 bp Sa/I/BstXI fragment. The predicted polypeptide sequence extending over 351 amino acid residues (M(r) 39 855 Da) was compared to those of various other organisms revealing clear identities towards them and important conservative stretches, implying that these proteins are closely related. Transcriptional initiation was mapped by primer extension and occurred 54 bp upstream of the pyrB open reading frame (ORF). Northern blot analysis indicates that the pyrB gene is transcribed as a single mRNA and not together with the following overlapping pyrC gene as a bicistronic mRNA. At high copy number the pyrB gene of L leichmannii seems to be lethal for its E coli host; inserted in a low copy vector it complements the uracil auxotrophy of an E coli pyrB mutant which shows distinct ATCase activity in the cell extract. With an excess of uracil in the growth medium the gene is apparently repressed and no ATCase activity can be measured.

Cognitive therapy versus fluoxetine in the treatment of dysthymic disorder

We studied the effects of a fixed dose of fluoxetine (20 mg) or cognitive psychotherapy in a 16 week trial of patients with dysthymic disorder. More patients assigned to fluoxetine dropped out of the 16 week treatment (33%) than those assigned to cognitive therapy (9%), but this difference did not attain statistical significance. Both treatments showed improvement over baseline conditions at 8 weeks and further improvement at 16 weeks. There were no statistically significant group differences in treatment response. No follow-up data were collected so the enduring effects of the treatments are unknown. An optimal treatment for dysthymic disorder may be combined psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for a longer period of time.

Explorative study of interleukin levels in the human cornea

BACKGROUND

The presence of interleukins has been demonstrated in the cornea and other ocular tissues. Although pathogenic mechanisms are unknown, interleukins seem to be involved in inflammatory disorders of the cornea. The present study was undertaken to analyse concentrations of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in human corneas with various clinical diagnoses.

METHODS

Immediately after keratoplasty 127 explanted human corneas with various corneal diseases were snap frozen and cryosections were prepared for histological examination. Furthermore, the protein content was measured according to the method of Bradford and the concentration of IL-1 beta and IL-6 were determined using a specific immunosorbent test (ELISA).

RESULTS

It was found that IL-1 beta and IL-6 level were clearly higher in corneas with ulcerations and distinct inflammatory signs. Lower levels of both interleukins were found in corneas with a weak expression of inflammatory signs.

CONCLUSIONS

Keratitis, keratoconus with inflammatory signs, and ulcerating processes showed higher interleukin levels than corneas with non-inflammatory disorders like scar formation, corneal dystrophy and keratoconus. The results could show that, depending on the clinical diagnosis, the inflammatory status of the cornea may be evaluated by the interleukin levels determined in the corneal tissue.

High dose methotrexate infusion with leucovorin rescue for treatment of ectopic pregnancy

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the effectiveness, side effects, and complications of high dose methotrexate infusion with leucovorin rescue in select patients with ectopic pregnancy. Between January 1991 and November 1994, 28 patients with ectopic pregnancies were prospectively treated with methotrexate (100 mg/m2 intravenous bolus followed by a 200 mg/m2 infusion over six hours) with leucovorin rescue. Twenty-seven of 28 patients (96%) were successfully treated. Only one patient (4%) required a second course of methotrexate to reach a normal hCG titer. One patient failed methotrexate infusion 45 days after treatment at a hCG titer of 12 mIU/mL. No Gynecologic Oncology Group grade 3 or 4 clinical, biochemical or hematologic toxicities occurred. Uterine bleeding and abdominal pain, not requiring transfusion or hospitalization, occurred in 71% and 56% of patients. The authors conclude that high dose methotrexate infusion with leucovorin rescue is a highly effective, well tolerated, nonsurgical treatment for select patients with ectopic pregnancy.

Longitudinal quantitative EEG study of children with different performances on a reading-writing test

In a previous paper, using the same test for the evaluation of reading-writing abilities, Harmony et al. (1990b) reported that children with severe difficulties had more delta in fronto-temporal regions, and this was interpreted as a sign of underlying cerebral dysfunction. Children with severe and minor difficulties in the test had more diffuse theta absolute and relative powers and less alpha relative power. As theta decreases with age, while alpha increases, these results suggested that children with minor and severe difficulties in reading had a maturational lag with respect to those with normal performance. We conducted this study in order to test this hypothesis. Two different EEG records were obtained with an interval of 2.58-3.15 years in 49 children classified in 3 groups according to their performance in a reading-writing test. Group 1: adequate performance for age and degree (control group); group 2: below level performance with minor difficulties; and group 3: below level performance, with severe difficulties. The mean age of the groups in the first study was 9 years. Absolute (AP) and relative powers (RP) in the delta, theta, alpha and beta bands were computed for each session. In general, groups 3 and 2 showed greater changes than group 1 from session to session. ANOVAs performed by session clearly demonstrate many significant differences between groups in the first study, while few significant differences in parieto-occipital regions in theta RP were observed in the second session. These results point toward a maturational spurt of children from groups 2 and 3.