Properties of adenosine deaminase from Candida albicans

Adenosine deaminase (ADA; adenosine aminohydrolase, E.C. 3.5.4.4), a purine catabolic enzyme, was studied in Candida albicans, an opportunistic yeast that causes diseases ranging from superficial infections to the deep systemic disease, candidiasis, in immunosuppressed humans. The fungus was grown as a yeast form in LEE's synthetic medium, pH 4.5, at room temperature for various growth periods. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity was determined from the cell free extract by measuring the change in absorbance 265 nm resulting from the deamination of adenosine. In yeast form, maximum growth and ADA activity were found at 72 and 24 hours, respectively, whereas in the mycelial form both the growth and ADA activity were maximum after 48 hours. Among the three media tested, tryptic soy broth supported maximum growth and enzyme production, compared to LEE synthetic medium or SABOURAUD dextrose broth. The enzyme was active over the pH range 4-8 and the optimum temperature for ADA activity was found to be 37 degrees C.

Continuity of care and clinical outcome: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Continuity of care is a central objective of community psychiatric services, but there is no consensus about its measurement.

AIMS

We developed measures of continuity of care suitable for routine use, and measured continuity and individual patient outcome over a period in which community services were developing.

METHOD

One hundred patients with severe mental illness receiving continuing care from two sectorised services were sampled and interviewed. Data were collected concerning their care over 20 months prior to interview. After 20 months prospective follow-up, they were re-interviewed. Continuity was defined as: perceived accessibility of services and knowledge about them, the number of keyworkers in a defined period of time, and the proportion of time out of contact with services.

RESULTS

Continuity of care improved significantly on all measures over the period of the study. Individual patient outcome also improved, but in multiple regression models including clinical and demographic variables, measures of continuity were not significant predictors of outcome. Continuity was similar for white and non-white patients.

CONCLUSION

Simple measures of continuity are useful in evaluating changes in the process of care, but they are not straightforwardly related to individual outcome.

New challenge for states: Indian health care

Devolution has given states a role in making sure Indian tribes have adequate health care. Along with these new opportunities comes greater responsibility--for both states and tribes.

Service use and costs of people with dual diagnosis in South London

OBJECTIVE

To compare the service use and costs of individuals who have a dual diagnosis of psychosis and substance abuse with those who have a diagnosis of psychosis but no substance abuse.

METHOD

Patients with psychosis were identified and a representative sample were interviewed. Six-month service use was measured and costs calculated. Regression models were developed to predict costs from background characteristics and dual diagnosis status.

RESULTS

A greater proportion of the patients with dual diagnosis used community psychiatric nurses, in-patient care and the emergency clinic. The regression analysis revealed that dual diagnosis patients had significantly higher 'core' psychiatric service costs (a difference of pound sterling 1362) and non-accommodation service costs (pound sterling 1360) than non-dual-diagnosis patients. The difference when all services were analysed was pound sterling 1046, but this was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Specific interventions for dual diagnosis patients should be introduced and assessed in terms of individual outcomes, service use and costs.

Fine specificity of autoantibodies to calreticulin: epitope mapping and characterization

Extracellular calreticulin (CRT) as well as anti-CRT antibodies have been reported in patients with various autoimmune disorders and CRT has been implicated in 'epitope spreading' to other autoantigens such as the Ro/SS-A complex. In addition, antibodies against parasite forms of the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone, CRT, have been found in patients suffering from onchocerciasis and schistosomiasis. In this study, we screened sera for anti-CRT antibodies from patients with active and inactive systemic lupus ertythematosus (SLE) and primary or secondary Sjögren's syndrome. Approximately 40% of all SLE patients were positive for anti-CRT antibodies. The antigenic regions of CRT were determined using full length CRT and fragments of CRT prepared in yeast and Escherichia coli, respectively. Synthetic 15mer peptides corresponding to the major autoantigenic region of CRT (amino acids 1-289), each one overlapping by 12 amino acids, were used to map the B cell epitopes on the CRT protein recognized by autoimmune sera. Major antigenic epitopes were found to be associated with the N-terminal half of the protein in 69% of the SLE sera from active disease patients, while the C-domain was not antigenic. Major epitopes were found to be reactive with antibodies in sera from SLE patients with both active and inactive disease, spanning different regions of the N and P-domains. Sera from both healthy and disease controls and primary Sjögren's syndrome patients were non-reactive to these sequences. Limited proteolysis of CRT with two major leucocyte serine proteases, elastase and cathepsin G, demonstrated that an N-terminal region of CRT is resistant to digestion. Interestingly, some of the epitopes with the highest reactivity belong to the fragments of the protein which bind to C1q and inhibit complement activation. Whether C1q association with CRT is a pathological or protective interaction between these two proteins is currently under investigation.

A comparison of teaching strategies for integrating information technology into clinical nursing education

As health care becomes more information-intensive and diverse, there is a need to integrate information technology (IT) into clinical education. Little is known, however, about how to design instructional strategies for integrating information technology into clinical nursing education. This article outlines the instructional strategies used by faculty in five nursing programs who taught students to use a point-of-care information technology system. The article also reports students' computer acceptance and summarizes IT clinical teaching recommendations.

Identification of secreted proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by a bioinformatic approach

Proteins secreted by Mycobacterium tuberculosis are usually targets of immune responses in the infected host. Here we describe a search for secreted proteins that combined the use of bioinformatics and phoA' fusion technology. The 3,924 proteins deduced from the M. tuberculosis genome were analyzed with several computer programs. We identified 52 proteins carrying an NH(2)-terminal secretory signal peptide but lacking additional membrane-anchoring moieties. Of these 52 proteins-the TM1 subgroup-only 7 had been previously reported to be secreted proteins. Our predictions were confirmed in 9 of 10 TM1 genes that were fused to Escherichia coli phoA', a marker of subcellular localization. These findings demonstrate that the systematic computer search described in this work identified secreted proteins of M. tuberculosis with high efficiency and 90% accuracy.

Practice parameters for the evaluation of chronic insomnia. An American Academy of Sleep Medicine report. Standards of Practice Committee of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Chronic insomnia is the most common sleep complaint which health care practitioners must confront. Most insomnia patients are not, however, seen by sleep physicians but rather by a variety of primary care physicians. There is little agreement concerning methods for effective assessment and subsequent differential diagnosis of this pervasive problem. The most common basis for diagnosis and subsequent treatment has been the practitioner's clinical impression from an unstructured interview. No systematic, evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis exist for chronic insomnia. This practice parameter paper presents recommendations for the evaluation of chronic insomnia based on the evidence in the accompanying review paper. We recommend use of these parameters by the sleep community, but even more importantly, hope the large number of primary care physicians providing this care can benefit from their use. Conclusions reached in these practice parameters include the following recommendations for the evaluation of chronic insomnia. Since the complaint of insomnia is so widespread and since patients may overlook the impact of poor sleep quality on daily functioning, the health care practitioner should screen for a history of sleep difficulty. This evaluation should include a sleep history focused on common sleep disorders to identify primary and secondary insomnias. Polysomnography, and the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) should not be routinely used to screen or diagnose patients with insomnia complaints. However, the complaint of insomnia does not preclude the appropriate use of these tests for diagnosis of specific sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, periodic limb movement disorder, and narcolepsy that may be present in patients with insomnia. There is insufficient evidence to suggest whether portable sleep studies, actigraphy, or other alternative assessment measures including static charge beds are effective in the evaluation of insomnia complaints. Instruments such as sleep logs, self-administered questionnaires, symptom checklist, or psychological screening tests may be of benefit to discriminate insomnia patients from normals, but these instruments have not been shown to differentiate subtypes of insomnia complaints.

Investigation and control of aspergillosis and other filamentous fungal infections in solid organ transplant recipients

Filamentous fungal infections are associated with high morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant patients, and prevention is warranted whenever possible. An increase in invasive aspergillosis was detected among solid organ transplant recipients in our institution during 1991-92. Rates of Aspergillus infection (18.2%) and infection or colonization (42%) were particularly high among lung transplant recipients. Epidemiologic investigation revealed cases to be both nosocomial and community-acquired, and preventative efforts were directed at both sources. Environmental controls were implemented in the hospital, and itraconazole prophylaxis was given in the early period after lung transplantation. The rate of Aspergillus infection in solid organ transplant recipients decreased from 9.4% to 1.5%, and mortality associated with this disease decreased from 8.2% to 1.8%. The rate of Aspergillus infection or colonization among lung transplant recipients decreased from 42% to 22.5%; nosocomial Aspergillus infection decreased from 9% to 3.2%. Cases of aspergillosis in lung transplant recipients were more likely to be early infections in the pre-intervention period. Early mortality in lung transplant recipients decreased from 15% to 3.2%. Two cases of dematiaceous fungal infection were detected, and no further cases occurred after environmental controls. The use of environmental measures that resulted in a decrease in airborne fungal spores, as well as antifungal prophylaxis, was associated with a decrease in aspergillosis and associated mortality in these patients. Ongoing surveillance and continuing intervention is needed for prevention of infection in high-risk solid organ transplant patients.

Fecal incontinence in hospitalized patients who are acutely ill

BACKGROUND

Information about fecal incontinence experienced by patients in acute-care settings is lacking. The relationship of fecal incontinence to several well-known nosocomial or iatrogenic causes of diarrhea has not been determined.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the cumulative incidence of fecal incontinence in hospitalized patients who are acutely ill, and to ascertain the relationship between fecal incontinence and stool consistency, and between diarrhea and two well-known nosocomial or iatrogenic etiologies of diarrhea: Clostridium difficile and tube feeding. The relationship of fecal incontinence and risk factors for diarrhea associated with C. difficile and tube feeding in hospitalized patients was examined.

METHODS

Fecal incontinence, stool frequency and consistency, administration of tube feeding and medications, severity of illness, and nutritional data were prospectively recorded in 152 patients on acute or critical care units of a university-affiliated Veterans' Affairs Medical Center. Rectal swabs and stool specimens from patients were obtained weekly for C. difficile culture. C. difficile culture and cytotoxin assay were performed on diarrheal stools. HindIII restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) was used for typing of C. difficile isolates.

RESULTS

In this study, 33% (50/152) of the patients had fecal incontinence. The proportion of total surveillance days with fecal incontinence in these patients was 0.50 +/- 0.06. A greater percentage of patients with diarrhea had fecal incontinence than patients without diarrhea (23/53 [43%] vs. 27/99 [27%]; p = 0.04). Incontinence was more frequent in patients with loose/liquid stool consistency than in patients with hard/soft stool consistency (48/50 [96%] vs. 71/100 [71%]; p < 0.001). The proportion of surveillance days with fecal incontinence was related to the proportion of surveillance days with diarrhea (r = 0.69; p < 0.001) and the proportion of surveillance days with loose/liquid stools (r = 0.64; p < 0.001). Multivariate risk factors for fecal incontinence were unformed/loose or liquid consistency of stool (RR = 11.1; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.2, 56.7), severity of illness (RR = 5.7; CI = 2.6, 12.3), and age (RR = 1.1; CI = 1, 1.1).

CONCLUSIONS

Fecal incontinence is common in hospitalized patients who are acutely ill, but the condition was not associated with any specific cause of diarrhea. Because loose or liquid stool consistency is a risk factor for fecal incontinence, use of treatments that result in a more formed stool may be beneficial in managing fecal incontinence. However, treatments that slow intestinal transit should be avoided in patients with C. difficile-associated diarrhea.

Placental growth hormone (GH), GH-binding protein, and insulin-like growth factor axis in normal, growth-retarded, and diabetic pregnancies: correlations with fetal growth

We previously described significant changes in GH-binding protein (GHBP) in pathological human pregnancy. There was a substantial elevation of GHBP in cases ofnoninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and a reduction in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. GHBP has the potential to modulate the proportion of free placental GH (PGH) and hence the impact on the maternal GH/insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) axis, fetal growth, and maternal glycemic status. The present study was undertaken to investigate the relationship among glycemia, GHBP, and PGH during pregnancy and to assess the impact of GHBP on the concentration of free PGH. We have extended the analysis of specimens to include measurements of GHBP, PGH, IGF-I, IGF-II, IGF-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), IGFBP-2, and IGFBP-3 and have related these to maternal characteristics, fetal growth, and glycemia. The simultaneous measurement of GHBP and PGH has for the first time allowed calculation of the free component of PGH and correlation of the free component to indexes of fetal growth and other endocrine markers. PGH, free PGH, IGF-I, and IGF-II were substantially decreased in IUGR at 28-30 weeks gestation (K28) and 36-38 weeks gestation (K36). The mean concentration (+/-SEM) of total PGH increased significantly from K28 to K36 (30.0 +/- 2.2 to 50.7 +/- 6.2 ng/mL; n = 40), as did the concentration of free PGH (23.4 +/- 2.3 to 43.7 +/- 6.0 ng/mL; n = 38). The mean percentage of free PGH was significantly less in IUGR than in normal subjects (67% vs. 79%; P < 0.01). Macrosomia was associated with an increase in these parameters that did not reach statistical significance. Multiple regression analysis revealed that PGH/IGF-I and IGFBP-3 account for 40% of the variance in birth weight. IGFBP-3 showed a significant correlation with IGF-I, IGF-II, and free and total PGH at K28 and K36. Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients had a lower mean percentage of free PGH (65%; P < 0.01), and insulin-dependent diabetics had a higher mean percentage of free PGH (87%; P < 0.01) than normal subjects. Mean postprandial glucose at K28 correlated positively with PGH and free PGH (consistent with the hyperglycemic action of GH). GHBP correlated negatively with both postprandial and fasting glucose. Although GHBP correlated negatively with PGH (r = -0.52; P < .001), free PGH and total PGH correlated very closely (r = 0.98). The results are consistent with an inhibitory function for GHBP in vivo and support a critical role for placental GH and IGF-I in driving normal fetal growth.

Microsatellite alterations plasma DNA of primary breast cancer patients

The aim of this study was to analyze plasma DNA from primary and metastatic breast cancer cases for tumor-specific alterations and to compare these findings with immunocytochemistry and estimation of cytokeratin 19 (CK19) mRNA for detection of micrometastases. DNA was extracted from plasma, lymphocytes, and microdissected tumor tissue sections obtained from 71 patients with breast cancer and 9 controls. DNA samples were analyzed for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and/or microsatellite instability (MI) by PCR with two polymorphic markers (DM-1 and D16S400). Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (QPCR) and immunocytochemistry were used for detection of CK19 mRNA and protein. Breast cancer plasma DNA displayed frequent LOH (31.3%) and MI (11.6%) supported by the same alteration in microdissected tumor DNA. Most notably, 10 of the 39 patients with primary breast cancer showed LOH (n = 6) or MI (n = 4). We compared plasma tumor DNA, plasma and bone marrow QPCR, and blood and bone marrow immunocytochemistry in 32 of the patients with primary cancer. Of these, only one patient had immunocytochemically detectable carcinoma cells in the blood, and three showed abnormally high levels of plasma CK19 mRNA. All four of these patients had plasma DNA alterations. We then compared bone marrow findings: of the 10 primary breast cancers that showed LOH or MI, 6 had elevated CK19 mRNA and 5 had immunocytochemically positive cells. Tumor DNA is readily detectable in plasma of primary and metastatic breast cancer patients, and plasma DNA alterations (LOH and MI) reflect those seen in the tumor. The application of microsatellite analyses to plasma DNA may be useful in assessing tumor burden in breast cancer patients, particularly when combined with QPCR, and is preferable for patients with breast cancer, for whom sequential bone marrow aspiration is undesirable.

Modification of general practitioner prescribing of antibiotics by use of a therapeutics adviser (academic detailer)

AIMS

This was a pilot study of the use of a clinical pharmacist as a therapeutics adviser (academic detailer) to modify antibiotic prescribing by general practitioners.

METHODS

Following a visit by the adviser (March-May), 112 general practitioners were recruited and randomised to control or active groups. A panel of experts prepared a best practice chart of recommended drugs for upper and lower respiratory tract infections, otitis media and urinary tract infections. The adviser made a 10-15 min visit to each prescriber in the active group (June-July), gave them the chart and discussed its recommendations briefly. Doctors in the control group were not visited nor given the chart. Prescription numbers for all prescribers were obtained from the Commonwealth Health Insurance Commission for the pre(March-May) and postdetailing (August-September) periods using a three month lag time for data collection. Data for total numbers of prescriptions and for selected individual antibiotics used in these two periods were analysed using nonparametric statistics.

RESULTS

Prescribing patterns were similar for the control and active groups in the predetailing period. For both groups, there were significant (P<0.03) increases (45% for control and 40% for active) in total number of antibiotic prescriptions in the post compared with the predetailing period. This trend was anticipated on the basis of the winter seasonal increase in respiratory infections. In line with the chart recommendations for first-line treatment, doctors in the active group prescribed significantly more amoxycillin (P<0.02) and doxycycline (P<0.001) in the post vs predetailing periods. By contrast, doctors in the control group prescribed significantly more cefaclor (P<0.03) and roxithromycin (P<0.03), drugs that were not recommended. The total cost of antibiotics prescribed by doctors in the control group increased by 48% ($37 150) from the preto postdetailing periods. In the same time period, the costs for the active group increased by only 35% ($21 020).

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the academic detailing process was successful in modifying prescribing patterns and that it also decreased prescription numbers and costs. Application of the scheme on a nationwide basis could not only improve prescriber choice of the most appropriate antibiotic but also result in a significant saving of health care dollars.

Multiple lethal effects induced by a benzimidazole anthelmintic in the anterior intestine of the nematode Haemonchus contortus

A mechanism of benzimidazole efficacy against parasitic nematodes is postulated to involve inhibition of intestinal secretory vesicle transport via depolymerization of microtubules. We show that fenbendazole (FBZ) treatment of lambs causes pathology localized to the anterior intestine in the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus. The pathology included gross disintegration of the anterior intestine, DNA fragmentation in anterior intestinal nuclei with characteristics of an apoptosis-like process, and inhibition of host erythrocyte digestion. These lethal effects were associated with inhibited transport of apical secretory vesicles in the anterior intestine, and then generalized dispersal of these vesicles contents throughout the intestinal cytoplasm and worm body. Cytoplasmic accumulation of secretory vesicles and undigested erythrocytes preceded DNA fragmentation and vesicle content dispersal. Both DNA fragmentation and vesicle content dispersal were detected in disintegrated intestine and intestine that had not yet undergone disintegration. These pathologic effects in the anterior intestine appear sufficient to explain the efficacy of FBZ against adult H. contortus. The results implicate mechanisms in the anterior intestine that govern dispersal of apical secretory vesicle contents, DNA fragmentation and tissue disintegration as effectors of this pathology.

The "coming of age" of couple therapy: a decade review

This article overviews significant developments in couple therapy over the last decade. Key trends include: (1) couple therapy becoming firmly established as the accepted treatment of choice for couple problems, (2) the blossoming of the science of relationships, (3) strong evidence supporting the effectiveness of couple therapy both for relationship problems and DSM disorders, (4) greater understanding of the ramifications of gender, (5) new respect for the diversity of family forms, (6) increased accent on the role of emotion, (7) the influence of postmodernism, (8) greater recognition of couple violence, and (9) the move toward integration across models of treatment.

Identification of Mycoplasma fermentans in synovial fluid samples from arthritis patients with inflammatory disease

Since 1970 Mycoplasma fermentans has been suspected of being associated with rheumatoid arthritis. However, this association has been difficult to prove, and this has been our goal. The distribution of M. fermentans was studied in the synovial fluid of patients suffering from different arthritides. Samples of synovial fluid were taken from patients with well-defined disease and a clear diagnosis. After removal of the inflammatory cells and hyaluran, they were treated with proteinase K and tested by a single or fully nested PCR with primers directed against part of the two 16S rRNA genes of M. fermentans. The product was sequenced automatically, by using an ALF Express automatic sequencer, to confirm the mycoplasma species and to identify the strain since the two genes were usually found to be polymorphic. This was also true of the type strain, strain PG18. M. fermentans was detected in 23 of 26 (88%) rheumatoid arthritis patients, and four different strains were found. It was also found in 7 of 8 (88%) of the nonrheumatoid inflammatory arthritis patient group, which consisted of one patient with reactive arthritis, one patient with pauciarticular juvenile chronic arthritis, two patients with gout, two patients with ankylosing spondylitis, and two patients with psoriatic arthritis, only one of whom was infected with M. fermentans. It was not detected in any of the 10 osteoarthritis patients. M. fermentans was therefore found to be a variable and very common organism in arthritic patients with inflammatory joint exudates and may well prove to be important in the etiology of the diseases.

Generic data modeling for home telemonitoring of chronically ill patients

Management of many types of chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma relies heavily on patients' self-monitoring of their disease conditions. In recent years, internet-based home telemonitoring systems that allow transmission of patient data to a central database and offer immediate access to the data by the care providers have become available. However, these systems often work with only one or a few types of medical devices and thus are limited in the types of diseases they can monitor. For example, a system designed to collect spirometry data from asthmatic patients cannot be easily adapted to collect blood glucose data from diabetic patients. This is because different medical devices produce different types of data and the existing telemonitoring systems are generally built around a proprietary data schema specific for the device used. In this paper, we describe a generic data schema for a telemonitoring system that is applicable to different types of medical devices and different diseases, and show an implementation of the schema in a relational database suitable for a variety of telemonitoring activities.