Considerations and Determinants of Discharge Decisions among Prenatal Substance Exposed Infants

Limited research has examined a comprehensive set of predictors when evaluating discharge placement decisions for infants exposed to substances prenatally. Using a previously validated medical record data extraction tool, the current study examined prenatal substance exposure, infant intervention (i.e., pharmacologic, or non-pharmacologic), and demographic factors (e.g., race and ethnicity and rurality) as predictors of associations with discharge placement in a sample from a resource-poor state (N = 136; 69.9% Non-Hispanic White). Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to examine whether different classes emerged and how classes were differentially related to discharge placement decisions. Logistic regressions were used to determine whether each predictor was uniquely associated with placement decisions. Results of the LCA yielded a two-class solution comprised of (1) a Low Withdrawal Risk class, characterized by prenatal exposure to substances with low risk for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and non-pharmacologic intervention, and (2) a High Withdrawal Risk class, characterized by a high risk of NAS and pharmacologic intervention. Classes were not related to discharge placement decisions. Logistic regressions demonstrated that meth/amphetamine use during pregnancy was associated with greater odds of out of home placement above other substance types. Future research should replicate and continue examining the clinical utility of these classes.

The Paper Chase: A Team Science Training Exercise

Over the past few decades of psychological research, there has been an important increase in both the application of multidisciplinary or collaborative science and in training and research that emphasizes social justice and cultural humility. In the current paper, we report on the use of the "Paper Chase" as a team science training and research experience that also facilitates cultural humility in research and when working in teams. The Paper Chase is a synchronous writing exercise originally conceptualized by a cohort of health service psychology interns to reduce lag time between manuscript writing and submission (Schaumberg et al., 2015). The Paper Chase involves a group of trainees coming together for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 9 or more hours) with the aim of writing and submitting a full manuscript for publication. In the current paper, we extend a previous report on the Paper Chase by formally linking the training experience to the four phases of team science: development, conceptualization, implementation, and translation. We also discuss ways in which the Paper Chase as a training experience can promote cultural humility. Finally, we provide updated recommendations for successfully completing a Paper Chase project. Overall, the authors of this manuscript who were predoctoral psychology interns across two recent cohorts at one academic medical center reported positive experiences from the Paper Chase. In addition, the current study suggests the Paper Chase can be used as one activity that facilitates critical training in team science.

Diversity in emotion regulation strategy use: Resilience against posttraumatic stress disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with impaired emotion regulation (ER). ER diversity, the variety, prevalence, and relative abundance of ER strategy use, may provide resilience against PTSD. This study examined the prospective relation between ER diversity and PTSD, while accounting for negative and positive life events, in interpersonal violence (IPV) survivors. IPV-exposed women with PTSD onset (PTSD; n = 22), without PTSD onset (IPV; n = 37), and non-traumatized control participants (NTC; n = 41) rated their ER strategy use and experience of negative and positive life events. The ER diversity index differentiated the participant groups. Importantly, group differences in ER diversity depended on the experience of life events. When experiencing fewer positive life events and more negative life events, the IPV and NTC groups, but not the PTSD group, demonstrated higher ER diversity. Thus, greater ER diversity during periods with more negative life events and fewer positive life events may play a protective role against PTSD onset for IPV survivors.

Biased cognitive control of emotional information in remitted depression: A meta-analytic review

Cognitive theories of depression posit that maladaptive information processing increases the risk for depression recurrence. There is increasing theoretical and empirical support for the cognitive control of emotional information as a vulnerability factor for depression recurrence. In this investigation, findings from behavioral studies that compared the cognitive control of emotional information between participants with remitted major depressive disorder (rMDD) and healthy control (HC) participants were examined. Response times (RTs) and error rates were used as outcome variables, and aspects of clinical features, sample characteristics, and methodology and design were examined as moderating variables. The final review included 44 articles with a total of 2,081 rMDD participants and 2,285 HC participants. The two groups significantly differed in the difference score between RTs for negative and positive stimuli. Specifically, the difference in RTs between negative and positive stimuli was larger in participants with rMDD than in HC participants, indicating greater difficulty controlling irrelevant negative (vs. positive) stimuli in rMDD. Such cognitive control bias may be associated with preferential processing of negative over positive information in working memory. This imbalance may then be linked to other emotional information processing biases and emotion dysregulation, thereby increasing the risk for depression recurrence. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A randomized controlled trial on using predictive algorithm to adapt level of psychological care for community college students: STAND triaging and adapting to level of care study protocol

BACKGROUND

There is growing interest in using personalized mental health care to treat disorders like depression and anxiety to improve treatment engagement and efficacy. This randomized controlled trial will compare a traditional symptom severity decision-making algorithm to a novel multivariate decision-making algorithm for triage to and adaptation of mental health care. The stratified levels of care include a self-guided online wellness program, coach-guided online cognitive behavioral therapy, and clinician-delivered psychotherapy with or without pharmacotherapy. The novel multivariate algorithm will be comprised of baseline (for triage and adaptation) and time-varying variables (for adaptation) in four areas: social determinants of mental health, early adversity and life stressors, predisposing, enabling, and need influences on health service use, and comprehensive mental health status. The overarching goal is to evaluate whether the multivariate algorithm improves adherence to treatment, symptoms, and functioning above and beyond the symptom-based algorithm.

METHODS/DESIGN

This trial will recruit a total of 1000 participants over the course of 5 years in the greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. Participants will be recruited from a highly diverse sample of community college students. For the symptom severity approach, initial triaging to level of care will be based on symptom severity, whereas for the multivariate approach, the triaging will be based on a comprehensive set of baseline measures. After the initial triaging, level of care will be adapted throughout the duration of the treatment, utilizing either symptom severity or multivariate statistical approaches. Participants will complete computerized assessments and self-report questionnaires at baseline and up to 40 weeks. The multivariate decision-making algorithm will be updated annually to improve predictive outcomes.

DISCUSSION

Results will provide a comparison on the traditional symptom severity decision-making and the novel multivariate decision-making with respect to treatment adherence, symptom improvement, and functional recovery. Moreover, the developed multivariate decision-making algorithms may be used as a template in other community college settings. Ultimately, findings will inform the practice of level of care triage and adaptation in psychological treatments, as well as the use of personalized mental health care broadly.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05591937, submitted August 2022, published October 2022.

COVID struggles: Undergraduate Teaching Assistants balance teaching and learning during a pandemic

Undergraduate Teaching Assistants have become useful collaborators with Faculty in large undergraduate freshman classes. Their participation requires them to manage both their teaching duties as well as their own learning. The pandemic posed unusual problems for them. Here two students along with their instructor provide an inside look. Throughout the pandemic, UTAs were found to increase their efforts during tutorials in attempts to help ensure that students were more prepared and engaged through the online learning formats. New strategies were implemented in order to maintain student attendance and participation in class, which greatly increased the workload for TAs. Students not turning on their cameras and speaking up in online class made teaching more tiring and stressful, which was compounded onto the already present "Zoom fatigue" during online education. UTAs found real challenges in balancing senior year classes and extracurriculars with preparation for tutorials, especially closer to assignment or exam deadlines when the engagement and questions from students would sharply increase. Despite numerous efforts and adaptations made by UTAs to adjust to the impacts of the pandemic, online learning was an immense challenge to both students and teachers in comparison to the in-person formats.

Effects of the Anti-stigma Workplace Intervention "Working Mind" in a Canadian Health-Care Setting: A Cluster-Randomized Trial of Immediate Versus Delayed Implementation

OBJECTIVES

The Working Mind is a program designed to reduce stigmatizing attitudes toward mental illness, improve resilience, and promote mental health in the general workplace. Previous research has revealed positive program effects in a variety of workplace settings. This study advances previous work in implementing randomization and a control group to assess the intervention's efficacy.

METHODS

The program was evaluated using a cluster-randomized design, with pretest, posttest, and a 3-month follow-up in 2 implementation groups across 4 sites.

RESULTS

The Working Mind program was effective at decreasing mental health stigma and increasing self-reported resilience and coping skills at the pre-post assessment in both delivery groups. The program's effects were maintained to the time of 3-month follow-up. Qualitative data provided further evidence that participants benefited from the program.

CONCLUSIONS

This study represents an advancement over past research and provides further support for efficacy of the Working Mind program. Directions for future research, including replication using rigorous methodological procedures and examination of program effects over longer follow-up intervals, are discussed.

Cognitive control over emotional information in current and remitted depression

Cognitive theories of depression propose that difficulty exerting cognitive control over emotional information may be involved in the development, maintenance, and/or recurrence of depression. This study evaluated depression-related biases in three cognitive control functions, namely inhibition, working memory updating, and set shifting. Currently depressed (n = 53), remitted depressed (n = 55), and non-clinical control (n = 51) participants completed computer-based paradigms designed to measure inhibition, working memory updating, and set shifting, respectively, involving emotional stimuli. As hypothesized, currently depressed participants exhibited biases in cognitive control over emotional information but did not exhibit broad impairments on a non-emotional measure of cognitive control. Specifically, currently depressed participants showed a reduced ability to inhibit the processing of negative distracting stimuli and to update working memory with emotional information, relative to control participants. Currently depressed participants also had greater difficulty shifting away from an emotion-relevant task set than from an emotion-irrelevant task set, whereas control participants did not show this bias. Remitted depressed participants did not demonstrate similar biases to currently depressed participants.

Depression and affective flexibility: A valence-specific bias

Depression might be associated with poor affective flexibility, defined as the ability to switch between emotional and non-emotional aspects of a stimulus. However, it is unclear whether affective inflexibility in depression is valence-specific, whether it predicts future depressive symptoms, and whether affective flexibility following a stressor, compared to before a stressor, better predicts depressive symptoms. Before and after a stressor, participants (N = 300) completed an affective switching task during which they categorized pictures either by the valence or by the number of humans present in the pictures. Slower shifting from emotional aspects of negative material before stress was uniquely associated with higher levels of prospective depressive symptoms. This negative bias in affective flexibility may hinder disengagement from negative information, thereby exacerbating depressive symptoms.

Affective flexibility and generalized anxiety disorder: valence-specific shifting difficulties

Background: Growing evidence suggests that generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is associated with poor affective flexibility, defined as the ability to switch between emotional aspects and non-emotional aspects of a situation. However, it is unclear whether affective inflexibility is valence-specific in GAD. Methods: Participants with GAD (n = 21) and non-clinical control participants (n = 28) were tested on an Affective Switching Task during which participants were asked to categorize pictures either by the valence or by the number of humans present in the pictures. Results: Individuals with GAD, but not healthy controls, exhibited greater difficulty shifting from emotional aspects of negative material compared to emotional aspects of positive material and shifting to the emotional aspects of positive material compared to emotional aspects of negative material. Conclusions: These findings suggest that GAD is associated with valence-specific affective flexibility biases. The relevance of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.

All-optical inhibitory dynamics in photonic neuron based on polarization mode competition in a VCSEL with an embedded saturable absorber

An all-optical spike inhibition scheme based on polarization-mode competition (PMC) in a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with an embedded saturable absorber is proposed and investigated numerically. The inhibitory dynamics is characterized by spike amplitude and first-spike latency (FSL) for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The effects of time differences between inhibitory and excitatory inputs, inputs strengths, bias current, as well as noise on the spike amplitude and FSL are examined. The results show that a spike can be triggered in the y-polarization mode by excitatory input and can be inhibited in the presence of inhibitory input due to PMC.

Emotion Regulation Strategies in Depression and Somatization Disorder

Scant research has investigated emotion regulation strategies in somatization disorder, despite its high comorbidity with depression and the growing interest in this topic in depression. The present study investigated emotion regulation strategies in patients with major depression and somatization disorder using clinical samples to examine common vulnerability factors and to provide evidence for difficulties in emotion regulation as transdiagnostic factors in these disorders. Patients with major depressive disorder ( n = 30) and patients with somatization disorder ( n = 30) completed measures of putatively adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategy use. Patients with somatization disorder showed higher scores on measures of regulatory strategies, as measured by the sum of adaptive strategies in the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire as well as the following subscales: positive refocusing, positive reappraisal, and refocusing on a plan. After controlling for levels of current depression, the significant effects remained for positive refocusing. Depression symptom severity was significantly and negatively correlated with most adaptive strategies and positively correlated with most maladaptive strategies. The current results provide preliminary data for a similar pattern of adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies usage in these two disorders. The results also contribute to theories of psychopathology and our understanding of critical cognitive and emotional processes.

Early maladaptive schemas in depression and somatization disorder

Cognitive theories of depression posit that early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) are key vulnerability factors for psychological disorders. In this study, we investigated specific EMSs as shared or distinct cognitive vulnerability factors for depression and somatization disorder. The sample consisted of patients with Major depressive disorder (N = 30) and Somatization disorder (N = 30) from a community hospital or a psychiatric clinic. Participants completed the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the short form of the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-SF). Depressed patients exhibited significantly higher levels of all five schema domains and specific maladaptive schemas, including emotional deprivation, mistrust and abuse, social isolation and alienation, defectiveness and shame, failure, subjugation, emotional inhibition, and insufficient self-control or self-discipline. Moreover, depressed patients exhibited significantly higher levels of social isolation, emotional inhibition, as well as the overvigilance and inhibition domain when depressive symptom severity was controlled. Our results provide preliminary evidence that specific EMSs distinguish patients with depression and somatization. Suggestions for future research include the need to have a non-psychiatric control group, to evaluate the absolute role of EMSs in Somatization Disorder.

Bayesian Analysis of the Association between Family-Level Factors and Siblings' Dental Caries

We conducted a Bayesian analysis of the association between family-level socioeconomic status and smoking and the prevalence of dental caries among siblings (children from infant to 14 y) among children living in rural and urban Northern Appalachia using data from the Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia (COHRA). The observed proportion of siblings sharing caries was significantly different from predicted assuming siblings' caries status was independent. Using a Bayesian hierarchical model, we found the inclusion of a household factor significantly improved the goodness of fit. Other findings showed an inverse association between parental education and siblings' caries and a positive association between households with smokers and siblings' caries. Our study strengthens existing evidence suggesting that increased parental education and decreased parental cigarette smoking are associated with reduced childhood caries in the household. Our results also demonstrate the value of a Bayesian approach, which allows us to include household as a random effect, thereby providing more accurate estimates than obtained using generalized linear mixed models.

Caries resistance as a function of age in an initially caries-free population

Using data from the Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia Study, we examined variability in susceptibility to dental caries among children and adolescents in rural Appalachia. Among 210 participants who were caries-free at the initial visit, age at the baseline visit can be used as a proxy for the degree of caries resistance; probability of caries development at the tooth level decreased as age at the baseline visit increased. Participants who stayed caries-free for a longer period during childhood and adolescence experienced less extensive caries, as measured by the number of carious teeth. However, the probability of becoming caries-positive did not correlate with age at the baseline visit. For children between 1 and 18 years of age, there was not a "threshold age" after which a caries-free child's risk of caries onset is significantly reduced.

Ginsenoside-Rd improves outcome of acute ischaemic stroke - a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 Ginsenoside-Rd is a receptor-operated calcium channel antagonist and has shown promise as a neuroprotectant in our phase II study. As an extended work, we sought to confirm its efficacy and safety of Ginsenoside-Rd in patients with acute ischaemic stroke.

METHODS

We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 390 patients with acute ischaemic stroke in a 3:1 ratio to receive a 14-day intravenous infusion of Ginsenoside-Rd or placebo within 72 h after the onset of stroke. Our primary end-point was the distribution of disability scores on the modified Rankin scale (mRs) at 90 days.

RESULTS

  The efficacy analysis was based on 386 patients (Ginsenoside-Rd group: 290; placebo group: 96). Ginsenoside-Rd significantly improved the overall distribution of scores on the mRs, as compared with the placebo (P = 0.02; odds ratios [OR], 1.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-2.78). There were significant differences between the two groups when we categorized the scores into 0-1 vs. 2-5 (P = 0.01; OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.23-4.38; 66.8% vs. 53.1%). It also improved the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at 15 days [P < 0.01; least squares mean (LSM), -0.77; 95% CI, -1.31 to -0.24]. Mortality and rates of adverse events were similar in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

  Ginsenoside-Rd improved the primary outcome of acute ischaemic stroke and had an acceptable adverse-event profile.

Characterization and Epidemiological Significance of Potato Plants Grown from Seed Tubers Affected by Zebra Chip Disease

An emerging disease of potato in the United States, known as "Zebra Chip" or "Zebra Complex" (ZC), is increasing in scope and threatens to spread further. Here, we report on studies performed to understand the role of tuberborne ZC in the epidemiology of this disease. Depending on variety, up to 44% of ZC-affected seed tubers (ZCST) were viable, producing hair sprouts and weak plants. Chip discoloration in progeny tubers of ZCST was more severe than those from ZC-asymptomatic seed tubers but varied depending on whether progeny tubers or foliage were positive or negative for 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum'. A low percentage of greenhouse-grown plants produced by ZCST tested positive for 'Ca. Liberibacter'. No adult potato psyllids became infective after feeding upon these plants but they did acquire 'Ca. Liberibacter' from field-grown plants produced by ZCST. Plants with new ZC infections near plants produced by ZCST were not significantly different from healthy plants, whereas plants affected with ZC from infectious potato psyllids had significantly more ZC infections near either plants produced by ZCST or healthy plants. We conclude that, in areas where ZC is currently established, plants produced by ZCST do not significantly contribute to ZC incidence and spread within potato fields.

Detection, Distribution, and Genetic Variability of 'Candidatus Liberibacter' Species Associated with Zebra Complex Disease of Potato in North America

The specificity and sensitivity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers developed for 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum' and 'Candidatus Liberibacter psyllaurous' were evaluated in conventional and real-time PCR assays. All PCR primers were specific for 'Ca. L. psyllaurous' and 'Ca. L. solanacearum' insomuch as they did not detect other prokaryotic plant pathogens that affect potato except for the putative pathogens associated with psyllid-yellows and haywire. Conventional PCR assays were capable of detecting 0.19 to 1.56 ng of total DNA per reaction, and real-time PCR was found capable of detecting 1.56 to 6.25 ng of total DNA per reaction, depending on the specific PCR primer set used. 'Ca. Liberibacter' species associated with zebra complex disease (ZC) was confirmed in plants affected by this disease throughout Texas from 2005 to 2008, in seed tubers produced in Wyoming in 2007, and in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Mexico in 2008. A multiplex PCR assay using 'Ca. L. solanacearum'-specific primers and primers specific for the β-tubulin DNA regions from potato was developed, providing possible utility of the multiplex assay for 'Ca. Liberibacter' detection in different solanaceous plant species. Preliminary studies suggest silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium), wolfberry (Lycium barbarum), black nightshade (S. ptychanthum), and jalapeno pepper (Capsicum annuum) as additional solanaceous hosts for the ZC-associated bacterium. The 'Ca. Liberibacter' species detected in all samples divided into two clusters sharing similarity of 99.8% in their partial 16S rRNA gene sequences and 99.3% in their partial intergenic spacer region (ISR)-23S rRNA gene sequences. Genetic variation in the 16S rDNA region consistently matched that of the ISR-23S rDNA region. In this partial 16S-ISR-23S rDNA region, there was a total of eight single nucleotide polymorphisms among 'Ca. L. psyllaurous' and 'Ca. L. solanacearum' "strains" investigated in this study. 'Ca. L. solanacearum' and 'Ca. L. psyllaurous' were shown to be very closely related bacteria, if not the same, by successful amplification using a combination of forward primer of 'Ca. L. solanacearum' and reverse primer of 'Ca. L. psyllaurous' in ZC-affected potato samples. This finding clarifies the current taxonomic status of 'Ca. L. solanacearum' and 'Ca. L. psyllaurous'. The detection of 'Ca. L. solanacearum' from haywire-symptomatic potato samples demonstrates that this bacterium might also be associated with this disease.

Evidence of an antilisterial factor induced by wounding of iceberg lettuce tissues

AIMS

To examine the influence of wound-associated reactions in cut iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) tissues on the fate of Listeria monocytogenes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Aqueous extracts prepared from shredded iceberg lettuce before and after storage in high oxygen permeability film were inoculated with L. monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes grew in extracts prepared from fresh lettuce. In contrast, inhibition ranging from arrested growth to a decline in cell viability was observed in extracts prepared from samples stored for 1-3 days. Similar behaviour was evident in lettuce shreds inoculated with 10(5) CFU g(-1)L. monocytogenes immediately after processing or after 3 days in storage. Heat treatment of the cut tissues at 47 degrees C for 3 min before storage diminished the inhibitory effect.

CONCLUSIONS

The results provided evidence that an antilisterial factor or factors are released by wounded iceberg lettuce tissues. Antilisterial activity was mitigated by heat treatment of the lettuce.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY

This study indicates that intrinsic factors associated with plant metabolism could play a significant role in the ecology of human pathogens in packaged horticultural products.

Cross sections for low-energy (1-100 eV) electron elastic and inelastic scattering in amorphous ice

We report the integral cross sections per scatterer (i.e. elastic collision, phonon excitations, vibrational excitations, electronic excitations and ionization) for 1-100 eV electron scattering in an amorphous film of ice condensed at a temperature of 14 K. The integral cross sections are determined relative to the total from a two-stream multiple-scattering analysis of the electron energy distribution backscattered from the film. Their energy dependence is obtained from both the analysis of the elastic electron reflectivity as a function of the film thickness and the vibrational electron energy-loss spectra measured for several incident energies and large film thickness. The magnitude and various features found in the energy dependence of the cross sections are discussed, whenever possible, by comparison with data and with scattering mechanisms available in the gas phase. Microcospic effects, which are implicitly included in cross sections determined in this way, are discussed in terms of interference and coherent multiple-scattering contributions among the scattering sites as well as interactions of the scattering sites with their neighbors in the condensed phase.

[Pharmacokinetical study of safflor yellow on rat acute model of blood stasis syndrome]

OBJECTIVE

To study the pharmacokinetical character of safflor yellow in rat acute model of blood stasis syndrome.

METHODS

The rat acute model of blood stasis syndrome was made by i.p. adrenalin (0.07 ml/kg) and the stimulation of ice-water. At the time of 5, 10, 30, 60, 120, 180, 320, 480 min, the concentration of safflor yellow in the serum after i.v. safflor yellow (37.08 ml/kg) was determined.

RESULTS

The concentration-time date of safflor yellow in rat acute model of blood stasis syndrome was shown to fit a double-compartment open model, t1/2 alpha = 1.43 min, t1/2 beta = 95.65 min, AUC = 49,632.90 micrograms.min/ml; while the concentration-time data of safflor yellow in normal rat was shown to fit a single-compartment open model, t1/2 alpha = 66.27 min, AUC = 42,267 micrograms.min/ml.

CONCLUSION

The metabolism of safflor yellow was evidently later in rat acute model of blood stasis syndrome than in normal rat.

Preclinical evaluation of docusate as protective agent from herpes simplex viruses

Prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is key to public health efforts to control these diseases. An effective vaginal microbicide could provide topical, broad-spectrum prevention against the transmission of several STI pathogens. Docusate is a sulfated surfactant and, as such, may inactivate viral pathogens by disrupting viral envelopes and/or denaturing/disassociating proteins. Accordingly, the in vitro efficacy and toxicity of docusate (dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate; Zorex; Meditech Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona) against herpes simplex viruses (HSV) were evaluated. Docusate was effective in vitro against wild type and drug-resistant strains of HSV type 1 and 2 with EC(90-100) (effective concentration giving 90-100% virus yield reduction) of approximately 0.005% (w/v). Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was equipotent, however, docusate was somewhat less toxic to uninfected Vero cells compared with SDS after 2 days incubation (docusate CC(50) approximately 0.01% vs. SDS approximately 0.005%). The cytotoxicity profiles of docusate were time- and dose-dependent and thus associated with the frequency of use. Kinetics of inactivation examined by pre-mixing virus and drug in a time-course experiment demonstrated that docusate could reach its EC(90-100) within 30 min. Docusate pretreatment of cells was associated with a 45% reduction in infectivity of those cells, despite a triple washing procedure. Once infected, an approximate 30% plaque reduction was observed with treatment.

[The effects of safflor yellow on microcirculation and hemorheology of acute blood stasis rats]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effects of safflor yellow on microcirculation and hemorheology of acute blood stasis rats.

METHODS

The acute blood stasis medel was made by i.p. adrenalin (0.07 ml/(kg.time) for 2 times and the stimulation of ice-water.

RESULTS

Safflor could markedly improve the number of net dot in microcirculation, and eta b, eta p, eta f in hemorheology (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Safflor yellow played an important role on blood stasis of rats.

[Rhubarb extracts in treating complications of severe cerebral injury]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the therapeutic effects of the Chinese medicinal herb, Rhubarb, on severe brain injury.

METHODS

Rhubarb extracts in ethyl alcohol and water were used to treat 20 patients with severe cerebral injury complicated by hyperthermia, renal failure, hemorrhage in the upper digestive tract, and increased intracranial pressure. Vital signs, variations of Glasgow coma scale (GCS) and intracranial pressure (ICP) of the patients were observed. The degree of hemorrhage in the digestive tract and the change in creatinine value were also observed. Other 20 patients served as controls.

RESULTS

The result of the treatment group was more marked than that of the control group. Three days after administration of the rhubarb extract, the body temperature decreased by 1.1 degrees C, ICP by 0.4 kPa (1 mm Hg = 0.1333 kPa) on average, and the incidence of hemorrhage in the digestive tract by 30%. The volume of hemorrhage of the digestive tract decreased by 700 +/- 250 ml, and the time for turning occult blood to negative by 10%.

CONCLUSION

The Chinese medical herb, rhubarb, has multiple therapeutic effects on severe brain injury.

[Changes and significance of concentrations of serum vascular endothelial growth factor in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension]

OBJECTIVE

To detect the changes of concentrations of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIN) as well as to explore the relationship between VEGF and pathogenesis of PIN.

METHODS

Serum VEGF concentrations in 23 healthy nonpregnant women (nonpregnant group), 30 normal pregnant women (normal pregnancy group) and 37 women with PIH (PIH group) were measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

Serum concentrations of VEGF were significantly higher in normal pregnancy group (149.39 +/- 27.15) ng/L than those in nonpregnant group (11.98 +/- 3.99) ng/L (P < 0.001), peaking in the second trimester of pregnancy (183.84 +/- 49.02) ng/L and decreasing in the third trimester (118.37 +/- 34.29) ng/L. Serum VEGF concentrations (64.45 +/- 24.33) in PIH group were significantly lower than those in normal late pregnancy group (118.37 +/- 34.29) ng/L (P < 0.01). There was a trend that serum VEGF concentrations in PIH group decreased with the severity of PIH (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The decrease of VEGF may play and important role in the pathogenic mechanism of PIH.

[Placenta accreta in early pregnancy: a case report and review of the literature]

OBJECTIVE

To summarize and investigate the clinical characteristics and treatment of placenta accreta in early pregnancy.

METHODS

A case of placenta accreta in early pregnancy presenting severe bleeding during suction curettage was analyzed retrospectively and the literature was reviewed.

RESULTS

The major risk factors for placenta accreta in early pregnancy were related to uterine scars from previous cesarean section. In most cases there was vaginal bleeding after amenorrhea. It was common that uncontrollable bleeding took place during curettage and hysterectomy was usually necessary.

CONCLUSION

Cesarean section is one of the high risk factors of placenta accreta in early pregnancy.

[A study on the role of contractile and relaxant reaction of umbilical vein in vitro and local changes of nitrix oxide synthase in the pathogenesis of pregnancy induced hypertension]

OBJECTIVE

To study the contractile and relaxant reaction of human umbilical veins in vitro from pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) patients, pathophysiological significance and the role of local changes of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the pathogenesis of PIH.

METHODS

The contractile and relaxant curves of umbilical vein in response to phenylephrine, isoprenaline and acetylcholine were recorded in the PIH group and normal pregnancy group (control group). The maximum effect (Emax) and affinity index (pD2) volume were calculated. Meanwhile, the NOS activity in the blood vessel tissue and the plasma concentration of nitric oxide metabolite (NO2-/NO3-) were examined.

RESULTS

(1) Relaxtant of the Emax of umbilical vein in the control group in response to acetylcholine was (85.0 +/- 15.0)%, pD2 volume was 4.4 +/- 0.5; However, the Emax (70.0 +/- 13.0)% and the pD2 (3.7 +/- 0.6) were significantly lower in the PIH group (P < 0.01). No significant differences of Emax and pD2 were obtained in phenylephrine-induced vessel contraction and isoprenaline-induced relaxation between the groups (P > 0.05). (2) NOS activity of umbilicahich was significantly lower than that from the control group [(0.5 +/- 0.2) nmol.g-1.min-1] (P < 0.01). The plasma NO2-/NO3- concentration was (38.0 +/- 10.0) mumol/L in the PIH group, which was also lower than that in the control group [(56.0 +/- 14.0) mumol/L] (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The abnormal function of endothelium system and abnormal metabolism of nitric oxide in blood vessel, which resulted in the decreased endothelium dependent relaxation, might be possible mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of PIH.

Phylogenetic relationships among members of the Comamonadaceae, and description of Delftia acidovorans (den Dooren de Jong 1926 and Tamaoka et al. 1987) gen. nov., comb. nov

The phylogenetic relationships among members of the family Comamonadaceae and several unclassified strains were studied by direct sequencing of their PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, members of the family formed a coherent group. The closest relatives are species of the Rubrivivax sub-group: Leptothrix discophora, Ideonella dechloratans and Rubrivivax gelatinosus. The genus Hydrogenophaga formed two subclusters, as did the species of Acidovorax, whereas the five species of the genus [Aquaspirillum] were polyphyletic. Comamonas acidovorans was phylogenetically distant from the type species of Comamonas, Comamonas terrigena. On the basis of this work and previous studies, Comamonas acidovorans is removed from the genus Comamonas and renamed as Delftia acidovorans gen. nov., comb. nov. Descriptions of the new genus Delftia and of the type species Delftia acidovorans, for which the type strain is ATCC 15668T, are presented.

Effects of tetramethylpyrazine phosphate and sodium ferulate alone or in combination on hemodynamics in anesthetized dog

Hemodynamic actions of intravenous (iv) administration of tetramethylpyrazine phosphate (TMPP) and sodium ferulate (SF) alone or in combination were studied in anesthetized dogs. When given alone, TMPP increased left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), peak positive first derivative of left ventricular pressure (+LVdp/dt), coronary blood flow (CBF) and heart rate (HR) while decreasing mean aortic pressure (mAoP). SF alone did not produce any significant hemodynamic changes. When the two were administered in combination, SF antagonized dose-dependently the hemodynamic actions of TMPP. Results of this study did not support the efficacy of combined treatment of Ligusticum wallichi and Angelica root, which contain TMPP and SF respectively.