Effects of oral contraceptives on intrusive memories: a secondary analysis of two studies using the trauma film paradigm in healthy women

Background: Women are more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than men. Recent research suggests an impact of oral contraceptive (OC) intake on PTSD and intrusive memories, a hallmark symptom of PTSD. Although a majority of women use OCs at some point in their lives, the effects on PTSD pathogenesis are only poorly understood.Objective: In the current paper, we aimed to investigate the impact of OC intake on the acquisition and consolidation of intrusive memories in healthy women after watching a trauma film paradigm.Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of a pooled dataset (N = 437) of two previously conducted and published studies investigating the effect of oxytocin on the development of intrusive memories.Results: Women taking OCs showed an attenuated decline of intrusive memories over time after having watched the trauma film compared to naturally cycling women (F(2.75, 1167) = 3.79, p = .03, η p 2  = .01).Conclusion: These findings indicate that the intake of OCs is associated with the development of intrusive memories after a trauma film paradigm. This indication emphasizes the need to further investigate the complex impact of OCs and gonadal hormones on fear learning processes and PTSD.

Collaborative evaluation of the analytical state-of-the-art of platinum, palladium and rhodium determinations in road dust

In order to control the quality of platinum, palladium and rhodium determinations in road dust, the Standards, Measurements and Testing Programme (formerly BCR) of the European Commission has started a project, the final aim of which is to certify a road dust reference material for its contents of platinum group elements. The first part of this project consisted of an interlaboratory study, which aimed to test the feasibility of the preparation of a candidate road dust reference material and to detect and remove most of the pitfalls observed in platinum, palladium and rhodium determinations. This paper presents the main results of this interlaboratory study carried out prior to the certification campaign. The concordance of the data obtained by the participating laboratories for the three elements was considered to reflect the state-of-the-art and was encouraging enough to decide on the organization of a certification campaign to be conducted during the year 2000. The progress made with respect to the analytical state-of-the-art for these elements will be of great benefit to the quality of measurements carried out in environmental monitoring in this particular field.

Comparing peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients versus automated peritoneal dialysis patients

The purpose of our study was to compare the incidence of peritonitis between continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) treatment (Group I) and automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) treatment (Group II) taking into account the same population. We compared 20 patients with a follow-up of 215 patient-months on CAPD and 252 patient-months on APD. Demographic data, diagnosis, peritoneal equilibration test (PET) results, adequacy, and peritonitis rate were analyzed. Diagnoses included glomerulopathy 35%, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) 20%, Type II diabetes 10%, systemic lupus erythematosus 5%, interstitial nephritis 5%, nephrolitiasis 5%, and unknown 20%. PET results showed that the group consisted of 30% high transporters, 45% high-average transporters, and 25% low-average transporters. Kt/V for Group I was 1.3 +/- 0.3, and for Group II, 1.83 +/- 0.48. Creatinine clearance for Group I was 43.64 +/- 7.31 L/week/1.73 m2, and for Group II, 52.42 +/- 13.47 L/week/1.73 m2. Group I presented a peritonitis rate of 8.3 episodes/patient-month, and Group II presented a rate of 18.9 episodes/patient-month. Gram-positive organisms were responsible for 49.8% of episodes of peritonitis in Group I (S. aureus 26.6%, S. epidermidis 16.6%, others 10%) and 83% of peritonitis episodes in Group II (S. epidermidis 46.6%, S. aureus 20%). Gram-negative organisms were responsible for 16.5% of episodes of peritonitis in Group I. No gram-negative peritonitis was seen in Group II. APD patients developed two cases of candida peritonitis. Our preliminary results show that Group II exhibited a decrease in peritonitis rate while achieving better adequacy. In CAPD and APD peritonitis, gram-positive organisms predominated. In APD, we observed an increase in S. epidermidis incidence. No gram-negative organisms were observed in APD. It seems that APD is a safer treatment owing to the lower peritonitis incidence.

HDL-cholesterol increase associated to triglycerides degradation in vitro

The effect of muscle tissue from rats trained by swimming on the extracellular degradation of triglyceride (TG) rich particles has been studied in vitro. During incubation, there is a progressive decline of the TG concentration in the incubation medium. At the end of the incubation period (90 min), a significantly reduction in the TG levels (p < 0.05) is associated with a significant increase in the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level (p < 0.005). There are no significant changes in total cholesterol levels. The correlation of the TG decline with the HDL-cholesterol increase is significant (r = 0.695, p < 0.05, n = 25). The experimental model used here could be of great interest for the in vitro study of factors affecting lipid levels in plasma.

[Aortapulmonary shunt. Apropos of 4 cases]

Four cases of aorto-pulmonary window are presented, diagnosed in the Section of Pediatric Cardiology during the last six years. The results obtained from clinic; ECG; X-ray; hemodinamic and angiographic studies are described. All of them were clinically diagnosed as left to right shunt through a persistent ductus arteriosus in two cases and of VSD the other two. The final diagnosis was made through cardiac cateterization in one case and at surgery in three. Two of the cases showed additional alterations, in one case it was a PDA, and the other a valvular aortic stenosis. All of them were operated, three successfully and one died immediately after operation. We consider that the study of this relatively rare cardiopaty deserves special attention, because of the similarity to other forms of left to right shunts. We insist on its difficult clinical dianose and the need of making a early diagnosis to do corrective surgery.