The efficacy of halofantrine in the treatment of acute malaria in nonimmune travelers

A multicenter prospective trial was performed to investigate the efficacy and the tolerability of halofantrine in nonimmune patients with malaria imported from areas with drug-resistant falciparum parasites (mainly Africa). Forty-five of the 74 subjects were treated with a one-day regimen (3 x 500 mg) of halofantrine, and the other 29 received the same regimen with an additional treatment on day 7. In the second group, a 100% efficacy rate was demonstrated, but in the group receiving the one-day regimen, four recrudescences were observed in patients with falciparum malaria. Only five mild adverse reactions were seen, which disappeared spontaneously after the end of the treatment. We conclude that halofantrine is highly effective in curing malaria in nonimmune subjects. The treatment scheme for such persons should include an additional treatment on day 7 for nonimmune individuals. This drug was well tolerated in our patients, indicating that halofantrine will be useful in the treatment of multidrug-resistant malaria in nonimmune persons

Thalamic stimulation for tremor. Subtle changes in episodic memory are related to stimulation per se and not to a microthalamotomy effect

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of unilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventrointermediate (Vim) thalamic nucleus on neuropsychological functioning comparing stimulation-on with stimulation-off conditions. Nine patients [five patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD), two patients with essential tremor (ET) and 2 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS)] underwent comprehensive neuropsychological testing for cognitive functions, including general mental impairment, aphasia, agnosia, executive and constructional abilities, learning, memory, cognitive processing speed and attention as well as depression. The neuropsychological assessments were performed at least 6 months postoperatively (mean 9 months). Testing in the stimulation-on and stimulation-off condition was obtained within a period of 3 to 4 weeks. Unilateral DBS resulted in improvement of tremor in all patients. There were no significant differences between the stimulation-on and the stimulation-off condition with the exception of a decrement of word-recall in the short delay free-recall subtest of the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). Subgroup analysis indicated that the impairment in word-recall was related to left-sided thalamic stimulation. Our study confirms that chronic unilateral DBS is a safe method with regard to cognitive function. The subtle changes in episodic memory are related to stimulation per se and not to a microthalamotomy effect

Socially-mediated arousal and contagion within domestic chick broods

Emotional contagion – an underpinning valenced feature of empathy – is made up of simpler, potentially dissociable social processes which can include socially-mediated arousal and behavioural/physiological contagion. Previous studies of emotional contagion have often conflated these processes rather than examining their independent contribution to empathic response. We measured socially-mediated arousal and contagion in 9-week old domestic chicks (n = 19 broods), who were unrelated but raised together from hatching. Pairs of observer chicks were exposed to two conditions in a counterbalanced order: air puff to conspecifics (AP) (during which an air puff was applied to three conspecifics at 30 s intervals) and control with noise of air puff (C) (during which the air puff was directed away from the apparatus at 30 s intervals). Behaviour and surface eye temperature of subjects and observers were measured throughout a 10-min pre-treatment and 10-min treatment period. Subjects and observers responded to AP with increased freezing, and reduced preening and ground pecking. Subjects and observers also showed reduced surface eye temperature - indicative of stress-induced hyperthermia. Subject-Observer behaviour was highly correlated within broods during both C and AP conditions, but with higher overall synchrony during AP. We demonstrate the co-occurrence of socially-mediated behavioural and physiological arousal and contagion; component features of emotional contagion

Aspects of Benthic Decapod Diversity and Distribution from Rocky Nearshore Habitat at Geographically Widely Dispersed Sites

Relationships of diversity, distribution and abundance of benthic decapods in intertidal and shallow subtidal waters to 10 m depth are explored based on data obtained using a standardized protocol of globally-distributed samples. Results indicate that decapod species richness overall is low within the nearshore, typically ranging from one to six taxa per site (mean = 4.5). Regionally the Gulf of Alaska decapod crustacean community structure was distinguishable by depth, multivariate analysis indicating increasing change with depth, where assemblages of the high and mid tide, low tide and 1 m, and 5 and 10 m strata formed three distinct groups. Univariate analysis showed species richness increasing from the high intertidal zone to 1 m subtidally, with distinct depth preferences among the 23 species. A similar depth trend but with peak richness at 5 m was observed when all global data were combined. Analysis of latitudinal trends, confined by data limitations, was equivocal on a global scale. While significant latitudinal differences existed in community structure among ecoregions, a semi-linear trend in changing community structure from the Arctic to lower latitudes did not hold when including tropical results. Among boreal regions the Canadian Atlantic was relatively species poor compared to the Gulf of Alaska, whereas the Caribbean and Sea of Japan appeared to be species hot spots. While species poor, samples from the Canadian Atlantic were the most diverse at the higher infraordinal level. Linking 11 environmental variables available for all sites to the best fit family-based biotic pattern showed a significant relationship, with the single best explanatory variable being the level of organic pollution and the best combination overall being organic pollution and primary productivity. While data limitations restrict conclusions in a global context, results are seen as a first-cut contribution useful in generating discussion and more in-depth work in the still poorly understood field of biodiversity distribution

Association of mitral annulus calcification, aortic valve calcification with carotid intima media thickness

BACKGROUND: Mitral annular calcification (MAC) and aortic annular calcification (AVC) may represent a manifestation of generalized atherosclerosis in the elederly. Alterations in vascular structure, as indexed by the intima media thickness (IMT), are also recognized as independent predictors of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. AIM: To examine the relationship between the degree of calcification at mitral and/or aortic valve annulus and large artery structure (thickness). METHODS: We evaluated 102 consecutive patients who underwent transthoracic echocardiography and carotid artery echoDoppler for various indications; variables measured were: systemic blood pressure (BP), pulse pressure (PP=SBP-DBP), body mass index (BMI), fasting glucose, total, HDL, LDL chlolesterol, triglycerides, cIMT. The patients were divided according to a grading of valvular/annular lesions independent scores based on acoustic densitometry: 1 = annular/valvular sclerosis/calcification absence; 2 = annular/valvular sclerosis; 3 = annular calcification; 4 = annular-valvular calcification; 5 = valvular calcification with no recognition of the leaflets. RESULTS: Patient score was the highest observed for either valvular/annulus. Mean cIMT increased linearly with increasing valvular calcification score, ranging from 3.9 ± 0.48 mm in controls to 12.9 ± 1.8 mm in those subjects scored 5 (p < 0.0001). In the first to fourth quartile of cIMT values the respective maximal percentual of score were: score 1: 76.1%, score 2: 70.1%, score 4: 54.3% and score 5: 69.5% (p > 0.0001). CONCLUSION: MAC and AVC score can identify subgroups of patients with different cIMT values which indicate different incidence and prevalence of systemic artery diseases. This data may confirm MAC-AVC as a useful important diagnostic parameter of systemic atherosclerotic disease

Is there a role of statins in the prevention of aortic biological prostheses degeneration

It has been recently observed that statins might slow the progression of aortic stenosis or sclerosis. Preliminary reports suggested a similar positive effect in reducing the degeneration of aortic valve bioprostheses even though this hypothesis should be further proven and supported by new data. In this review the present evidences of the possible effects of statins in this field are discussed

Gastric variceal bleeding caused by an intrahepatic arterioportal fistula that formed after liver biopsy: a case report and review of the literature

An intrahepatic arterioportal fistula is a rare cause of portal hypertension and variceal bleeding. We report on a patient with an intrahepatic arterioportal fistula following liver biopsy who was successfully treated by hepatectomy after unsuccessful arterial embolization. We also review the literature on symptomatic intrahepatic arterioportal fistulas after liver biopsy. A 48-year-old male with bleeding gastric varices and hepatitis B virus-associated liver cirrhosis was transferred to our hospital; this patient previously underwent percutaneous liver biopsies 3 and 6 years ago. Abdominal examination revealed a bruit over the liver, tenderness in the right upper quadrant, and splenomegaly. Ultrasonographic examination, computed tomography, and angiography confirmed an arterioportal fistula between the right hepatic artery and the right portal vein with portal hypertension. After admission, the patient suffered a large hematemesis and developed shock. He was treated with emergency transarterial embolization using microcoils. Since some collateral vessels bypassed the obstructive coils and still fed the fistulous area, embolization was performed again. Despite the second embolization, the collateral vessels could not be completely controlled. Radical treatment involving resection of his right hepatic lobe was performed. For nearly 6 years postoperatively, this patient has had no further episodes of variceal bleeding

A comparison of echocardiographic and electron beam computed tomographic assessment of aortic valve area in patients with valvular aortic stenosis

The purpose of this study was to compare electron beam computed tomography (EBT) with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in determining aortic valve area (AVA). Thirty patients (9 females, 21 males) underwent a contrast-enhanced EBT scan (e-Speed, GE, San Francisco, CA, USA) and TTE within 17 ± 12 days. In end-inspiratory breath hold, a prospectively ecg-triggered scan was acquired with a beam speed of 50–100 ms, a collimation of 2 × 1.5 mm and an increment of 3.0 mm. The AVA was measured with planimetry. A complete TTE study was performed in all patients, and the AVA was computed using the continuity equation. There was close correlation between AVA measured with EBT and AVA assessed with TTE (r = 0.60, P < 0.01). The AVA measured with EBT was 0.51 ± 0.46 cm2 larger than the AVA calculated with TTE measurements. EBT appeared to be a valuable non-invasive method to measure the AVA. EBT measures the anatomical AVA, while with TTE the functional AVA is calculated, which explains the difference in results between the methods

Does Environmental Enrichment Reduce Stress? An Integrated Measure of Corticosterone from Feathers Provides a Novel Perspective

Enrichment is widely used as tool for managing fearfulness, undesirable behaviors, and stress in captive animals, and for studying exploration and personality. Inconsistencies in previous studies of physiological and behavioral responses to enrichment led us to hypothesize that enrichment and its removal are stressful environmental changes to which the hormone corticosterone and fearfulness, activity, and exploration behaviors ought to be sensitive. We conducted two experiments with a captive population of wild-caught Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) to assess responses to short- (10-d) and long-term (3-mo) enrichment, their removal, and the influence of novelty, within the same animal. Variation in an integrated measure of corticosterone from feathers, combined with video recordings of behaviors, suggests that how individuals perceive enrichment and its removal depends on the duration of exposure. Short- and long-term enrichment elicited different physiological responses, with the former acting as a stressor and birds exhibiting acclimation to the latter. Non-novel enrichment evoked the strongest corticosterone responses of all the treatments, suggesting that the second exposure to the same objects acted as a physiological cue, and that acclimation was overridden by negative past experience. Birds showed weak behavioral responses that were not related to corticosterone. By demonstrating that an integrated measure of glucocorticoid physiology varies significantly with changes to enrichment in the absence of agonistic interactions, our study sheds light on potential mechanisms driving physiological and behavioral responses to environmental change