Non-specific symptoms as clues to changes in emotional well-being

Background: Somatic symptoms are a common reason for visits to the family physician. The aim of this study was to examine the relation between non-specific symptoms and changes in emotional well-being and the degree to which the physician considers the possibility of mental distress when faced with such patients. Methods: Patients who complained of two or more symptoms including headache, dizziness, fatigue or weakness, palpitations and sleep disorders over one year were identified from the medical records of a random sample of 45 primary care physicians. A control group matched for gender and age was selected from the same population. Emotional well-being was assessed using the MOS-SF 36 in both groups. Results: The study group and the control group each contained 110 patients. Completed MOS questionnaires were obtained from 92 patients, 48 patients with somatic symptoms and 44 controls. Sixty percent of the patients with somatic symptoms experienced decreased emotional well being compared to 25% in the control group (p =0.00005). Symptoms of dizziness, fatigue and sleep disturbances were significantly linked with mental health impairments. Primary care physicians identified only 6 of 29 patients (21%) whose responses revealed functional limitations due to emotional problems as suffering from an emotional disorder and only 6 of 23 patients (26%) with a lack of emotional well being were diagnosed with an emotional disorder. Conclusions: Non-specific somatic symptoms may be clues to changes in emotional well-being. Improved recognition and recording of mental distress among patients who complain of these symptoms may enable better follow up and treatment

The Chemical Structure of Agar from Gracilaria compressa (C. Agardh) Greville, G. cervicornis (Turner) J. Agardh, G. damaecornis J. Agardh and G. domingensis Sonder ex Kützing (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta)

International audienceThe chemical structure of agar fractions obtained from Gracilaria compressa, G. cervicornis, G. amaecornis and G. domingensis with a sequential solvent extraction has been determined by I3C-NMR spectroscopy.Gracilaria compressa agar consists of agarobiose, pyruvated agarobiose and a low concentration of 6-Omethylated agarobiose repeating units; G. cervicornis and G. domingensis agars are composed of 6-O-methylated agarobiose, agarobiose-6-sulfate, agarobiose, and a repeating unit with 4-O-methyl-a-L-galactose; finally, G. damaecornis agar is made of the same repeating units of the latter agars plus agarobiose-4-sulfate. From these four algae, a fraction enriched with pyruvated or sulfated repeating units was obtained in water at room temperature. An extract essentially composed of only 6-O-methylated,agarobiose repeating units was obtained from the Gracilaria species with boiling 80% ethanol. The concentration of the methylated repeating unit decreased in the subsequent boiling in 60% and 40% ethanol extracts and in the hot water extract (121 °C), whereas charged repeating units were present in these agar fractions. Floridean starch contaminated the hot water extract. The combination of sequential solvent extraction and 13C-NMR represents a convenient approach in determining the chemical heterogeneity of agar

Effects of seasons on the chemical structure and gel strength of Gracilaria pseudoverrucosa agar (Gracilariaceae, rhodophyta)

International audienceThe seasonal effects on the chemical structure and rheological properties of Gracilaria pseudoverrucosa agar have been investigated using a sequential solvent extraction, 13C NMR and infrared spectroscopy, and gel strength measurements. The results showed that agar enriched in precursor to the agarobiose repeat unit were obtained from algae collected in summer. In contrast, algae collected in winter contained agar molecules richer in alkali-stable sulfate groups attributed in part to d-galactose-4-sulfate. A similar total concentration of 6-O-methylated agarobiose repeat units was present in the agar from both algal samples but the distribution of the methylated disaccharide varied in the fractions. Agar fractions from the summer-collected sample had higher gel strength than those of the winter ones. Alkali treatment markedly improved the gel strength of the agar from the summer harvested seaweed. Different gel strengths were observed for the native and alkali-treated agar fractions extracted from the same algal sample and a gel strength comparable to that obtained for a commercial bacteriological grade agar was obtained from the alkali-treated 40% ethanol extract agar from the summer collected alga. The chemical and rheological variations due to seasonal changes are interpreted as reflecting the ratio of actively-growing (young) to resting (old) tissue in the alga and are proposed to represent a type of ‘secondarization’ of the algal cell-wall

The Chemical Structure of Agar from Gracilaria compressa (C. Agardh) Greville, G. cervicornis (Turner) J. Agardh, G. damaecornis J. Agardh and G. domingensis Sonder ex Kützing (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta)

The chemical structure of agar fractions obtained from Gracilaria compressa, G. cervicornis, G. amaecornis and G. domingensis with a sequential solvent extraction has been determined by I3C-NMR spectroscopy.Gracilaria compressa agar consists of agarobiose, pyruvated agarobiose and a low concentration of 6-Omethylated agarobiose repeating units; G. cervicornis and G. domingensis agars are composed of 6-O-methylated agarobiose, agarobiose-6-sulfate, agarobiose, and a repeating unit with 4-O-methyl-a-L-galactose; finally, G. damaecornis agar is made of the same repeating units of the latter agars plus agarobiose-4-sulfate. From these four algae, a fraction enriched with pyruvated or sulfated repeating units was obtained in water at room temperature. An extract essentially composed of only 6-O-methylated,agarobiose repeating units was obtained from the Gracilaria species with boiling 80% ethanol. The concentration of the methylated repeating unit decreased in the subsequent boiling in 60% and 40% ethanol extracts and in the hot water extract (121 °C), whereas charged repeating units were present in these agar fractions. Floridean starch contaminated the hot water extract. The combination of sequential solvent extraction and 13C-NMR represents a convenient approach in determining the chemical heterogeneity of agar

Sulfate Content of Carrageenan and Agar Determined by Infrared- Spectroscopy

International audienceThe sulfate content of carrageenans and agars was obtained from characteristic infrared absorbance bands. The absorbance at 2920 cm"1 attributed to C-H was used äs an index for total sugar content. Sulfate was determined from the following absorbance ratios: total sulfate 1250/2920, galactose-4-sulfate, 845/2920, 930/ 2920, and 3,6-anhydrogalactose-2-sulfate, 805/2920. The results indicated that the absorbance at 930 cm-1, attributed to 3,6-anhydrogalactose, was also related to content of galactose-4-sulfate in agars and carrageenans

Iota-carrageenan oligosaccharides as model compounds for structural analysis of iota-carrageenan by 13C-NMR spectroscopy.

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