Psoriasis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Several recent studies have found an increased prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease within psoriasis patients. The exact pathophysiological mechanisms behind these observations are unclear, but are likely related to the high prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome within this patient population. Chronic inflammation, mediated by either proinflammatory adipokines or skin-derived cytokines, may contribute to fatty liver disease development by increasing insulin resistance which in turn promotes hepatic lipid accumulation. These same adipokines in addition to hepatic cytokines may act on the skin to influence psoriasis disease severity.

Darkness filling-in: a neural model of darkness induction.

A model of darkness induction based on a neural filling-in mechanism is proposed. The model borrows principles from both Land's Retinex theory and BCS/FCS filling-in model of Grossberg and colleagues. The main novel assumption of the induction model is that darkness filling-in signals, which originate at luminance borders, are partially blocked when they try to cross other borders. The percentage of the filling-in signal that is blocked is proportional to the log luminance ratio across the border that does the blocking. The model is used to give a quantitative account of the data from a brightness matching experiment in which a decremental test disk was surrounded by two concentric rings. The luminances of the rings were independently varied to modulate the brightness of the test. Observers adjusted the luminance of a comparison disk surrounded by a single ring of higher luminance to match the test disk in brightness.

The use of gated radionuclide ventriculography as a noninvasive method of evaluating right ventricular function in dogs with experimentally induced congestive heart failure.

Gated radionuclide ventriculography was evaluated as a noninvasive method of quantifying right ventricular function in dogs with experimentally induced congestive heart failure. Gated radionuclide ventriculography measurements of right ventricular function (right ventricular ejection fraction, right ventricular average emptying rate, and right ventricular average filling rate) were related to standard hemodynamic and echocardiographic measurements. Congestive heart failure was induced by rapid ventricular pacing in eight normal dogs. Hemodynamic, echocardiographic, and gated radionuclide ventriculography measurements were obtained before and after development of biventricular failure. Congestive heart failure resulted in significant changes in all hemodynamic, echocardiographic, and gated radionuclide ventriculography measurements with the exception of systemic arterial pressure. Right ventricular ejection fraction was inversely related to pulmonary artery systolic, diastolic, and mean pressure, and right ventricular average emptying rate was inversely related to the pulmonary artery systolic, diastolic, and mean pressure. Right ventricular ejection fraction was inversely related to left ventricular filling pressure, (pulmonary capillary wedge pressure). Neither the echocardiographic measurements of right ventricular size (right ventricular internal diastolic dimension) nor the right ventricular end-diastolic pressure were related to right ventricular ejection fraction and right ventricular average emptying rate. However, echocardiographic measurements of right ventricular dimension were related to right ventricular filling pressure. The gated radionuclide ventriculography indexes of right ventricular function, right ventricular ejection fraction and right ventricular average emptying rate, are affected by afterload but unaffected by preload, whereas the echocardiographic measurement of right ventricular dimension is related to preload. Gated radionuclide ventriculography provides right ventricular data which is unique from that obtained by standard echocardiographic imaging. Also, gated radionuclide ventriculography has potential value as a noninvasive means of estimating a change in pulmonary artery pressure.

Fetal sheep in utero hear through bone conduction.

PURPOSE: Although the air-conduction pathway is the principal mode of sound transmission to the inner ear, this may not be true for the fetus in utero. The fetus detects and responds to sounds in the maternal environment. Exogenous sounds can reach the fetal inner ear through the ear canal and middle ear system, bone conduction, or both. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of these two routes of sound transmission by recording cochlear microphonic potentials from the fetus in utero in response to airborne sounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cochlear microphonics (CMs) recorded from one round window (RW) of fetal sheep in utero were obtained in three conditions: (1) head uncovered; (2) head covered with a neoprene hood; and (3) head covered with a neoprene hood fashioned with a hole that permitted the pinna and ear canal to be exposed. Tone bursts (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 kHz) were delivered through a loudspeaker at high intensities (100 to 135 dB sound pressure level) to the flank of the ewe. CMs were detected with indwelling electrodes, amplified, and averaged. CM input-output functions were obtained from the fetus in each of the three conditions described above. RESULTS: CMs recorded with the head uncovered were more sensitive than were the CMs recorded with the hood in place. There was no difference in sensitivity between the condition during which the head was completely covered and the condition in which the pinna and ear canal are exposed. CONCLUSION: The principal mode of sound transmission into the fetal inner ear is through bone conduction.

Directional filling-in.

The filling-in theory of brightness perception has gained much attention recently owing to the success of vision models. However, the theory and its instantiations have suffered from incorrectly dealing with transitive brightness relations. This paper describes an advance in the filling-in theory that overcomes the problem. The advance is incorporated into the BCS/FCS neural network model, which allows it, for the first time, to account for all of Arend's test stimuli for assessing brightness perception models. The theory also suggests a new teleology for parallel ON- and OFF-channels.

Preventing feeding-associated aspiration.

Aspiration and its sequela aspiration pneumonia are frequent complications associated with enteral feeding. The purpose of this article is to provide a framework for recognizing aspiration events, identifying at-risk patients, and developing research-based strategies to prevent aspiration.

The temporal dynamics of brightness filling-in.

The temporal dynamics of brightness filling-in were studied through neural network simulation experiments conducted under visual masking stimulus conditions. Grossberg et al. have specified a filling-in model called the Boundary Contour System/Feature Contour System (BCS/FCS). The BCS generates boundary segmentation, while the FCS fills-in surface feature within these segmentation boundaries. Simulation experiments demonstrate that the model accurately predicts that area-suppression follows a U-shaped function of forward masking and demonstrate that the psychophysical findings of Paradiso and Nakayama [(1991) Vision Research, 31, 1221-1236] which they regarded as being against the BCS/FCS model, actually support the model.

Comparison of body surface area-based and weight-based dosage protocols for doxorubicin administration in dogs.

Pharmacokinetics and toxicity of a single dose of doxorubicin, at dosages of 30 mg/m2 of body surface area and 1 mg/kg of body weight, were compared in 17 dogs. Effects of doxorubicin on complete blood cell count, platelet count, and the dogs' clinical condition were evaluated for 14 days. Cluster analysis, on the basis of clinical signs of doxorubicin toxicosis at the 30-mg/m2 dosage, revealed that 6 of 7 small dogs (< or = 10 kg) became ill, whereas 7 of 10 large dogs (> 10 kg) remained clinically normal. Small dogs that received doxorubicin at a dosage of 30 mg/m2 had higher peak plasma concentrations, greater area under the curve for plasma drug concentration vs time, longer drug elimination half-lives, greater volumes of distribution, and more clinical signs of toxicosis than had large dogs (P < or = 0.05). Five of 9 small dogs that received doxorubicin at a dosage of 30 mg/m2 developed severe myelosuppression (< 1 x 10(3) granulocytes/microliters). In contrast to the toxicoses with body surface area-based dosing, myelosuppression was not induced in small dogs that received doxorubicin at a dosage of 1 mg/kg. In small and large dogs given doxorubicin at a dosage of 1 mg/kg, pharmacokinetic characteristics and clinical signs of toxicosis were similar. Mean WBC counts and granulocyte counts for all dogs were lower on day 7 with 30 mg of doxorubicin/m2 (n = 17), compared with that for 1 mg of doxorubicin/kg (n = 14; P < or = 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

An enhanced positive reinforcement model for the severely impaired cocaine abuser.

This article describes a cognitive-behavioral treatment approach that has been extensively modified to work with inner-city methadone-maintained cocaine users. Modifications were deemed essential to address the problems of engagement and retention in treatment that are typically encountered with this population. While this approach relies on such basic tenets of treatment as relapse prevention, cognitive restructuring, and psychoeducation, an understanding of the particular psychological vulnerabilities of this population has been incorporated into the model. The modified approach utilizes positive reinforcement extensively. This includes use of concrete reinforcers to facilitate initial engagement, and use of interpersonal reinforcers (therapist positive regard, attention, and respect) to increase program retention and sustain posttreatment change. Preliminary results indicate that 63% of patients can complete this intensive 6-month program, with considerable reductions in cocaine use and significant change in drug injection behavior.

Thrombocytopenia associated with administration of trimethoprim/sulfadiazine in a dog.

A diagnosis of trimethoprim/sulfadiazine-induced, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia in a dog was made, using a novel in vitro assay for thrombolytic activity. The assay quantifies thrombolytic activity by measuring the amount of platelet fragments in normal canine platelets before and after incubation with plasma from the thrombocytopenic dog. This report confirms previous reports of the development of thrombocytopenia after administration of trimethoprim/sulfadiazine, and describes a new assay that, after further validation, may be useful in the diagnosis of immune-mediated thrombocytopenia when an adequate sample of platelets cannot be obtained for quantification of platelet-associated IgG.