Low prepulse inhibition predicts lower social interaction, impaired spatial working memory, reference memory and cognitive flexibility in genetically heterogeneous rats.

The "Genetically Heterogeneous National Institutes of Health (NIHHS)" stock rat (hereafter HS) shows a wide phenotypic variation, as a result of having been derived from eight inbred rat strains. Thus, these rats may be a conceivable parallel model of a healthy human sample. In order to evaluate whether HS rats have face validity as an animal model of schizophrenia-relevant features, it should be demonstrated that they present behavioural traits that may model negative and cognitive symptoms of the disorder. Previous studies on HS rats have shown that prepulse inhibition (PPI, a measure of sensorimotor gating processes), which is impaired in schizophrenic patients, is correlated with their working memory performance. In this study, we evaluated whether low PPI in the HS stock rat predicts impairments of spatial working memory (SWM), spatial reference memory and cognitive flexibility in the Morris water maze (MWM) test, and we evaluated HS rats for social interaction (SI) in a social investigation task. HS rats were stratified into 2 different groups according to their PPI scores, i.e. low- and high-PPI. In the SI task, low-PPI rats showed decreased social behaviour compared to high-PPI rats. In addition, relative to high-PPI HS rats, the low-PPI group displayed poorer SWM performance, impaired cognitive flexibility (in a reversal task) and worsened long-term spatial memory. Such differential behaviours in social and cognitive paradigms provide evidence on the face validity of low-PPI HS rats as a model of negative-like and cognitive schizophrenia-relevant traits.

Particle size and cholesterol content of circulating HDL correlate with cardiovascular death in chronic heart failure.

Evidence regarding any association of HDL-particle (HDL-P) derangements and HDL-cholesterol content with cardiovascular (CV) death in chronic heart failure (HF) is lacking. To investigate the prognostic value of HDL-P size (HDL-Sz) and the number of cholesterol molecules per HDL-P for CV death in HF patients. Outpatient chronic HF patients were enrolled. Baseline HDL-P number, subfractions and HDL-Sz were measured using 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The HDL-C/P ratio was calculated as HDL-cholesterol over HDL-P. Endpoint was CV death, with non-CV death as the competing event. 422 patients were included and followed-up during a median of 4.1 (0-8) years. CV death occurred in 120 (30.5%) patients. Mean HDL-Sz was higher in CV dead as compared with survivors (8.39 nm vs. 8.31 nm, p < 0.001). This change in size was due to a reduction in the percentage of small HDL-P (54.6% vs. 60% for CV-death vs. alive; p < 0.001). HDL-C/P ratio was higher in the CV-death group (51.0 vs. 48.3, p < 0.001). HDL-Sz and HDL-C/P ratio were significantly associated with CV death after multivariable regression analysis (HR 1.22 [95% CI 1.01-1.47], p = 0.041 and HR 1.04 [95% CI 1.01-1.07], p = 0.008 respectively). HDL-Sz and HDL-C/P ratio are independent predictors of CV death in chronic HF patients.

A pragmatic approach for mortality prediction after surgery in infective endocarditis: optimizing and refining EuroSCORE.

OBJECTIVE: To simplify and optimize the ability of EuroSCORE I and II to predict early mortality after surgery for infective endocarditis (IE). METHODS: Multicentre retrospective study (n = 775). Simplified scores, eliminating irrelevant variables, and new specific scores, adding specific IE variables, were created. The performance of the original, recalibrated and specific EuroSCOREs was assessed by Brier score, C-statistic and calibration plot in bootstrap samples. The Net Reclassification Index was quantified. RESULTS: Recalibrated scores including age, previous cardiac surgery, critical preoperative state, New York Heart Association >I, and emergent surgery (EuroSCORE I and II); renal failure and pulmonary hypertension (EuroSCORE I); and urgent surgery (EuroSCORE II) performed better than the original EuroSCOREs (Brier original and recalibrated: EuroSCORE I: 0.1770 and 0.1667; EuroSCORE II: 0.2307 and 0.1680). Performance improved with the addition of fistula, staphylococci and mitral location (EuroSCORE I and II) (Brier specific: EuroSCORE I 0.1587, EuroSCORE II 0.1592). Discrimination improved in specific models (C-statistic original, recalibrated and specific: EuroSCORE I: 0.7340, 0.7471 and 0.7728; EuroSCORE II: 0.7442, 0.7423 and 0.7700). Calibration improved in both EuroSCORE I models (intercept 0.295, slope 0.829 (original); intercept -0.094, slope 0.888 (recalibrated); intercept -0.059, slope 0.925 (specific)) but only in specific EuroSCORE II model (intercept 2.554, slope 1.114 (original); intercept -0.260, slope 0.703 (recalibrated); intercept -0.053, slope 0.930 (specific)). Net Reclassification Index was 5.1% and 20.3% for the specific EuroSCORE I and II. CONCLUSIONS: The use of simplified EuroSCORE I and EuroSCORE II models in IE with the addition of specific variables may lead to simpler and more accurate models.

Analysis of moisture desorption isotherms of eggplant (Solanum melongena).

Sorption isotherms of eggplant were determined employing, as experimental technique, a static gravimetric method, using saturated salt solutions to achieve the equilibrium. The experiments were carried out at different temperatures (20, 35, 50 and 65 °C). The sorption isotherms can be classified, according to Brunauer's classification, as type II or III depending on temperature. Equilibrium moisture content data were correlated by two models usually applied to foodstuffs (Brunauer--Emmet--Teller (BET) and Halsey). BET model was employed to determine monolayer moisture content (0.121 kg/kg d.b.). Halsey model was selected by the goodness of fitting. Experimental data were analyzed by a thermodynamic approach to obtain some properties as net isosteric heat, equilibrium heat and differential and net integral entropy. The differential enthalpy and entropy decreased with increasing moisture content and satisfied the compensation theory. The net integral enthalpy and entropy showed maximum values (≈31 kJ/mol and ≈88 J/mol.K) at 0.093 (kg/kg d.b.) of moisture content.

Enoxaparin as bridging anticoagulant treatment in cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To assess enoxaparin as bridging anticoagulant treatment in cardiac surgery. METHODS: Prospective registry of those patients who underwent cardiac surgery in our centre between December 2003 and June 2004 and required long-term anticoagulation. Subcutaneous enoxaparin was used as bridging anticoagulant treatment according to a pre-established protocol. The global thromboembolic risk was carefully assessed in all patients. All patients were followed up for 3 months. RESULTS: Of 140 patients who were included (mean (SD) age 66 (11); 49% female), 51 were already receiving long-term acenocumarol treatment before the index intervention. 50% of the patients were at high or very high risk for thromboembolic events in the postoperative period. The mean (SD) number of days between surgery and the first dose of anticoagulant was 2.01 (7) for acenocumarol and 1 (1.01) for enoxaparin. The mean (SD) daily dose of enoxaparin was 1.1 (0.27) mg/kg. Six thromboembolic events (4.3%; 95% CI 1.6 to 9.1) occurred, but only four of them were plausibly related to enoxaparin (2.9%; 95% CI 0.8 to 7.1). Six major haemorrhagic events (4.3%; 95% CI 1.6 to 9.1) occurred, but only three were plausibly related to enoxaparin (2.1%; 95% CI 0.4 to 6.1). CONCLUSIONS: These findings show a reasonable rate of adverse events using enoxaparin as bridging anticoagulant treatment in cardiac surgery. Randomised studies are necessary to evaluate the real efficacy and safety of enoxaparin as bridging anticoagulant treatment in cardiac surgery.

Alteration of biochemical parameters related with exposure to lead in heavy alcohol drinkers.

Blood lead levels (PbB), delta-ALA dehydratase activity (ALAD) and erythrocytic protoporphyrin (EPP) values were studied in heavy wine and spirit drinkers. Results were compared in both groups and with a control group (teetotalers). Results in all cases are expressed as arithmetic means +/- SD. PbB values found in the three groups were statistically different inter se: wine group, 195 +/- 82 microg l(-1); spirits group, 159 +/- 69 microg l(-1); teetotalers, 72 +/- 43 microg l(-1). ALAD was significantly lower in the drinker groups (wine 26.9 plus minus 11.4 U l(-1)and spirits 28.3 plus minus 11.6 U l(-1))vs the control group (48.3 plus minus 13.5 U l(-1)). Differences in EPP levels in the three groups were only significant between the teetotaler and the wine drinker groups. Our findings indicate that, in heavy drinkers (more than 2 liters of wine per day), not only are lead levels increased in the blood but there are also biochemical alterations that affect the heme biosynthetic pathway, which should be taken into account in treatment for alcoholics.

Lineas de "detencion de crecimiento" en las radiografias de huesos largos de ninos que usaron panales contaminados con mercurio. / Growth disorders lines in the long bone x rays of children wearing diapers contaminated with mercury

En 207 ninos contaminados por via percutanea con acetato de fenilmercurio por contacto con panales procesados en lavanderias, se realizaron como estudio de rutina radiografias de metafisis de rodillas y munecas observandose en 116 de ellos (56%) lineas de detencion del crecimiento de Park. La frecuencia de esta observacion sugiere que la exposicion repetida al mercurio condiciona episodios de detencion del crecimiento oseo seguidos de etapas de normalizacion