Interleukin 10: a new risk marker for the development of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Genetic factors appear to be important in the process of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), as well as in inflammation, a pivotal factor in restenosis. An important mediator in the inflammatory response is interleukin (IL)-10. Our aim was to study whether genetic variants in IL-10 predispose to the risk of restenosis. The GENetic DEterminants of Restenosis (GENDER) study included 3104 patients treated with successful PCI. Target vessel revascularization (TVR) was chosen as primary end point. Genotyping of the -2849G/A, -1082G/A, -592C/A and +4259A/G polymorphisms of the IL-10 gene was performed by MassArray platform. After adjusting for clinical variables, three polymorphisms significantly increased the risk of restenosis (-2849AA: relative risk (RR), 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.2-2.5; -1082AA: RR, 1.4, 95% CI, 1.1-1.8 and +4259GG: RR, 2.0, 95% CI, 1.4-2.8). To further exclude possible involvement of neighboring genes due to LD in the IL-10 locus, additional polymorphisms were genotyped. The results reveal that association of the IL-10 gene with restenosis is independent of flanking genes. Our findings demonstrate that IL-10 is associated with restenosis and therefore support the hypothesis that anti-inflammatory genes also may be involved in developing restenosis. Furthermore, they may provide a new targeting gene for drug-eluting stents.

Stress reactions in organizations: syndromes, causes and consequences.

This study examines the prevalence, causes, and consequences of stress reactions among over 2000 high status members of a large organization in Canada. Five stress syndromes were identified: emotional distress, medication use, cardiovascular disturbance, gastrointestinal disturbance, and allergy respiratory disturbance. The study demonstrates the effects of sociocultural variables on selected stress responses to compare typical symptoms of French vs. English Canadians, and in demographic variables such as age and sex as reflections of stages in the life cycle. Once the sociocultural and demographic effects were isolated, the study revealed a major occupational effect in the distribution of stress syndromes. Managers compared with staff and operations people show a low prevalence of stress reactions. The explanation of this finding led to the evaluation of four possible causes: the maturity effect, the vulnerability effect, the bureaucratic effect, and the power effect. The first two causes assume the objective stressors in the environment are about the same for all occupational groups in the study and the variations in symptoms result from major personality factors held in common among the occupational groups. The second two causes assume that the variations in symptoms result from major differences in the environments of the three occupational groups. Analysis suggests that psychodynamic factors affect the tolerance for stress and the choice of syndrome. The environment, particularly the frustrations and deprivations associated with bureaucracy and the lack of power, activates the defenses against anger and rage that in turn lead to symptom formation. The study concludes with the paradox of the bureaucratic experience. Designed to minimize the uses of power in negotiating work procedures and relationships, bureaucracy requires the mobilization and uses of power to, at a minimum, reduce the risks of falling ill from frustration and anger and, at a maximum, to sense one's impact on events.

System for continuous high-resolution measurement of distances in the eye.

We describe a new system for accurate measurement of intraocular distances; it is used in conjunction with standard A-scan ultrasound equipment. A processing unit has been developed which enables selection of time intervals between echoes. Up to four intervals can be chosen and simultaneously measured. The output of the system is derived from a pulse duration-to-voltage converter which presents an output voltage proportional to the selected time interval. In this way variations in intraocular distances larger than about 0.01 mm can be detected.