[Neuropsychiatric disorders and emotional coping strategies in post-stroke patients. A longitudinal study]. / Trastornos neuropsiquiátricos y estrategias de afrontamiento emocionales en pacientes postictus. Estudio longitudinal.

INTRODUCTION: Between one third and one half of the population that has suffered a stroke present with a neuropsychiatric disorder (NPD), which often goes underdiagnosed. AIM: To study the association between the presence of NPDs and coping strategies in stroke patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Prospective, longitudinal and comparative study in a sample of patients with ischaemic stroke with and without the presence of NPDs. Both sociodemographic and clinical variables were collected. Neurological impairment (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale) and coping (Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced) were assessed at three and 12 months. The period studied was from 2013 to 2017. RESULTS: A total of 82 patients were analysed, with a mean age of 67.6 ± 10.4 years, 52.4% of whom were male. Of them, 14 with NPD and 36 without NPD answered the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced coping scale, and the remaining 32 were excluded because of aphasia/dysphasia. At three months, dimensions of active coping, social support, denial and behavioural disengagement were observed in the NPD group, and at 12 months, denial and behavioural disengagement persisted, and planning, self-distraction and self-incrimination dimensions appeared. CONCLUSIONS: Results show the need to motivate patients to seek more effective strategies, to identify problems when they arise, to consider them as surmountable and to inhibit impulsive or inappropriate responses, replacing them with emotional responses and appropriate behaviours.

TITLE: Trastornos neuropsiquiátricos y estrategias de afrontamiento emocionales en pacientes postictus. Estudio longitudinal.Introducción. Entre un tercio y la mitad de la población que ha padecido un ictus presenta un trastorno neuropsiquiátrico (TNp), el cual suele estar infradiagnosticado. Objetivo. Estudiar la asociación entre la presencia de TNp y las estrategias de afrontamiento en pacientes con ictus. Sujetos y métodos. Estudio prospectivo, longitudinal y comparativo en una muestra de pacientes con ictus isquémico con y sin presencia de TNp. Se recogieron variables sociodemográficas y clínicas. Se evaluó la afectación neurológica (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale) y el afrontamiento (Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced) a los tres y a los 12 meses. El período de estudio fue de 2013 a 2017. Resultados. Se analizó a 82 pacientes, con una edad media de 67,6 ± 10,4 años, y eran hombres el 52,4%. De ellos, 14 con TNp y 36 sin TNp respondieron a la escala de afrontamiento Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced, y los 32 restantes fueron excluidos por afasia/disfasia. A los tres meses se observaron dimensiones de afrontamiento activo, apoyo social, negación y desconexión conductual en el grupo TNp, y a los 12 meses persistió la negación y la desconexión conductual, y aparecieron dimensiones de planificación, autodistracción y autoinculpación. Conclusiones. Los resultados muestran la necesidad de motivar a los pacientes a buscar estrategias más eficaces, identificando los problemas cuando aparecen, de considerarlos superables y de inhibir respuestas impulsivas o inadecuadas, sustituyéndolas por respuestas emocionales y conductas adecuadas.

TSG-6 activity as a novel biomarker of progression in knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To establish whether there is an association between TSG-6 activity and osteoarthritis progression. DESIGN: TSG-6 activity was determined in 132 synovial fluids from patients with OA of the knee, using a novel quantitative TSG-6 activity assay. The association between TSG-6 activities at baseline and four distinct disease progression states, determined at 3-year follow-up, was analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant relationship between TSG-6 activity at baseline and all OA progression states over a 3-year period. Patient knees with TSG-6 activities in the top tenth percentile, compared to the median activity, had an odds ratio (OR) of at least 7.86 (confidence interval (CI) [3.2, 20.5]) for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) within 3 years, and of at least 5.20 (CI [1.8, 13.9]) after adjustment for confounding factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for knee arthroplasty yielded a cut-off point of 13.3 TSG-6 activity units/ml with the following parameters: area under the curve 0.90 (CI [0.804, 0.996]), sensitivity 0.91 (CI [0.59, 0.99]), specificity 0.82 (CI [0.74, 0.88]) and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 0.99 (CI [0.934, 0.994]). CONCLUSION: The TSG-6 activity is a promising independent biomarker for OA progression. Given the high NPV, this assay may be particularly suitable for identifying patients at low risk of rapid disease progression and to assist in the timing of arthroplasty.

Steady-state evoked potentials to study the processing of tactile and nociceptive somatosensory input in the human brain.

The periodic presentation of a sensory stimulus induces, at certain frequencies of stimulation, a sustained electroencephalographic response of corresponding frequency, known as steady-state evoked potentials (SS-EP). In visual, auditory and vibrotactile modalities, studies have shown that SS-EP reflect mainly activity originating from early, modality-specific sensory cortices. Furthermore, it has been shown that SS-EP have several advantages over the recording of transient event-related brain potentials (ERP), such as a high signal-to-noise ratio, a shorter time to obtain reliable signals, and the capacity to frequency-tag the cortical activity elicited by concurrently presented sensory stimuli. Recently, we showed that SS-EP can be elicited by the selective activation of skin nociceptors and that nociceptive SS-EP reflect the activity of a population of neurons that is spatially distinct from the somatotopically-organized population of neurons underlying vibrotactile SS-EP. Hence, the recording of SS-EP offers a unique opportunity to study the cortical representation of nociception and touch in humans, and to explore their potential crossmodal interactions. Here, (1) we review available methods to achieve the rapid periodic stimulation of somatosensory afferents required to elicit SS-EP, (2) review previous studies that have characterized vibrotactile and nociceptive SS-EP, (3) discuss the nature of the recorded signals and their relationship with transient event-related potentials and (4) outline future perspectives and potential clinical applications of this technique.

Ontogenesis of testis development and function in humans.

Functional gonads are mandatory for sexual reproduction and survival of higher animal species. However, at the level of the individual subject, acquired or inherited gonadal dysfunction and infertility are not commonly associated with severe life-threatening phenotypes. Medical progress and increased societal interest have led to more prioritized agendas for reproductive health problems. Increasing attention is focused on disorders of sex development, fertility and sexual function. Despite this engagement, our understanding of the detailed molecular and cellular adverse events behind such problems is still incomplete. Critical early steps, such as determination of the gonads, occur at precise temporal windows of development. The sex chromosomes are obvious critical contributors, but many other human chromosomes also contribute to sex differentiation, engaging multiple genes and proteins. The aim of this review is to give an up-to-date and comprehensive summary of the events required for gonadal ontogenesis in the human male, from the stage of embryonic sex determination to postnatal maturation including puberty. The principal genes involved in these processes are tabulated and discussed. Morphological events relevant for human gonadal development are covered, in particular in connection with early germ cell maturation and spermatogenesis. Consequences of maldevelopment caused by, e.g. cryptorchidism, are discussed.

Origin, development and regulation of human Leydig cells.

Sex steroids are crucial regulators of sexual differentiation and the proper development of secondary sex characteristics and patterns of sexual behavior. Since Leydig cells are the primary major producers of these steroid hormones, maintenance of the normal functions of these cells determines the reproductive capacity and fertility of males. The present minireview discusses recent findings concerning endocrine and paracrine regulation of the proliferation, differentiation and involution of human Leydig cells. The physiology and function of the two distinct fetal and adult populations of human Leydig cells are described, with particular focus on the paracrine environment that triggers their differentiation and functional maturation. The roles of established and more recently discovered paracrine regulators of this maturation, including insulin-like factor 3, platelet-derived growth factor-alpha, desert hedgehog, ghrelin and leptin are considered. A brief description of the origin, ontogenesis and functional markers of human fetal and adult Leydig cells is presented.

The paracrine role played by interleukin-1 alpha in the testis.

Interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) plays an important role(s) in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses. The testis is an immunologically privileged organ and the variety of effects exerted by IL-1alpha on this organ have yet to be explored in detail. The aim of the present review is to describe our current view of the paracrine role played by IL-1alpha in testicular physiology. Testicular IL-1alpha is expressed during development, primarily in Sertoli cells, appearing in rats for the first time 20 days after birth. This cytokine is microheterogeneous, consisting of three molecular species with molecular weights of 45, 24 and 17 KDa. The 17 KDa form represents mature IL-1alpha, while the 24-KDa IL-1alpha has been shown by our research group to be an alternately spliced form of the 45-KDa pro-IL-1alpha. IL-1alpha was observed to stimulate the proliferation of immature Sertoli cells with higher efficacy than FSH. IL-1alpha was also found to exert mitogenic effects both on isolated peritubular cells and germ cells. Furthermore, isoforms of IL-1alpha were seen to stimulate basal testosterone production in immature Leydig cells, but not in the corresponding adult cells. This effect involved induction of the steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein and positively regulation by p38 MAPK. Recently, we have observed positive interactions between IL-1alpha and hormones of the GH/IGF-I system that lead to enhanced androgen production by the Leydig cell. In conclusion, our findings suggest that isoforms of IL-1alpha may serve as paracrine mediators, alone or in concert with other factors, that support proper testicular cell functioning and, thereby, reproduction and fertility.

Prevalence of steroid receptors and HER 2/neu in breast cancer biopsies of women living in Puerto Rico

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence rate of estrogen and progesterone receptors and HER 2/neu in the breast cancer biopsies analyzed in the Laboratory of Immunohistochemistry of the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine in the year 2000. This data may serve as a reference point for future studies of the epidemiological aspects of breast cancer among women living in Puerto Rico. BACKGROUND: Determination of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) on biopsy specimens of breast carcinoma prior to treatment is standard practice in the management of breast carcinoma. ER and PR are used to identify patients who are likely to respond to endocrine therapy. The prevalence of ER, PR and Her2/neu among USA women is 77 per cent, 55 per cent and 10-34 per cent, respectively. One of the major clinical roles for testing HER 2/neu expression is to determine eligibility for treatment with Trastuzumab. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 309 breast cancer biopsies was done. Paraffin embedded blocks of breast cancer tissue biopsies were received from different hospitals and Pathology Laboratories located throughout the island specifically for routine analysis of steroid receptor (ER/PR) and/or HER 2/neu expression. Immunostaining was performed in a Ventana Medical Systems automated instrument. RESULTS: Positive nuclear staining for ER and PR were seen in 65.9 per cent (203/308) and 51.8 per cent (159/307), respectively. In the HER2/neu test, 27.8 per cent (46/165) gave a strong and complete membranous staining (score 3+). CONCLUSIONS: There is a lower prevalence of estrogen receptor in the breast cancer biopsies of women living in Puerto Rico than their USA counterparts, but similar prevalence of progesterone receptorstatus and HER 2/neu protein over expression.

The interface of psychiatric disorders and diabetes mellitus.

This paper reviews recent developments at the interface between psychiatric disorders and diabetes mellitus. A Medline search for the interval 1994 to 2000 was conducted, and the review addresses selected content from the search involving the following: 1) neuroleptic induced diabetes and the associated issue of diabetes and schizophrenia; 2) developments concerning various facets of the relationship of diabetes mellitus and depressive disorder; and 3) recent findings with regard to specific diabetic complications and their links to psychiatry.

Characteristics of nitric oxide-induced apoptosis and its target cells in mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HIV+ subjects.

The phenomenon of apoptosis observed in lymphoid cells from HIV+ subjects is an important factor contributing to their massive depletion. Several studies have identified nitric oxide (NO) as one of the molecules involved in the apoptosis phenomenon observed during HIV infection. It has been shown that HIV-derived gp120 enhances NO synthesis in cultured cells from HIV+ individuals. Therefore, we tested the potential of two nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors with different mechanisms of action as preventive agents of in vitro apoptosis, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from HIV+ subjects. PBMC isolated from these patients always showed higher apoptosis levels than normal subjects, a fact that correlated with overproduction of NO and with reduction of mitochondrial transmembrane potential in these cells. We identified the CD8+ T lymphocyte sub-population as the major apoptosis target in PBMC cultures. Treatment with NO inhibitors N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) and dexamethasone (DEX) inhibited spontaneous and mitogen-induced apoptosis, while reducing mitochondrial alterations in PBMC from both normal (30%) and HIV+ (70%) subjects. The development of apoptosis in target cells correlated with their mitochondrial transmembrane potential impairment and with increased expression of Fas (CD95) molecules. These results offer additional alternatives for the manipulation of cellular depletion in HIV disease.

Histidine-tagged ubiquitin substitutes for wild-type ubiquitin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and facilitates isolation and identification of in vivo substrates of the ubiquitin pathway.

A general method for purification of any substrate of the ubiquitin pathway, the major eukaryotic proteolytic pathway, should utilize the common characteristic of covalent linkage of ubiquitin to substrate lysyl residues. The utility of a N-terminal histidine-tagged ubiquitin (HisUb) for in vivo conjugation and isolation of ubiquitinated proteins by metal chelation chromatography is conditioned by the requirement that HisUb conjugate to the same set of proteins as wild-type ubiquitin. Stringent in vivo tests with Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains expressing ubiquitins only from plasmids were performed to show that HisUb could substitute for wild-type ubiquitin. The utility of HisUb as a method for purification of proteins ubiquitinated in vivo was demonstrated by metal chelation chromatography of yeast extracts expressing HisUb and immunoblotting for Rpb1, the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II. A fraction of Rpb1 was present in the ubiquitinated form in vivo. The ability to use HisUb expression in transgenic organisms that retain expression of their endogenous ubiquitin genes was demonstrated through transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana expressing HisUb or its variant HisUbK48R. UbK48R is a version of ubiquitin capable of conjugation to proteins, but cannot serve as an attachment site for ubiquitin via the major in vivo interubiquitin linkage. Whereas transgenic plants expressing HisUb showed insignificant enrichment of ubiquitinated proteins, transgenic Arabidopsis lines expressing HisUbK48R gave a much better yield.

MR imaging of flexor digitorum accessorius longus.

OBJECTIVE: The flexor digitorum accessorius longus muscle (FDAL), an anomalous muscle about the ankle, has recently been implicated in tarsal tunnel syndrome. The purpose of this study is to document the prevalence of the FDAL, its MR appearance and its relation to the neurovascular bundle in the tarsal tunnel. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: The prevalence of the FDAL was determined from 100 ankle MR examinations in asymptomatic individuals. The appearance of the FDAL was summarized from 20 examples of FDAL: six gathered from the asymptomatic group and 14 acquired from a group of randomly collected cases of patients with ankle complaints. RESULTS: The prevalence of the FDAL was 6%, calculated from the group of 100 asymptomatic individuals. Possessing a dominant fleshy component in the tarsal tunnel, the FDAL accompanies the posterior neurovascular bundle as it descends the ankle. CONCLUSION: The FDAL is encountered in 6% of asymptomatic individuals. Its prominent fleshy component in the tarsal tunnel and its close proximity to the posterior tibial neurovascular bundle readily differentiate the FDAL from other medial anomalous muscles on MR imaging.

Peroneus brevis tendon in normal subjects: MR morphology and its relationship to longitudinal tears.

PURPOSE: The most prevalent, yet unproven, theory for the development of longitudinal splits of the peroneus brevis tendon is the compression of the peroneus brevis tendon by the peroneus longus tendon in dorsiflexion. The goal of our study was to provide insight into this pathomechanism by evaluating the shape of the peroneus brevis tendon and its relationship to the adjacent structures in the fibular groove during plantarflexion and dorsiflexion. METHOD: The MR images of 13 ankles in asymptomatic adult volunteers were performed in full dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. The axial MR images were assessed for the shape of the peroneus brevis tendon and its relationship to the peroneus longus tendon and posterior cortex of the fibula in both plantarflexion and dorsiflexion. RESULTS: In 12 of the 13 volunteers, the peroneus brevis tendon was located anterior or anteromedial to the peroneus longus tendon in the fibular groove. In those volunteers the peroneus brevis tendon was more flattened and compressed against the fibular groove by the overlying peroneus longus tendon in dorsiflexion than plantarflexion. Fat planes were noted in plantarflexion between the peroneal tendons as well as between the peroneus brevis tendon and the fibular groove. These were obliterated in dorsiflexion. CONCLUSION: The changes in configuration of the tendon of the peroneus brevis tendon in dorsiflexion compared with plantarflexion provide support to our present understanding of the pathomechanism of longitudinal tears of the peroneus brevis tendon.

Perineal seeding of prostate cancer as the only evidence of clinical recurrence 14 years after needle biopsy and radical prostatectomy: molecular correlation.

Perineal needle tract seeding of prostate cancer is an unusual complication of perineal prostate biopsy. We report a case with the longest known interval from biopsy to perineal recurrence--14 years. The prostate-specific antigen did not become detectable until 12 years after biopsy and no other metastases were apparent, suggesting that the patient's perineal disease was an isolated recurrence. Immunohistochemical staining of the perineal recurrence and the original biopsy and prostate for the p53 tumor suppressor gene and bcl-2 oncogene proteins revealed rare/absent p53 expression but marked increased bcl-2 expression. This unusual molecular pedigree may help to explain this rare clinical scenario.

Identification, accommodation, and success of students with learning disabilities in nursing education programs.

Few studies have addressed the issue of nursing students with learning disabilities, although students with both identified and undiagnosed learning disabilities are pursuing nursing education. Legal mandates concerning these students impact nursing programs and faculty. To reduce the risk of discrimination litigation, nursing education programs need to establish educational strategies to promote these students' success. The purpose of this research was to discover the extent to which Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Associate Degree of Nursing programs in one southeastern state admit, identify, and graduate nursing students with learning disabilities, and to identify accommodations provided by these programs to promote success among this student population. Of the 54 programs surveyed, 45 responded. Almost 50% indicated that their program had admitted nursing students with learning disabilities and one-third reported graduating students with learning disabilities. Enrolled students with undiagnosed learning disabilities were identified during their course of studies by both faculty members and by students themselves. The most frequently reported accommodations for students were counselors, tutors, tape-recorded lectures, and computer access. As the number of students with learning disabilities seeking post-secondary education increases, nursing programs and nurse educators will be involved with greater numbers of students needing educational accommodations.

The peroneocalcaneus internus muscle: MR imaging features.

OBJECTIVE: The peroneocalcaneus internus muscle is a rare muscle of the posterior calf that to our knowledge has not been reported in the radiology literature. The purpose of our study was to describe the normal anatomy and MR characteristics of this muscle in eight patients in whom the muscle was identified. CONCLUSION: The peroneocalcaneus internus muscle is a rare muscle that originates from the inner aspect of the distal fibula, descends within the tarsal tunnel, and inserts on a small tubercle in the calcaneus, just distal to the sustentaculum tali. The muscle may displace the flexor hallucis longus muscle medially and thus indirectly encroach on the neurovascular bundle.

Alterations in the distal extension of the musculus peroneus brevis with foot movement.

OBJECTIVE: A low-lying belly of the musculus peroneus brevis (presence of muscle tissue within the fibular groove) is said to be a risk factor for rupture or dislocation of the peroneal tendons. However, alterations in foot position may affect the position of the musculotendinous junction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the normal position of the musculotendinous junction of the musculus peroneus brevis in full dorsiflexion and plantar flexion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ankles of 12 adult asymptomatic volunteers were imaged in full dorsiflexion and plantar flexion. The number of scans between the fibular groove and the first scan imaging the muscle belly of the musculus peroneus brevis was documented in each patient in full dorsiflexion and plantar flexion. RESULTS: Distal extension of muscle belly into or beyond the fibular groove was present in 11 subjects in dorsiflexion and in seven subjects in plantar flexion. CONCLUSION: Extension of the muscle belly of musculus peroneus brevis into and distal to the fibular groove is part of the normal excursion of the muscle during foot motion. Care should be taken not to misdiagnose this normal finding as a pathologic condition when interpreting MR studies of the ankle.

MR features of longitudinal tears of the peroneus brevis tendon.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective is to describe the characteristic MR imaging features of longitudinal tears of the peroneus brevis tendon and to describe pathologic conditions and normal variants that are associated with these tears which may require surgical intervention at the time of primary tendon repair. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 10 MR images of asymptomatic volunteers and 31 MR images of 27 patients with evidence of longitudinal splits of the peroneus brevis tendon. Seven of these cases were surgically proven. In addition, we assessed five pathologic conditions and normal variants: lateral collateral ligamentous tears; injuries to the superior peroneal retinaculum; low-lying muscle belly of the peroneus brevis tendon; peroneus quartus muscle; and convex, flat, or irregular retromalleolar groove. RESULTS: In the patient's group, we saw longitudinal splits as clefts and an irregularity of the contour of the peroneus brevis tendon with (71%) and without (29%) signal changes on proton density-weighted and T2-weighted MR imaging sequences. Divisions of the split tendon assumed a characteristic C-shaped configuration that partly enveloped the peroneus longus tendon. Fifteen cases revealed other pathologic conditions and normal variants known to be associated with or to predispose to tears of the peroneus brevis tendon. These include ankle ligamentous tears (n = 3); abnormal superior peroneal retinaculum (n = 4); low-lying muscle belly of the peroneus brevis tendon (n = 1); peroneus quartus muscle (n = 2); and convex, flat, or irregular retromalleolar groove (n = 15). MR imaging revealed tears in all patients with surgical proof (n = 7). CONCLUSION: MR imaging is a useful technique for revealing longitudinal tears of the peroneus brevis tendon as well as showing anatomic and pathologic factors associated with or predisposed to tears.