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Technology has radically transformed health care, allowing physicians to conduct examinations by mobile phone, hospitals to share patient records electronically, medical devices to be monitored using wireless connectivity, and autonomous [...]

Dysregulated sphingolipid metabolism causes neuronal cell death and is associated with insulin resistance and diseases. Thus, we hypothesized that diabetes-induced changes in retinal sphingolipid metabolism may contribute to neuronal pathologies in diabetic retinopathy. ESI-MS/MS was used to measure ceramide content and ceramide metabolites in whole retinas after 2, 4, and 8 weeks of streptozotocin-induced diabetes. After 4 and 8 weeks of diabetes, a ~30% decrease in total ceramide content was observed, concomitant with a significant ~30% increase in glucosylceramide levels in fed diabetic rats compared with their age-matched controls. Acute insulin therapy as well as a short-term lowering of glucose via fasting did not affect the increase in glucosylceramide composition. To assess the putative biological consequences of the increase in glucosylceramide composition, R28 retinal neurons were treated with glucosylceramide synthase inhibitors. Inhibiting glycosphingolipid metabolism increased insulin sensitivity in retinal neurons. Glycosphingolipid inhibitors augmented insulin-stimulated p70 S6kinase activity in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of high glucose or glucosamine. Inhibition of glycosphingolipid synthesis also suppressed glucosamine- and interleukin-1β-induced death. Consistent with these inhibitor studies, pharmacological accumulation of glycosphingolipids increased activation of the endoplasmic reticulum stress response, a putative modulator of insulin resistance and neuronal apoptosis. It is speculated that an increase in glucosylceramide, and possibly higher-order glycosphingolipids, could contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy by contributing to local insulin resistance, resulting in neuronal cell death. Thus, dysfunctional glycosphingolipid metabolism may contribute to metabolic stress in diabetes, and therapeutic strategies to restore normal sphingolipid metabolism may be a viable approach for treatment of diabetic retinopathy., Vision loss from diabetic retinopathy results from the cellular dysfunction of multiple cell types of the retina. This multifaceted disease affects the vascular, glia (micro and macro), and neurons of [...]

Background: Normal brain and visual development is thought to require exogenous docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) intake, but the amount needed is debatable. Because the supplementation of breastfeeding mothers with DHA increases the DHA content of their infants' plasma lipids, we hypothesized that it might also improve brain of visual function in the infants. Objective: The objective was to determine the effect of DHA supplementation of breastfeeding mothers on neurodevelopmental status and visual function in the recipient infant. Design: Breastfeeding women received capsules containing either a high-DHA algal oil ([approximately or equal to] 200 mg DHA/d) or a vegetable oil (no DHA) for 4 mo after delivery. Outcome variables included the fatty acid pattern of maternal plasma phospholipid and milk lipids 4 mo postpartum, the fatty acid pattern of plasma phospholipids and visual function in infants at 4 and 8 mo of age, and neurodevelopmental indexes of the infants at 12 and 30 mo of age. Results: Milk lipid and infant plasma phospholipid DHA contents of the supplemented and control groups were [approximately] 75% and [approximately equal to] 35% higher, respectively, at 4 mo postpartum. However, neither the neurodevelopmental indexes of the infants at 12 mo of age nor the visual function at 4 or 8 mo of age differed significantly between groups. In contrast, the Bayley Psychomotor Development Index, but not the Mental Development Index, of the supplemented group was higher (P < 0.01) at 30 mo of age. Conclusion: DHA supplementation of breastfeeding mothers results in higher infant plasma phospholipid DHA contents during supplementation and a higher Bayley Psychomotor Development Index at 30 mo of age but results in no other advantages either at of before this age. KEY WORDS Maternal docosahexaenoic acid supplementation, infant visual function, infant neurodevelopmental indexes, fatty acid pattern of milk lipid, infant plasma phospholipid fatty acid pattern, Bayley Scales of Infant Development

Clinical study of envy and jealousy in the psychotherapy situation indicates that these two states of mind are biopsycbosocial response patterns involving the perceptual, cognitive, affective, and intentional mental functions. These response patterns are evoked by perceptual events that inform the individual of one's relative position vis-a-vis the requirements of one's life. Once these patterns can be discerned in the patient, the clinician is able to hear things in the psychotherapy situation not previously heard and understand, interpret, and work through conflict in a new and useful way. In this paper psychotherapy paradigms and strategies are discussed from the new perspective afforded by the psychology of envy and jealousy.

Cell-mediated immune responses are deficient in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and the deficiency is progressive. Two clinical markers of the progression of HIV disease, antibody to the p24 core protein of HIV and neopterin concentrations in the blood, were studied in terms of their relationship to the outcome of HIV disease. Using data from a large population-based survey, 238 HIV-seropositive homosexual men were studied. Antibody levels to p24 core protein were determined, levels of CD4 cells were measured, and the concentration of neopterin in the blood was determined. Both antibody to p24 and the concentration of neopterin in the blood were found to be predictive of the development of AIDS as long as 54 months prior to its development. Specifically, low antibody levels and high levels of neopterin were independently and strongly related to poor outcome. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the intensity of the initial immune response to HIV (as measured by antibody levels) and the degree of immune response over time (measured by concentration of neopterin in the blood) are both important factors in determining disease outcome, independent of each other. About 60 percent of those with low antibody levels and high levels of neopterin developed AIDS over the 54 months, as compared with only 34 percent of patients who had either low antibody levels or high concentrations of neopterin in the blood. Fewer than 10 percent of those with high antibody levels and low neopterin concentrations developed AIDS during the period. It is suggested therefore that antibody and neopterin levels are independent measures that predict the outcome of HIV infection, but that they affect outcome in an interactive way. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Beta 2-microglobulins (B2M), half of which are produced by lymphocytes (specialized white blood cells), are thought to be involved in the immune response. High numbers of beta 2-microglobulins have been reported in patients with kidney disease (because the microglobulins are cleared by the kidneys), autoimmune disorders (the immune system's failure to recognize the body's own cells) and infectious diseases, including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is not known if the microglobulin is high during infectious diseases because of increased production or increased release because of destruction of lymphocytes. Specialized white blood cells, CD4 lymphocytes, increase as HIV-infected patients become more ill with the disease AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). To see if B2M and CD4 lymphocyte measurements can predict the development of AIDS, 962 unmarried men were studied in San Francisco. AIDS developed in 65 out of 388 men infected by the HIV. The average level of B2M in uninfected men was 170 (measured in nanomoles per liter), compared with 254 in HIV-infected men without AIDS and 347 in HIV-infected men with AIDS. Three year later, 34 percent of the men with B2M of 322 developed AIDS, 21 percent of the men with B2M between 246 and 322 developed AIDS and 7.3 percent of the men with B2M levels below 246 developed AIDS. When the two measurements were combined, 65 percent of men with a B2M of greater than 322 and CD4 lymphocytes of less than 550 developed AIDS within three years. The probability of HIV-infected individuals developing AIDS can be predicted by using B2M and CD4 measurements. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Before the advent of computers, transistors, and microprocessors, in the days of the vacuum tube, electronics manufacturers were driven by fundamental forces in the industry that are present today. Those […]

As everyone knows, getting a successful high-growth company off the ground requires the seeking of serious venture investors. Yet, a valuable tool for succeeding at this is often right under [...]

To determine whether docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation of breast-feeding mothers increases the DHA contents of breast milk and infant plasma phospholipids (PPs), breast-feeding women were randomly assigned to 3 DHA-supplementation groups (170-260 mg/d) or a control group. Group 1 (n = 6) consumed an algae-produced high-DHA triacylglycerol; group 2 (n = 6) consumed high-DHA eggs; group 3 (n = 6) consumed a high-DHA, low-eicosapentaenoic acid marine oil; and group 4 (n = 6) received no supplementation. From before to after supplementation (2 and 8 wk postpartum), mean ([+ or -] SD) maternal PP DHA increased in groups 1, 2, and 3 by 1.20 [+ or -] 0.53, 0.63 [+ or -] 0.82, and 0.76 [+ or -] 0.35 mol% of fatty acids, respectively (23-41%), but decreased in group 4 by 0.44 [+ or -] 0.34 mol% (15%). Breast-milk DHA of groups 1, 2, and 3 increased by 0.21 [+ or -] 0.16, 0.07 [+ or -] 0.11, and 0.12 [+ or -] 0.07 mol%, respectively (32-91%) but decreased in group 4 by 0.03 [+ or -] 0.04 mol% (17%). Mean infant PP DHA in groups 1, 2, and 3 increased by 1.63 [+ or -] 0.79, 0.40 [+ or -] 1.0, and 0.98 [+ or -] 0.61 mol%, respectively (11-42%), but only by 0.18 [+ or -] 0.74 mol% (5%) in group 4. Correlations between the DHA contents of maternal plasma and breast milk and of milk and infant PPs were significant. Breast-milk and maternal and infant PP 22:5n-6 concentrations were lowest in group 2. DHA supplementation increases the plasma and breast-milk DHA concentrations of lactating women, resulting in higher PP DHA concentrations in infants. Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 71 (suppl):292S-9S. KEY WORDS Lactation, breast-feeding, infant nutrition, maternal nutrition, docosahexaenoic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acids, breast-fed infants, infant plasma phospholipids, maternal plasma phospholipids, human-milk phospholipids, breast-milk phospholipids

Hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD) is selectively retained by a number of different tumors. Tissue that has retained HpD may be identified by fluorescence, and this property has been used to endoscopically detect tumors in the trachea, bronchi, and bladder. The technique might also be used to identify colorectal tumors, but little is known about the affinity of gastrointestinal cancers for this compound. Although the retention of HpD in colorectal tumors in experimental animals has been verified, it is important do determine that the same process occurs in human tissue. To answer this question, surgical specimens of colorectal cancers were examined with fluorescence videodensitometry. Ten patients were injected with between 2 and 5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight of hematoporphyrin derivative, 3 or 72 hours before surgery. After surgery, the specimens were photographed under ultraviolet light with a 35mm camera. The negatives were then analyzed with a video camera and computer that were capable of quantifying the density of various points on the photographic negative. In all ten specimens, the tumor had a stronger fluorescence than the surrounding tissues. Of the ten specimens, nine were adenocarcinomas, and one was a cloacogenic small cell cancer. This small cell cancer had the lowest level of fluorescence. The average fluorescence was about six times that of the surrounding tissues. In this study, the fluorescence of tumor tissue was greater for the injection 72 hours prior to surgery than for the injection three hours before. Although this study has not evaluated the numerous factors which might contribute to HpD affinity, such as tumor vascularity, histological type, pigmentation, and lipid content, the demonstration of selective retention by colorectal tumors is promising for the development of newer diagnostic methods. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)