The present study was designed to test whether human auditory brain-stem responses (ABRs) are sensitive to peripheral endocrine signals as reflected by changes in the plasma glucocorticoid concentration. ABRs were recorded following treatment with 50 mg hydrocortisone or placebo in 13 healthy male adults. Experiments were double-blind and designed according to a latin-square within-subject comparison. Treatment was applied 1 h prior to testing as an i.v. infusion over a period of 20 min. Subjects were tested in each session under 3 X 3 conditions, i.e., ABRs were obtained to series of clicks presented at 3 different intensities (80, 60, 40 dB HL) and with 3 different stimulus rates (39, 10, 5 clicks/sec). Additionally, oral temperature was monitored. Hydrocortisone significantly reduced latencies of waves III, V, and VI (and subsequent negative troughs) when low stimulus intensities were used. Furthermore, the glucocorticoid reduced latencies of waves Vn, VI and VIn when the clicks were presented at a slow stimulus rate. Further studies have to specify the underlying mechanisms of these changes.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Gender differences in parental grief.

Gender differences in grief of parents who lost their child were examined using the Grief Experience Inventory. Participants were 35 bereaved couples who ranged in age from 27 to 73. Results showed that the mothers' scores were significantly higher than those of fathers on the following scales: Atypical Responses, Despair, Anger/Hostility, Guilt, Loss of Control, Rumination, Depersonalization, Somatization, Loss of Vigor, Physical Symptoms, and Optimism/Despair. No significant differences were found on the scales of Denial, Social Desirability, Social Isolation, Death Anxiety, and Loss of Appetite. The potential usefulness of the GEI in helping the bereaved is discussed.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison of the tumor growth inhibitory effect of intermittent and continuous administration of the somatostatin structural derivative TT-232 in various human tumor models.

The tumor growth inhibitory efficacy of the somatostatin structural derivative TT-232 was studied using different routes of administration and treatment schedules in various human tumor models. TT-232, containing a five-residue ring structure, has a strong antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo. The antineoplastic activity of TT-232 has been found to be associated with the induction of programmed cell death in tumor cells, resulting in highly-selective elimination of the neoplastic tissue. The study compared the antitumor efficacy of TT-232 in various long-term administration routes; the intermittent (injection) versus continuous (infusion) treatment via subcutaneously-inserted Alzet osmotic minipumps in different human tumor models: T-47/D human breast carcinoma and A-431 human epidermoid carcinoma. Treatment with TT-232 started after disease development. The antitumor activity of TT-232 was evaluated on the basis of the tumor growth inhibition. In the case of T-47/D human breast carcinoma, the intermittent treatment resulted in 23%-26% and the infusion treatment resulted in 48%-53% tumor growth inhibition. The tumor growth inhibitory effect of TT-232 on A-431 human epidermoid carcinoma tumor resulted in 35%-43% (intermittent treatment) and 70%-74% (continuous treatment) decreases in tumor volume. This antitumor efficacy of TT-232 was observed in the two human tumors investigated. In this study, the route of infusion was shown to increase drug efficacy relative to conventional delivery methods. The results suggest that TT-232 is an effective and promising antitumor agent.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Personality markers, defense behavior and illness concept in patients with primary fibromyalgia].

Recent studies indicate the relevance of psychological factors in the pathogenesis of primary fibromyalgia, although the results sometimes differ. Most of the studies investigated personality features and depression. Beyond these our study investigates defense mechanisms and illness behavior in primary fibromyalgia comparing them with those of psychogenic pain patients and with controls. All patients (fibromyalgia n = 47, psychogenic pain n = 63, controls n = 84) completed German adaptations of the Defense Mechanisms Inventory (DMI) and the Illness Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ) and the "Questionnaire of Psychosomatic Disease-Patterns" (FAPK). The two chronic pain groups show a high conformity: Reduced relation to reality, emotional vacancy in relationships, aggression restraint are the predominant personality features. Immature defense mechanisms and abnormal illness behavior are predominant. Somatic pain and its hypochondrical pursuit substitute the tackling of seemingly unsolvable life problems. Conclusions for the management of fibromyalgia patients are outlined.

Aggression↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Diagnosis of pancreatic lesions by percutaneous aspiration biopsy.

Fifteen patients suspected of having pancreatic disease were studied by transabdominal percutaneous fine needle aspiration biopsy guided by computed tomography. Ten patients had aspirates positive for carcinoma: seven had clinically advanced disease, and the diagnostic procedure spared them laparotomy; two patients underwent laparotomy for choledochoduodenostomy; and one underwent exploratory laparotomy resulting in pancreatoduodenectomy. Four aspirates were negative for malignancy, but one patient was found ultimately to have carcinoma. One specimen was unsatisfactory. We conclude that transabdominal percutaneous fine needle aspiration cytology is a safe and simple procedure for distinguishing benign from malignant lesions. There were no complications from the procedure. We experienced no false positives and one false negative.

Aged↗