Thirty-three consecutive admissions for schizophrenia with PSE diagnoses and free of neuroleptics were compared with 31 hospital staff for distinguishing features of bilateral electrodermal activity to a sequence of mild tones followed by a sequence of conspicuous tones with variation of temporal parameters. To mild tones most patients were either non-responders or non-habituators whereas most controls were habituators or non-habituators. To conspicuous tones patients as a group were more responsive but without the features of sensitisation to a test stimulus shown by controls. Patients as a group had more non-specific response and higher levels of skin conductance which showed less adaptation than controls. To a large extent previously reported difference in response latencies, rise-times and half-recovery times would appear to be a function of habituation rate. Patient -control differences may reflect anxiety and stress in patients, though lateral asymmetries in activity have a deeper salience for the nature of schizophrenia.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

New avarone and avarol derivatives from the marine sponge Dysidea cinerea.

Six new avarol and avarone derivatives, 3'-hydroxyavarone [3], 3',6'-dihydroxyavarone [4], 6'-hydroxyavarol [5], 6'-acetoxyavarol [6], 6'-acetoxyavarone [7], and 6'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyavarone [8], are reported from the Red Sea sponge Dysidea cinerea. The structures of the new compounds were determined by spectroscopic data, mainly 1D and 2D nmr measurements. The absolute configurations of 5, 6, and 7, and most likely also of 3, 4, and 8, were established on the basis of cd measurements to be the same as that of avarol. Several of the new compounds are cytotoxic, possess antimicrobial activities, and have anti-HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activities; the most active is compound 8.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Controlled trial on nutrition supplementation in outpatients with symptomatic alcoholic cirrhosis.

A controlled trial on nutrition supplementation in ambulatory patients with decompensated alcoholic liver disease was carried out during 1 year. Fifty-one patients were studied; 26 were assigned to an experimental group receiving a daily supplement of 1000 kcal and 34 g of proteins given as a casein-based enteral nutrition product and 25 to a control group receiving one placebo capsule. Patients were examined in a special clinic once a month or more if required. Sixty-eight percent of patients admitted to alcohol ingestion or had alcohol in urine samples on at least one occasion. Dietary recalls showed a significantly higher protein and caloric intake in case patients subjects (p < .0001). Nine patients died during the study, three case patients and six control patients (p = NS). The frequency of hospitalizations was significantly less in the experimental group. This difference was attributed to a reduction in severe infections. Mid-arm circumference, serum albumin concentration, and hand grip strength improved earlier in case patients, although both groups had a significant improvement in these parameters. Bilirubin and aspartate aminotransferase decreased and prothrombin time increased significantly in both groups during the study period, without differences between groups. It is concluded that nutrition support decreases nutrition-associated complications in patients with alcoholic liver disease.

Adult↗