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PubMedDate not supplied

Mineral springs and spring fever. Lithium: fact and fantasy in psychopharmacology.

Lithium salts have been employed as medical treatment for more than two thousand years. The history of lithium in medicine reveals a strictly empiricist approach to its use which has resulted in its varying popularity as a therapeutic treatment over the past century. Much of the enthusiasm about the therapeutic use of lithium has been generated by faulty scientific process. This paper reviews the scientific errors which have surrounded the medical use of lithium in history, discusses the metaphorical use of medical terminology and the problem which is posed by the literal interpretation of such terms, and challenges the currently accepted point of view that lithium is a specific treatment for mania. The scientific errors which have resulted in the introduction of lithium as a treatment for mania are reviewed, and it is proposed that lithium treatment be viewed as the paradigm of modern psychopharmacology. The author suggests that the empiricist approach in biological psychiatry requires critical scrutiny in order to avoid tragic consequences, regarding the hazards both to patients arbittrarily exposed to lithium therapy, as well as to the scientific concept of disease as it is modified by those who wish to re-define disease, empirically, in terms of response to treatment.

Affective Symptoms↗
PubMed1991

Mimicry in Trypanosoma cruzi: fantasy and reality.

Chronic infection of mammals by Trypanosoma cruzi often results in severe autoimmune and inflammatory pathology. Extensive antigen cross-reactivity between the parasite and its mammalian hosts has also been reported. These findings have stimulated speculation that Trypanosoma cruzi uses antigenic mimicry as a mechanism for escaping the host immune system. This may not be the case and the observed antigen cross-reactivity may be a result of perturbations of the immune system such that common, normally tolerated antigens are recognized in infected animals. The parasite, however, does appear to use functional mimicry to survive in the immune competent host.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗
PubMed2004

Cancer metabolism: facts, fantasy, and fiction.

The concept of a glycolytic cancer cell was introduced by Warburg over 70 years ago. This perception has since become the rationale that drives a considerable proportion of basic research on cancer, and it influences the current strategies for the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of cancer. Here we review the data from the last 40 years on this issue. We conclude that there is no evidence that cancer cells are inherently glycolytic, but that some tumours might indeed be glycolytic in vivo as a result of their hypoxic environment.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed2006

Photocatalytic paper from colloidal TiO(2)--fact or fantasy.

Photocatalytic paper encompasses a range of materials based on paper and nonwoven fabrics which performs a function based on the light-activated catalytic activity of colloidal TiO(2). The literature describing photocatalytic paper is surveyed, including mechanisms, applications, limitations and future opportunities. The technology is in its infancy with less than 10 patents and as many scientific publications appearing over the last decade. The main applications described are the destruction of organic molecules (mineralization) and photo-disinfection (sterilization). These disclosures build upon a much larger literature describing photochemical properties of TiO(2) both supported on non-cellulose substrates or simply as suspended particles in water or air. Current photocatalytic paper developments include methods to fix TiO(2) to cellulose substrates to minimize photochemical damage to the paper. Another theme is the use of multiple approaches, such as zeolites, for enhanced mineralization, and metals, such as silver and copper, for enhanced photocatalytic disinfection.

Catalysis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Reality and fantasies: the psychology of skin transplants.

Skin transplants present similarities with and differences from other organ transplants (heart, kidney, liver) in the psychological sphere and in regard to symbolic and mythological references. A brief story supplies some explanations and introduces the reader to information in the psychosomatic and psycholinguistic spheres in scientific literature. We also present a list of commonly used terms that include the word skin, and cite important literary references that have some relationship with the subject of skin transplants, all to emphasize and explain why/how this topic is so emotionally involving.

History, 19th Century↗
PubMed2005

[Neo-oogenesis in the postnatal ovary: fantasy or reality?].

The central dogma of female reproductive biology has long held that oogenesis ceases around birth in almost all mammals. Consequently, the ovarian reserve is definitely fixed and will continuously deplete up to the menopause in humans. New papers by Johnson et al. (2004) and by Bukovsky et al. (2004, 2005) overturn this dogma since they claim that female mice and women, respectively, produce new oocytes during adult life. The following review is mainly devoted to an analysis of the study by Johnson et al. (2004) as well as unpublished data submitted for publication from the same authors. Two bodies of evidence were presented to support their hypothesis: morphologic and experimental. Whereas morphologic data can be easily refuted, experimental data remain disturbing. In conclusion, these recent observations need to be confirmed by others, and extended by additional supporting evidence before they could be considered to question the dogma of a fixed stock of oocytes at birth.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1999

Speculation on whether a vaccine against cryptosporidiosis is a reality or fantasy.

In this paper the authors question whether the development of a vaccine against cryptosporidiosis could be taken into consideration. The necessity and feasibility of such a vaccine for human and veterinary application is discussed. Developmental stages within the life cycle of the parasite that might act as possible targets for vaccine development are summarised, as well as the target antigens offered by molecular biology and immunology studies. Vaccination trials against cryptosporidiosis carried out so far, including the active and passive immunisation approach, are also overviewed. It seems that with respect to a Cryptosporidium vaccine two target groups can be considered: children of the developing world and neonatal ruminants. Antigens representing possible candidates for a subunit vaccine were identified based on their function, location and/or the immune response they evoke. While the active vaccination of newborn calves, lambs and goat kids has to face a number of important limitations, the passive immunisation approach, where dams were immunised to protect their progeny by colostral transfer, was proven to be a valuable alternative. Finally, a number of points of action for the near future are put forward.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Transitional neonatal hydronephrosis: fact or fantasy?

Hydronephrosis secondary to an anomalous ureteropelvic junction was detected antenatally in more than 60 neonatal renal units Those 21 units that exhibited partial obstruction or dilatation without obstruction were selected for this study. They were assessed and followed by serial diuretic isotope renography (99mtechnetium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid augmented with furosemide) and ultrasonography. Excretory urography was used selectively. Of the 17 renal units that could be assessed 88 per cent demonstrated labile ureteropelvic junctions. Indeed, in 3 to 6 months, when the definitive status seemed to be attained, 41 per cent (7 units) had deteriorated, 12 per cent (2 units) remained stable and 47 per cent (8 units) underwent spontaneous improvement. We recommend a 3 to 6-month observation period for patients with hydronephrosis secondary to ureteropelvic junction anomalies when definite obstruction cannot be confirmed by isotope renography.

Dilatation, Pathologic↗