http://www.intarchmed.com The most accessed research articles published by International Archives of Medicine 2012-05-04T00:00:00Z Memory is an essential element to adaptive behavior since it allows consolidation of past experience guiding the subject to consider them in future experiences. Among the endogenous molecules that participate in the consolidation of memory, including the drug-seeking reward, considered as a form of learning, is dopamine. This neurotransmitter modulates the activity of specific brain nucleus such as nuclei accumbens, putamen, ventral tegmental area (VTA), among others and synchronizes the activity of these nuclei to establish the neurobiological mechanism to set the hedonic element of learning. We review the experimental evidence that highlights the activity of different brain nuclei modulating the mechanisms whereby dopamine biases memory towards events that are of motivational significance. http://www.intarchmed.com/content/3/1/24 Oscar Arias-Carrion Maria Stamelou Eric Murillo-Rodriguez Manuel Menendez-Gonzalez Ernst Poppel International Archives of Medicine 2010, null:24 2010-10-06T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/1755-7682-3-24 /content/figures/1755-7682-3-24-toc.gif International Archives of Medicine 1755-7682 ${item.volume} 24 2010-10-06T00:00:00Z XML Advancements in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment protocols and introduction of targeted biological therapies have markedly improved patient outcomes, despite this, up to 50% of patients still fail to achieve a significant clinical response. In veterinary medicine, stem cell therapy in the form of autologous stromal vascular fraction (SVF) is an accepted therapeutic modality for degenerative conditions with 80% improvement and no serious treatment associated adverse events reported. Clinical translation of SVF therapy relies on confirmation of veterinary findings in targeted patient populations. Here we describe the rationale and preclinical data supporting the use of autologous SVF in treatment of RA, as well as provide 1, 3, 6, and 13 month safety outcomes in 13 RA patients treated with this approach. http://www.intarchmed.com/content/5/1/5 Jorge Paz Rodriguez Michael Murphy Soonjun Hong Marialaura Madrigal Keith March Boris Minev Robert Harman Chien-Shing Chen Ruben Berrocal Timmons Annette Marleau Neil Riordan International Archives of Medicine 2012, null:5 2012-02-08T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/1755-7682-5-5 /content/figures/1755-7682-5-5-toc.gif International Archives of Medicine 1755-7682 ${item.volume} 5 2012-02-08T00:00:00Z XML Cellular therapy for spinal cord injury (SCI) is overviewed focusing on bone marrow mononuclear cells, olfactory ensheathing cells, and mesenchymal stem cells. A case is made for the possibility of combining cell types, as well as for allogeneic use. We report the case of 29 year old male who suffered a crush fracture of the L1 vertebral body, lacking lower sensorimotor function, being a score A on the ASIA scale. Stem cell therapy comprised of intrathecal administration of allogeneic umbilical cord blood ex-vivo expanded CD34 and umbilical cord matrix MSC was performed 5 months, 8 months, and 14 months after injury. Cell administration was well tolerated with no adverse effects observed. Neuropathic pain subsided from intermittent 10/10 to once a week 3/10 VAS. Recovery of muscle, bowel and sexual function was noted, along with a decrease in ASIA score to "D". This case supports further investigation into allogeneic-based stem cell therapies for SCI. http://www.intarchmed.com/content/3/1/30 Thomas Ichim Fabio Solano Fabian Lara Eugenia Paris Federico Ugalde Jorge Paz Rodriguez Boris Minev Vladimir Bogin Famela Ramos Erik Woods Michael Murphy Amit Patel Robert Harman Neil Riordan International Archives of Medicine 2010, null:30 2010-11-11T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/1755-7682-3-30 /content/figures/1755-7682-3-30-toc.gif International Archives of Medicine 1755-7682 ${item.volume} 30 2010-11-11T00:00:00Z XML Background: In 2009, there was an influenza pandemic in South Korea. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory characteristics of this infection in children and adults. Methods: We evaluated the epidemiologic characteristics of patients infected with the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus (4,463 patients, age range from 2 mo to 86 y), and the clinical and laboratory findings of 373 inpatients (80/217 children, ≤ 15 y, had pneumonia and 36/156 adults, > 16 y, had pneumonia) in a single hospital during the epidemic. Results: The majority of infected patients (94%) were less than 40 y, and greater than 90% of cases occurred during a two-month period. The rates of admission and pneumonia were 8.4% (373/4,463) and 2.5% (116/4,463), respectively. The rates of admission and pneumonia, total duration of fever, the frequency of underlying diseases, and the values of C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate tended to increase as age increased; highest rates were found in the ≥ 65 y group. Pneumonia was founded more boys than girls in children, but more female than male in adults. The adult patients with pneumonia had higher leukocyte counts with lower lymphocyte differentials than the group without pneumonia, as shown in children group. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the immunologic reaction to viral insults may be associated with age, sex and underlying diseases, and that unknown herd immunity may affect populations. The patients with underlying diseases, especially in older patients may have immunologic insufficiency that is associated with immunologic consumption by the underlying diseases. http://www.intarchmed.com/content/5/1/13 Jung-Woo Rhim Eun-Ji Go Kyung-Yil Lee You-Sook Youn Myung-Sook Kim Sun-Hee Park Ji-Chang Kim Jin-Han Kang International Archives of Medicine 2012, null:13 2012-03-26T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/1755-7682-5-13 /content/figures/1755-7682-5-13-toc.gif International Archives of Medicine 1755-7682 ${item.volume} 13 2012-03-26T00:00:00Z XML Although acute pericarditis has charachteristic electrocardiographic (ECG) findings that differentiate it from acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI); in certain cases diagnosis is somewhat difficult especially when the ECG reveals focal instead of diffuse changes and moreover when pericarditis is associated with an underlying myocarditis causing elevation of the cardiac biomarkers therefore increasing the difficulty in differentiating between both enteties. This is especially important because adverse lethal side effect can occur if thrombolytic therapy is administered for a patient with acute pericarditis, or if a diagnosis of transmural MI is missed. In this case report we are describing an 18 year old male patient who presented with an acute onset of severe chest pain associated with focal ECG changes and elevated cardiac enzymes mimicking transmural MI. This report aims to sensitize readers to this debate and create awareness among cardiologists and intensivists with both presentations and how to reach an accurate diagnosis. http://www.intarchmed.com/content/2/1/37 Hesham Omar Ahmed Fathy Rania Rashad Mohamed Elghonemi International Archives of Medicine 2009, null:37 2009-12-09T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/1755-7682-2-37 /content/figures/1755-7682-2-37-toc.gif International Archives of Medicine 1755-7682 ${item.volume} 37 2009-12-09T00:00:00Z XML Background: Medication administration errors in patient care have been shown to be frequent and serious. Such errors are particularly prevalent in highly technical specialties such as the intensive care unit (ICU). In Ethiopia, the prevalence of medication administration errors in the ICU is notstudied.ObjectiveTo assess medication administration errors in the intensive care unit of Jimma University Specialized Hospital (JUSH), Southwest Ethiopia. Methods: Prospective observation based cross-sectional study was conducted in the ICU of JUSH from February 7 to March 24, 2011. All medication interventions administered by the nurses to all patients admitted to the ICU during the study period were included in the study. Data were collected by directly observing drug administration by the nurses supplemented with review of medication charts. Data was edited, coded and entered in to SPSS for windows version16.0. Descriptive statistics was used to measure the magnitude and type of the problem under study. Results: Prevalence of medication administration errors in the ICU of JUSH was 621 (51.8 %).Common administration errors were attributed to wrong timing (30.3 %), omission due to unavailability (29.0 %) and missed doses (18.3 %) among others. Errors associated with antibiotics took the lion's share in medication administration errors (36.7 %). Conclusion: Medication errors at the administration phase were highly prevalent in the ICU of Jimma University Specialized Hospital. Supervision to the nurses administering medications by more experienced ICU nurses or other relevant professionals in regular intervals is helpful inensuring that medication errors don't occur as frequently as observed in this study. http://www.intarchmed.com/content/5/1/15 Asrat Agalu Yemane Ayele Worku Bedada Mirkuzie Woldie International Archives of Medicine 2012, null:15 2012-05-04T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/1755-7682-5-15 /content/figures/1755-7682-5-15-toc.gif International Archives of Medicine 1755-7682 ${item.volume} 15 2012-05-04T00:00:00Z PDF Coronary artery diseases (CAD) inflict a heavy economical and social burden on most populations and contribute significantly to their morbidity and mortality rates. Low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) associated familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is the most frequent Mendelian disorder and is a major risk factor for the development of CAD. To date there is no cure for FH. The primary goal of clinical management is to control hypercholesterolaemia in order to decrease the risk of atherosclerosis and to prevent CAD. Permanent phenotypic correction with single administration of a gene therapeutic vector is a goal still needing to be achieved. The first ex vivo clinical trial of gene therapy in FH was conducted nearly 18 years ago. Patients who had inherited LDLR gene mutations were subjected to an aggressive surgical intervention involving partial hepatectomy to obtain the patient's own hepatocytes for ex vivo gene transfer with a replication deficient LDLR-retroviral vector. After successful re-infusion of transduced cells through a catheter placed in the inferior mesenteric vein at the time of liver resection, only low-level expression of the transferred LDLR gene was observed in the five patients enrolled in the trial. In contrast, full reversal of hypercholesterolaemia was later demonstrated in in vivo preclinical studies using LDLR-adenovirus mediated gene transfer. However, the high efficiency of cell division independent gene transfer by adenovirus vectors is limited by their short-term persistence due to episomal maintenance and the cytotoxicity of these highly immunogenic viruses. Novel long-term persisting vectors derived from adeno-associated viruses and lentiviruses, are now available and investigations are underway to determine their safety and efficiency in preparation for clinical application for a variety of diseases. Several novel non-viral based therapies have also been developed recently to lower LDL-C serum levels in FH patients. This article reviews the progress made in the 18 years since the first clinical trial for gene therapy of FH, with emphasis on the development, design, performance and limitations of viral based gene transfer vectors used in studies to ameliorate the effects of LDLR deficiency. http://www.intarchmed.com/content/3/1/36 Faisal Al-Allaf Charles Coutelle Simon Waddington Anna David Richard Harbottle Michael Themis International Archives of Medicine 2010, null:36 2010-12-13T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/1755-7682-3-36 /content/figures/1755-7682-3-36-toc.gif International Archives of Medicine 1755-7682 ${item.volume} 36 2010-12-13T00:00:00Z XML Background: Catching an object is a complex movement that involves not only programming but also effective motor coordination. Such behavior is related to the activation and recruitment of cortical regions that participates in the sensorimotor integration process. This study aimed to elucidate the cortical mechanisms involved in anticipatory actions when performing a task of catching an object in free fall. Methods: Quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) was recorded using a 20-channel EEG system in 20 healthy right-handed participants performed the catching ball task. We used the EEG coherence analysis to investigate subdivisions of alpha (8-12 Hz) and beta (12-30 Hz) bands, which are related to cognitive processing and sensory-motor integration. Results: Notwithstanding, we found the main effects for the factor block; for alpha-1, coherence decreased from the first to sixth block, and the opposite effect occurred for alpha-2 and beta-2, with coherence increasing along the blocks. Conclusion: It was concluded that to perform successfully our task, which involved anticipatory processes (i.e. feedback mechanisms), subjects exhibited a great involvement of sensory-motor and associative areas, possibly due to organization of information to process visuospatial parameters and further catch the falling object. http://www.intarchmed.com/content/5/1/9 Farmy Silva Oscar Arias-Carrion Silmar Teixeira Bruna Velasques Caroline Peressutti Flavia Paes Luis Basile Manuel Menendez-Gonzalez Eric Murillo-Rodriguez Mauricio Cagy Roberto Piedade Antonio Nardi Sergio Machado Pedro Ribeiro International Archives of Medicine 2012, null:9 2012-02-24T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/1755-7682-5-9 /content/figures/1755-7682-5-9-toc.gif International Archives of Medicine 1755-7682 ${item.volume} 9 2012-02-24T00:00:00Z XML Background: Vitamin D receptors have been mapped throughout the brain suggesting a role for vitamin D in psychosomatic disorders. Results from previous epidemiological studies on relation between vitamin D status and depression are equivocal. Also, limited information is available relating vitamin D status with depression in young adult US population. Methods: Data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to assess association between serum vitamin D and depression in 7970 non-institutionalized US residents, aged 15-39 y. Assessment of depression was done using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule developed by the National Institute of Mental Health. After accounting for several confounding variables in multivariate logistic regression analysis, we estimated odds ratios (OR) for having depression in vitamin D deficient persons in comparison to vitamin D sufficient persons. Results: Women, non-Hispanic blacks, persons living below poverty, persons who did not consume supplements, persons living in South and West regions and in urban areas, persons with higher BMI, and persons with current depression had higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency compared to their counterparts. OR for having current depressive episodes in persons with serum vitamin D ≤ 50 nmol/L is significantly higher relative to those with serum vitamin D ≥ 75 nmol/L (OR = 1.85; P = 0.021). Conclusions: In this large population based study, likelihood of having depression in persons with vitamin D deficiency is significantly higher compared to those with vitamin D sufficiency. Early diagnosis and intervention are paramount because coexistence of vitamin D deficiency and depression has serious negative consequences on health. http://www.intarchmed.com/content/3/1/29 Vijay Ganji Cristiana Milone Mildred Cody Frances McCarthy Yong Wang International Archives of Medicine 2010, null:29 2010-11-11T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/1755-7682-3-29 Vitamin D deficiency linked to depression The likelihood of a person suffering depression is significantly higher for those with vitamin D deficiency compared to those with vitamin D sufficiency, as demonstrated by a large population based study in the US. /content/figures/1755-7682-3-29-toc.gif International Archives of Medicine 1755-7682 ${item.volume} 29 2010-11-11T00:00:00Z XML Sclerosing mesenteritis (SM) is a rare pathological condition affecting the mesentery. It is a benign, non-specific inflammation of the adipose tissue of the mesentery of the small intestine and colon. It is characterized by a variable amount of chronic fibrosis. Its etiology is unknown, the pathogenesis is obscure, while the pathological characteristics of the disease are unspecific. The initial clinical presentation varies from typically asymptomatic to that of an acute abdomen. The diagnosis is suggested by computed tomography but is usually confirmed by surgical biopsies. Treatment is largely empirical; it is decided upon on the basis of the clinical condition of the patient, and usually a few specific drugs are used. Surgical resection is sometimes attempted for definitive therapy, although the surgical approach is often limited. We will present five cases of SM as well as a review of the available literature in order to state and compare a variety of clinical presentations, diverse possible etiologies and dissimilar treatment options. http://www.intarchmed.com/content/4/1/17 Konstantinos Vlachos Fotis Archontovasilis Evangelos Falidas Stavros Mathioulakis Stefanos Konstandoudakis Constantinos Villias International Archives of Medicine 2011, null:17 2011-06-02T00:00:00Z doi:10.1186/1755-7682-4-17 /content/figures/1755-7682-4-17-toc.gif International Archives of Medicine 1755-7682 ${item.volume} 17 2011-06-02T00:00:00Z XML