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Selected AbstractsEffect of mixed feeding schedules with varying dietary protein levels on the growth of sutchi catfish, Pangasius hypophthalmus (Sauvage) with silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes) in pondsAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 7 2005Md Zulfikar Ali Abstract A 6-month feeding trial was conducted in field condition using 10 farm ponds (400,600 m2) to investigate the effect of mixed feeding schedules on the growth of sutchi catfish, Pangasius hypophthalmus with silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix. Fish were stocked at a ratio of 80:20 (sutchi catfish, 4.9±0.5 g: silver carp, 12.0±0.8 g) at the total rate of 25 000 ha,1. Two diets of high protein (30%, HP) and low protein (16%, LP) were prepared using locally available feed ingredients. Five different feeding schedules of high-protein diet continuously (HP), low-protein diet continuously (LP), 1-day low,protein/1-day high-protein diet (1LP/1HP), 7 days low,protein/7 days high-protein diet (7LP/7HP) and 14 days low,protein/14 days high-protein diet (14LP/14HP) were tested. The fish were fed twice daily at the rate of 15%, 10%, 8% and 5% of their body weight for first, second, third month and rest of experimental period respectively. Feeding rate was calculated only on the basis of sutchi catfish weight only and was adjusted every 2 weeks according to weight gain. Fish fed LP and HP on alternate day (1LP/1HP) resulted in significantly (P<0.05) higher growth rate, feed utilization and production among the treatments. However, there were no significant differences (P>0.05) between the growth rates and production of fish fed HP regularly and fish fed 7 days LP followed by 7 days HP (7LP/7HP). Fish maintained on LP grew the least. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) values for sutchi catfish ranged between 2.04 and 2.79 with feeding schedule 1LP/1HP showing the best FCR. The total production of fish (including silver carp) ranged between 8310 and 12 422 kg ha,1 6 months,1 with 1LP/1HP feeding schedule resulting in the highest production and net profit. The study demonstrated that feeding fish continuously with HP is less economical. Thus, for profitable sutchi catfish culture with silver carp, farmers can use the mixed feeding schedule of alternate day feeding of LP and HP as a means of reducing feed costs. [source] Use of Chronic Epilepsy Models in Antiepileptic Drug Discovery: The Effect of Topiramate on Spontaneous Motor Seizures in Rats with Kainate-induced EpilepsyEPILEPSIA, Issue 1 2005Heidi L. Grabenstatter Summary:,Purpose: Potential antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are typically screened on acute seizures in normal animals, such as those induced in the maximal electroshock and pentylenetet-razole models. As a proof-of-principle test, the present experiments used spontaneous epileptic seizures in kainate-treated rats to examine the efficacy of topiramate (TPM) with a repeated-measures, crossover protocol. Methods: Kainic acid was administered in repeated low doses (5 mg/kg) every hour until each Sprague,Dawley rat experienced convulsive status epilepticus for >3 h. Six 1-month trials (n = 6,10 rats) assessed the effects of 0.3,100 mg/kg TPM on spontaneous seizures. Each trial involved six pairs of TPM and saline-control treatments administered as intraperitoneal injections on alternate days with a recovery day between each treatment day. Data analysis included a log transformation to compensate for the asymmetric distribution of values and the heterogeneous variances, which appeared to arise from clustering of seizures. Results: A significant effect of TPM was observed for 12 h (i.e., two 6-h periods) after a 30-mg/kg injection, and full recovery from the drug effect was complete within 43 h. TPM exerted a significant effect at doses of 10, 30, and 100 mg/kg, and the effects of TPM (0.3,100 mg/kg) were dose dependent. Conclusions: These data suggest that animal models with spontaneous seizures, such as kainate- and pilocarpine-treated rats, can be used efficiently for rapid testing of AEDs with a repeated-measures, crossover protocol. Furthermore, the results indicate that this design allows both dose,effect and time-course-of-recovery studies. [source] Effects of Qi therapy (external Qigong) on symptoms of advanced cancer: a single case studyEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, Issue 5 2005M.S. LEE phd The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Qi therapy (external Qigong) in the management of symptoms of advanced cancer in a man. We used a single case study design to evaluate the effectiveness of Qi therapy (external Qigong) in a 35-year-old man with advanced cancer (Stage IV) involving metastases in the stomach, lung and bone (Karnofsky performance scale: KPS, 40: requires special care and assistance, disabled). Treatment involved six days of pre-assessment, eight treatment sessions on alternate days over 16 days, and a two-week follow-up phase. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess the patient's self-reported symptoms of cancer over the intervention and follow-up periods. Following treatment, VAS scores' analysis revealed beneficial effects on pain, vomiting, dyspnoea, fatigue, anorexia, insomnia, daily activity and psychological calmness. These improvements were maintained over the two-week follow-up phase. After the first Qi therapy session, the patient discontinued medication and could sit by himself; after the fourth session, the patient was able to walk and use the toilet without assistance (improvement in KPS: 70: care for self, unable to perform normal activity or to do active work). Although limited by the single case study approach, our results support previous studies on this topic and provide reasons to conduct controlled clinical trials. [source] Singing as a handicap: the effects of food availability and weather on song output in the Australian reed warbler Acrocephalus australisJOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Mathew L. Berg Bird song is generally regarded as a sexually selected trait, and may represent a reliable handicap signal under at least certain conditions. Females may use the degree of male song production as a reliable cue to male condition or territory quality. We investigated the effect of supplementary feeding on song output in the migratory Australian reed warbler Acrocephalus australis. We experimentally increased the food availability on alternate days, and recorded several weather variables. We measured song rate and song length independently. Supplementary fed birds sang more on feeding days than on non-feeding days, while control birds did not show this effect. Song output was not significantly associated with any of the weather variables examined. Our results indicate that singing has the potential to serve as a reliable handicap signal to territorial food availability irrespective of the prevailing weather conditions. We discuss the role of energetic constraints and behavioural flexibility on the signaling function of song. [source] Accuracy of transcranial Doppler sonography for predicting cerebral infarction in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhageJOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND, Issue 8 2006Ji-Yong Lee MD Abstract Purpose. To evaluate the accuracy of transcranial Doppler (TCD) sonography using different criteria for predicting cerebral infarction due to symptomatic vasospasm. Methods. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical and radiologic data of consecutive patients admitted with acute aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in the anterior cerebral circulation between January 2001 and June 2002. TCD sonographic examinations were performed on alternate days up to 20 days after admission. Cerebral infarction was defined on CT as a new hypodensity in the vascular distribution with corresponding clinical symptoms. Vasospasm was diagnosed as mild or severe when TCD sonography revealed a mean blood flow velocity (MBFV) greater than 120 and 180 cm/s in the middle or anterior cerebral artery and in the intracranial part of the internal carotid artery, respectively. Results. A total of 93 patients with aneurysmal SAH in the anterior cerebral circulation were included. Vasospasm was demonstrated by TCD sonography in 60 patients (64.5%) and was shown via multivariable logistic regression analysis to be predictive of cerebral infarction (OR 3.11, 95% CI 1.46,6.59), with an 82.6% and 69.6% sensitivity, a 41.4% and 77.1% specificity, a 31.7% and 50.0% positive predictive value, and an 87.9% and 88.5% negative predictive value when the MBFV was greater than 120 and 180 cm/s, respectively. Conclusions. Vasospasm on TCD was found to be predictive of symptomatic cerebral infarction on CT, but its positive predictive value remained low despite the adoption of restrictive TCD criteria for vasospasm. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 34:380,384, 2006 [source] Technique for visual demonstration of germinating arbuscular mycorrhizal spores and their multiplication in potsJOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 5 2007Jitendra Panwar Abstract We describe a simple technique for the germination of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM),fungal spores and their multiplication in pots. Glomus fasciculatum, G. mosseae, and Gigaspora margarita were used. A single wheat seedling was tied to a glass slide, previously covered with filter paper with the help of thread. One single surface-sterilized AM-fungal spore was placed on the middle portion of the root of the wheat seedling using a sterilized syringe. The slide was placed vertically in a 100,mL glass beaker filled with 25,mL of root exudates,water (1:4, v/v) solution, which was collected by growing twenty wheat seedlings in a 150,mL beaker filled with 100,mL sterilized distilled water for 7 d. The slide was observed daily using a compound microscope to follow the time course of germination. In this technique, the spore is directly in contact with the host root, and a visualization of spore germination, hyphal development, and appressorium formation is possible without disrupting fungal growth or the establishment of the symbiosis. The method allows to document the germination events and to assess hyphal-elongation rates by photographing the same spore on consecutive days. The inoculated seedling was used to initiate single-spore multiplication in a sterilized (autoclave on 3 alternate days at 120°C for 120,min at 1.05,kg,cm,2 pressure) potted sandy soil (150,mL volume) into which the slide with the inoculated seedling was inserted carefully through a previously made slit. The wheat seedlings in all pots (4 treatments and 15 replications) became colonized by mycorrhiza, confirming that the establishment of the AM-fungal symbiosis is highly reproducible. Our technique permits the relatively undisturbed growth of the symbiotic partners, the visualization of germinating AM-fungal spores, and their multiplication in pots. This simple and low-cost method facilitates the production of pure lines of AM fungi from single spores, allowing for the study of intraspecific variation and potentiality for cytological, biochemical, physiological, and taxonomical studies. [source] Effects of d -Cycloserine on Extinction and Reconditioning of Ethanol-Seeking Behavior in MiceALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2009Peter A. Groblewski Background:,d -Cycloserine (DCS), a partial N -methyl- d -aspartate receptor agonist, has been shown to enhance the extinction of both cocaine and amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP). However, there have been no reports of the effects of DCS on the extinction of ethanol-conditioned behaviors in mice. Thus, the current experiments examined the effects of DCS on the extinction and subsequent reconditioning of ethanol-induced CPP in mice. Methods:, Male DBA/2J mice received either 2 or 4 pairings of ethanol (2 g/kg) with a conditioned stimulus (CS+) floor cue (and an equal number of saline pairings with a CS, floor cue on alternate days) resulting in either a weak or strong ethanol CPP, respectively. Following conditioning of a strong ethanol CPP mice received saline or 30 mg/kg DCS prior to each of the twelve 30-minute choice extinction trials administered at 48-hour intervals. Mice that had received conditioning of a weak ethanol CPP received saline, 30 or 60 mg/kg DCS immediately before each of the six 30-minute choice extinction trials. Following successful ethanol CPP extinction, mice received reconditioning trials similar to the initial conditioning trials. A final experiment examined the effects 12 DCS pre-exposures (15, 30, and 60 mg/kg) on initial conditioning of ethanol CPP. Results:, First, we showed that 2 doses of DCS (30 and 60 mg/kg) did not have aversive properties that could confound the effects on extinction of CPP (Experiment 1). Second, we showed that DCS (30 and 60 mg/kg) had no effect on the rate of extinction of either strong (Experiment 2) or weak (Experiment 3) ethanol-induced CPP. Interestingly, DCS administered during extinction interfered with reconditioning of ethanol-induced CPP,an effect specific to reconditioning, as DCS pre-exposure did not influence initial ethanol CPP conditioning (Experiment 4). Conclusions:, These experiments show that although DCS showed no effect on extinction behavior, when given during extinction it interfered with subsequent reconditioning of ethanol CPP. The mechanisms of this effect were not, however, due to nonspecific interference with learning because repeated DCS pre-exposures did not impair initial conditioning of ethanol CPP. [source] HPA-suppressive effects of aqueous clobetasol propionate in the treatment of patients with oral lichen planusJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 9 2010MA Gonzalez-Moles Abstract Background, Oral topical corticosteroids have potential to produce inhibition of the hypothalamus,pituitary,adrenal (HPA) axis. Objective, To assess whether clobetasol propionate (CP) in aqueous solution causes HPA inhibition. Patients and methods, Sixty-two patients with oral lichen planus or oral lichenoid lesions presenting with severe lesions were treated with topical oral 0.05% CP plus 100 000 IU/cm3 nystatin in aqueous solution. Initial treatment of three 5-min mouthwashes (10 mL) daily was reduced, when the response was deemed complete or excellent, to a maintenance treatment of one 5-min mouthwash on alternate days for 6 months; treatment was then withdrawn and patients were followed up for 1 year. HPA function was assessed by plasma cortisol measurement and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) stimulation at the end of the initial and maintenance treatment regimens. Results, The HPA axis was more frequently inhibited during initial (53/62; 85.5%) vs. maintenance (2/49; 4%) regimens of aqueous CP. Limitations, In patients with morning plasma cortisol levels between 3 and 18 ,g/dL, a normal result for the ACTH stimulation test only moderately reduces the possibility that a patient has secondary adrenal insufficiency. This can be considered a minor limitation in our study, as only three patients required additional assessment with the ACTH stimulation test. Conclusions, Hypothalamus,pituitary,adrenal inhibition is substantial during initial treatment with aqueous CP three times daily. [source] An alternate-day corticosteroid regimen for pemphigus vulgaris.JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 10 2007A 13-year prospective study Abstract Background, Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) at the early, usually oral and relatively stable stage, represents the majority of PV patients. Treatment modalities usually do not differ compared to those for the fully established disease. Objectives, To prospectively assess a standardized and effective therapeutic approach that aims at less morbidity due to adverse reactions. Methods, The following regimen, also known as Lever's mini treatment (LMT), was used. Forty mg of oral prednisone on alternate days plus 100 mg azathioprine every day were administered until the complete healing of all lesions. A gradual monthly and later bimonthly decrease of prednisone was followed by the tapering of a second immunosuppressive agent, in a one-year period. Results, Seventy-four patients suffering from early-stage-PV, and representing 70% of all PV patients seen through the years 1991,2003, were eligible in the study. Total follow-up period was 76 ± 37 (26,180) months. During the 53 ± 26 months of LMT, 6 (8%) patients dropped out of therapy, 9 (12%) required a change to another treatment, two (3%) died and 57 (77%) achieved a lesion-free condition. Forty-five (61%) patients were in complete remission for 27 ± 29 months. Significant morbidity was estimated 4/74 (5.2%). Disease ,breakthroughs' necessitating treatment adjustments occurred in 30 patients, usually throughout the last phase of therapy and post-treatment follow-up. Conclusion, LMT may be a standardized therapeutic approach for the early and relatively stable stage of PV, resulting in high efficacy, safety and quality of life profile. [source] Whole-body UVB (TL-01) or UVA-1 irradiation does not alter the levels of immunomodulatory cytokines in the serum of human volunteersPHOTODERMATOLOGY, PHOTOIMMUNOLOGY & PHOTOMEDICINE, Issue 2 2004P. Mcloone Background/Purpose: Ultraviolet (UV) exposure of mammalian skin induces local and systemic immunosuppression. In mice it has been proposed that systemic immunosuppression is mediated by an UV-induced cytokine cascade involving systemic interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 and a reduction in IL-12 activity. To investigate whether there was a parallel mechanism in humans we examined the effect of whole-body narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) (311,313 nm; TL-01) and ultraviolet A (UVA)-1 (340,400 nm) on serum cytokine levels. Methods/Results: In a first study, five male psoriatic subjects were whole-body irradiated with three sessions of a standard UVB (TL-01) phototherapy regimen previously shown to cause downregulation of natural killer cell activity and T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) of sera taken before and after the third session showed no effect of phototherapy on IL-10 and tumour necrosis factor-, (TNF-,). In a second study, five healthy subjects received three whole-body exposures of UVB (TL-01) and five other healthy subjects received three exposures of UVA-1 on alternate days (total 22 J/cm2). Blood samples were taken before the first irradiation and at 0, 4, 8, 12, 14, 24 and 48 h after the third irradiation. The sera were subsequently analysed for IL-10, IL-12, IL-8, IL-1, and TNF-,, by ELISA. The levels of IL-1, and TNF-, were below detection limits (<5 pg/ml), while no significant change in the levels of IL-10, IL-12 or IL-8 was detected as a result of either TL-01 or UVA-1. Conclusion: It seems unlikely that a modulation in these circulating cytokines assessed in this study accounts for systemic UV-induced immunosuppression in human subjects. [source] Latest news and product developmentsPRESCRIBER, Issue 4 2007Article first published online: 3 APR 200 Low-dose aspirin may reduce asthma risk Low-dose aspirin may reduce the risk of new-onset asthma, according to a US analysis (Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2007;175:120-5). Prompted by speculation of such a link, the authors conducted a post-hoc analysis of the Physicians' Health Study, a placebo-controlled study of aspirin 325mg on alternate days involving 22 071 men aged 40-84. The risk of developing a new diagnosis of asthma during the five-year study was reduced by 22 per cent (p=0.045) among those taking aspirin. However, the number of cases was low: 113 among aspirin recipients and 145 with placebo. The clinical importance of this finding is therefore uncertain, though it received wide coverage in the lay media. Lifestyle changevsdrugs in type 2 diabetes Modifying lifestyle is at least as effective as drugs in delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes in people with impaired glucose tolerance, according to a study from Leicester (BMJ online. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39063.689375.55). The meta-analysis of 17 trials involving 8084 participants found that lifestyle change or orlistat approximately halved the risk of progressing to diabetes, whereas oral hypoglycaemic agents reduced the risk by 30 per cent. A Chinese herb, jiang tang bushen, reduced the risk by two-thirds. The analysis was conducted before the findings of major trials of rosiglitazone (Avandia) , DREAM and ADOPT , were published. Optician prescribing The diagnosis and treatment of disorders such as conjunctivitis by opticians is to be an enhanced service that PCTs can commission according to local need, a Department of Health review has concluded. The General Ophthalmic Services Review considered new arrangements to support PCTs provide ophthalmic services. Professional representatives proposed that the diagnosis and treatment of some eye conditions should be classed as ,additional services' that PCTs should be obliged to commission. While the Department agreed that opticians can play an important role, it found a lack of evidence of benefits and concluded that PCTs should be able to determine their level of services. A commissioning toolkit has been produced to help implement the review's findings. Warfarin stroke risk A four-fold increase in warfarin use has been linked with an increased incidence of intracerebral haemorrhage in a US study (Neurology 2007;68:116-21). Reviewing all first admissions for haemorrhagic stroke in the Cincinnati area, the study found that the proportion of cases associated with warfarin or heparin increased from 5 per cent in 1988 to 9 per cent in 1993/94 and 17 per cent in 1999. The annual incidence among patients aged 80 or older increased from 2.5 to 46 per 100 000 from 1988 to 1999. During the same period, warfarin distribution increased four-fold and there was no change in the incidence of thromboembolic strokes. Co-proxamol will go, MHRA reaffirms The MHRA has confirmed that it still intends to withdraw co-proxamol from the market despite protestations from MPs. The issue was raised by two MPs , one a member of the Health Select Committee , in a House of Commons debate. Both called for the withdrawal process to be abandoned, arguing that GPs should have the right to prescribe a drug for which there may be no alternative. The MHRA has restated its view that the risk from overdose with co-proxamol outweighs its benefits, adding: ,The avoidable death toll from co-proxamol overdose cannot be ignored. Sometimes regulation has to balance the needs of the individual against the benefits at a population level. In this case the removal of marketing authorisations with continued use possible in exceptional circumstances is the best balance that could be achieved. The public health gain is already becoming apparent.' Co-proxamol may still be prescribed as an unlicensed drug after its product licence is withdrawn at the end of this year. Guide to pharmacy services A guide to community pharmacy services has been published for patients, carers and members of patient organisations. Developed by the South East Local Pharmaceutical Committee Forum, Understanding and Making the Best Use of Community Pharmacy explains what pharmacies offer and the services available under the 2005 pharmacy contract. Copies can be downloaded from www.psnc.org.uk/resources. Little benefit from opioids for back pain There is little evidence that opioids relieve chronic back pain but the risk of abuse is high, according to a US analysis (Ann Intern Med 2007;146:116-27). The systematic review of trials of oral, topical and transdermal opioids in the treatment of chronic back pain found no trials lasting more than 16 weeks. There was no significant reduction in pain in placebo-controlled trials and limited, nonsignificant pain reductions in comparative trials. By contrast, estimates of prevalence of current substance misuse were as high as 43 per cent and that of ,aberrant medication-taking behaviours' ranged from 5 to 24 per cent. Dual antiplatelet therapy with drug-eluting stents Patients with drug-eluting stents should not stop dual antiplatelet therapy prematurely (Circulation 2007; published online 15 January; DOI: 10.1161/CIRCUL ATIONAHA.106.180944). Although 12 months' treatment with low-dose aspirin plus a thienopyri- dine, eg clopidogrel (Plavix) and ticlopidine, has been shown to reduce cardiac events after implanting a drug-eluting stent, it is not uncommon for the thienopyridine to be discontinued. Health professionals must do more to educate patients about their treatment and the risks associated with stopping. Scottish approval The SMC (www.scottishmedicines.org.uk) has approved varenicline (Champix) for use within NHS Scotland as part of a smoking cessation programme; it notes that the benefits of extending a course of treatment beyond the initial 12 weeks are modest. Controversially, the SMC has not approved omalizumab (Xolair) as add-on therapy for severe persistent allergic asthma on the grounds that an economic case had not been made. Asthma UK criticised the decision as unjust and inhumane. NICE is due to publish an appraisal of omalizumab later this year. No decline with anti- psychotics Treatment with anti- psychotics does not hasten cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease, say investigators from London (J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2007;78:25-9). Their prospective study of 224 patients found no difference in the rate of cognitive decline in those treated with antipsychotics (atypical or otherwise) for at least six months. Label translation online Health IT consultancy Rxinfo has developed a website offering translations of the most common types of labelling. The site (www.translabel.co.uk) offers translations into 13 Asian and European languages for 15 standard labelling phrases covering oral medicines and ENT formulations. A free application can be downloaded to allow direct-to-printer printing. Copyright © 2007 Wiley Interface Ltd [source] Angiogenesis and the persistence of inflammation in a rat model of proliferative synovitisARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 7 2010Sadaf Ashraf Objective To determine whether blood vessel growth at the onset of resolving synovitis leads to its subsequent persistence and whether inhibiting this angiogenesis at the onset of persistent inflammation leads to its subsequent resolution. Methods Inflammation and angiogenesis were induced by injection of 0.03% carrageenan and/or 6 pmoles of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) into rat knees. A brief treatment with the angiogenesis inhibitor PPI-2458 (5 mg/kg orally on alternate days) was administered 1 day before and up to 3 days after synovitis induction. Controls comprised naive and vehicle-treated rats. Synovial angiogenesis was measured using the endothelial cell proliferation index, and inflammation was determined by measuring joint swelling and macrophage percentage area. Data are presented as the geometric mean (95% confidence interval). Results Intraarticular injection of 0.03% carrageenan into rat knees produced acute synovitis, which was not associated with synovial angiogenesis and which resolved within 29 days. Injection of FGF-2 (6 pmoles) induced synovial angiogenesis without significant synovitis. Stimulation of angiogenesis with FGF-2 at the time of carrageenan injection was followed by synovitis that persisted for 29 days. Persistence of carrageenan/FGF-2,induced synovitis was prevented by systemic administration of 3 doses of the angiogenesis inhibitor PPI-2458 during the acute phase. Conclusion Our findings indicate that conversion of acute inflammation to chronic inflammation may be due to the stimulation of angiogenesis, and brief antiangiogenic treatment during the acute phase of synovitis may prevent its subsequent progression. Clinical studies will be needed to determine whether brief antiangiogenic treatment may reduce the burden of inflammatory joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis by facilitating the resolution of early synovitis. [source] GSM modulated radiofrequency radiation does not affect 6-sulfatoxymelatonin excretion of ratsBIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue 8 2003József Bakos Abstract In this study, the effect of exposure to 900 and 1800 MHz GSM-like radiofrequency radiation upon the urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (6SM) excretion of adult male Wistar rats was studied. Seventy-two rats were used in six independent experiments, three of which were done with 900 MHz and the other three with 1800 MHz. The exposures were performed in a gigahertz transverse electromagnetic mode (GTEM) cell. The power densities of radiation were 100 and 20 ,W/cm2 at 900 and 1800 MHz frequency, respectively. The carrier frequency was modulated with 218 Hz, as in the GSM signal. The animals were exposed for 2 h between 8:00 AM and noon daily during the 14 day exposure period. The urine of rats was collected from 12:00 AM to 8:00 AM, collecting from exposed and control animal groups on alternate days. The urinary 6SM concentration was measured by 125I radioimmunoassay and was referred to creatinine. The combined results of three experiments done with the same frequency were statistically analyzed. Statistically significant changes in the 6SM excretion of exposed rats (n,=,18) compared to control group (n,=,18) were not found either at 900 or 1800 MHz. Bioelectromagnetics 24:531,534, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Modulation of lung molecular biomarkers by ,-carotene in the Physicians' Health Study,CANCER, Issue 5 2009Chun Liu MD Abstract BACKGROUND: ,-Carotene supplementation showed neither benefit nor harm among apparently healthy physicians (all men) in the Physicians' Health Study (PHS) trial. The objective of the current investigation was to evaluate how long-term ,-carotene supplementation affects molecular markers of lung carcinogenesis in the PHS. METHODS: The protein levels of total p53, cyclin D1, proliferating cellular nuclear antigen (PCNA), retinoic acid receptor , (RAR,), and cytochrome p450 enzyme 1A1 (CYP1A1) were measured using the immunohistochemical method in 40 available archival lung tissue samples from patients who were diagnosed with lung cancer in the PHS. The protein levels of these markers were compared by category of ,-carotene treatment assignment and other characteristics using unconditional logistic regression models. RESULTS: The positivity for total p53, RAR,, cyclin D1, and PCNA was nonsignificantly lower among lung cancer patients who were assigned to receive ,-carotene than those who were assigned to receive ,-carotene placebo. There was a borderline significant difference in CYP1A1 positivity with an OR of 0.2 (95% confidence interval, 0.2-1.1; P = .06) in a comparison of men who received ,-carotene and men who received ,-carotene placebo. CONCLUSIONS: The 50-mg ,-carotene supplementation on alternate days had no significant influence on molecular markers of lung carcinogenesis that were evaluated in the PHS. This finding provides mechanistic support for the main PHS trial results of ,-carotene, which demonstrated no benefit or harm to the risk of developing lung cancer. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society. [source] | ||||||||||||||||