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Terms modified by Showed Selected AbstractsEmbryonic holoprosencephaly: pathology and phenotypic variabilityCONGENITAL ANOMALIES, Issue 4 2006Shigehito Yamada ABSTRACT Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is one of the major brain anomalies caused by the failure of cleavage of the prosencephalon during the early stage of development. Over 200 cases of HPE in the Kyoto Collection of Human Embryos were observed grossly and histologically, with special emphasis on the anomalies of the brain, face and eye. The facial anomalies of HPE human embryos after Carnegie stage (CS) 18 could be classified into cyclopia, synophthalmia, ethmocephaly, cebocephaly, and premaxillary agenesis, similarly as the classical classification for postnatal cases. On the other hand, HPE embryos at CS 13,17 showed some characteristic facies which are different from those in older embryos. In the present paper, pathology and phenotypic variability in HPE embryos were discussed from the embryopathological point of view. Recently, the molecular mechanism of HPE has been clarified by the techniques of gene manipulation, and various HPE genes have been identified by gene analysis of familial HPE cases. HPE is one of the major CNS anomalies which have been extensively studied and provides a clue to the mechanisms of normal and abnormal development of craniofacial structures. [source] Cor Triatriatum Sinister with and without Left Ventricular Inflow Obstruction: Visualization of the Entire Supravalvular Membrane by Real-time Three-dimensional Echocardiography.CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE, Issue 6 2006Impact on Clinical Management of Individual Patient ABSTRACT We present 4 cases of cor triatriatum in whom the diagnosis was correctly made by 2-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography, which showed the supravalvular left atrial membrane that divides the left atrium into 2 chambers. The pulmonary veins were connected normally to the proximal left atrial chamber and the left atrial appendage was connected to the distal left atrial chamber. In 1 patient there was evidence of severe pulmonary venous obstruction to the mitral valve by Doppler examination, while in the other three, there was no venous obstruction. Patients were then examined by real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE, using ×4 matrix array transducer connected to Sonos 7500 echocardiographic system Phillips, Andover, Mass, USA). This showed the exact morphology of the membrane and led to cancellation of planed surgical intervention in 1 case in which the membrane was only a broad band crossing the left atrial cavity. In addition to delineating the exact morphology of the intracavitary anomaly, this novel echocardiographic imaging modality should be an additive tool to better understand the natural history of these nonobstructive left atrial membranes via longitudinal follow-up of these patients. [source] Skin-sensitizing and irritant properties of propylene glycolCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 5 2005Data analysis of a multicentre surveillance network (IVDK, review of the literature In the several publications reviewed in this article, propylene glycol (PG; 1,2-propylene glycol) is described as a very weak contact sensitizer, if at all. However, particular exposures to PG-containing products might be associated with an elevated risk of sensitization. To identify such exposures, we analysed patch test data of 45 138 patients who have been tested with 20% PG in water between 1992 and 2002. Out of these, 1044 patients (2.3%) tested positively, 1083 showed a doubtful, follicular or erythematous reaction (2.4%) and 271 explicit irritant reactions (0.6%). This profile of patch test reactions is indicative of a slightly irritant preparation, and thus, many of the ,weak positive' reactions must probably be interpreted as false positive. No private or occupational exposures associated with an increased risk of PG sensitization were identified, except for lower leg dermatitis. Therefore, according to our patch test data, PG seems to exhibit very low sensitization potential, and the risk for sensitization to PG on uncompromised skin seems to be very low. [source] Relaxant effects of , -adrenergic agonists on porcine and human detrusor muscleACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 2 2005J. K. Badawi Abstract Aim:, Relaxant effects of different , -adrenoceptor agonists on porcine and human detrusor were examined. Thus, the , -adrenoceptor subtype mainly responsible for relaxation in the detrusor muscle of pigs was characterized. Additionally, different effects of several , -agonists in both species were shown. Methods:, Experiments were performed on muscle strips of porcine and human detrusor suspended in a tissue bath. The relaxant effects of the non-selective , -agonist isoprenaline, the selective ,2-agonists procaterol, salbutamol and the selective ,3-agonists BRL 37344, CL 316 243 and CGP 12177 on potassium-induced contraction were investigated. The inhibitory effect of different substances on the maximum contraction and the rank order of potency for endogenous catecholamines was determined in pigs. Furthermore, concentration-relaxation curves were performed for pigs and humans. Results:,Pigs: In the pre-treatment experiments isoprenaline and procaterol showed similar effects. The concentration,response experiments showed that the maximum relaxation induced by procaterol and salbutamol was more than 90%, not significantly different from isoprenaline, whereas the maximum relaxations of CL 316 243, BRL 37344 and CGP 12177 amounted to 68, 70 or 30%, respectively. Rank order of potencies was isoprenaline , adrenaline > noradrenaline. Humans: Isoprenaline, procaterol, salbutamol and CL 316 243 showed a maximum relaxation of 80, 41, 24 and 35% and pD2 values of 6.24, 5.65, 5.48 and 5.55, respectively. Conclusion:,,2-receptors play a main functional role in mediating relaxation of porcine detrusor. Selective ,2- and ,3-agonists similarly relax the human detrusor. Effects were smaller compared with the pig. [source] The use of p63 as an effective immunomarker in the diagnosis of pulmonary squamous cell carcinomas on de-stained bronchial lavage cytological smearsCYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2010M. Uke M. Uke, B. Rekhi, D. Ajit and N. A. Jambhekar The use of p63 as an effective immunomarker in the diagnosis of pulmonary squamous cell carcinomas on de-stained bronchial lavage cytological smears Objectives:, A diagnosis in pulmonary onco-cytopathology primarily necessitates distinguishing small cell carcinoma (SCLC) from non-small cell carcinoma (NSCLC), which includes squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Lately, p63 antibody has been used for distinguishing squamous cell carcinoma from SCLC and adenocarcinoma. We present an analysis of p63 expression in cytological smears from 100 bronchial lavage specimens comprising 51 cases of SCLC and 49 cases of NSCLC. Methods:, A single Papanicolaou-stained conventional smear was de-stained and re-fixed with cold acetone and methanol for immunocytochemical staining with p63 antibody. Staining results were graded as 0 (nil), 1+ (focal), 2+ (moderate, diffuse) and 3+ (strong, diffuse). Results:, Out of 100 cases, 21 were cytologically diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. Twenty of these showed 2+ or 3+ p63 positivity, whereas one, which was adenocarcinoma on histology, showed 1+ staining. Of seven cases cytologically diagnosed as adenocarcinoma, six showed no p63 staining, whereas one, which was squamous cell carcinoma on histology, showed 1+ staining. All 48 cases cytologically diagnosed as SCLC were confirmed as such on histology and showed no p63 staining. Four cases were cytologically designated as poorly differentiated carcinomas, of which three showed no p63 staining and one showed 3+ staining. The former three were found to be SCLC on histology while the latter was squamous cell carcinoma. The remaining 20 cases were cytologically designated as NSCLC. Of these, eight showed no p63 staining, whereas 10 showed 1+ and two showed 2+ staining. The former eight were adenocarcinoma on histology and the latter two were squamous cell carcinoma. The 10 cases that showed 1+ p63 staining were adenocarcinomas (n = 5), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 4) and NSCLC, not otherwise specified (n = 1). Positive staining was seen in normal basal cells, which acted as an internal control. Overall sensitivity of p63 for squamous cell carcinoma was 100% and specificity was 90.4%. Conclusions:, p63 immunostaining on processed cytology smears can be used to help identify squamous cell carcinoma. Its diffuse expression was specific for squamous cell carcinoma while focal staining was also seen in adenocarcinoma. [source] Screening for depression and anxiety disorders in primary care patientsDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 7 2007Adomas Bunevicius B.S. Abstract Mood and anxiety disorders are highly prevalent in primary health care. In this study we assessed performance of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for screening of depression and anxiety disorders in a population of primary care patients. A total of 503 primary care patients consecutively admitted to the primary care medical center in Kaunas, Lithuania, completed the study. We found that the HADS subscale of depression (HADS-D) at a cutoff score of 6 or more showed the best performance screening for a major depressive episode diagnosed by means of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), with a sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 69%, positive predictive value of 80%, negative predictive value of 92%, and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.75. Performance of the HADS-D against MINI diagnosis of dysthymia was weak. The HADS subscale of anxiety (HADS-A) at a cutoff score of 9 or more showed the best performance screening for MINI diagnosis of overall anxiety disorders, with a sensitivity of 77%, specificity of 75%, positive predictive value of 53%, negative predictive value of 90%, and area under the ROC curve of 0.76. These results suggest that in primary care patients HADS is an adequate screening instrument for the MINI diagnoses of major depressive episode, but not for dysthymia at a cutoff score of 6, and for anxiety disorders at a cutoff score of 9. Depression and Anxiety 24:455,460, 2007. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Injectable Hyaluronic Acid Implant for Malar and Mental EnhancementDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 7 2006FRCP, NICHOLAS J. LOWE MD BACKGROUND The use of a thicker injectable implant version of one of the hyaluronic acid dermal fillers (Restylane SubQ, Q-Med, Uppsala, Sweden) is described. OBJECTIVE A group of treated patients has been studied for more than 1 year. Restylane SubQ was injected to the submuscular plane of the upper cheeks and chin to observe efficacy of augmentation and side effect profile, and further observations were made of the duration of benefit. METHODS Patient details,72 patients were treated, 68 for upper cheek augmentation, 2 for chin augmentation, and 2 for both areas. Four patients received second injections 8 weeks after the first to increase augmentation. RESULTS Patients all showed a persistence of benefit during the posttreatment observation period of up to 64 weeks. Four patients had minor side effects that resolved with local treatment and time. Four patients had second injections to complete augmentation without complications. CONCLUSIONS Restylane SubQ is a useful injectable agent to augment and lift upper cheeks and recontour chins. Further efficacy studies seem justified. [source] Serotonin decreases generation of dopaminergic neurons from mesencephalic precursors via serotonin type 7 and type 4 receptorsDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2007J. Parga Abstract Inductive signals mediating the differentiation of neural precursors into serotonergic (5-HT) or dopaminergic neurons have not been clarified. We have recently shown that in cell aggregates obtained from rat mesencephalic precursors, reduction of serotonin levels induces a marked increase in generation of dopaminergic neurons. In the present study we treated rat neurospheres with antagonists of the main subtypes of 5-HT receptors, 5-HT transport inhibitors, or 5-HT receptor agonists, and studied the effects on generation of dopaminergic neurons. Cultures treated with Methiothepin (5-HT1,2,5,6,7 receptor antagonist), the 5-HT4 receptor antagonist GR113808;67:00,.or the 5-HT7 receptor antagonist SB 269970 showed a significant increase in generation of dopaminergic cells. Treatment with the 5-HT1B/1D antagonist GR 127935, the 5-HT2 antagonist Ritanserin, the 5-HT transporter inhibitor Fluoxetine, the dopamine and norepinephrine transport inhibitor GBR 12935, or with both inhibitors together, or 5-HT4 or 5-HT7 receptor agonists induced significant decreases in generation of dopaminergic cells. Cultures treated with WAY100635 (5-HT1A receptor antagonist), the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist Ondasetron, or the 5-HT6 receptor antagonist SB 258585 did not show any significant changes. Therefore, 5-HT4 and 5-HT7 receptors are involved in the observed serotonin-induced decrease in generation of dopaminergic neurons from proliferating neurospheres of mesencephalic precursors. 5-HT4 and 5-HT7 receptors were found in astrocytes and serotonergic cells using double immunolabeling and laser confocal microscopy, and the glial receptors appeared to play a major role. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 67: 10,22, 2007 [source] Differential physiologic responses of ,7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to ,-amyloid1,40 and ,-amyloid1,42DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2003Daniel H.S. Lee Abstract The ,-amyloid peptides (A,), A,1,40 and A,1,42, have been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Although A,1,42 is generally considered to be the pathological peptide in AD, both A,1,40 and A,1,42 have been used in a variety of experimental models without discrimination. Here we show that monomeric or oligomeric forms of the two A, peptides, when interact with the neuronal cation channel, ,7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (,7nAChR), would result in distinct physiologic responses as measured by acetylcholine release and calcium influx experiments. While A,1,42 effectively attenuated these ,7nAChR-dependent physiology to an extent that was apparently irreversible, A,1,40 showed a lower inhibitory activity that could be restored upon washings with physiologic buffers or treatment with ,7nAChR antagonists. Our data suggest a clear pharmacological distinction between A,1,40 and A,1,42. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 55: 25,30, 2003 [source] Spatial conditional discrimination learning in developing ratsDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Kevin L. Brown Abstract The present study established an effective procedure for studying spatial conditional discrimination learning in juvenile rats using a T-maze. Wire mesh located on the floor of the maze as well as a second, identical T-maze apparatus served as conditional cues which signaled whether a left or a right response would be rewarded. In Experiment 1, conditional discrimination was evident on Postnatal Day (PND) 30 when mesh,+,maze or maze-alone were the conditional cues, but not when mesh-alone was the cue. Experiment 2 confirmed that mesh-alone was sufficiently salient to support learning of a simple (nonconditional) discrimination. Its failure to serve as a conditional cue in Experiment 1 does not reflect its general ineffectiveness as a stimulus. Experiment 3 confirmed that the learning shown in Experiment 1 was indeed conditional in nature by comparing performance on conditional versus nonconditional versions of the task. Experiment 4 showed that PND19 and PND23 pups also were capable of performing the task when maze,+,mesh was the cue; however, the findings indicate that PND19 subjects do not use a conditional strategy to learn this task. The findings suggest postnatal ontogeny of conditional discrimination learning and underscore the importance of conditional cue salience, and of identifying task strategies, in developmental studies of conditional discrimination learning. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 46: 97,110, 2005. [source] Fine-needle aspiration cytology in tuberculous lymphadenitis of patients with and without HIV infectionDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 4 2004Sujata Nayak M.D. Abstract A study of the cytologic features and role of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in tuberculous lymphadenitis (TBL) of 21 patients with HIV (group 1) and 21 patients without HIV (group 2) infection was undertaken. Four cytologic patterns were observed, of which necrotizing lymphadenitis (42.9%) and necrotizing suppurative lymphadenitis (28.6%) were predominant in group 1 while necrotizing granulomatous lymphadenitis (47.7%) and granulomatous lymphadenitis (23.8%) were more common in group 2. No pattern was found specific for either group. Zeihl-Neelsen-stained cytology smears of group 1 showed a much higher percentage of positively (61.9%) and a higher density of acid-fast bacilli than group 2. Definitive diagnoses of TBL on FNAC could be provided in 61.9% of group 1 as against 9.5% of group 2. The need for culture or biopsy for definitive diagnosis was higher in group 2. In suspected TBL, diagnostic efficacy can be improved and the need for surgical biopsy reduced if material collected on FNA is also used for culture. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2004;31:204,206. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Rapid review of liquid-based smears as a quality control measureDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 3 2004Sheryl Henderson M.Med.Sc.(Cytol.) Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a standardized method of rapid review (RR) of monolayer preparations for the identification of abnormalities, the presence of an endocervical component and infectious agents. A total of 200 ThinPrep (Cytyc, Boxborough, MA) slides representing the spectrum of abnormalities commonly encountered in cervical/vaginal cytologic specimens was retrieved from archive. The study set comprised 129 cases within normal limits (WNL); 36 low-grade epithelial abnormalities (LGEA); 28 high-grade epithelial abnormalities (HGEA), including 2 endocervical adenocarcinomas in situ (AIS) and 7 carcinomas. Eighteen false negative (FN) cases were also included for study. Originally missed on initial review, these cases were found to be abnormal on quality control review (17 LGEA; 1 AIS). Commonly encountered infectious agents were represented and included Candida albicans, Trichomonas vaginalis, herpes simplex virus, and Actinomyces. The slides were reviewed using a standardized method of RR (turret technique, for 60 sec) by three experienced screeners masked to the original reference diagnosis. Median sensitivity for LGEA was 70% (range, 67,72%); HGEA, 69% (range, 54,80%); and FN, 65% (range, 56,78%). Specificity remained high, median specificity for LGEA was 95%; HGEA, 97%; and FN, 100%. There was no significant overcalling of any diagnostic category. The chi-square test at P < 0.05 showed no significant difference between RR and full manual rescreen of the ThinPrep smears in this study. While no statistical difference was proven, the sensitivity measurements for all categories of abnormality were moderate due to the high proportion of atypical cases included into the study set. Abnormalities on the monolayer preparations frequently displayed fewer, smaller groups of disaggregated cells with rounded cytoplasmic outlines that were difficult to discern on RR. Interobserver variation was noted. Monolayers with a paucity of diagnostic cells and those displaying subtle nuclear atypia were often overlooked. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2004;31:141,146. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The Use of Cluster Sampling to Determine Aid Needs in Grozny, Chechnya in 1995DISASTERS, Issue 3 2000Sean Drysdale War broke out in Chechnya in November 1994 following a three-year economic blockade. It caused widespread destruction in the capital Grozny. In April 1995 Medical Relief International - or Merlin, a British medical non-governmental organisation (NGO) - began a programme to provide medical supplies, support health centres, control communicable disease and promote preventive health-care in Grozny. In July 1995 the agency undertook a city-wide needs assessment using a modification of the cluster sampling technique developed by the Expanded Programme on Immunisation. This showed that most people had enough drinking-water, food and fuel but that provision of medical care was inadequate. The survey allowed Merlin to redirect resources earmarked for a clean water programme towards health education and improving primary health-care services. It also showed that rapid assessment by a statistically satisfactory method is both possible and useful in such a situation. [source] Patterns of interspecific associations of stem gallers on willowsDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 6 2003Jens-Peter Kopelke Abstract., The pattern of interspecific associations of three stem-galling sawfly species (Euura atra, E. elaeagnos, E. purpureae) and three stem-galling gallmidge species (Rabdophaga sp. 3,5) was investigated on five willow taxa (Salix alba, S. fragilis, S. × rubens, S. elaeagnos, S. purpurea) at five natural sites in Central Europe. The willow species harboured specific species associations of two stem gallers, each pair consisting of one Euura and one Rabdophaga species. The stem gallers were patchily distributed and their densities varied significantly among willow host plant species, host plant individuals, and host plant sexes. Four of the six species showed a significant increase in galling rate with shoot length. The other two species were the sawfly and cecidomyiid pair that induce galls on S. purpurea. The preference of stem gallers to longer shoots was generally not related to higher larval performance in terms of survival. Only one species, Rabdophaga sp. 5, was found to be more abundant on male plants. The correlation of densities of the species pairs of stem gallers was independent of willow sexes. Species pairs of stem gallers co-occurring on the same willow species tended to attack different shoots within the same host plant individual. When species pairs co-occurred on shoots they were usually found in similar densities as when occurring alone on shoots. The stem-galling sawflies usually formed galls at the basal part of a shoot, whereas the gallmidge R. sp. 5 (R. sp. 3 and R. sp. 4 showed no clear tendency) preferred the middle or distal part of a shoot. This is interpreted with differences of their phenology and oviposition period. [source] Alcohol use among Australian secondary students in 1996DRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 4 2000VICTORIA M. WHITE Abstract This research estimates the prevalence of alcohol use among Australian secondary students in 1996 and examines trends in alcohol prevalence over a 12-year period. A national randomly selected representative sample of 434 secondary schools participated in the 1996 study. Eghty students were selected randomly from each school and completed a questionnaire anonymously. Current drinking (drinking alcohol in the week before the survey) increased with age from 17% of boys and 10% of girls aged 12 to 56% of boys and 50% of girls aged 17. Comparisons with data collected by similar surveys in 1984, 1987, 1990 and 1993 showed that while fewer 12,15-year-olds were current drinkers in 1996 than in 1984 or 1987, the 1996 proportion was no different from the 1993 proportion. In 1996, there were more hazardous drinkers among male current drinkers aged 12,15 than in any other survey period. Among 16-and 17-year-olds, there were more current drinkers in 1996 than in 1993 or 1990, and more male and female current drinkers were drinking at hazardous levels in 1996 than in 1987 and 1990. Extrapolating from the 1996 findings, nearly 424000 students aged 12,17 years were current drinkers. [source] Proteomic analysis of liver cancer cells treated with 5-Aza-2,-deoxycytidine (AZA),DRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009Shujun Bai Abstract 5-Aza-2,-deoxycytidine (AZA) is a potent inhibitor of DNA methylation that exhibits anti-tumor activity in a variety of tumor cells via reactivation of tumor suppressor genes. However, few studies have been done on the biological and clinical significance of AZA in human hepatocellular carcinoma. To identify potential genes that may be aberrantly methylated and confer growth advantage to neoplastic cells and to better understand the molecular mechanism(s) underlying AZA anti-tumor activity, a proteomics approach was used to annotate global gene expression changes of HepG2 cell line pre- and post-treatment with AZA. A total of 56 differentially expressed proteins were identified by 2D gel analysis, 48 of which were up-regulated while the remaining 8 were down regulated. Among the identified proteins, eight of these showed marked changed proteins, including seven up-regulated proteins: glutathione S-transferase P, protein DJ-1, peroxiredoxin-2, UMP-CMP kinase, cytochrome c-type heme lyase, enhancer of rudimentary homolog, profilin-1, and one down-regulated protein, heat-shock protein ,,1. The possible implication of these proteins in hepatocarcinogenesis is discussed. We tested two up-regulated proteins, glutathione S-transferase P and peroxiredoxin-2, using RT-PCR and their expression was consistent with the results obtained in the protein level. Both of these genes were methylated when methylation-specific PCR was used against their promoter regions. Following treatment with AZA, the gene promoter regions were found to be unmethylated, concomitant with overexpression of the proteins compared to HepG2 cells without treatment. These data provide useful information in evaluating the therapeutic potential of AZA for the treatment of HCC. Drug Dev Res 69, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Winter energetics of Virginia opossums Didelphis virginiana and implications for the species' northern distributional limitECOGRAPHY, Issue 6 2005L. Leann KandaArticle first published online: 27 SEP 200 While climatic limitations are widely recognized as primary factors determining the distributions of many species, the physiological link between climate and species' persistence is poorly understood. The Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana is a species for which winter energetics have been evaluated and a northern geographical limit has been hypothesized. Expansion of opossum populations beyond this limit, however, suggests that a previous winter energetics model requires modification. I update this energetics model by incorporating random foraging success to estimate the probability of opossum survival under varying winter temperature regimes. Estimation of opossum "success" for winters in Amherst, Massachusetts, since 1926 showed that juvenile females, the key breeding component of the population, would survive at a rate high enough to maintain a stable population in only 4 of the 77 yr. The model correctly predicted the fate of 13 of 14 opossums monitored in the Amherst area during the winters of 2000,2003. The current energetics model does not correctly predict autumn weight gain, but it does accurately estimate opossum winter survival. However, the model predicts that opossums should be winter-limited in areas such as Amherst, Massachusetts, where in fact they are well established. This discrepancy may be explained in three ways: weather station data do not adequately reflect available microclimates, opossums show high levels of flexibility in cold-weather foraging behavior, and most likely, humans provide food and shelter that mitigate the effect of winter. [source] Nutrients, diversity, and community structure of two phytotelm systems in a lower montane forest, Puerto RicoECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 3 2000Barbara A. Richardson Summary 1. Bromeliad and heliconia phytotelmata in the same forest area were compared in terms of their animal assemblages, nutrient inputs, and plant architecture. 2. For all major elements, nutrient inputs from canopy-derived debris and rainfall in bromeliads were significantly lower than those derived from decaying flower parts and plant secretions in heliconia bracts. Bromeliads contained significantly fewer organisms per unit volume of water and unit dry weight of organic matter than did heliconia inflorescences. They also contained a significantly lower animal biomass (199 mg DW from 15 bromeliads, 527 mg DW from 15 heliconia inflorescences). 3. Species richness was independent of abundance, demonstrating that, at least for small container habitats, higher abundance does not necessarily lead to a greater species richness. Communities were remarkably similar in patterns of relative abundance and species richness (23 spp. in bromeliads, 21 spp. in heliconia), probably due to functional similarities in plant architecture, with the two most abundant species comprising 60,62% of the total community. Coefficients of similarity were low because of marked differences in species assemblages. 4. Some taxa were phytotelm generalists but most showed a preference for one particular habitat, indicating differential selection in the choice of oviposition sites and larval development within the forest ecosystem. In common with many island communities, species richness was lower than that reported for these phytotelm habitats in mainland central and south America. [source] Differential infant and child mortality in three Dutch regions, 1812,19091ECONOMIC HISTORY REVIEW, Issue 2 2005FRANS VAN POPPEL New micro-level data have recently become available for three provinces of The Netherlands for the period 1812,1912, which allow the study of the evolution of socio-economic differentials in infant and childhood mortality. The authors found significant differences in the levels of infant mortality by social group between the three provinces, and a wide variety in the pattern of social inequality. This showed the importance of the regional environment for the level of infant mortality in the nineteenth century. Contrary to expectations, strong social differences were also observed in neonatal mortality. Being born in an urban environment did not have a strong effect on survival during the first year of birth. [source] Immobilized Cytochrome c Sensor in Organic/Aqueous Media for the Characterization of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic AntioxidantsELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 18 2003Moritz Beissenhirtz Abstract A method for the characterization of antioxidants is introduced, which allows the measurement of pure hydrophilic and hydrophobic substances as well as complex cosmetic creams. The sensor is based on cytochrome c covalently immobilized on a gold wire electrode working in mixtures of phosphate buffer and organic solvents. It is combined with a superoxide generating enzyme system. The decrease of the superoxide concentration in the test solution by the added antioxidants is detected and used for the quantification of their antioxidative efficiency. Electrochemical properties of immobilized cytochrome c, such as formal potential and heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant, have been investigated in mixtures of aqueous buffer and DMSO, methanol, butanediol, and THF. The maximum organic solvent content for quasi-reversible electrode behavior was correlated to spectroscopic measurements. The activity of the radical producing enzyme in such media was determined and the radical generation characterized. The antioxidative properties of pure substance such as ascorbic acid and Biochanin A as well as of five anti-ageing cosmetic creams were studied. This showed also the influence of matrix composition on the efficiency of antioxidative supplements. [source] Progressive stage transition does mean getting better: a further test of the Transtheoretical Model in recovery from alcohol problemsADDICTION, Issue 6 2009Nick Heather ABSTRACT Aims To test two central assumptions of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) regarding recovery from alcohol problems: (i) individuals making a forward transition from pre-action to action stages will show greater drinking improvements than those remaining in pre-action stages; and (ii) individuals remaining in pre-action stages will not demonstrate improvements in drinking outcomes. Design and setting Large, multi-centre, randomized controlled trial of treatment for alcohol problems [United Kingdom Alcohol Treatment Trial (UKATT)]. Measurements Stage of change, drinks per drinking day and percentage days abstinent at baseline, 3- and 12-month follow-ups. Findings In support of TTM assumption 1, improvements in drinking outcomes were consistently greater among clients who showed a forward stage transition (Cohen's d = 0.68) than among those who did not (d = 0.10). Two tests of assumption 2 showed a significant improvement in drinking outcomes in non-transition groups, inconsistent with the TTM; one test showed a significant deterioration and the other showed equivalent drinking outcomes across time. An explanation is offered as to why, under the relevant assumption of the TTM, clients in non-transition groups showed small changes in drinking outcomes. Conclusions In contrast to a previous study by Callaghan and colleagues, our findings largely support the TTM account of recovery from alcohol problems in treatment. The discrepancy can be explained by the use in our study of a more reliable and valid method for assigning stage of change. [source] Evolution of latex and its constituent defensive chemistry in milkweeds (Asclepias): a phylogenetic test of plant defense escalationENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA, Issue 1 2008Anurag A. Agrawal Abstract A tremendous diversity of plants exude sticky and toxic latex upon tissue damage, and its production has been widely studied as a defensive adaptation against insect herbivores. Here, we address variation in latex production and its constituent chemical properties (cardenolides and cysteine proteases) in 53 milkweeds [Asclepias spp. (Apocynaceae)], employing a phylogenetic approach to test macroevolutionary hypotheses of defense evolution. Species were highly variable for all three traits, and they showed little evidence for strong phylogenetic conservatism. Latex production and the constituent chemical defenses are thus evolutionarily labile and may evolve rapidly. Nonetheless, in phylogenetically independent analyses, we show that the three traits show some correlations (and thus share a correlated evolutionary history), including a positive correlation between latex exudation and cysteine protease activity. Conversely, latex exudation and cysteine protease activity both showed a trade-off with cardenolide concentrations in latex. We also tested whether these traits have increased in their phenotypic values as the milkweeds diversified, as predicted by plant defense escalation theory. Alternative methods of testing this prediction gave conflicting results , there was an overall negative correlation between amount of evolutionary change and amount of latex exudation; however, ancestral state reconstructions indicated that most speciation events were associated with increases in latex. We conclude by (i) summarizing the evidence of milkweed latex itself as a multivariate defense including the amount exuded and toxin concentrations within, (ii) assessing the coordinated evolution of latex traits and how this fits with our previous notion of ,plant defense syndromes', and finally, (iii) proposing a novel hypothesis that includes an ,evolving community of herbivores' that may promote the escalation or decline of particular defensive strategies as plant lineages diversify. [source] A molecular assessment of the iron stress response in the two phylogenetic clades of TrichodesmiumENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2010P. Dreux Chappell Summary Trichodesmium spp. play key roles in global carbon and nitrogen budgets and thus defining what controls their productivity is important for understanding climate change. While iron availability has been shown to be an important chemical factor for controlling both growth and nitrogen fixation rates in Trichodesmium, all culture experiments to date have focused solely on representatives from one clade of Trichodesmium. Genomic sequence analysis determined that the Trichodesmium erythraeum (IMS101) genome contains many of the archetypical genes involved in the prokaryotic iron stress response. Focusing on three of these genes, isiB, idiA and feoB, we found that all three showed an iron stress response in axenic T. erythraeum (IMS101), and their sequences were well conserved across four species in our Trichodesmium culture collection [consisting of two T. erythraeum strains (IMS101 and GBRTRLI101), two Trichodesmium tenue strains (Z-1 and H9-4), Trichodesmium thiebautii and Trichodesmium spiralis]. With clade-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) primers for one of these genes, isiB, we found that high isiB expression at low Fe levels corresponded to specific reductions in N2 fixation rates in both major phylogenetic clades of Trichodesmium (the T. erythraeum clade and T. tenue clade). With regard to the two clades, the most significant difference determined was temperature optima, while more subtle differences in growth, N2 fixation rate and gene expression responses to Fe stress were also observed. However the apparent conservation of the Fe stress response in the Trichodesmium genus suggests that it is an important adaptation for their niche in the oligotrophic ocean. [source] Use of monoclonal antibodies to quantify the dynamics of ,-galactosidase and endo-1,4-,-glucanase production by Trichoderma hamatum during saprotrophic growth and sporulation in peatENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2005Christopher R. Thornton Summary Trichoderma species are ubiquitous soil and peat-borne saprotrophs that have received enormous scientific interest as biocontrol agents of plant diseases caused by destructive root pathogens. Mechanisms of biocontrol such as antibiosis and hyperparasitism are well documented and the biochemistry and molecular genetics of these processes defined. An aspect of biocontrol that has received little attention is the ability of Trichoderma species to compete for nutrients in their natural environments. Trichoderma species are efficient producers of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes that enable them to colonize organic matter thereby preventing the saprotrophic spread of plant pathogens. This study details the use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to quantify the production of two enzymes implicated in the saprotrophic growth of Trichoderma species in peat. Using mAbs specific to the hemicellulase enzyme ,-galactosidase (AGL) and the cellulase enzyme endo-1,4-,-glucanase (EG), the relationship between the saprotrophic growth dynamics of a biocontrol strain of Trichoderma hamatum and the concomitant production of these enzymes in peat-based microcosms was studied. Enzyme activity assays and enzyme protein concentrations derived by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) established the precision and sensitivity of mAb-based assays in quantifying enzyme production during active growth of the fungus. Trends in enzyme activities and protein concentrations were similar for both enzymes, during a 21-day sampling period in which active growth and sporulation of the fungus in peat was quantified using an independent mAb-based assay. There was a sharp increase in active biomass of T. hamatum 3 days after inoculation of microcosms with phialoconidia. After 3 days there was a rapid decline in active biomass which coincided with sporulation of the fungus. A similar trend was witnessed with EG activities and concentrations. This showed that EG production related directly to active growth of the fungus. The trend was not found, however, with AGL. There was a rapid increase in enzyme activities and protein concentrations on day 3, after which they remained static. The reason for the maintenance of elevated AGL probably resulted from secretion of the enzyme from conidia and chlamydospores. ELISA, immunofluoresence and immunogold electron microscopy studies of these cells showed that the enzyme is localized within the cytoplasm and is secreted extracellularly into the surrounding environment. It is postulated that release of oligosaccharides from polymeric hemicellulose by the constitutive spore-bound enzyme leads to AGL induction and could act as an environmental cue for spore germination. [source] Response of the freshwater alga Chlorella vulgaris to trichloroisocyanuric acid and ciprofloxacin,ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2008Xiangping Nie Abstract The effects of trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA) and ciprofloxacin (CPFX) on the freshwater alga Chlorella vulgaris were assessed by toxicity bioassays and by the values of biomarkers in phase I and phase II. The biomarkers included growth rate, concentration of chlorophyll a, activities of 7-ethoxyresorufin- O -dealkylases (EROD), glutathione S -transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), and total glutathione (GSH). Ciprofloxacin was a weaker growth inhibitor than TCCA but, at a concentration of greater than 12.5 mg/L, decreased the growth of C. vulgaris. Concentration of chlorophyll a showed a similar trend. The 96-h median effective concentration (EC50; i.e., 50% reduction in growth relative to the control) of CPFX was 20.6 mg/L. Trichloroisocyanuric acid was a strong growth inhibitor and, at concentrations of greater than 0.80 mg/L, caused 100% inhibition on 24-h exposure. The 96-h EC50 of TCCA was 0.313 mg/L. Ciprofloxacin and TCCA affected the phase I and phase II enzyme activities differently. On exposure to CPFX, both EROD and GSH decreased at low CPFX concentrations (<5.0 mg/L) and increased at high CPFX concentrations (>12.5 mg/L), and CAT and GST exhibited induction at low concentrations and inhibition at high concentrations. In TCCA exposure, GST activity was significantly stimulated, and GSH concentration was increased. Catalase activity increased only at TCCA concentrations of greater than 0.12 mg/L, and no change in EROD activity was observed. [source] Wading birds as bioindicators of mercury contamination in Florida, USA: Annual and geographic variationENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2002Peter C. Frederick Abstract Mercury contamination in wetland biota is often dynamic, difficult to predict, and costly to track. In this paper, we present results from a six-year study of growing feathers of piscivorous birds as monitors of wetland Hg exposure in Florida, USA, wetlands. Between 1994 and 2000, we collected feathers of growing great egret (Ardea alba) nestlings from colonies in the freshwater Everglades of southern Florida, and during 1998, feathers were collected from chicks of both great egrets and white ibises (Eudocimus albus) at a variety of colonies throughout peninsular Florida. Coastal colonies showed significantly lower feather Hg concentrations than did inland sites. Within the Everglades, we found significant effects of both geographic location and year on age-adjusted mean total Hg concentrations in feathers. Over the course of our study, Everglades colonies maintained their Hg concentration rankings relative to one another, but all showed strongly declining Hg concentrations (mean of 73% averaged across colonies, between 1994 and 2000). Using a previously established predictive relationship between Hg consumption in food and feather Hg for great egrets, we estimated that Hg concentrations in the aggregate diet of egrets have been reduced by an average of 67%. We conclude that the Everglades has undergone a biologically significant decline in Hg availability in the wetland food web, possibly because of decreased local inputs. [source] Toxicokinetics of waterborne bisphenol a in landlocked salmon (Salmo salar m. Sebago) eggs at various temperaturesENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 10 2001Jani O. Honkanen Abstract Eye-pigmented eggs of landlocked salmon were exposed to waterbone [14C]-labeled bisphenol A at four temperatures (2, 6, 8, and 12°C). Both in accumulation and depuration experiments, the eggs were exposed to a bisphenol A concentration of 1 ,g/L for 196 h. In the depuration experiment, the exposed eggs were placed into clean water for 96 h. At each sampling time, the eggs were dissected into three parts (eggshell, embryo, and yolk sac), and all of these parts were weighed and analyzed separately in a liquid scintillation counter. The results show that waterborne bisphenol A accumulates in developing salmon eggs. Accumulation of bisphenol A showed a clear trend both in whole eggs and in dissected parts: the higher the temperature, the higher the uptake rate constant and the concentration of bisphenol A. Steady state was reached only in the embryos at the lowest temperature; in other cases, accumulation was linear. Depuration was significant only in the embryos at 2 and 6°C. As the accumulation and the depuration results show, the elimination of bisphenol A was evidently more significant at lower temperatures. [source] Neuronal Disconnection for the Surgical Treatment of Pediatric EpilepsyEPILEPSIA, Issue 2000Hiroyuki Shimizu Summary: The surgical methods and results of disconnective surgery for pediatric epilepsy were retrospectively analyzed. The techniques of neuronal disconnection included multiple subpial resection (MST), corpus callosotomy, and functional hemisphercctomy by disconnection. Of 158 total pediatric operations, disconnective techniques were employed in more than 60% of the cases. MST was applied when the epileptic focus was located in unresectable cortices such as speech or motor areas. MST was also instrumental when the epileptogenic zone was extensive and was widely disseminated, as is often observed in cases of neocortical epilepsy. Of 25 patients who underwent MST, surgical outcomes after > 1 year follow-up showed Engel Class I or II in 10 cases, Class III in 12, and Class IV in 3. No mortality or morbidity was encountered during surgery or postoperatively. Corpus callosotomy was applied to cases of disabling generalized seizures and showed a marked effect in alleviating potentially injurious drop attacks. Of 34 patients with drop attacks, 29 became free from this type of seizure, 4 had infrequent attacks, and only 1 showed no beneficial effect. Postoperative improvement of cognition and speech was recognized in 77% of the cases. We developed a new method of functional hemispherectomy by fiber disconnection and applied this less invasive technique to 23 cases of hemispheric lesions. Of the 17 cases with > 1 year follow-up, 13 were in Class I or II, and 3 in Class III, and 2 in Class IV. Development partially normalized in infants with good seizure outcomes. [source] SIMPEROTA 1/3 , a decision support system for blue mould disease of tobacco,EPPO BULLETIN, Issue 2 2007P. Racca Blue mould (Peronospora tabacina) is the most serious threat to German tobacco crops. In order to efficiently control the disease whilst minimizing the risk of nontolerable fungicide residue levels on tobacco leaves, a decision support system has been developed which optimizes the timing of fungicide treatments. The DSS consists of two models, SIMPEROTA 1, which forecasts the dates of blue mould first appearance and SIMPEROTA 3 which forecasts the dates of fungicide applications. Crucial biological processes are included in the models (infection, mycelium growth, sporulation and spore release). Input parameters are temperature, relative humidity and leaf wetness recorded on an hourly basis. Validation with data from 2003 and 2006 showed that SIMPEROTA 1 gave satisfying results. The model is suitable for practical use and can be employed for steering monitoring efforts of extension services and for the timing of the first fungicide treatment. SIMPEROTA 3 gives advice on follow-up treatments and the length of spraying intervals, but this model needs to be validated before being introduced into practice. [source] Intralesional bovine papillomavirus DNA loads reflect severity of equine sarcoid diseaseEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 4 2010R. HARALAMBUS Summary Reasons for performing study: Sarcoids are nonmetastasising, yet locally aggressive skin tumours that constitute the most frequent neoplasm in equids. Infection by bovine papillomaviruses types 1 and 2 (BPV-1, BPV-2) has been recognised as major causative factor in sarcoid pathogenesis, but a possible correlation of intralesional virus load with disease severity has not been established thus far. Hypothesis: Given the pathogenic role of BPV-1 and BPV-2 in sarcoid disease, we suggest that intralesional viral DNA concentration may reflect the degree of affection. Methods: Severity of disease was addressed by recording the tumour growth kinetics, lesion number and tumour type for 37 sarcoid-bearing horses and one donkey. Viral load was estimated via quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) of the E2, E5, L1 and L2 genes from the BPV-1/-2 genome for one randomly selected lesion per horse and correlated with disease severity. Results: Quantitative PCR against E2 identified viral DNA concentrations ranging from 0,556 copies/tumour cell. Of 16 horses affected by quiescent, slowly growing single tumours or multiple mild-type lesions, 15 showed a viral load up to 1.4 copies per cell. In stark contrast, all equids (22/22) bearing rapidly growing and/or multiple aggressive sarcoids had a viral load between 3 and 569 copies per cell. Consistent results were obtained with qPCR against E5, L1 and L2. Conclusions: While tumours of the same clinical type carried variable virus load, confirming that viral titre does not determine clinical appearance, we identified a highly significant correlation between intralesional viral load and disease severity. Potential relevance: The rapid determination of BPV viral load will give a reliable marker for disease severity and may also be considered when establishing a therapeutic strategy. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||