Influence of prolonged exposure to Nigerian Bonny light crude oil on fertility indices in rats.

The effect of Bony Light Crude Oil (BLCO) on some sperm functions during short term exposure has been reported. The present study investigated the effect of long term ingestion of BLCO on fertility indices in male and female albino rats. Adult male rats in groups of five were exposed daily to 0, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg BLCO (orally, p.o) dissolved in olive oil which served as the control, for six weeks. The male rats were cohabited with untreated adult female rats (for mating) during the last 6th week of treatment. Similarly, adult female rats in groups of five were exposed daily to 0, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg BLCO (p.o) for 6 weeks. The rats were mated with untreated male rats during the last 6th week of treatment. Body weights of the treated rats remain unaffected. However, a significant decrease in the weight of the testis, epididymis, cauda epididymal sperm count, motility, viability and normal morphology of the spermatozoa was observed. There was 100% mating success as all untreated female rats with a significant decrease in number, birth weight and survival rate of offspring delivered. BLCO treated female rats had irregular oestrous cycle with increased frequency of oestrous and metestrous phases and a decrease in the diestrous phase. A dose-dependent reduction in fertility success, number and birth weight of offspring of the BLCO treated females mated with normal males was recorded. Histological study of the epididymis and testis showed BLCO treatment-related lesions. The results suggest that, Bonny light crude oil reduced fertility indices of male and female rats.

Estacas de diferentes diâmetros na propagação de Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. - Verbenaceae / Different diameters of cuttings on the propagation of Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. - Verbenaceae

Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o efeito de diferentes diâmetros de estacas na propagação de Lippia alba. Foram testadas estacas de 25 cm de comprimento, com diâmetros de 0,3-0,5 cm; 0,6-0,9 cm e 1-1,2 cm. Aos 30 e 60 dias após o plantio das estacas foram determinadas as características biométricas, como porcentagem de enraizamento, número de brotos, comprimento dos brotos, massas secas de brotos, estacas, raízes e total. Todos os diâmetros de estacas apresentaram altas taxas de enraizamento aos 30 dias, comprovando que a L. alba é uma espécie de fácil propagação por estaquia. A produção de mudas de L. alba deve ser realizada com estacas entre 1-1,2 cm de diâmetro, que foi superior aos outros diâmetros testados na maioria das características biométricas determinadas.

The aim of this work was to study the effect of different diameters of cuttings on the propagation and growth of Lippia alba. Cuttings of 25 cm length, with three different diameters: 0.3-0.5 cm, 0.6-0.9 cm and 1-1.2 cm, were tested. At 30 and 60 days after the planting of cuttings, the following biometric parameters were determined rooting percentage; number of buds, length of buds; dry matter of buds, cuttings and roots; and total dry matter. All diameters of cuttings presented high rates of rooting after 30 days, confirming that L. alba is an easy-to-root species. L. alba seedling production should use cuttings between 1-1.2 cm diameter, which was better than the others diameters considering most of the tested parameters.

Transgene expression and effective gene silencing in vagal afferent neurons in vivo using recombinant adeno-associated virus vectors.

Vagal afferent fibres innervating thoracic structures such as the respiratory tract and oesophagus are diverse, comprising several subtypes of functionally distinct C-fibres and A-fibres. Both morphological and functional studies of these nerve subtypes would be advanced by selective, effective and long-term transduction of vagal afferent neurons with viral vectors. Here we addressed the hypothesis that vagal sensory neurons can be transduced with adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors in vivo, in a manner that would be useful for morphological assessment of nerve terminals, using enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), as well as for the selective knock-down of specific genes of interest in a tissue-selective manner. We found that a direct microinjection of AAV vectors into the vagal nodose ganglia in vivo leads to selective, effective and long-lasting transduction of the vast majority of primary sensory vagal neurons without transduction of parasympathetic efferent neurons. The transduction of vagal neurons by pseudoserotype AAV2/8 vectors in vivo is sufficiently efficient such that it can be used to functionally silence TRPV1 gene expression using short hairpin RNA (shRNA). The eGFP encoded by AAV vectors is robustly transported to both the central and peripheral terminals of transduced vagal afferent neurons allowing for bright imaging of the nerve endings in living tissues and suitable for structure-function studies of vagal afferent nerve endings. Finally, the AAV2/8 vectors are efficiently taken up by the vagal nerve terminals in the visceral tissue and retrogradely transported to the cell body, allowing for tissue-specific transduction.

Maintenance of the epithelial barrier in a bronchial epithelial cell line is dependent on functional E-cadherin local to the tight junctions.

Tight junctions (TJ) are essential components of polarized epithelia, and E-cadherin is important for their formation and maintenance. The bronchial epithelial cell line, 16HBE14o-expresses E- and P-cadherin, but not N-cadherin. E- and P-cadherin levels changed during culture, the former increasing after confluence, and the latter were markedly reduced. All detectable E-cadherin was bound to beta- and gamma-catenins. We investigated involvement of E-cadherin with epithelial integrity using an E-cadherin specific, function-blocking antibody, SHE78-7. Surprisingly, apical SHE78-7 exposure caused a prompt fall in transepithelial resistance (TER), while TER remained unchanged for 8 hrs after basal exposure then dropped. SHE78-7 exposure increased epithelial permeability to mannitol, inulin, and 9.5 kDa and 77 kDa dextrans and caused fragmentation and loss of the tight junction protein, ZO-1, from the cell borders in some areas. Ultrastructural studies showed that all junctional intercellular contact was lost in the center of SHE78-7 induced lesions. Near the lesion periphery, epithelial structure was maintained, but TJs were dysfunctional as shown by ruthenium red penetration. Analysis of epithelial penetration by SHE78-7 revealed discrete, local defects in the apical barrier at the top of some cell hills that permitted rapid access of the antibody to E-cadherin near the apical surface. In contrast, after basal exposure, antibody initially engaged with E-cadherin nearer the basal surface and only accessed apical E-cadherin later. Taken together with the TER measurements, these data suggest compartmentalization of E-cadherin function within 16HBE14o-cells, with only the apical E-cadherin adjacent to the tight junctions contributing to the function of the latter.

The liberal arts and nursing programme at the University of Maine, 1939-1956. A study of leadership behaviours and organisational structure.

The trend for nursing programmes affiliated with universities in the US began in 1909 but did not gain momentum until the 1960s with the demise of hospital schools of nursing. During the period of time covered in this study, beginning in the 1930s, a hybrid of the present day university-based nursing programme began to appear. These 'cooperative' programmes often sandwiched traditional hospital experience between years of university course work and involved a five-year commitment on the part of students. In 1939 a liberal arts and nursing programme was established at the University of Maine. It continued to operate until 1956 and then ceased to exist. In this descriptive historical study the author investigates why this particular programme was initiated, of what it consisted, and why it had failed. Primary sources accessed included original correspondence, curriculum descriptions, faculty and students reports, and administrative policies. Leadership and organisational behaviour theory was utilised as well as identification of the historical nursing backdrop. Oral history was also utilised for the purpose of verification of written data. Analysis of the data suggests implications for nursing educators and administrators, as well as telling a story of the power of nursing when viewed in the context of constituency groups in a sociopolitical model of organisations. This paper was first presented at the History of Nursing Millennium Conference in Edinburgh in July 2000.

Loss of epithelial integrity resulting from E-cadherin dysfunction predisposes airway epithelial cells to adenoviral infection.

Epithelial intercellular adhesion is fundamental to the formation of the airway epithelial protective barrier. In this respect, cadherins are important because these adhesion molecules regulate formation and maintenance of epithelial intercellular junctions. To study the importance of airway epithelial integrity in determining susceptibility to virus infection, we used a replication-incompetent adenovirus, RAd35, and an E-cadherin specific function-blocking antibody, SHE78-7, to disrupt intercellular contacts in human bronchial epithelial cell line 16HBE14o- and primary bronchial epithelial cells. After exposure of 16HBE14o- cell cultures to SHE78-7, disruption of the transepithelial permeability barrier was indicated by a loss of transepithelial electrical resistance and an associated increase of mannitol, inulin, and dextran paracellular flux. Subsequent exposure of SHE78-7-treated cell cultures to RAd35 showed a remarkable increase in adenoviral infection as assessed by beta-galactosidase reporter gene expression. In cultures exposed to SHE78-7, disruption of E-cadherin function resulted in infection equivalent to that in control cultures using 16-fold lower viral titers. These studies show that manipulation of E-cadherin function provides a specific means of altering epithelial integrity that in turn determines resistance of airway epithelia to adenoviral infection.

Daily sunscreen application and betacarotene supplementation in prevention of basal-cell and squamous-cell carcinomas of the skin: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The use of sunscreens on the skin can prevent sunburn but whether long-term use can prevent skin cancer is not known. Also, there is evidence that oral betacarotene supplementation lowers skin-cancer rates in animals, but there is limited evidence of its effect in human beings. METHODS: In a community-based randomised trial with a 2 by 2 factorial design, individuals were assigned to four treatment groups: daily application of a sun protection factor 15-plus sunscreen to the head, neck, arms, and hands, and betacarotene supplementation (30 mg per day); sunscreen plus placebo tablets; betacarotene only; or placebo only. Participants were 1621 residents of Nambour in southeast Queensland, Australia. The endpoints after 4.5 years of follow-up were the incidence of basal-cell and squamous-cell carcinomas both in terms of people treated for newly diagnosed disease and in terms of the numbers of tumours that occurred. Analysis of the effect of sunscreen was based only on skin cancers that developed on sites of daily application. All analyses were by intention to treat. FINDINGS: 1383 participants underwent full skin examination by a dermatologist in the follow-up period. 250 of them developed 758 new skin cancers during the follow-up period. There were no significant differences in the incidence of first new skin cancers between groups randomly assigned daily sunscreen and no daily sunscreen (basal-cell carcinoma 2588 vs 2509 per 100,000; rate ratio 1.03 [95% CI 0.73-1.46]; squamous-cell carcinoma 876 vs 996 per 100,000; rate ratio 0.88 [0.50-1.56]). Similarly, there was no significant difference between the betacarotene and placebo groups in incidence of either cancer (basal-cell carcinoma 3954 vs 3806 per 100,000; 1.04 [0.73-1.27]; squamous-cell carcinoma 1508 vs 1146 per 100,000; 1.35 [0.84-2.19]). In terms of the number of tumours, there was no effect on incidence of basal-cell carcinoma by sunscreen use or by betacarotene but the incidence of squamous-cell carcinoma was significantly lower in the sunscreen group than in the no daily sunscreen group (1115 vs 1832 per 100,000; 0.61 [0.46-0.81]). INTERPRETATION: There was no harmful effect of daily use of sunscreen in this medium-term study. Cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma, but not basal-cell carcinoma seems to be amenable to prevention through the routine use of sunscreen by adults for 4.5 years. There was no beneficial or harmful effect on the rates of either type of skin cancer, as a result of betacarotene supplementation.

Circumferentially flexible vascular grafts.

An arterial graft with a corrugated cylindrical cross-section has been proposed as a partial solution to the problem of elastic stiffness mismatch between conventional grafts and arterial tissue (Trescony et al., 1994, US Patent 5,282, 847 (granted February 1 1994)). A two-dimensional ring theory model and a finite element shell theory model are used to study the inflation under uniform interior pressure of grafts with noncircular cross-sections as a first approximation to their behavior in vivo. For the physically relevant range of area expansions (typically 7-10%) and pressures (8-18 kPa), corrugations can significantly reduce the graft stiffness in comparison to conventional circular cross-section grafts.

[Discordance and cosegregation of swine halothane susceptibility and 1843 C-T mutation of their RYR1 locus responsible for the ryanodine receptor]. / Problemy diskordantnosti i kosegregatsii ékspressii galotan-chuvstvitel'nosti svinei s mutatsiei 1843 C-T v lokuse RYR1 retseptora rianodina.

In two Siberian swine populations, the halothane test and PCR were used to determine the halothane susceptibility of the animals and to reveal a point mutation in their RYR1 gene, respectively. No correlations were found between the halothane susceptibility of an animal and the presence or absence of a point mutation at its RYR1 locus. However, the population changes in halothane susceptibility and the frequency of the mutation proved to be unidirectional. In the studied swine populations, the halothane-susceptible animals had no hyperthermia and the frequencies of their Hal and RYR1 genes changed similarly. These phenomena along with the phylogenesis of malignant hyperthermia and the porcine stress syndromes (PSS) in different breeds are discussed. In the populations studied, PSS is suggested to be under the polygenic control.

Cryosurgery of breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the feasibility and efficacy of cryosurgery of breast cancer. DESIGN: In phase 1, carcinogen-induced mammary adenocarcinomas in 13 Sprague-Dawley rats were treated by cryosurgery and were then examined for histopathologic change. In phase 2, transplantable mammary adenocarcinomas in 50 DBA/IJ mice were treated by cryosurgery to determine the effect of varying tumor temperatures, and duration and number of freeze-thaw cycles on tumor viability. In phase 3, 2- to 3-cm ultrasound-monitored cryolesions were formed in the breasts of 4 dogs and 4 sheep. These animals were followed up for procedure-related complications; the histopathologic necrosis of the cryolesions were correlated with the ultrasound images. Based on the results of these experiments, ultrasound-guided cryosurgery of breast cancer was initiated in a human clinical trial. RESULTS: In phase 1, a single, short-term (< 7 minutes) freeze killed only tumors smaller than 1.5 cm in diameter, despite an apparent decrease to -40 degrees C at the periphery of each tumor. In phase 2, varying the peripheral tumor temperature to as low as -70 degrees C, using a single, short-term (< 7 minutes) freeze did not alter the results from phase 1. If the ice ball fully encompassed the tumor, however, maintaining it for at least 15 minutes achieved 100% tumor kill independent of tumor size. In phase 3, creation of a reproducible ultrasound-monitored cryolesion was facilitated when 2 freeze-thaw cycles were performed. No procedure-related complications were noted. In the human trial, 2 invasive lobular carcinomas from 1 patient were treated by cryosurgery and were negative for persistent tumor by core needle biopsy performed 4 and 12 weeks after a well-tolerated procedure. CONCLUSIONS: In situ breast cryosurgery has been proved to be feasible and efficacious in small and large animal studies and has been successfully performed in 1 patient with breast cancer. The results of this study suggest that ultrasound-guided cryosurgery of breast cancer warrants further investigation.

Skin cancer in a subtropical Australian population: incidence and lack of association with occupation. The Nambour Study Group.

Because it is not possible to monitor skin cancer accurately using routine methods, special surveys have been undertaken in Nambour, a typical subtropical community in Queensland, Australia. Estimates of incidence reported here are based on skin cancers medically treated between 1985 and 1992 and new cases diagnosed by dermatologists in two examination clinics in 1986 and 1992. Among men and women aged 18-69 years in 1986, age-adjusted incidence rates of basal cell carcinoma were 2,074 and 1,579 per 100,000 per year, respectively-the highest incidence rates of a specific cancer ever reported. Squamous cell carcinoma occurred at half the rate of basal cell carcinoma among men and at about one third the rate among women. Although as expected, fair skin, a history of repeated sunburns, and nonmalignant solar skin damage diagnosed by dermatologists were strongly associated with both types of skin cancer, outdoor occupation was not. Significant self-selection was observed among outdoor workers, whereby people with fair or medium complexions and a tendency to sunburn were systematically underrepresented among those in long-term outdoor occupations although they accounted for more than 80 percent of the community study sample. The mitigating effect of this selection bias may partly explain the paradox of the lack of quantitative evidence of a causal link between sun exposure and skin cancer in humans.

Strategies for increasing participation of ethnic minorities in Alzheimer's Disease Diagnostic Centers: a multifaceted approach in California.

A unified, state-wide effort to increase outreach activities targeted to ethnic minority families with a demented relative is described. A variety of strategies are reported, along with data supporting the effectiveness of these outreach efforts. At present, it appears that the three major ethnic minority groups in the State of California (i.e., Hispanic, African American, and Asian) are utilizing the network of state diagnostic centers at a rate proportional to their representation in the population.

A 15-year review of esophagectomy for carcinoma of the esophagus and cardia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of surgical approach and adjuvant therapy on patients with carcinoma of the esophagus and/or cardia. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of 157 consecutive patients who underwent esophagectomy. SETTING: A private university medical center and its affiliated community hospital. PATIENTS: One hundred twenty men and 37 women (mean age, 61.7 years) with carcinoma of the esophagus and/or cardia that was surgically treated between 1978 and 1993. INTERVENTIONS: Three approaches were used for resection: Transhiatal esophagectomy (THE) (n = 67), transthoracic esophagectomy (TTE) (n = 71), and abdominal-only esophagectomy (AOE) (n = 19). Sixty-five patients received adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surgical mortality, morbidity, and survival and the effect of adjuvant therapy. RESULTS: The overall surgical mortality rate was 7.6%: 12.7% with the TTE, 4.5% with the THE, and 0% with the AOE approach. A significantly increased incidence of adult respiratory distress syndrome (P < .001) and empyema (P < .001) was seen with the TTE approach. The average intraoperative blood loss (P = .08) and the median intensive care unit stay (P = .26) and hospital stay (P = .40) were decreased with the THE and AOE approaches when compared with the TTE approach without significance. The overall median survival time was 17 months, with a 5-year survival rate of 21%. There was no significant difference in survival by pathologic stage between approaches. The addition of adjuvant therapy did not affect the overall median survival time or the 5-year survival rate. Node-positive patients did benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy, with increased median survival times from 7 to 15 months and a 5-year survival rate from 0% to 15% (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: The THE and AOE approaches have fewer early complications than does TTE. Both THE and TTE have equal long-term survival rates. Adjuvant therapy provides increased survival to node-positive patients with carcinoma of the esophagus and/or cardia.

The Nambour Skin Cancer and Actinic Eye Disease Prevention Trial: design and baseline characteristics of participants.

The Nambour Skin Cancer and Actinic Eye Disease Prevention Trial (the Nambour Trial) is a field trial conducted in an unselected adult population in Australia. Using a randomized 2 x 2 factorial design, the principal aim is to evaluate whether regular use of high-protection sunscreen and/or dietary supplementation with beta-carotene (30 mg daily) can alter the incidence rates of basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin over a minimum follow-up time of 4.5 years. Changes in the incidence of solar keratoses and actinic eye disease and the rate of photoaging after intervention will also be investigated. In 1992, 1626 participants between the ages of 25 and 75 years were enrolled, all of whom had been randomly selected from residents of the southeastern Queensland township of Nambour for an earlier skin cancer prevalence survey. This paper describes the background to the trial and its design, with respect to evaluation of effects on actinic skin disease, and documents the baseline characteristics of participants recruited into the Nambour Trial.

Outpatient abortion for fetal anomaly and fetal death from 15-34 menstrual weeks' gestation: techniques and clinical management.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety of providing outpatient abortion services for women with complicated advanced pregnancies. METHODS: During a 10-year period, 124 abortions were performed after 14 menstrual weeks' gestation at an outpatient abortion facility for indications of fetal anomaly, diagnosed genetic disorder, or fetal death. Gestational lengths ranged from 15-34 menstrual weeks. Fetal diagnoses included a variety of chromosomal abnormalities, malformations, and death. Techniques for performing the late abortions included a serial multiple laminaria method of cervical dilation. Abortions performed after 20 menstrual weeks were effected by instillation of intra-amniotic hyperosmolar urea or induction of fetal death by injection of digoxin and/or hyperosmolar urea into the fetus, followed by artificial rupture of membranes, induction of labor, and assisted expulsion or instrumental extraction of the fetus. At less than 20 weeks, dilation and evacuation following serial multiple laminaria treatment of the cervix was the method of choice. RESULTS: The median gestational age was 23 menstrual weeks. The median procedure time for all cases was 12 minutes and median blood loss was 125 mL. Procedure time increased with length of gestation (P = .00). Blood loss was only slightly increased by gestation length (P = .154) and not by procedure time (P = .299). Complication rates were not significantly related to gestation length (P = .895). There was one major complication in this series. There were no uterine perforations and one cervical laceration. CONCLUSION: Outpatient abortion may be performed safely in most cases of fetal disorder, including death, through 34 menstrual weeks under proper conditions.

Skin cancer in a Queensland population.

In the present study we have estimated the current prevalence of actinic skin disease in young and middle-aged adults in Queensland, Australia by surveying a representative community. It was found that 4.6% of persons aged 20 to 69 years had skin cancer, mostly basal cell carcinoma, and 40% had solar keratoses. The age distribution and site distribution of actinic lesions in this population were not as classically described; persons below age 40 years exhibited substantial sun-related skin damage, and a large proportion of actinic lesions occurred on sites other than the head, backs, of hands, or forearms. Allowing for age and sex, the strongest risk factors for skin cancer and solar keratoses were fair skin, as assessed by a dermatologist, and clinical signs of solar damage such as solar lentigines, facial telangiectasia, and actinic elastosis of the neck. Associations with self-reported tendencies toward sunburn, frequent painful sunburns, occupational sun exposure, and a previous history of skin cancer were confirmed.