In vivo antifungal effect of Combretum and Terminalia species extracts on cutaneous wound healing in immunosuppressed rats.

Acetone leaf extracts of Combretaceae species Combretum imberbe Wawra, Combretum nelsonii Duemmer, Combretum albopunctatum Suesseng, and Terminalia sericea Burch ex DC and a mixture of asiatic acid and arjunolic acid isolated from C. nelsonii were tested for antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Microsporum canis, and Sporothrix schenckii on wounds of immunocompromised Wistar rats. The therapeutic agents were selected based on low MIC values ranging 0.02-2.5 mg/mL and low toxicity (LC50) ranging 75.7-168.6 microg/mL. Seven circular, full-thickness wounds were made on the back skin of 24 Wistar rats, under general anesthetic and using an aseptic technique. Rats were infected with different fungal pathogens in groups of six. The treatments were administered topically using 20% concentrations of each extract in aqueous cream. Amphotericin B was used as positive control. Erythema, exudate, crust formation, swelling, and ulceration were used to determine the wound healing process. Throughout the experiment, body temperature, measured using a subcutaneous probe, and weight of the rats were found to be within normal ranges. Epithelial closure in all rats occurred by 17 days. There was no significant difference in contraction of the lesion areas treated with different extracts. The variability in erythema at each lesion in rats infected with different fungal pathogens differed with treatments; the lesion without treatment took a longer time to heal in all cases. Exudate formation was observed until day 12 in rats infected with C. albicans and day 8 in rats infected with C. neoformans. In lesions infected with M. canis and S. schenckii, exudate formation was observed until day 10. The treated group presented a rigid, dark, and thick crust formation after day 3 until day 15. During histopathological evaluations, scant fungi were noted in all the wounds, indicating that infection had occurred but had generally cleared. The antifungal potential of crude extracts of selected plants and a mixture of asiatic acid and arjunolic acid on the wounds of immunocompromised rats was confirmed. The extracts of these plants may possibly be further developed into drugs for topical treatment of fungally infected wounds.

Interrogation of short tandem repeats using fluorescent probes and melting curve analysis: a step towards rapid DNA identity screening.

Current forensic DNA profiling methods rely on the analysis of samples at specialised laboratories with an average turnaround time of several days. The ability to rapidly determine a partial profile of short tandem repeats at the point-of-arrest would be of great benefit to police forces around the world, for example enabling a suspect to be rapidly included or excluded from an investigation. We have developed a homogeneous PCR method for the interrogation of STR loci utilising fluorescent oligonucleotide probes and melting curve analysis. Alleles of the D18S51, TH01 and D8S1179 loci were differentiated and identified on the basis of target length and probe melting temperature. Assay performance was evaluated by comparing melting peak data with the AmpFlSTR SGM Plus system. The method is compatible with direct analysis of unpurified buccal swab samples, enabling a partial STR profile to be generated within 1h.

Which drugs cause preventable admissions to hospital? A systematic review.

AIMS: Previous systematic reviews have found that drug-related morbidity accounts for 4.3% of preventable hospital admissions. None, however, has identified the drugs most commonly responsible for preventable hospital admissions. The aims of this study were to estimate the percentage of preventable drug-related hospital admissions, the most common drug causes of preventable hospital admissions and the most common underlying causes of preventable drug-related admissions. METHODS: Bibliographic databases and reference lists from eligible articles and study authors were the sources for data. Seventeen prospective observational studies reporting the proportion of preventable drug-related hospital admissions, causative drugs and/or the underlying causes of hospital admissions were selected. Included studies used multiple reviewers and/or explicit criteria to assess causality and preventability of hospital admissions. Two investigators abstracted data from all included studies using a purpose-made data extraction form. RESULTS: From 13 papers the median percentage of preventable drug-related admissions to hospital was 3.7% (range 1.4-15.4). From nine papers the majority (51%) of preventable drug-related admissions involved either antiplatelets (16%), diuretics (16%), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (11%) or anticoagulants (8%). From five studies the median proportion of preventable drug-related admissions associated with prescribing problems was 30.6% (range 11.1-41.8), with adherence problems 33.3% (range 20.9-41.7) and with monitoring problems 22.2% (range 0-31.3). CONCLUSIONS: Four groups of drugs account for more than 50% of the drug groups associated with preventable drug-related hospital admissions. Concentrating interventions on these drug groups could reduce appreciably the number of preventable drug-related admissions to hospital from primary care.

Preventing drug related morbidity: a process for facilitating changes in practice.

AIM: To describe how quantitative data obtained from applying a series of indicators for preventable drug related morbidity (PDRM) in the electronic patient record in English general practice can be used to facilitate changes aimed at helping to improve medicines management. DESIGN: A multidisciplinary discussion forum held at each practice facilitated by a clinical researcher. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Eight English general practices. OUTCOME MEASURES: Issues discussed at the multidisciplinary discussion forum and ideas generated by practices for tackling these issues. Progress made by practices after 1, 3, and 6 months. RESULTS: A number of clinical issues were raised by the practices and ideas for moving them forward were discussed. The issues that were easiest and most straightforward to deal with (for example, reviewing specific patient groups) were quickly addressed in most instances. Practices were less likely to have taken steps towards addressing issues at a systems level. CONCLUSIONS: Data generated from applying PDRM indicators can be used to facilitate practice-wide discussion on medicines management. Different practices place different priority levels on the issues they wish to pursue. Individual practice "ownership" of these, together with having a central committed figure at the practice, is key to the success of the process.

Investigation into the reasons for preventable drug related admissions to a medical admissions unit: observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the drugs and types of medicine management problems most frequently associated with preventable drug related admissions to an acute medical admissions unit. DESIGN: Observation study. SETTING: Medical admissions unit in a teaching hospital in Nottingham, UK. PARTICIPANTS: 4093 patients seen by pharmacists on the medical admissions unit between 1 January and 30 June 2001. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of admissions that were drug related and preventable, classification of the underlying causes of preventable drug related admissions, and identification of drugs most commonly associated with preventable drug related admissions. RESULTS: Of the admissions seen by pharmacists, 265 (6.5%) were judged to be drug related and 178 (67%) of these were judged to be preventable. Preventable admissions were mainly due to problems with prescribing (63 cases (35%)), monitoring (46 cases (26%)), and adherence to medication (53 cases (30%)). The drugs most commonly implicated were NSAIDs, antiplatelets, antiepileptics, hypoglycaemics, diuretics, inhaled corticosteroids, cardiac glycosides, and beta-blockers. CONCLUSIONS: Potentially preventable drug related morbidity was associated with 4.3% of admissions to a medical admissions unit. In 91% of cases these admissions were related to problems with either prescribing, monitoring, or adherence.

Fatty acids modulate protein kinase C activation in porcine vascular smooth muscle cells independently of their effect on de novo diacylglycerol synthesis.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Diabetes-induced activation of protein kinase C has been associated with the development of vascular complications. Elevated de novo diacylglycerol synthesis has been postulated to underlie this protein kinase C activation. Diabetes also increases the circulating concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids, which are immediate precursors of diacylglycerol through the de novo pathway. We hypothesized that increased fatty acids contribute to de novo diacylglycerol synthesis and activation of protein kinase C in vascular cells. METHODS: Primary cultures of porcine carotid smooth muscle cells were exposed to fatty acids, bound to albumin in physiologic ratios. Diacylglycerol and triacylglycerol were measured in extracts of these cells. Protein kinase C activation was measured as membrane translocation with isoform-specific antibodies. RESULTS: Saturated fatty acids caused considerable accumulation of diacylglycerol through de novo synthesis. Unsaturated fatty acids increased triacylglycerol, but not diacylglycerol. Platelet-derived growth factor activated the alpha, epsilon and zeta protein kinase C isoforms. Activation of the alpha and zeta isoforms was amplified by oleate pretreatment but inhibited by palmitate. In the absence of growth factor stimulation, neither palmitate nor oleate had any effect on the membrane/cytosol distribution of any protein kinase C isoform. CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: Saturated fatty acids elicited de novo diacylglycerol synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells without activating protein kinase C. Effects of fatty acids on protein kinase C activation by platelet-derived growth factor did not correlate with the effects on de novo diacylglycerol synthesis. These results indicate that de novo diacylglycerol synthesis is, by itself, insufficient to activate protein kinase C.

Cocaine-induced alterations in the density of monoaminergic receptors in the embryonic guinea pig cerebral wall.

Quantitative receptor autoradiography was used to examine the effect of chronic cocaine exposure on the density of alpha1-, alpha2- and beta-adrenergic, 5-HT1A- and 5-HT2-serotonergic, and D1- and D2-dopaminergic receptors in the fetal guinea pig cerebral wall which contained forming motor area of the cerebral cortex. The pregnant guinea pig received two daily subcutaneous injections of 20 mg/kg cocaine beginning on the 20th day of pregnancy (E20). The control animals received injections of equivalent volume of saline. The receptor densities were examined between days 5-30 of the treatment, which corresponds to E25-E50. By the fifth day of treatment (E25), cocaine produced downregulation of all receptors studied throughout the entire depth of the fetal cerebral wall. More extended treatment, however, resulted in recovery of receptor levels. Finally, from days 20-30 of treatment (E40-E50) there was a significant upregulation of noradrenergic and dopaminergic receptor sites. These findings demonstrate that exposure to cocaine in utero can influence adrenergic, serotonergic, and dopaminergic receptors in the embryonic cerebral wall, which may lead to alteration in corticogenesis. Furthermore, the present study reveals that, in the course of chronic treatment, cocaine may completely reverse its receptor regulatory activity in the fetal brain.

Induction of NO and prostaglandin E2 in osteoblasts by wall-shear stress but not mechanical strain.

The nature of the stimulus sensed by bone cells during mechanical usage has not yet been determined. Because nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin (PG) production appear to be essential early responses to mechanical stimulation in vivo, we used their production to compare the responsiveness of bone cells to strain and fluid flow in vitro. Cells were incubated on polystyrene film and subjected to unidirectional linear strains in the range 500-5,000 microstrain (microepsilon). We found no increase in NO or PGE2 production after loading of rat calvarial or long bone cells, MC3T3-E1, UMR-106-01, or ROS 17/2.8 cells. In contrast, exposure of osteoblastic cells to increased fluid flow induced both PGE2 and NO production. Production was rapidly induced by wall-shear stresses of 148 dyn/cm2 and was observed in all the osteoblastic populations used but not in rat skin fibroblasts. Fluid flow appeared to act through an increase in wall-shear stress. These data suggest that mechanical loading of bone is sensed by osteoblastic cells through fluid flow-mediated wall-shear stress rather than by mechanical strain.

Differential expression of D1 and D5 dopamine receptors in the fetal primate cerebral wall.

Previous film autoradiographic studies demonstrated that, during corticogenesis, dopamine receptors of the D1 class are abundant in the embryonic primate cerebral wall. In the present study, we expand these findings by identifying the cellular elements of the fetal occipital cerebral wall expressing D1 and D5 subtypes of the D1 dopamine receptor class. We have examined tissue from monkey fetuses collected at 70, 90 and 120 days of gestation using antibodies directed against C-termini of the D1 and D5 dopamine receptors. At all three embryonic ages studied, we found D1 and D5 receptors expressed by multiple cell types of the embryonic cerebral wall. Both D1 and D5 receptor proteins are produced by pyramidal neurons of the cortical plate and by a variety of interstitial neurons of the subplate and intermediate zones. D1 and D5 receptors are also present in cells of the proliferative ventricular and subventricular zones, some of which were identified as dividing cells. In addition, D1 and D5 receptors are detectable in the protoplasmic astroglial and ependymal cells distinguishable in monkey fetuses collected at 120 days of gestation. Some cellular elements of the embryonic monkey cerebral wall express only one subtype of the D1 dopamine receptor class. For example, embryonic Cajal-Retzius neurons in the marginal zone and migrating neurons in the intermediate zone are immunoreactive only to D5 antisera. In contrast, radial glia can be labeled only with D1 receptor-specific antisera. Finally, only D1 receptors are detectable in the blood vessels penetrating the embryonic monkey cerebral wall. Based on these observations, we propose that dopamine receptors of the D1 class play an important role in regulating cerebral cortical formation and that D1 and D5 receptor subtypes may participate in regulation of different aspects of this process.

Glycosylation of the Na+/H+ exchanger isoform NHE-3 is species specific.

The glycosylation of Na+/H+ exchanger isoform NHE-3 was studied in brush border membrane (BBM) vesicles isolated from rabbit, dog, and rat kidney cortex. Western blot analyses were performed against BBM proteins by using polyclonal antibodies to an NHE-3 fusion protein. In rabbit kidney, NHE-3 antibody recognized a band with approximately 95 kd molecular mass. Treatment of rabbit cortical BBM with glycopeptidase F, at 16 U/ml, for 4 or 16 hours increased the apparent mobility of NHE-3 to 84 and 82 kd, respectively. Incubation of rabbit BBM proteins for 16 hours with endoglycosidase H, at 0.1 U/ml, did not alter the apparent mobility of NHE-3. Deglycosylation of NHE-3 with glycopeptidase F did not affect acid-stimulated, amiloride-sensitive sodium 22 influx in BBM vesicles as compared with that in controls (p > 0.05). Immunoblot analysis against BBM proteins from canine kidney cortex demonstrated the presence of an approximately 83 to 92 kd protein. Treatment of canine BBM with glycopeptidase F or endoglycosidase H or F for 16 hours did not alter the apparent mobility of NHE-3, suggesting that canine renal NHE-3 is not glycosylated. Treatment of canine kidney BBM with glycopeptidase F did not affect acid-stimulated 22Na+ influx as compared with that in controls (p > 0.05). Immunoblot analysis against BBM proteins from rat kidney cortex demonstrated the presence of a sharp band at 90 kd. Treatment of rat BBM with glycopeptidase F or endoglycosidase H or F for 16 hours did not alter the apparent mobility of NHE-3, suggesting that rat renal NHE-3 is not glycosylated. The above experiments suggest that NHE-3 glycosylation in mammalians is species specific and that glycosylation does not affect the exchanger activity.

Down-regulation of glucose transport by elevated extracellular glucose concentrations in cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells does not normalize intracellular glucose concentrations.

Vascular disease is a prominent complication of diabetes mellitus, and hyperglycemia has been implicated as a risk factor for the development of these vascular complications. It has previously been suggested that down-regulation of glucose transport in response to hyperglycemia might serve a protective role by decreasing intracellular glucose concentrations. In the present study, regulation of glucose transport by extracellular glucose concentrations was investigated in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Confluent quiescent VSMCs were exposed to medium containing either normal (5 mmol/L) or elevated (20 mmol/L) extracellular glucose concentrations for 24 hours. VSMCs exposed to elevated extracellular glucose concentrations (with or without serum) for 24 hours exhibited significant decreases in 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) and D-glucose uptake rates. This decreased glucose transport was associated with a decrease in the Vmax of D-glucose transport without a change in KM. In the absence of serum, a decrease in the quantity of GLUT-1 transport protein at the plasma membrane was noted in cells exposed to elevated extracellular glucose concentrations for 24 hours. Intracellular glucose concentrations were estimated by using two methods, and the results revealed significantly higher intracellular glucose concentrations in the cells exposed to elevated extracellular glucose concentrations for 24 hours. These results suggest that down-regulation of glucose transport in cultured VSMCs exposed to elevated extracellular glucose concentrations for 24 hours does not occur to an extent that normalizes intracellular glucose concentrations. This prolonged increase in intracellular glucose concentrations and the potential associated toxicity may explain the increased incidence of vascular complications in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Long-term high osmolality activates Na(+)-H+ exchange and protein kinase C in aortic smooth muscle cells.

The effect of long-term exposure to hypertonic medium on Na(+)-H+ exchange activity was studied in cultured vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells by using a combination of 22Na+ influx and pH measurement with the pH-sensitive dye BCECF. Incubation of VSM cells in high-osmolality medium (510 mOsm/L) for 48 hours significantly increased the acid-stimulated 22Na+ influx (control, 3.16 +/- 0.41 nmol/mg protein per minute; high osmolality, 6.40 +/- 0.66 nmol/mg protein per minute; P < .01) and Na(+)-dependent pHi recovery (control, 0.29 +/- 0.06 pH/min; high osmolality, 0.65 +/- 0.13 pH/min; P < .03). Activation of Na(+)-H+ exchange was osmolality dependent and reached maximal stimulation at approximately 700 mOsm/L. Na(+)-H+ exchanger stimulation was independent of serum in the culture media. Na(+)-H+ exchanger isoform (NHE-1) mRNA in VSM cells cultured in high-osmolality medium was unchanged from that in VSM cells cultured in control medium, indicating an absence of transcriptional regulation by high osmolality. Long-term high osmolality significantly increased protein kinase C (PKC) activity in cultured VSM cells, as assessed by phosphorylation of a PKC-specific substrate (control, 20.9 +/- 2.1 pmol phosphorylation/mg protein per minute; high osmolality, 33.6 +/- 2.9 pmol phosphorylation/mg protein per minute; P < .01). Downregulation of PKC by preincubation of VSM cells with 0.1 mumol/L phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) prevented osmolality-induced stimulation of the Na(+)-H+ exchanger (control plus PMA, 0.27 +/- 0.05 pH/min; high osmolality plus PMA, 0.33 +/- 0.08 pH/min; P > .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Organization and classification of work history data in industry-wide studies: an application to the electric power industry.

Industry-based cohort studies require systems for organizing work history data. Although the ultimate goal may be to assess the hazards of specific exposures, classification of the job titles that comprise work histories serves an important descriptive purpose in itself and is often necessary before exposure data can be obtained. A system we have created for organizing jobs in a study of 135,000 workers at five electric power companies highlights conceptual and practical issues in managing work history data for epidemiological studies. Job characteristics including function, location, and authority were used to develop a system of 28 occupational categories. Comprehensibility, flexibility, and efficiency were important criteria in designing the system. Assessment of exposures was an implicit goal; the same categories will define job-exposure matrices for numerous agents. A combination of computer algorithms and expert judgment was used to assign individual job titles to the categories. This system facilitates examining the effects of various agents and controlling for confounding. The 28 categories can be collapsed and regrouped to analyze disease risks in relation to exposures to magnetic fields and other agents; even exposures not previously considered could be brought into the study with this generic system for organizing the electric power industry.

Effect of high osmolality on Na+/H+ exchange in renal proximal tubule cells.

Na+/H+ exchanger isoform and the effect of high osmolality on its function was studied in cultured renal epithelial cells (LLC-PK1 and OK). Using NHE-3-specific antibody, immunoblots of luminal membranes from LLC-PK1 and OK cells specifically labeled proteins with molecular masses 90 and 95 kDa, indicating that NHE-3 is the isoform expressed on the luminal membranes of these epithelia. Proximal tubular suspensions from rabbit kidney cortex were incubated in control (310 mosm/liter) or high osmolality (510 mosm/liter) medium for 45 min and utilized for brush border membrane vesicle preparation. Influx of amiloride-sensitive 22Na+ at 10 s (pHo 7.5, pHi 6.0) into brush border membrane vesicles was 37% lower in the high osmolality group (p < 0.03). LLC-PK1 or OK cells were grown to confluence and examined for Na+/H+ exchange activity. An increase in medium osmolality to 510 mosm following acid loading decreased the 5-min uptake of the amiloride-sensitive 22Na+ in LLC-PK1 and OK cells (p < 0.04 and < 0.03 for LLC-PK1 cell OK cells, respectively). An increase in medium osmolality to 510 mosm in vascular smooth muscle cells, which express NHE-1, produced 45 and 64% stimulation of the amiloride-sensitive 22Na+ influx at base-line pHi and acid-loaded condition, respectively (p < 0.03 and < 0.01). Down-regulation of protein kinase C by preincubation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate or inhibition of Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (calmodulin-kinase II) by N-6-aminohexyl-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-7) in LLC-PK1 cells did not block the inhibitory effect of high osmolality on Na+/H+ exchange activity. We conclude that renal proximal tubule epithelial cells express Na+/H+ exchange isoform NHE-3 on their luminal membranes and that hyperosmolality decreases transporter activity during cell acidification. This inhibitory effect might be unique to the NHE-3 isoform, since vascular smooth muscle cells which express NHE-1 exhibit an increase in Na+/H+ exchange activity in response to high osmolality.

Glucose-induced changes in Na+/H+ antiport activity and gene expression in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. Role of protein kinase C.

Increased Na+/H+ antiport activity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension and vascular disease in diabetes mellitus. The independent effect of elevated extracellular glucose concentrations on Na+/H+ antiport activity in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) was thus examined. Amiloride-sensitive 22Na+ uptake by VSMC significantly increased twofold after 3 and 24 h of exposure to high glucose medium (20 mM) vs. control medium (5 mM). Direct glucose-induced Na+/H+ antiport activation was confirmed by measuring Na(+)-dependent intracellular pH recovery from intracellular acidosis. High glucose significantly increased protein kinase C (PKC) activity in VSMC and inhibition of PKC activation with H-7, staurosporine, or prior PKC downregulation prevented glucose-induced increases in Na+/H+ antiport activity in VSMC. Northern analysis of VSMC poly A+ RNA revealed that high glucose induced a threefold increase in Na+/H+ antiport (NHE-1) mRNA at 24 h. Inhibiting this increase in NHE-1 mRNA with actinomycin D prevented the sustained glucose-induced increase in Na+/H+ antiport activity. In conclusion, elevated glucose concentrations significantly influence vascular Na+/H+ antiport activity via glucose-induced PKC dependent mechanisms, thereby providing a biochemical basis for increased Na+/H+ antiport activity in the vascular tissues of patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus.

Characterization of a novel and potent corticotropin-releasing factor antagonist in rats.

The present study examined the ability of two analogs of human/rat corticotropin-releasing factor (h/rCRF), [Met18, Lys23, Glu27,29,40, Ala32,41, Leu33,36,38] h/rCRF9-41 (alpha-hel CRF9-41) and [D-Phe12, Nle21,38, C alpha MeLeu37] h/rCRF12-41 (D-Phe CRF12-41), to antagonize CRF- and stress-induced behavioral changes in rats. The potency and duration of action of D-Phe CRF12-41 in vivo was compared with that of alpha-hel CRF9-41, the most effective CRF antagonist studied to date. When administered i.c.v., both CRF antagonists dose-dependently reduced the locomotor activity induced by rat CRF (0.5 microgram/rat i.c.v.) and attenuated the social stress-induced anxiogenic-like effect, as measured by the elevated plus-maze. However D-Phe CRF12-41 was 5 times more potent and remained effective for a longer period (> 1.5 hr) than alpha-hel CRF9-41. High doses of alpha-hel CRF9-41 (25 micrograms/rat), by itself, exhibited weak agonist effects, which were not observed with D-Phe CRF12-41 at the same doses. These results demonstrate that a N-terminus-shortened CRF antagonist that encompasses the substitution D-Phe12 has significantly higher biological potency and an extended duration of action without intrinsic agonist effects in these in vivo systems. The availability of potent and effective CRF antagonists will provide valuable tools for exploring the functional role of brain CRF and may ultimately lead to an understanding of the biological basis of stress-related illnesses.

Correlations among indices of electric and magnetic field exposure in electric utility workers.

Power-frequency electric and magnetic fields are known to exhibit marked temporal variation, yet in the absence of clear biological indications, the most appropriate summary indices for use in epidemiologic studies are unknown. In order to assess the statistical patterns among candidate indices, data on 4383 worker-days for magnetic fields and 2082 worker-days for electric fields collected for the Electric and Magnetic Field Project for Electric Utilities using the EMDEX meter [Bracken (1990): Palo Alto, CA: Electric Power Research Institute] were analyzed. We examined correlations at the individual and job title group levels among indices of exposure to both electric and magnetic fields, including the arithmetic mean, geometric mean, median, 20th and 90th percentiles, time above lower cutoffs of 20 V/m and 0.2 microT, and time above higher cutoffs of 100 V/m and 2.0 microT. For both electric and magnetic fields, the arithmetic mean was highly correlated with the 90th percentile; moderately correlated with the geometric mean, median, and lower and higher cutoff scores; and weakly correlated with the 20th percentile. Electric and magnetic field indices were generally weakly correlated with one another. Rank-order correlation coefficients were consistently greater than product-moment correlation coefficients. Job title group summary scores showed higher correlations among electric field indices and magnetic field indices and between electric and magnetic field indices than was found for individual worker-days, with only the 20th percentile clearly independent of the others. These results suggest that individuals' exposures are adequately characterized by a measure of central tendency for electric and magnetic fields, such as the arithmetic or geometric mean, and an indicator of a lower threshold or cutoff for each field type, such as the 20th percentile or proportion of time above 20 V/m or 0.2 microT. A single measure of central tendency for each type of field appears to be adequate when exposures are assessed at the job title level.

Presence of chloride-formate exchange in vascular smooth muscle and cardiac cells.

The presence of chloride-formate anion exchange in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and cardiac myocytes was investigated. Imposing an outward chloride gradient in sarcolemmal microsomes isolated from canine aorta stimulated [14C]formate uptake compared with the absence of a chloride gradient (24.3 +/- 2.33 versus 9.8 +/- 1.41 pmol/mg protein for 30 seconds, P < .03) and induced transient uphill [14C]formate uptake. The chloride-formate exchange was significantly inhibited in the presence of 1 mmol/L 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS) or furosemide (57% and 61%, respectively). Incubation of rat cultured VSMCs in a medium containing [14C]formate resulted in uptake of formate that was significantly DIDS and furosemide sensitive (79.34 +/- 2.47, 43.03 +/- 2.37, and 44.65 +/- 1.68 pmol/mg protein for 4 minutes in control, DIDS, and furosemide groups, respectively). Preincubation of the VSMCs in chloride-free medium significantly reduced the DIDS-sensitive (36.31 versus 16.85 pmol/mg protein for 4 minutes, P < .001) and furosemide-sensitive (34.72 versus 8.78 pmol/mg protein for 4 minutes, P < .001) [14C]formate uptake. These results are compatible with the presence of chloride-formate exchange in VSMCs. Influx of [14C]formate into sarcolemmal vesicles isolated from canine heart was significantly higher in the presence of an outward chloride gradient than in its absence (18.1 +/- 2.3 versus 9.6 +/- 1.7 pmol/mg protein for 30 seconds, P < .03). The chloride-formate exchange was significantly inhibited in the presence of 1 mmol/L DIDS or furosemide (41% and 52%, respectively). We conclude that the distribution of chloride-formate exchange may be more universal than previously suggested.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)