Children-in-law in caregiving families.

Data were collected from 252 coresident caregiving daughters and daughters-in-law and their husbands. We hypothesized that biological children would give more care than children-in-law and that children-in-law would have very different caregiving experiences and resultant appraisals than biological children. Contrary to our hypotheses, we found that the experiences are very similar for biological children and children-in-law in caregiving families. We suggested that the important factor is not the relationship to the elder that has the impact--it is the quality of the relationship with the elder that is consistently significant.

Adhesion of nonmetastatic and highly metastatic breast cancer cells to endothelial cells exposed to shear stress.

The mechanical stimulus of shear stress has to date been neglected when studying the adhesion of cancer cells to the endothelium. Confluent monolayers of endothelial cells were subjected to either 4 or 15 hours of arterial shear stress. Adhesion of nonmetastatic (MCF-7) and highly metastatic (MDA-MB-435) human breast cancer cells was then quantified using a detachment assay carried out inside the parallel plate flow chamber. Four hours of shear stress exposure had no effect on adhesion. However, 15 hours of shear stress exposure led to marked changes in the ability of the endothelial monolayer to bind human breast cancer cells. An increase in adhesive strength was observed for nonmetastatic MCF-7 cells, while a decrease in adhesive strength was observed for highly metastatic MDA-MB-435 cells. Hence, endothelial shear stress stimulation does influence the adhesion of cancer cells to the endothelium and can have different effects on the adhesion of cancer cells with different metastatic potentials. Furthermore, adhesion of nonmetastatic and highly metastatic human breast cancer cells may be controlled by two different endothelial cell adhesion molecules that are differentially regulated by shear stress. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that shear stress did in fact differentially regulate endothelial cell adhesion molecule expression.

FastTag Nucleic Acid Labeling System: a versatile method for incorporating haptens, fluorochromes and affinity ligands into DNA, RNA and oligonucleotides.

The FastTag Nucleic Acid Labeling System couples haptens, fluorochromes or affinity ligands to any nucleic acid by attaching a universal, photo-or heat-activatable moiety to which any sulfhydryl-reactive compound can be linked. To demonstrate the versatility of the FastTag system, we have labeled DNA, RNA and oligonucleotide probes with a variety of maleimide-coupled moieties and have used these probes in several applications. In Southern hybridization analyses, RNA probes labeled using FastTag FL (fluorescein) detected 0.04 pg of target DNA. Human satellite DNA clones labeled using FastTag FL or FastTag Biotin detected the corresponding sequences in human chromosome spreads and interphase nuclei by fluorescence in situ hybridization. An antisense oligonucleotide probe cocktail complementary to human proinsulin transcripts labeled using FastTag DNP (dinitrophenyl) detected, in situ, the appropriate transcripts in pancreatic tissue sections. Oligonucleotide primers labeled with FastTag FL were used to PCR-amplify a genomic DNA fragment, which was then detected immunologically. Finally, we discuss how DNA labeled with FastTag Fucose can be bound to a fucose-binding affinity matrix and eluted under mild conditions.

Ectasia of the vertebral artery as a cause of isolated pyramidal tract signs: case report and a review of the literature.

A rare presentation of vertebral artery ectasia is reported with magnetic resonance imaging and angiographic correlation. The unusually low level of the abnormality had previously resulted in an incorrect diagnosis of primary pyramidal degeneration. One similar case has been reported in the world literature.

Time use of caregivers of impaired elders before and after institutionalization.

Time use was examined by means of time budgets obtained from 165 caregivers of older persons recruited from nursing home waiting lists and state nursing home assessment programs. "Yesterday interviews" were done at baseline (T1) and, again, an average of 5 months later when the elder had either entered a nursing home (n = 77) or was still awaiting entry (n = 88). Caregivers who provided more help (particularly instrumental assistance) to their elder were more likely to see that person placed in a nursing home at follow-up. More caregiving time was reported by those living with the elderly person and by nonworking and lower income caregivers; the elders being cared for by these groups were also more impaired. Less caregiving time (a total gain of 1 hour 47 minutes) was reported by caregivers following admission of the older person to the nursing home. The gained time was allocated to a significant degree to family interaction, recreation, and time outside the home.

Impact of elderly mother's death on middle age daughters.

Daughters' responses to an elderly mother's death are found to be multidimensional. In the first six months of bereavement many daughters experience themes of both holding on and letting go. Measured were depression, grief, somatic reactions, as well as impact on the sense of self, degree of acceptance of the death, and ways in which the tie with the mother endures. Though many of these reactions are intercorrelated, they are differentially associated with characteristics of the daughter, mother, and the quality of their relationship. Relatively sudden deaths were associated with more intense grief, less acceptance, and more thoughts of reunion than deaths that occurred in a nursing home.

The role of pain in the last year of life of older persons.

A random sample of 200 decreased older community residents was studied with a focus on the role of pain in the last year of life. Interviews with a surviving close person elicited retrospective reports. Pain increased over the final year; one month before death 66% felt pain frequently or all of the time, substantially higher than a matched comparison group of living persons (24%). For both groups across the year, pain was associated with most measures of behavioral competence, perceived quality of life, and psychological well-being. Hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that background and health variables explained 28% to 32% of the variance of pain over the year. Controlling for background variables and health, pain contributed significantly to lowered happiness and to depression, but had no independent impact on hope and interest in the world. After controlling for physical health, the older old were judged to have less pain than the younger old.

The excretion of theobromine in Thoroughbred racehorses after feeding compounded cubes containing cocoa husk--establishment of a threshold value in horse urine.

Thoroughbred geldings were fed racehorse cubes containing a predetermined concentration of theobromine in the form of cocoa husk. They were offered 7 kg of cubes per day, divided between morning and evening feed, and food consumption was monitored. Urinary concentrations of theobromine were determined following the consumption of cubes containing 11.5, 6.6, 2.0 and 1.2 mg per kg of theobromine, to verify whether or not such concentrations would produce positive urine tests. Pre-dose urine samples were collected to verify the absence of theobromine before each experiment. It became apparent from the results of the first three administrations that the limit of detection of theobromine, using such procedures, would be reached at a feed level of about 1 mg per kg theobromine. Therefore the final administration, using cubes containing 1.2 mg per kg theobromine, was singled out for additional analytical work and quantitative procedures were developed to measure urinary concentrations of theobromine. It was anticipated that the results would form a basis for discussions relating to the establishment of a threshold value for theobromine in horse urine. The Stewards of the Jockey Club subsequently gave notice that they had established a threshold level for theobromine in urine of 2 micrograms/ml.

Reactivity of monoclonal antibody 17.13. with human squamous cell carcinoma and its application to tumor diagnosis.

Monoclonal antibody 17.13., derived from a fusion of splenocytes of a BALB/c mouse immunized with a surgically resected poorly differentiated human laryngeal recurrent squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with mouse Sp2/0 cells, is an IgM-K which recognizes a cytoplasmic component of basal cells. Tissue sections of malignant and normal squamous epithelium, tumors of nonsquamous origin, and normal and malignant cytological specimens were tested with an immunoperoxidase assay. Seventy-nine of 81 (98%) SCC of the head and neck, 26 of 26 (100%) SCC of the cervical and female gynecological tract, 29 of 30 (97%) SCC of the lung, 19 of 19 (100%) SCC of the oral cavity, and 17 of 17 (100%) SCC-involved neck lymph nodes reacted strongly. Various carcinomas from breast, colon, ovary, and others were unreactive. In normal squamous epithelial tissues, monoclonal antibody 17.13. reacts only with basal cells but not the cells above the basal layers. Normal tissues from heart, liver, spleen, kidney, bladder, colon, ovary, stomach, pancreas, breast, lung, prostate, thyroid, and lymph nodes were unreactive with the exception of myoepithelial cells. Monoclonal antibody 17.13. may be useful in the diagnosis and management of SCC.

The bioavailability of phenylbutazone in the horse.

[phenyl-14C]-Phenylbutazone was administered to 2 horses p.o. and i.v. on separate occasions. Plasma levels and urinary and faecal elimination of 14C were monitored for up to 7 days after dosing. Phenylbutazone was rapidly and extensively absorbed after oral administration, and its bioavailability was 91% assessed by comparison of plasma AUCs of unchanged drug after p.o. and i.v. administration. The plasma elimination half-life of phenylbutazone was 9.7 h and this was independent of the route of administration. The pattern of elimination of phenylbutazone was independent of the route of administration, with 55% of the dose being found in the urine in 3 days and a further 39% in the faeces in 7 days. These data, which are the first reports of the absolute bioavailability and excretion pathways of phenylbutazone in the horse, are discussed in terms of their significance for the gastrointestinal toxicity of this drug.

In-vitro biosynthesis of C18 neutral steroids in horse testes.

Deuterium, 14C- and 3H-labelled steroid substrates were incubated with minced testicular tissue from stallions of different ages. After extraction and separation of the neutral and phenolic fractions the metabolites were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The presence of the expected C19 neutral and C18 phenolic steroids was confirmed. An isomer of 5(10)-oestrene-3,17-diol was also identified.

The lack of effect of inoculation with equine influenza vaccine on theophylline pharmacokinetics in the horse.

Several studies conducted during the past few years have shown that the pharmacokinetics of a variety of drugs may be altered following viral infection or vaccination. The elimination of drugs which are extensively metabolized, such as theophylline, may be prolonged, especially following exposure to RNA viruses such as Type A influenza or similar orthomyxoviruses. The purpose of this study was to determine whether vaccination of horses with equine influenza virus affected pharmacokinetic parameters describing the distribution and elimination of intravenously administered theophylline. Three thoroughbred horses and three ponies were vaccinated with a trivalent vaccine containing inactivated strains of A/Equi 1 (Prague), A/Equi 2 (Miami) and A/Equi 2 (Kentucky 81). Antibody titre, serum interferon concentrations, and the pharmacokinetic parameters t1/2 beta, Vc, Vd(ss), Vd(area) and ClB were measured at various intervals after vaccination. Antibody titre increased substantially in only two animals, while plasma interferon was detectable in low concentrations in four subjects. There was no significant change in any parameter describing the pharmacokinetics of theophylline when measured 2, 6, or 12 days after vaccination. It is suggested that the failure of vaccination to substantially increase plasma interferon concentrations, and thereby alter theophylline elimination, was related to the use of an inactivated viral vaccine, the only type available for vaccination of horses against infection with equine influenza. Regular use of such vaccines, as is required by most Racing Authorities, is therefore unlikely to affect drug withdrawal times.

Development of a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method using multiple analytes for the confirmatory analysis of anabolic steroid residues in horse urine. II. Detection of administration of 19-nortestosterone phenylpropionate to equine male castrates and fillies.

Esters of 19-nortestosterone form an important group of anabolic preparations used in veterinary practice. Based upon results from detailed metabolic studies for 19-nortestosterone in the horse, a method to confirm the administration of anabolic preparations of this steroid to castrated male horses and fillies is described; the method is based upon the use of multiple analytes. Following administration of the anabolic preparations, solid-phase extraction of urinary conjugates and the separation of the conjugate groups prior to hydrolysis allow for the determination of specific metabolites conjugated with either glucuronic acid or sulphate. Following hydrolysis of the conjugates, purification of the free neutral steroids on thin-layer chromatography, derivatisation and gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis, the presence of the major metabolites, estrane-3,17 alpha-diol in the glucuronic acid fraction and 19-nortestosterone and two isomers of estrane-3,17-diol in the sulphate fraction, could be confirmed for 17-18 days after administration of Nandrolin (19-nortestosterone phenylpropionate).

The biotransformation and urinary excretion of dexamethasone in equine male castrates.

The pro-drugs of dexamethasone, a potent glucocorticoid, are frequently used as anti-inflammatory steroids in equine veterinary practice. In the present study the biotransformation and urinary excretion of tritium labelled dexamethasone were investigated in cross-bred castrated male horses after therapeutic doses. Between 40-50% of the administered radioactivity was excreted in the urine within 24 h; a further 10% being excreted over the next 3 days. The urinary radioactivity was largely excreted in the unconjugated steroid fraction. In the first 24 h urine sample, 26-36% of the total dose was recovered in the unconjugated fraction, 8-13% in the conjugated fraction and about 5% was unextractable from the urine. The metabolites identified by microchemical transformations and thin-layer chromatography were unchanged dexamethasone, 17-oxodexamethasone, 11-dehydrodexamethasone, 20-dihydrodexamethasone, 6-hydroxydexamethasone and 6-hydroxy-17-oxodexamethasone together accounting for approx 60% of the urinary activity. About 25% of the urinary radioactivity associated with polar metabolites still remains unidentified.