Familial colorectal cancer risk by subsite of primary cancer: a population-based study in Utah.

BACKGROUND: Familial occurrence is common in colorectal cancer (CRC), but whether this increased familial risk differs by colonic subsite of the index patients CRC is not well understood. AIM: To quantify the risk of CRC in first-degree (FDR), second-degree (SDR) and first cousin (FC) relatives of individuals with CRC, stratified by subsite in the colorectum and age at diagnosis. METHODS: Colorectal cancers diagnosed between 1980 and 2010 were identified from the Utah Cancer Registry and linked to pedigrees from the Utah Population Database. Age and gender-matched CRC-free controls were selected to form the comparison group for determining CRC risk in relatives using Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 18,208 index patients diagnosed with CRC, 6584 (36.2%) were located in the proximal colon, 5986 (32.9%) in the distal colon and 5638 (31%) in the rectum. The elevated risk of CRC in relatives was similar in analysis stratified for CRC colorectal subsites in the index cases. FDR had similarly elevated risk of all site CRC, whether the index patient had cancer in the proximal colon [hazards ratio (HR): 1.85; 95% CI: 1.70-2.02], distal colon (HR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.73-2.08) or rectum (HR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.66-2.02) compared to relatives of controls. This risk was consistently greater for FDR when cases developed CRC below the age of 60 years. CONCLUSIONS: Relatives of CRC patients have a similarly elevated risk of CRC regardless of colonic tumour subsite in the index patient, and it is greatest for relatives of younger age index cases.

Local Excision vs. Radical Resection in T1-2 Rectal Carcinoma: Results of a Study From the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Registry Data.

BACKGROUND: Local excision (LE) has been used in an attempt to preserve anal function in T1-2 rectal carcinoma. The current study compares LE to radical resection (RR), each with or without radiation therapy (RT). METHODS: Patients reported to the SEER registry of the National Cancer Institute from 1988 to 2003 who had T1-2N0M0 rectal carcinoma were identified. A retrospective analysis of survival was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Comparative risks of mortality were evaluated using multivariate adjusted Cox regression models. RESULTS: Of 4,320 patients, 13% underwent LE alone, 7% underwent LE plus RT, 70% underwent RR alone, and 10% underwent RR plus RT. On multivariate analysis, patients who underwent LE without RT had inferior overall survival compared to patients who underwent RR (P < .05). Patients who underwent LE with or without RT had inferior cause-specific survival compared to patients who underwent RR (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: RR without RT was associated with superior overall survival compared to LE without RT, and RR without RT was associated with superior cause-specific survival compared to LE with or without RT. Randomized trials are necessary to determine if LE with or without RT can offer equivalent survival compared to RR in early stage rectal carcinoma.

The cannabinoid CB1 antagonist N-piperidinyl-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl) -4-methylpyrazole-3-carboxamide (SR-141716A) differentially alters the reinforcing effects of heroin under continuous reinforcement, fixed ratio, and progressive ratio schedules of drug self-administration in rats.

Activation or blockade of cannabinoid CB1 receptors markedly alters many effects of opioids. In the present study, we investigated whether the cannabinoid antagonist (N-piperidinyl-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methylpyrazole-3-carboxamide (SR-141716A) could alter the reinforcing effects of heroin in rats. A Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) drug-discrimination procedure was first used to determine effective CB1 antagonist doses of SR-141716A and optimal pretreatment times for self-administration studies. Subsequently, Sprague-Dawley rats learned to self-administer heroin under three different schedules of intravenous drug injection: a continuous reinforcement schedule [fixed ratio (FR)1], a five-response, fixed ratio schedule (FR5), and a progressive ratio schedule. Then, SR-141716A (1 mg/kg i.p.) was administered 60 min before the start of the session for three consecutive daily sessions. SR-141716A markedly decreased heroin self-administration under the progressive ratio schedule at heroin doses ranging from 12.5 to 100 micro g/kg/injection. In contrast, SR-141716A had no effect on heroin self-administration under the FR1 schedule at heroin doses of 50 or 100 micro g/kg/injection, but produced small decreases in self-administration at lower doses (25 and 12.5 micro g/kg/injection). Consistent with a behavioral economics evaluation, SR-141716A produced a small but significant decrease in self-administration of the higher 50 micro g/kg/injection dose of heroin when the fixed ratio requirement was raised to five (FR5). Thus, blockade of CB1 receptors differentially decreased the reinforcing efficacy of heroin depending on the number of responses required for each injection (price). These findings indicate a facilitatory modulation of opioid reward by endogenous cannabinoid activity and provide support for the use of cannabinoid CB1 antagonists as medications for heroin addiction.

Tree hole Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) of the Central Plains in the United States.

Three-hundred eleven tree holes were sampled for Culicoides at 27 localities in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and South Dakota. Of the 311 samples taken, 170 produced specimens, and 2,899 Culicoides were collected including 12 species. The 5 most common species (number collected) were C. guttipennis (1,468), C. arboricola (355), C. paraensis (292), C. elemae (186) and C. footei (159). Other species collected were C. villosipennis, C. nanus, C. hinmani, C. oklahomensis, C. snowi, C. lahillei and C. byersi. New state records include C. byersi and C. arboricola for Colorado; C. arboricola for Wyoming; and C. lahillei, C. elemae, C. nanus and C. paraensis for Oklahoma. Culicoides byersi, whose larval habitat was previously unknown, was reared from a cottonwood tree hole.

Human skin temperature and mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) blood feeding rate.

The relationship between skin temperature and mosquito blood feeding behavior was examined in nine human subjects. A system implementing computer control of skin temperature was utilized during blood feeding sessions in which feeding behavior (preforaging, foraging, probing, feeding) was timed and compared at five successive skin temperatures (29.0 degrees C-36.2 degrees C). Preforaging, foraging, and probing times were not significantly different at the skin temperatures examined. Average blood meal size (3.3 microliters) also did not differ at these skin temperatures, but the time of engorgement decreased from 249.3 s at 30.8 degrees C to 100.7 s at 36.2 degrees C. The decreased feeding time resulted in an increase in feeding rate from 1.1 microliters/min (29.0 degrees C) to 2.2 microliters/min (36.2 degrees C).

Habitat and temporal partitioning of tree hole Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

Spring emergence patterns of tree hole Culicoides were examined at 11 geographic locations. Habitat selection was one mechanism of partitioning used by Culicoides. One group (3 species) occupied tree holes with standing water (wet), while the other (7 species) inhabited tree holes without standing water (dry). The wet tree hole species had sustained emergence patterns, emergence maintained over several consecutive weeks. The dry tree hole species had phasic or biphasic emergence lasting fewer days or occurring as 2 short periods. In both dry and wet habitats, species emerged in a temporal sequence. This temporal sequence was disrupted if a species occupied a type of tree hole (wet/dry) from which it did not normally occur.

Habitat pH characteristics of tree hole Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

Ten species of Culicoides were collected from 166 tree holes at 20 widely separated geographic locations to assess relationships with habitat pH. Wet tree holes (containing standing water) had a mean pH of 7.46 while dry tree holes (no standing water) had a mean pH of 8.60. Culicoides arboricola, C. guttipennis and C. villosipennis occurred in wet tree holes that had mean pH values of 7.66, 7.95 and 7.31, respectively. Dry tree holes, where C. hinmani, C. elemae, C. paraensis, C. nanus, C. snowi and C. footei occurred, had pH values ranging from 8.13 to 9.08. Culicoides lahillei, a dry tree hole species, was collected from habitats with a pH range similar to the wet tree hole species.

Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) species in southeastern Nebraska.

Twenty-four species of Culicoides were collected between April and September of 1986 from Nemaha and Richardson counties of southeastern Nebraska using New Jersey light traps and tree hole sampling. Light trap samples were dominated by C. crepuscularis (42.4%), C. stellifer (29.6%), C. haematopotus (17.4%), C. variipennis (4.1%) and C. obsoletus (2.8%). Culicoides guttipennis and C. villosipennis were the most common of the 9 tree hole species collected. New state records for Nebraska were obtained for C. lahillei, C. riggsi, C. footei, C. paraensis, C. nanus, C. spinosus, C. biguttatus and C. piliferus.

Pulmonary complications of intravenous drug abuse. Experience at an inner-city hospital.

Fifty-one intravenous drug abusers were evaluated by a pulmonary consultative team over a 22-month period at a large inner city hospital. The most common pulmonary complication was septic pulmonary embolism, seen in 12 patients (23.5 percent). Community-acquired pneumonia was diagnosed in ten patients (19.6 percent). Mycobacterium tuberculosis occurred in five patients (9.8 percent). Although 25 of 40 patients (63 percent) tested for human immunodeficiency virus antibody were positive, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was present in only five patients (9.8 percent). Bronchoscopy was used to evaluate pulmonary infiltrates in 15 of 51 cases (29 percent). Common bacterial infections and tuberculosis remain the most frequently encountered pulmonary problems in drug abusers, despite the onset of the AIDS epidemic.

Bilateral pyopneumothorax secondary to intravenous drug abuse.

An intravenous drug abuser presented with bilateral pyopneumothoraces and bacteremia which is a previously unreported complication of jugular vein self-injection. The patient sustained direct pleural trauma and resultant infection by injecting herself with contaminated needles.

Canine heartworm in the domestic and wild canids of southeastern Nebraska.

The prevalence of canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) was examined in the domestic dog, coyote (Canis latrans), and red fox (Vulpes fulva) populations of southeastern Nebraska. Microfilariae were detected in 21.4% (22 of 103) of the domestic dogs. The average age of infection for dogs was 5.8 yr. Nine of the 22 infected dogs also were positive for Dipetalonema reconditum. Thirty-nine of 443 (8.9%) coyotes were found to have adult heartworms. The average number of male and female worms per heart was 3.7 and 3.9, respectively. The mean age of infected coyotes was 3.6 yr. Red foxes had an infection rate of 4.8% (1 of 21). This fox heart had only 1 immature female worm. A mail survey of 6 veterinary clinics was also conducted. Veterinarians reported infection rates of 0% to 18.8% in domestic dogs for their localities.

Synaptic organization of the cabbage looper moth ocellus.

Chemical and electronic synapses are present in the ocellar synaptic region of the moth, Trichoplusia ni. The chemical synapses all appear to be of "conventional" type. Four different chemical synaptic contacts were observed: Receptor cell axons presynaptic to receptor cell axons, receptor cell axons presynaptic to 1st order interneurons, 1st order interneurons presynaptic to receptor cell axons, and 1st order interneurons presynaptic to 1st order interneurons. Two different types of contact made by electronic synapes were observed: Contacts between receptor cell axons and 1st order interneurons, and contacts between 1st order interneurons. The significance of this synaptic arrangement for the generation of "on" and "off" responses in the 1st order interneurons is discussed.

Gustatory hairs on the mosquito, Culiseta inornata.

Gustatory hairs were investigated on the legs and mouthparts of Culiseta inornata (Williston) (Diptera: Culicidae). One type of hair, each innervated by four neurons, was found on the legs. Two of the neurons responded to NaCl stimulation, one neuron to water stimulation, and one neuron to sucrose stimulation. Three kinds of hairs designated Type I (T1), Type 2 (T2) and Type 3 (T3) were analyzed on the labella. The T1 hairs are innervated by one sugar neuron, one mechanoreceptor, two salt neurons and one water neuron. The T2 hairs are innervated by two salt neurons and one mechanoreceptor. The T3 hairs, located on the oral surface of the labella, are innervated by a variable number (2-5) of neurons. Precise identification of the T3 chemosensory neurons was not made because of the small size and inaccessibility of the T3 hairs. Chemosensory hairs on the tip of the labrum were tested electrophysiologically. the sequence of decreasing effeectiveness for the three salts tested was KCl greater than NaCl greater than LiCl. Labral chemoreceptors also responded positively to sucrose.