Communication medium in theileriosis control: the factors that determine disease knowledge among smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe.

Theileriosis is one of the most important tick-borne diseases that has been affecting farmers and thousands of livestock in Zimbabwe. The main government strategy to combat theileriosis is use of plunge dips with anti-tick chemicals at specified times; however, an increase in number of farmers caused a strain on government services resulting in disease outbreak. One of the key issues that have been highlighted by department of veterinary is the strain in communication and knowledge of the disease with the farmers. Hence, it is important to evaluate the communication between farmers and veterinary services and identify possible areas of strain. A field survey was conducted with 320 farmers in Mhondoro Ngezi, a district badly affected by theileriosis. Face-to-face interviews with smallholders and communal farmers were conducted between September and October 2021, and the data were analyzed using Stata 17. Communal farmers relied mainly on oral communication and had limited knowledge of theileriosis; therefore, dead cattle % was high among them. Though veterinary extension officers were the prime source of information, oral communication medium affected knowledge transferred. The results of this study recommend adoption of communication mediums that encourage retention, such as brochures and posters by veterinary extension services. The government may also partner with private players to ease pressure of increased farming population due to land reform.

Research needs, environmental concerns, and logistical considerations for incorporating livestock grazing into coastal upland habitat management.

Along the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) coast, natural resource managers continually struggle with managing coastal uplands due to front-end costs, prolonged maintenance, and habitat-specific ecological needs. Prescribed fire, mechanical removal, and chemical treatments are common habitat management techniques used to remove invasive species, clear understory, and achieve other management goals. However, rapid development and changing climate exacerbate the difficulty in using these techniques. A potential alternative or complementary technique is using livestock for habitat management (i.e., targeted or controlled grazing). In other regions of the world, using livestock for conservation or restoration of managed lands has shown to be a less intrusive and more financially viable alternative. To better understand the research needs, logistical, and environmental concerns related to using livestock for habitat management in the coastal uplands of the GoM, we developed and distributed a survey to three groups of land users, including natural resource managers, researchers, and livestock producers in the region. Survey results show that over 96% of respondents are interested in using livestock for habitat management, but less than 10% of respondents were aware of any information that could be used to inform grazing practices for coastal upland habitat management along the Gulf of Mexico coast. There were differences among surveyed groups, but generally small-sized cattle breeds and goats were identified as the livestock with the most potential for environmental benefit and ease of containment. General concerns and areas for further investigation were implementation (e.g., which livestock type to use and grazing intensity), logistical considerations (e.g., fencing and rotational frequency), impacts of grazing on water quality, wildlife, vegetation, and livestock nutrition. Survey respondents overwhelmingly (at least 75% of each group) indicated that livestock grazing ideally would not be a standalone management practice and should be used in conjunction with other habitat management techniques such as prescribed burns, mechanical clearing, or chemical treatments. The results of the survey could be used to develop applied research projects and guidance documents that directly address informational needs related to using livestock for habitat management of coastal uplands along the Gulf of Mexico coast.

SFPQ promotes an oncogenic transcriptomic state in melanoma.

The multifunctional protein, splicing factor, proline- and glutamine-rich (SFPQ) has been implicated in numerous cancers often due to interaction with coding and non-coding RNAs, however, its role in melanoma remains unclear. We report that knockdown of SFPQ expression in melanoma cells decelerates several cancer-associated cell phenotypes, including cell growth, migration, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, apoptosis, and glycolysis. RIP-seq analysis revealed that the SFPQ-RNA interactome is reprogrammed in melanoma cells and specifically enriched with key melanoma-associated coding and long non-coding transcripts, including SOX10, AMIGO2 and LINC00511 and in most cases SFPQ is required for the efficient expression of these genes. Functional analysis of two SFPQ-enriched lncRNA, LINC00511 and LINC01234, demonstrated that these genes independently contribute to the melanoma phenotype and a more detailed analysis of LINC00511 indicated that this occurs in part via modulation of the miR-625-5p/PKM2 axis. Importantly, analysis of a large clinical cohort revealed that elevated expression of SFPQ in primary melanoma tumours may have utility as a prognostic biomarker. Together, these data suggest that SFPQ is an important driver of melanoma, likely due to SFPQ-RNA interactions promoting the expression of numerous oncogenic transcripts.

Novel Low-Voltage MultiPulse Therapy to Terminate Atrial Fibrillation.

OBJECTIVES: This first-in-human feasibility study was undertaken to translate the novel low-voltage MultiPulse Therapy (MPT) (Cardialen, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota), which was previously been shown to be effective in preclinical studies in terminating atrial fibrillation (AF), into clinical use. BACKGROUND: Current treatment options for AF, the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice, have limited success. Previous attempts at treating AF by using implantable devices have been limited by the painful nature of high-voltage shocks. METHODS: Forty-two patients undergoing AF ablation were recruited at 6 investigational centers worldwide. Before ablation, electrode catheters were placed in the coronary sinus, right and/or left atrium, for recording and stimulation. After the induction of AF, MPT, which consists of up to a 3-stage sequence of far- and near-field stimulation pulses of varied amplitude, duration, and interpulse timing, was delivered via temporary intracardiac leads. MPT parameters and delivery methods were iteratively optimized. RESULTS: In the 14 patients from the efficacy phase, MPT terminated 37 of 52 (71%) of AF episodes, with the lowest median energy of 0.36 J (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.14 to 1.21 J) and voltage of 42.5 V (IQR: 25 to 75 V). Overall, 38% of AF terminations occurred within 2 seconds of MPT delivery (p < 0.0001). Shorter time between AF induction and MPT predicted success of MPT in terminating AF (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: MPT effectively terminated AF at voltages and energies known to be well tolerated or painless in some patients. Our results support further studies of the concept of implanted devices for early AF conversion to reduce AF burden, symptoms, and progression.

The role of CAF derived exosomal microRNAs in the tumour microenvironment of melanoma.

Exosomes play a crucial role in the crosstalk between cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and cancer cells, contributing to carcinogenesis and the tumour microenvironment. Recent studies have revealed that CAFs, normal fibroblasts and cancer cells all secrete exosomes that contain miRNA, establishing a cell-cell communication network within the tumour microenvironment. For example, miRNA dysregulation in melanoma has been shown to promote CAF activation via induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which in turn alters the secretory phenotype of CAFs in the stroma. This review assesses the roles of melanoma exosomal miRNAs in CAF formation and how CAF exosome-mediated feedback signalling to melanoma lead to tumour progression and metastasis. Moreover, efforts to exploit exosomal miRNA-mediated network communication between tumour cells and their microenvironment, and their potential as prognostic biomarkers or novel therapeutic targets in melanoma will also be considered.

The rationale for patient-reported outcomes surveillance in cancer and a reproducible method for achieving it.

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) measure quality of life, symptoms, patient functioning, and patient perceptions of care; they are essential for gaining a full understanding of cancer care and the impact of cancer on people's lives. Repeatedly captured facility-level and/or population-level PROs (PRO surveillance) could play an important role in quality monitoring and improvement, benchmarking, advocacy, policy making, and research. This article describes the rationale for PRO surveillance and the methods of the Patient Reported Outcomes Symptoms and Side Effects Study (PROSSES), which is the first PRO study to use the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer's Rapid Quality Reporting System to identify patients and manage study data flow. The American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, the Commission on Cancer, and RTI International collaborated on PROSSES. PROSSES was conducted at 17 cancer programs that participated in the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program among patients diagnosed with locoregional breast or colon cancer. The methods piloted in PROSSES were successful as demonstrated by high eligibility (93%) and response (61%) rates. Differences in clinical and demographic characteristics between respondents and nonrespondents were mostly negligible, with the exception that non-white individuals were somewhat less likely to respond. These methods were consistent across cancer centers and reproducible over time. If repeated and expanded, they could provide PRO surveillance data from patients with cancer on a national scale.

Effect of radiation and repeated sub-culturing on the transforming growth factor-ß1 signaling pathway in FRTL-5 cells.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Fisher rat thyroid cells (FRTL-5) display increased proliferation, reduced follicularization and decreased thyroxin release with repeated sub-culturing. These changes occur earlier and more rapidly following exposure to ionizing radiation. We hypothesized that altered transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) signaling contributes to these differences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Assessments included FRTL-5 cell growth rate and quantification of TGF-ß1 ligand and receptors. The levels and activity of Smads2, 3 and 4 were measured by western blotting and the ability of TGF-ß1 to regulate cyclin A and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) activity was assessed using transfection assays. RESULTS: TGF-ß1 production increased after radiation but returned to control levels after repeated sub-culturing. There was no difference in TGF-ß1 levels between un-irradiated cells at low versus high-passage number. TGF-ß1 receptors and basal levels of Smads2, 3 and 4 remained unchanged. However, there were significant changes in cell proliferation, TGF-ß1-mediated Smads2 and 3 activation and in TGF-ß1's ability to regulate cyclin A and PAI-1 transcription in irradiated and repeatedly sub-cultured cells (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Collectively, these results support the conclusion that alterations in the TGF-ß1 pathway contribute to phenotypic changes in FRTL-5 cells as a function of passage number and radiation.

Higher estrogen levels during pregnancy in Andean than European residents of high altitude suggest differences in aromatase activity.

CONTEXT: Uteroplacental hypoxia has been reported to lower estrogen levels in preeclampsia as the result of reduced aromatase activity. OBJECTIVE: We asked whether the chronic hypoxia of residence at high altitude in the absence of preeclampsia lowered estrogen, whether such effects differed in Andean vs European high-altitude residents, and whether such effects were related to uterine artery diameter or blood flow. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Studies at weeks 20 and 36 of pregnancy were conducted in 108 healthy Bolivian low- (400 m, n = 53) or high-altitude (3600 m, n = 55) residents of European (n = 28 low and 26 high altitude) or Andean (n = 25 low and 29 high altitude) ancestry. All groups were similar in age, nonpregnant body mass index, and pregnancy weight gain. RESULTS: High-altitude residence increased circulating progesterone, cortisol, estrone, 17ß-estradiol, and estriol levels (all P < .01). High-altitude Andeans vs Europeans at week 36 had higher progesterone, estrone, 17ß-estradiol, and estriol levels as well as product to substrate ratios for the reactions catalyzed by aromatase, whereas week 36 cortisol levels were greater in the European than Andean women (all P < .05). Lower cortisol, higher estriol (both P < .01), and trends for higher progesterone and 17ß-estradiol levels were associated with greater uterine artery diameters and blood flow at high altitude. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic hypoxia does not lower but rather raises estrogen levels in multigenerational Andeans vs shorter-term Europeans, possibly as the result of greater aromatase activity. Because hypoxia alone does not lower estrogen, other attributes of the disease may be responsible for the lower estrogen levels seen previously in preeclamptic women.

Calcium binding peptide motifs from calmodulin confer divalent ion selectivity to elastin-like polypeptides.

Calcium-sensitive elastin-like polypeptides (CELPs) were synthesized by periodically interspersing a calcium-binding peptide sequence from calmodulin within an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) with the goal of creating thermal and calcium responsive peptide polymers. The CELPs exhibit high sensitivity to calcium compared to monovalent cations but do not exhibit the exquisite selectivity for calcium over other divalent cations, such as magnesium, that is displayed by calmodulin. The CELPs were further used as a building block for the synthesis of calcium-sensitive nanoparticles by fusing a hydrophilic, noncalcium-sensitive ELP block with a CELP block that becomes more hydrophobic upon calcium binding. We show that addition of calcium at concentrations between 50 and 500 mM imparts sufficient amphiphilicity to the diblock polypeptide between 33 and 46 °C to trigger its self-assembly into monodisperse spherical micelles with a hydrodynamic radius of ∼50 nm.

Pregnancy increases myometrial artery myogenic tone via NOS- or COX-independent mechanisms.

Myogenic tone (MT) is a primary modulator of blood flow in the resistance vasculature of the brain, kidney, skeletal muscle, and perhaps in other high-flow organs such as the pregnant uterus. MT is known to be regulated by endothelium-derived factors, including products of the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and/or the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathways. We asked whether pregnancy influenced MT in myometrial arteries (MA), and if so, whether such an effect could be attributed to alterations in NOS and/or COX. MA (200-300 µm internal diameter, 2-3 mm length) were isolated from 10 nonpregnant and 12 pregnant women undergoing elective hysterectomy or cesarean section, respectively. In the absence of NOS and/or COX inhibition, pregnancy was associated with increased MT in endothelium-intact MA compared with MA from nonpregnant women (P < 0.01). The increase in MT was not due to increased Ca(2+) entry via voltage-dependent channels since both groups of MA exhibited similar levels of constriction when exposed to 50 mM KCl. NOS inhibition (N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, L-NAME) or combined NOS/COX inhibition (L-NAME/indomethacin) increased MT in MA from pregnant women (P = 0.001 and P = 0.042, respectively) but was without effect in arteries from nonpregnant women. Indomethacin alone was without effect on MT in MA from either nonpregnant or pregnant women. We concluded that MT increases in MA during human pregnancy and that this effect was partially opposed by enhanced NOS activity.

Durability of sustained response shown in paediatric patients with chronic hepatitis C who were treated with interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin.

Long-term studies in adults indicate that sustained virologic response (SVR) after combination treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) predicts long-term clearance. Although peginterferon plus ribavirin is now standard care for children with CHC, long-term follow-up studies are not yet available. This study evaluated durability of virologic response over 5 years in children previously treated with interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin (IFN/R). Ninety-seven of 147 children with CHC, who were treated with IFN/R and completed the 6-month follow-up in two previous clinical trials, participated in this long-term follow-up study. All were assessed annually for up to 5 years; patients with SVR were assessed for durability of virologic response. Children with SVR (n = 56) and those with detectable hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA 24-week post-treatment (n = 41) were followed for a median of 284 weeks. Overall, 70% (68/97) of patients completed the 5-year follow-up. One patient with genotype 1a CHC had SVR and relapsed at year 1 of follow-up with the same genotype. Kaplan-Meier estimate for sustained response at 5 years was 98% (95% CI: 95%, 100%). Six patients with low-positive HCV RNA levels (n = 4) or missing HCV RNA at the 24-week follow-up visit (n = 2) in the initial treatment studies had virologic response during this long-term follow-up study. Linear growth rate was impaired during treatment with rapid increases in the immediate 6 months post-treatment. Mean height percentile at the end of the 5-year follow-up was slightly less than the mean pretreatment height percentile. Five patients experienced serious adverse events; none related to study drug exposure. SVR after IFN/R predicts long-term clearance of HCV in paediatric patients; growth normalized in the majority of children during the long-term follow-up. Similar long-term results could be expected after peginterferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin treatment.

Humans at high altitude: hypoxia and fetal growth.

High-altitude studies offer insight into the evolutionary processes and physiological mechanisms affecting the early phases of the human lifespan. Chronic hypoxia slows fetal growth and reduces the pregnancy-associated rise in uterine artery (UA) blood flow. Multigenerational vs. shorter-term high-altitude residents are protected from the altitude-associated reductions in UA flow and fetal growth. Presently unknown is whether this fetal-growth protection is due to the greater delivery or metabolism of oxygen, glucose or other substrates or to other considerations such as mechanical factors protecting fragile fetal villi, the creation of a reserve protecting against ischemia/reperfusion injury, or improved placental O(2) transfer as the result of narrowing the A-V O(2) difference and raising uterine P(v)O2. Placental growth and development appear to be normal or modified at high altitude in ways likely to benefit diffusion. Much remains to be learned concerning the effects of chronic hypoxia on embryonic development. Further research is required for identifying the fetoplacental and maternal mechanisms responsible for transforming the maternal vasculature and regulating UA blood flow and fetal growth. Genomic as well as epigenetic studies are opening new avenues of investigation that can yield insights into the basic pathways and evolutionary processes involved.

Diabetes and adverse mental health among African Americans.

This article reviews the connection between diabetes and adverse mental health among African Americans. Concern about safe insulin prescribing and administration is raised, and the importance of integrated physical and mental health care in the prevention and control of diabetes is highlighted.

Roles of cytosolic Ca2+ concentration and myofilament Ca2+ sensitization in age-dependent cerebrovascular myogenic tone.

In light of evidence that immature arteries contain a higher proportion of noncontractile smooth muscle cells than found in fully differentiated mature arteries, the present study explored the hypothesis that age-related differences in the smooth muscle phenotype contribute to age-related differences in contractility. Because Ca(2+) handling differs markedly between contractile and noncontractile smooth muscle, the present study specifically tested the hypothesis that the relative contributions of Ca(2+) influx and myofilament sensitization to myogenic tone are upregulated, whereas Ca(2+) release is downregulated, in immature [14 days postnatal (P14)] compared with mature (6 mo old) rat middle cerebral arteries (MCAs). Myofilament Ca(2+) sensitivity measured in ß-escin-permeabilized arteries increased with pressure in P14 but not adult MCAs. Cyclopiazonic acid (an inhibitor of Ca(2+) release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum) increased diameter and reduced Ca(2+) in adult MCAs but increased diameter with no apparent change in Ca(2+) in P14 MCAs. La(3+) (Ca(2+) influx inhibitor) increased diameter and decreased Ca(2+) in adult MCAs, but in P14 MCAs, La(3+) increased diameter with no apparent change in Ca(2+). After treatment with both La(3+) and CPA, diameters were passive in both adult and P14 MCAs, but Ca(2+) was decreased only in adult MCAs. To quantify the fraction of smooth muscle cells in the fully differentiated contractile phenotype, extents of colocalization between smooth muscle α-actin and SM2 myosin heavy chain were determined and found to be at least twofold greater in adult than pup MCAs. These data suggest that compared with adult MCAs, pup MCAs contain a greater proportion of noncontractile smooth muscle and, as a consequence, rely more on myofilament Ca(2+) sensitization and Ca(2+) influx to maintain myogenic reactivity. The inability of La(3+) to reduce cytosolic Ca(2+) in the pup MCA appears due to La(3+)-insensitive noncontractile smooth muscle cells, which contribute to the spatially averaged measurements of Ca(2+) but not contraction.

Postnatal maturation attenuates pressure-evoked myogenic tone and stretch-induced increases in Ca2+ in rat cerebral arteries.

Although postnatal maturation potently modulates agonist-induced cerebrovascular contractility, its effects on the mechanisms mediating cerebrovascular myogenic tone remain poorly understood. Because the regulation of calcium influx and myofilament calcium sensitivity change markedly during early postnatal life, the present study tested the general hypothesis that early postnatal maturation increases the pressure sensitivity of cerebrovascular myogenic tone via age-dependent enhancement of pressure-induced calcium mobilization and myofilament calcium sensitivity. Pressure-induced myogenic tone and changes in artery wall intracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca(2+)](i)) were measured simultaneously in endothelium-denuded, fura-2-loaded middle cerebral arteries (MCA) from pup [postnatal day 14 (P14)] and adult (6-mo-old) Sprague-Dawley rats. Increases in pressure from 20 to 80 mmHg enhanced myogenic tone in MCA from both pups and adults although the normalized magnitudes of these increases were significantly greater in pup than adult MCA. At each pressure step, vascular wall [Ca(2+)](i) was also significantly greater in pup than in adult MCA. Nifedipine significantly attenuated pressure-evoked constrictions in pup MCA and essentially eliminated all responses to pressure in the adult MCA. Both pup and adult MCA exhibited pressure-dependent increases in calcium sensitivity, as estimated by changes in the ratio of pressure-induced myogenic tone to wall [Ca(2+)](i). However, there were no differences in the magnitudes of these increases between pup and adult MCA. The results support the view that regardless of postnatal age, changes in both calcium influx and myofilament calcium sensitivity contribute to the regulation of cerebral artery myogenic tone. The greater cerebral myogenic response in P14 compared with adult MCA appears to be due to greater pressure-induced increases in [Ca(2+)](i), rather than enhanced augmentation of myofilament calcium sensitivity.

Long-term outcomes after management of restenosis or thrombosis of drug-eluting stents.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the outcomes of patients who developed coronary in-stent restenosis (ISR) or stent thrombosis (STH) inside drug-eluting stents (DES). BACKGROUND: Drug-eluting stents have markedly reduced the incidence of restenosis. However, when restenosis occurs within a DES, its optimal management remains unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical and angiographic data from 92 patients who underwent revascularization for ISR (n = 84) or STH (n = 8) within a DES at our institution. Regular follow-ups were available up to 2 years. We recorded the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as deaths from all causes, myocardial infarction (MI), or target lesion revascularization (TLR), among patients treated by the "DES sandwich" technique or by other treatment methods. RESULTS: In-hospital MACE included 1 periprocedural MI and 2 deaths. Over a mean follow-up of 15 +/- 6 months, the overall rates of death, MI, and TLR were 8.7%, 2.2%, and 30.6%, respectively. By actuarial analysis, the 12-month TLR and MACE rates were 28.2% and 42.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Current treatments of ISR or STH in DES are associated with a high long-term rate of MACE.

Requirements and interventions used by BSN programs to promote and predict NCLEX-RN success: a national study.

The purposes of this study were (1) to identify specific program requirements and educational interventions used to promote National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) success among graduates of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs and (2) to determine the best predictors of NCLEX-RN success used by BSN nursing programs. This descriptive correlational study used the survey method for data collection. Participants were recruited from 513 generic BSN programs. One hundred sixty usable responses were received for a response rate of 31.2 percent. This is the only recent national study of variables associated with NCLEX-RN success that could be found in the literature; therefore, it addresses a gap in the literature. Significant findings related to NCLEX passing rates included (1) the use of standardized entrance exams and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores for admission criteria, (2) National League for Nursing (NLN) content at-risk scores for mental health and community health nursing for progression, (3) clinical proficiency and use of exit examinations as graduation requirements, (4) commercial reviews as an intervention, and (5) percent White as a demographic variable. Additionally, the findings support the use of standardized entrance examinations and content area examinations to assess readiness for NCLEX.

Smoking and functional status among Medicare managed care enrollees.

BACKGROUND: Smoking is a major determinant of health status and outcomes. Current smoking has been associated with lower scores on the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36). Whether this occurs among the elderly and disabled Medicare populations is not known. This study assessed the relationships between smoking status and both physical and mental functioning in the Medicare managed-care population. METHODS: During the spring of 1998, data were collected from 134309 elderly and 8640 disabled Medicare beneficiaries for Cohort 1, Round 1 of the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey. We subsequently used these data to calculate mean standardized SF-36 scores, self-reported health status, and prevalence of smoking-related illness, by smoking status, after adjusting for demographic factors. RESULTS: Among the disabled, everyday and someday smokers had lower standardized physical component (PCS) and mental component (MCS) scores than never smokers (-2.4 to -4.5 points; p <0.01 for all). Among the elderly, the lowest PCS and MCS scores were seen among recent quitters (-5.1 and -3.7 points, respectively, below those for never smokers; p <0.01 for both), but current smokers also had significantly lower scores on both scales. For the elderly and disabled populations, MCS scores of long-term quitters were the same as nonsmokers. Similar patterns were seen across all eight SF-36 scales. Ever smokers had higher odds of reporting both less-than-good health and a history of smoking-related chronic disease. CONCLUSIONS: In the elderly and disabled Medicare populations, smokers report worse physical and mental functional status than never smokers. Long-term quitters have better functional status than those who still smoke. More effort should be directed at helping elderly smokers to quit earlier. Smoking cessation has implications for improving both survival and functional status.

Comprehensiveness of substance use prevention programs in U.S. middle schools.

PURPOSE: To assess how current practice in middle school substance use prevention programs compares with seven recommended guidelines adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for school-based tobacco use prevention programs. METHODS: Substance use prevention practice was analyzed using data from a 1999 mailed questionnaire of a nationally representative sample of 1496 public and private schools with middle school grades that reported having a substance use prevention program. Respondents answered questions about substance use prevention education and activities in the whole school and in their own classroom. Weighted prevalence estimates for the seven recommendations are presented, and multiple regression was used to analyze correlates of implementation of the recommendations. RESULTS: An estimated 64.2% of schools met four or more of the recommendations for school-based substance use prevention practice; 4.0% met all seven recommendations. Schools were most likely to report having and enforcing substance use prevention policies (84.3%) and least likely to report training teachers in substance use prevention (17.9%). More recommendations were implemented in schools that were public and had larger enrollments, greater perceived availability of resources, greater school board and parental support for substance use prevention, and had hired a school substance use prevention coordinator. CONCLUSIONS: The low prevalence of comprehensive substance use prevention programs in U.S. middle schools may limit the potential impact of school programs on the prevalence of youth substance use.

Effects of fractions from biodegraded Alaska North Slope crude oil on embryonic inland silversides, Menidia beryllina.

Embryonic inland silversides, Meinida beryllina, were exposed to neutral, water-soluble fractions (WSFs) resulting from microbial degradation of artificially weathered Alaska North Slope (ANS) crude oil. Three individual microbes obtained from Prince William Sound, Alaska, and designated Phe#6 (enriched on phenanthrene), Hexaco#2 (enriched on the straight-chain alkane, hexacosane), and EI2V (grown by enrichment on Bushnell-Haas medium containing 0.2% pristane, a branched alkane) were used to individually biodegrade weathered ANS crude oil for 14 days in darkness in 20-L glass carboys containing nutrient enriched, sterilized 20% salinity sea water at 20 +/- 1 degrees C. Neutral WSFs resulting from biodegradation of ANS (lot 521) by each microbe were recovered and weighted. Neutral WSFs recovered were: 1.76 mg/L for Phe#6, 1.85 mg/L for Hexaco#2, and 13.02 mg/L for the EI2V microbe. Embryo toxicity and teratogenicity tests revealed that exposure of embryos to the WSFs from the EI2V incubation (with a total recovered neutral fraction approximately seven times greater than the Phe#6 and Hexaco#2 incubations) resulted in the most severe responses in craniofacial, cardiovascular, and skeletal organ systems. The total neutral WSFs recovered from the EI2V biodegradation of weathered ANS 521 were subfractionated into saturated (eluted with hexane), aromatic (eluted with CH2Cl2), polar (eluted with ethyl ether), and recombined (saturated + aromatic + polar) fractions. Developing fish embryos were then exposed to each subfraction and the recombined subfractions. The polar subfraction and recombined subfractions proved to be the most embryo toxic and teratogenic. They resulted in statistically significant (p < or = 0.05) responses (compared to controls) for craniofacial, cardiovascular, skeletal, and total severity effects in one or both tests with these subfractions.