A new lignan glycoside from Eleutherococcus senticosus.

A new lignan glycoside, named eleutheroside E(2) (1), has been isolated from the roots of Eleutherococcus senticosus (known as "Siberian ginseng"), along with isomaltol 3-O-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (2), eleutherosides B, E and E(1), and thymidine. The structure of 1 was established by spectral interpretations as episyringaresinol 4"-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside. Compound 2 is described here for the first time as a naturally occurring compound.

A beta-associated cerebral angiopathy and senile plaques with neurofibrillary tangles and cerebral hemorrhage in an aged wolverine (Gulo gulo).

In this study of an aged wolverine (Gulo gulo), we document neuropathologic lesions (cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), neuritic plaques (NPs), neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and granulovacuolar degeneration strikingly similar to those present in aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD), with the additional finding of concurrent cerebral hemorrhage. A beta immunoreactive cerebral amyloid angiopathy and senile plaques (neuritic and diffuse) were present throughout the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Ubiquitin immunoreactivity was noted in peripheral portions of some of the plaques. Argyrophilic intracellular neurofibrillary tangles containing abnormally phosphorylated (Ser 202) tau protein were present within cortical and hippocampal neurons. The wolverine should be added to the list of nonhuman species (dogs, nonhuman primates, polar bears) with amyloid deposits similar to those in aged humans and in humans with AD. The aged wolverine appears to be distinct from other nonhuman species in possessing plaques and NFTs, as well as other histologic cerebral lesions frequently associated with AD.

Treatment of gonorrhea in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate prospectively the 1989 Centers for Disease Control recommendations for treatment of gonorrhea in pregnancy. METHODS: Two hundred fifty-two women referred with probable endocervical gonorrhea had pre-treatment endocervical, rectal, and oral cultures for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and direct fluorescent antibody testing for Chlamydia trachomatis. They were assigned randomly to receive ceftriaxone 250 mg intramuscularly (IM), spectinomycin 2 g IM, or amoxicillin 3 g orally plus probenecid 1 g orally. Treatment was unblinded and in a 1:1:1 distribution. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-five women (97%) had endocervical infection, 68 (27%) had rectal infection, and 17 (7%) had pharyngeal infection. One hundred two of 252 women (40%) had concomitant endocervical C trachomatis. The overall efficacy was 235 of 252 subjects (93%) (95% confidence interval [CI] 90.1-96.4%). Ceftriaxone was effective in 80 of 84 cases (95%) (95% CI 90.6-99.9%), amoxicillin with probenecid was effective in 75 of 84 cases (89%) (95% CI 82.5-96%), and spectinomycin was effective in 80 of 84 cases (95%) (95% CI 90.6-99.9%). No significant difference was noted in overall efficacy or by site of infection. There was no increased incidence of congenital malformations in the offspring spring of any treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: Ceftriaxone and spectinomycin are safe and effective for the treatment of gonorrhea in pregnancy. Amoxicillin with probenecid has lower efficacy and is not recommended for treatment of gonococcal infection in pregnancy.

Women's physical activity and pregnancy outcome: a longitudinal analysis from the Philippines.

We assessed the effects of physical activity on pregnancy outcome in 2741 Filipino women identified during pregnancy as part of a two-year longitudinal study. Specific elements of physical activity hypothesized to be relevant to pregnancy outcome were posture, energy expenditure, and physical stress. Variables were developed for nine household and 48 formal and informal economic activities. Analyses were stratified by whether the woman performed formal waged work outside of the home, income-related activity at home, or was economically inactive. Results show that traditional definitions of physical activity and work based on participation in the formal labour force ignore a sizeable amount of home economic production, as well as the physical demands of housework. We saw no difference in risk of low birthweight or preterm delivery in economically active compared to economically inactive women. However, we found that increased amounts of standing activity affected pregnancy outcome in certain groups of women. Accurate assessment of the effects of physical activity during pregnancy must examine specific components of the activity, rather than relying on formal employment as a proxy for exposure.

PIP: The authors assessed the effects of physical activity on pregnancy outcome in 2741 Filipino women identified during pregnancy as part of a 2-year longitudinal study. Specific elements of physical activity hypothesized to be relevant to pregnancy outcome were posture, energy expenditure, and physical stress. Variables were developed for 9 household and 48 formal and informal economic activities. Analyses were stratified by whether the women performed formal waged work outside the home, income-related activity at home, or were economically inactive. Results show that traditional definitions of physical activity and work based on participation in the formal labor force ignore a sizeable amount of home economic production, as well as the physical demands of housework. The authors saw no difference in risk of low birthweight or preterm delivery in economically active compared to economically inactive women. However, they did find that increased amounts of standing activity affected pregnancy outcome in certain groups of women. Accurate assessment of the effects of physical activity during pregnancy must examine specific components of the activity, rather than relying on formal employment as a proxy for exposure.

Collective bargaining for radiologic technologists: organizational vehicles.

This is the second in a series of articles written by members of the professional affairs committee of The American Society of Radiologic Technologists. The first article alluded to the analogy of a person who was learning to drive vis-a-vis a person who was learning about collective bargaining. The article suggested that the first step might be to study the rules of the road and in this context discussed briefly some of the federal laws that affect the collective bargaining relationship between employees and their employers. In this article, the analogy is carried still further in a discussion of the various types of organizations or groups that could be used for bargaining purposes.