Self-Stigma in Relatives of people with Mental Illness scale: development and validation.

BACKGROUND: Serious mental illness (SMI) is profoundly stigmatised, such that there is even an impact on relatives of people with SMI. Aims To develop and validate a scale to comprehensively measure self-stigma among first-degree relatives of individuals with SMI. METHOD: We conducted group interviews focusing on self-stigma with first-degree relatives (n = 20) of people with SMI, from which 74 representative quotations were reframed as Likert-type items. Cognitive interviews with relatives (n = 11) identified 30 items for the Self-Stigma in Relatives of people with Mental Illness (SSRMI) scale. Relatives (n = 195) completed the scale twice, a month apart, together with four external correlate scales. RESULTS: The 30-item SSRMI was reliable, with scores stable over time. Its single-factor structure allowed generation of a 10-item version. Construct validity of 30- and 10-item versions was supported by expected relationships with external correlates. CONCLUSIONS: Both versions of the SSRMI scale are valid and reliable instruments appropriate for use in clinical and research contexts. Declaration of interest None.

The photocatalytic enhancement of acrylic and PET solar water disinfection (SODIS) bottles.

The solar water disinfection method (SODIS) was modified by the addition of a photocatalytic layer of titania on the interior surface of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and acrylic bottles. Titania was solvent deposited on the interior of commercially available PET bottles, as well as bottles that were constructed from acrylic. Uncoated and titania-coated acrylic bottles removed 3,000,000-5,000,000 colony forming units per milliliter of K12 E. coli from 670 mL of contaminated water in 40 min of solar irradiance. After five hours of sunlight exposure, the concentration of 10 ppm methyl orange (a representative organic water contaminant), was reduced by 61% using the titania-coated acrylic bottles. The concentration of 87 ppb microcystin-LR (a representative algal toxin) was reduced by 70% after 7 hours of sunlight exposure in the titania-coated acrylic bottles. Acrylic is an effective alternative to PET for use in the SODIS method due to its greater UV transparency. The addition of titania to PET and acrylic bottles confers the ability to remove chemical contaminants in addition to inactivating microbiological contaminants.

Disruption of sitting balance after stroke: influence of spoken output.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the extent of dual task interference between cognitive and motor tasks, (cognitive motor interference (CMI)) in sitting balance during recovery from stroke; to compare CMI in sitting balance between stroke and non-stroke groups; and to record any changes to CMI during sitting that correlate with functional recovery. METHOD: 36 patients from stroke rehabilitation settings in three NHS trusts. Healthy control group: 21 older volunteers. Measures of seated postural sway were taken in unsupported sitting positions, alone, or concurrently with either a repetitive utterance task or an oral word category generation task. Outcome measures were variability of sway area, path length of sway, and the number of valid words generated. RESULTS: Stroke patients were generally less stable than controls during unsupported sitting tasks. They showed greater sway during repetitive speech compared with quiet sitting, but did not show increased instability to posture between repetitive speech and word category generation. When compared with controls, stroke patients experienced greater dual task interferences during repetitive utterance but not during word generation. Sway during repetitive speech was negatively correlated with concurrent function on the Barthel ADL index. CONCLUSIONS: The stroke patients showed postural instability and poor word generation skills. The results of this study show that the effort of verbal utterances alone was sufficient to disturb postural control early after stroke, and the extent of this instability correlated with concomitant Barthel ADL function.

Direct observation of terahertz surface modes in nanometer-sized liquid water pools.

The far-infrared absorption spectrum of nanometer-sized water pools at the core of AOT micelles exhibits a pronounced resonance which is absent in bulk water. The amplitude and spectral position of this resonance are sensitive to the size of the confined water core. This resonance results from size-dependent modifications in the vibrational density of states, and thus has far-reaching implications for chemical processes which involve water sequestered within small cavities. These data represent the first study of the terahertz dielectric properties of confined liquids.

Induction of heat shock protein 72 protects against organ damage in essential hypertension: A hypothesis.

Over 12 consecutive years, hyperthermia was induced by immersion in hot baths 1576 times in one subject with a long history of labile hypertension. In year 13 (1996), following hyperthermia induction, peripheral lymphocytes were analyzed by Western blot analysis for heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) gene expression. It was demonstrated that rectal and oral fevers maintained for 15 mins at 38.2 C and 38. 6 C or higher, respectively, triggered HSP72 expression. Because this subject showed no evidence of organ damage secondary to hypertension, and because both hyperthermia and acute hypertension upregulate HSP72 expression, a role for HSP72 in protection against the adverse effects of essential hypertension disease is proposed and discussed.

Effect of film thickness on the performance of photopolymers as holographic recording materials.

An important issue in developing applications for photopolymers in holography is the effect of film thickness on recording properties. Now it is possible to create these samples with a much wider range of thickness (d = 20-1400 mum) than was previously available. We exploit these recent advances in photopolymer processing to systematically evaluate how the dynamic range of a photopolymer depends on its thickness. The results illustrate that sample performance increases linearly with thickness as predicted by standard models of volume holography. However, above a critical thickness sample performance degrades, and the angular response of recorded plane-wave holograms shows evidence of grating curvature. These distortions are likely the result of photopolymer shrinkage, which in thicker samples occurs in a nonuniform fashion. This problem limits the performance of these photopolymers and is likely to be an issue for any photopolymer that undergoes comparable polymerization shrinkage.

Neuroblastoma presenting as acute monoblastic leukemia.

PURPOSE: We report a 5-year-old boy with stage 4 neuroblastoma initially diagnosed as having acute monoblastic leukemia (FAB M5A, AMoL), based on bone marrow morphology, histochemistry, immunocytochemistry, immunophenotyping and cytogenetics, all consistent with AMoL. The patient also had circulating blasts at diagnosis. After failing initial therapy for AMoL and because of concerns about residual blasts with a clumped appearance in the bone marrow, urinary homovanillic acid (HVA) and vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and N-myc amplification in tumor cells were evaluated and found to be positive, resulting in the diagnosis of neuroblastoma. Abdominal computerized tomography showed a left adrenal mass. A review of 10 reported cases of neuroblastoma with leukemic features showed that seven of them were misdiagnosed as having leukemia, and in six of the seven, the diagnosis of neuroblastoma was made postmortem. CONCLUSION: Neuroblastoma may be confused with acute leukemia, even with the use of modern techniques.

Gene delivery systems for use in gene therapy: an overview of quality assurance and safety issues.

The development of safe and effective agents for gene therapy is founded on three main principles; careful choice and design of vectors, assessment of vector safety under GLP and production of the vector stocks under GMP. The first ensures the safe and appropriate contained delivery and expression of the required gene to the recipient of the therapy. GLP provides fully documented studies of potency, efficacy and safety of the product while the production of clinical grade agents under GMP is essential.

Exposure to biogenic silica fibers and respiratory health in Hawaii sugarcane workers.

We conducted a cross-sectional environmental and medical survey of 355 male sugarcane workers in Hawaii to determine whether exposure to biogenic silica fibers (BSF) affected their respiratory health. Exposures to BSF ranged from nondetectable to more than 0.700 BSF/mL and varied by job and department. Respiratory symptoms, chest radiograph findings, and pulmonary function were not associated with BSF exposures. Cigarette smoking was associated with respiratory symptoms and pulmonary obstruction. Fifteen workers had pleural thickening or pleural plaques and 3 of these workers were exposed to BSF for more than 10 years. BSF exposure does not appear to influence the respiratory health of sugarcane workers; however, further study is warranted.

Susceptibility of human monoclonal antibody-producing B cell lines to infection by human immunodeficiency virus.

Seven immortalized B cell clones, five of which secreted specific human monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against hepatitis B, tetanus toxoid, and Rhesus D antigens, were evaluated for their susceptibility to infection by human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2). Infection was confirmed in three human MAb-producing lines by detection of infectious virus and p24 antigen in culture supernates, by immunofluorescence, and by detection of viral DNA in cells by polymerase chain reaction. The infectable lines were as susceptible to HIV-1 infection as several T cell lines and remained persistently infected for several months, but in contrast to T cell controls, viral cytopathic effects were not observed. Levels of unintegrated viral DNA in the HB1 B cell line were significantly lower than in the HUT78 T cell line. Cell lines that were susceptible to HIV expressed HLA DR, CD20, and CD21, whereas the uninfectable cell lines did not express any of the markers tested. CD4 was undetectable or present on a small percentage of cells in two of the infectable cell lines. However, infection with HIV-1 was blocked more efficiently in B cells than in T cells by soluble CD4, anti-CD4 MAb, and dextran sulphate. The effect of HIV infection on human MAb secretion was variable, being reduced on a per-cell basis in one line, increased in another, and unchanged in a third.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

B cell responses to HIV and the development of human monoclonal antibodies.

In this review B cell responses in HIV-infected individuals are summarized together with the techniques used to date to produce human monoclonals to HIV and the properties of these antibodies. Profound disturbances in B cell responses are apparent both in vivo and in vitro. While there is evidence in vivo of marked polyclonal B cell activation, primary and secondary antibody responses are impaired. Similarly these cells exhibit spontaneous immunoglobulin secretion upon in vitro culture but do not readily respond to B cell mitogens and recall antigens including HIV. Furthermore, certain of these defects can be reproduced in normal B cells in vitro by incubation with HIV or HIV coded peptides. Individuals infected with HIV develop antibodies to HIV structural proteins (e.g. p17, p24, gp41 and gp120) and regulatory proteins (e.g. vif, nef, RT). Autoantibodies against a number of immunologically important molecules are also frequently observed. The anti-HIV antibodies are predominantly of the IgG1 isotype and exhibit a variety of effects on the virus in vitro. To date, using conventional immortalization strategies, an appreciable number of human monoclonals to HIV have been developed. These have been specific for gp41, gp120 and gag with antibodies of the former specificity predominating. The majority of these antibodies have been of the IgG1 isotype. Only a small number of the antibodies neutralize virus in vitro and most of these react with gp120. The neutralizing antibodies recognize conformational and carbohydrate epitopes or epitopes in amino acid positions 306-322. The predominant epitopes recognized by the anti-gp41 antibodies were in amino acid positions 579-620 and 644-662. A high percentage (congruent to 25%) of these antibodies enhance viral growth in vitro. The problems relating to the production of human monoclonals to HIV are discussed together with strategies that could be used in the future.

Confirmation of phorate, terbufos, and their sulfoxides and sulfones in water by capillary gas chromatography/chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

A gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method capable of confirming phorate, terbufos, their sulfoxides, and sulfones in water is reported. Parents and their metabolites are separated in less than 5 min using a short capillary GC column and high carrier gas linear velocities. Positive ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry generates (M + H) ions indicative of the different molecular weights of the analytes and at least one confirmatory fragment ion for each analyte. Residues have been qualitatively confirmed at the 1 ppb level in fortified water samples from a variety of sources. Apparent residues in control water were less than 0.1 ppb.

Protective effects of viscous solutions in phacoemulsification and traumatic lens implantation.

We compared the endothelial protection offered by 1% hyaluronate sodium (Healon), 3% hyaluronate sodium and 4% chondroitin sulfate (Viscoat), and a nonviscous irrigating solution (BSS Plus) during phacoemulsification with and without traumatic intraocular lens implantation. Vital-dye staining and scanning electron microscopy were used to determine acute damage to rabbit corneal endothelium. Cell damage during phacoemulsification alone was not significantly different from that in unoperated controls (12.5%). Cell damage after traumatic lens insertion was significantly greater in the groups treated with BSS Plus (76.2%) and Healon (41.4%) than in either paired Viscoat-treated group (21.1% and 17.4%, respectively). Viscoat (but not Healon) was noted to be adherent to the cornea at the end of the procedure in one third of the cases, indicating that Viscoat remains in the anterior chamber during surgery. We attribute this to chondroitin sulfate's newtonian characteristics, allowing it to maintain viscosity in the face of high flow rates.

Confirmation of levamisole residues in cattle and swine livers by capillary gas chromatography-electron impact mass spectrometry.

Capillary gas chromatography-electron impact mass spectrometry is used to confirm the presence of levamisole in cattle and swine livers at the 0.1 ppm tolerance level. Use of a fused silica capillary column from injector to detector solved chromatographic problems encountered with the analyte. Of the mass spectrometric techniques evaluated, electron impact mass spectrometry provided the most satisfactory data for a confirmatory method. Recoveries from swine and cattle livers fortified at 0.1 ppm averaged 74.9 and 72.7%, respectively, indicating potential utility of this methodology as a quantitative method. Apparent levamisole residues in control livers were less than 0.01 ppm.

Human immunodeficiency virus: strategies for protection and therapy.

Never before has so much been learned about the molecular biology of a virus in such a short time since its discovery and yet effective strategies for fighting the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS remain elusive. This review and the accompanying colour centrespread outline some of the options available at the present time. The centrespread illustrates areas within the complex virus infection cycle with potential for therapeutic intervention and lists other possible modes of treatment, while the review below concentrates on the identification and presentation of candidate vaccines and discusses the problems of evaluation that face investigators.

Efficacy, safety, and residue evaluation of levamisole gel formulation in sows.

Anthelmintic efficacy, safety, and residue studies were conducted in sows and gilts with a levamisole gel containing 11.5% levamisole HCl. In 12 sows and 12 gilts, 8 mg of levamisole HCl equivalent/kg of body weight orally was 100% (resinate) and 91.1% (gel) effective against 55-day-old Ascaris suum and 100% (gel) and 96.1% (resinate) effective against Oesophagostomum dentatum. In 20 sows given levamisole gel (8 mg of levamisole HCl/kg) orally just before breeding, 4 to 6 weeks after breeding, 4 to 6 weeks before farrowing, and just before farrowing, there were no adverse effects. Transient salivation was noticed in five sows after treatment. In 4 groups of 4 sows each given levamisole gel orally to provide 8, 24, 40, or 80 mg of levamisole HCl/kg, adverse clinical signs were not observed in sows treated with 8 mg/kg. Transient salivation was noticed in one sow given 24 mg/kg, two sows given 40 mg/kg, and four sows given 80 mg/kg. Multiple emesis and chomping occurred in one sow given 80 mg/kg. Levamisole residues in edible tissues from sows given 8 mg of levamisole gel/kg orally were less than 0.1 mg/kg of muscle and fat in sows killed on posttreatment day (PTD) 3 and less than 0.1 mg/kg of kidney in sows killed on PTD 5. Liver residues averaged 0.78 mg/kg in sows killed on PTD 3 and were reduced to 0.31 mg/kg in sows killed on PTD 5. The 99% upper tolerance limit with 95% confidence on the withdrawal time to assure levamisole residues of less than 0.10 mg/kg in liver tissue was 11 days.

Autoantibodies to Alzheimer and normal brain structures from virus-transformed lymphocytes.

B-Lymphocytes from two patients with Alzheimer's disease and one healthy subject were transformed into lymphoblastoid cells by exposure to Epstein-Barr virus. In culture, more than 50% of these cells secreted sufficient IgM or IgG antibody (mainly IgM) to allow immunohistochemical screening against cryostat sections of normal and Alzheimer temporal cortex. More than 30% of the IgM antibodies from each subject recognised brain components, namely: neurons, astrocytes, nuclei, nucleoli, and Alzheimer plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. This methodology represents a major addition to the procedures currently available for the generation of antibodies towards normal and pathological structures in human brain.

Alpha 1 antitrypsin and lung function in British coalminers.

Alpha 1 antitrypsin (alpha 1 AT) serum concentration was determined for a group of coalminers with particularly low levels of lung function, not thought to be explicable in terms of age and dust exposure, and compared with two other groups of coalminers who had average or above average lung function. There was no evidence for an alpha 1 AT deficiency in coalminers with poor lung function. On the contrary, a reactionary increase was evident, even in non-smokers, which may have resulted from the high frequency of chest disease in these men. Within the non-smoking group men with poor lung function had been exposed to higher mean levels of dust, and a greater proportion had early signs of bronchitis. There was no indication that the presence or degree of pneumoconiosis was affecting the results.