Total mercury intake from fish and shellfish by Japanese people

Elevated mercury concentrations have been reported in fish in recent years. Japanese people eat a great deal of raw fishes and shellfishes as "Sashimi" and "Sushi". The action level of large predatory fish such as tuna with total mercury levels exceeding the Japanese maximum permitted limit of 0.4 ppm is exempted from regulation in Japan. Therefore, current total mercury intake from fish and shellfish of Japanese people is unknown. The purpose of this investigation was to estimate the total mercury intake from fish and shellfish. It was found that the mean total mercury concentration of 1.11 ppm in tuna of eatable base as Sashimi or Sushi was clearly higher than the normal level. The mean total mercury intake from fish and shellfish was 0.17 mg per capita per week. According to the hypothesis that 75% of total mercury in fish and shellfish is methylmercury, the weekly intake of 0.13 mg as methylmercury was corresponding amount to about 74% of provisional tolerable weekly intake 0.17 mg of methylmercury set by the Welfare Ministry of Japan.     

Maize and foxtail millet as substantial sources of dietary lead intake

In 1996, 24-h food duplicate samples were collected from two groups of 50 non-smoking women each; one group was in Jinan, the capital city of Shandong Province in China, and the other in a farming village in the Zhangqiu area some 30 km away from the city. The people in the village took significantly more dietary lead (46 micrograms/day) than their counterparts in the city (26 micrograms/day), and blood lead concentrations (35 and 50 micrograms/l for the urban and the rural people, respectively) were in parallel with the dietary lead intake. Search for cereals as the determinants of dietary lead intake and blood lead concentration by multiple regression analysis showed that maize was the most influential source of dietary lead intake among the four common cereals of wheat, rice, foxtail millet (to be called just millet) and maize, whereas millet was the leading determinant of the blood lead level among the four cereals although the influential power was weaker than millet for dietary lead. Lead content in maize (47 ng/g) and millet (47 ng/g) was twice or even more times higher than the levels in wheat (26-30 ng/g) and rice (20-21 ng/g). The significant roles of non-rice/non-wheat cereals such as millet and maize as possible dietary lead sources for farming populations are discussed.     

Investigating groundwater pollution from different sources with combined biological and chemical methods

This paper reviews groundwater pollution caused by the disposal of untreated effluents of a dye factory located 20 km to the west of Nicosia (Cyprus). The task of the work was to investigate the nature of the pollution and differentiate it from other possible pollution sources in the area. It focused on toxicity testing and biofractionation in order to address the most toxic pollutants and, on the evaluation of GC/FID profiles for investigating the connection between groundwater pollution and the effluents. This connection was successful due to a multiple comparison amongst the GC/FID profiles resulting from the polluted groundwater, the water from the reference areas and the dye effluents.     

Neutralization of different geographic strains of the hepatitis E virus with anti-hepatitis E virus-positive serum samples obtained from different sources

As a first step in an intervention study of asthma and allergic diseases among school children, a cross-sectional study was performed during Winter 1996 in three towns (Kiruna, Lule? and Pite?) in the northernmost province of Sweden, Norrbotten. The cross-sectional study aimed to measure the prevalence of asthma, type-1 allergy and allergic diseases in order to make it possible to measure the incidence of the diseases, conditions and symptoms related to the diseases. Another aim was to perform a screening for possible risk factors. All children enrolled in the first and second classes at school, 7 and 8 years old, were invited to take part in this study. The ISAAC questionnaire with added questions about symptoms, morbidity, heredity and environment was distributed by the schools to the parents. The response rate was 97%, and 3431 completed questionnaires were returned. The children in two of the municipalities were also invited to skin test, and 2149 (88%) were tested with 10 common airborne allergens. The results showed that 7% of the children were currently using or had used asthma medicines during the last 12 months. Six percent had asthma diagnosed by a physician, and 4% were using inhaled corticosteroids. The prevalence of wheezing during the last 12 months was 12%, rhinitis without colds 14%, and eczema 27%, while 21% had a positive skin test. The respiratory symptoms and conditions were significantly greater in boys and, further, they were most prevalent in Kiruna in the very north, though not significantly. Type-1 allergy and asthma had different risk factor patterns. The main risk factors for asthma were a family history of asthma (OR = 3.2) followed by past or present house dampness (OR = 1.9), male sex (OR = 1.7) and a smoking mother (OR = 1.6). In Kiruna, when none of these three risk factors were present, none of the children had asthma, but when all three were present, 38% of these children were using asthma medicines.     

Giving and taking--to whom and from whom? People's attitudes toward transplantation of organs and tissue from different sources

The aims of the study were: 1) to describe the willingness of the public to receive material of different origins in one's own body; 2) to compare the willingness to donate and receive body material; 3) to compare the willingness to donate while alive and after death; 4) to compare the willingness to donate to a next-of-kin and unknown recipients. A random sample of 1500 inhabitants, 18 to 70 yr old, in the county of Uppsala, Sweden, were sent a questionnaire asking about their opinion on transplantation and transfusion issues. The response rate was 71%. Ninety-five percent accepted to receive blood transfusion, 89% bone-marrow transplantation, and 85% transplantation of a solid organ. Organs from living donors were preferred (77%), then organs from decreased donors (69%), then artificial organs (63%), and last animal organs (40%). More than half of those accepting transplants made exceptions for some types of organs. The youngest and those with higher education were more positive toward receiving all types of organs than the older ones and those with lower education. Women were less prepared than men to accept animal organs. Those who accepted organs from animals usually also accepted all other types of organs, and were willing to donate organs and tissue more often than those who did not accept to receive animal organs. The readiness to support a sick family member by giving bone-marrow and even a kidney was considerable, 89 and 81%, respectively. The attitudes were less positive with regard to giving blood and bone-marrow to unknown recipients, 54 and 41%, respectively. Sixty-one percent of the respondents were positive toward donating their own organs after death. Of those who were positive, 10% made exceptions for special organs that they did not want to donate, mostly heart, eyes, and brain. Individuals with higher education and young people were more often positive than those with lower education and old people regarding donation of blood and organs, and bone-marrow donation to a relative. Women were somewhat more accepting to donate while alive than males. Thirty-one percent, more often women than men, had signed a donor card and/or registered with the Swedish Organ Donation Registry. The results with regard to receiving organs and tissue are discussed in terms of two different sets of explanations, which can be seen as different sides of the same coin, and mutually strengthening the reactions. The great readiness to donate to a family member as well as the discrepancy between giving in life and after death is commented upon.     

Risk factors at intake predict nonremission among depressed patients.

Risk factors assessed at intake for the treatment of unipolar depression were used to predict remission, partial remission, or nonremission 1 year later. The factors included demographic variables, treatment history and severity of symptoms, stressors (medical conditions), personal deficits (avoidance coping), and social support deficits (quality of an important relationship). Each factor considered alone was associated with later remission status such that the prototypical nonremitted patient was a man at least 40 years old who had had prior treatment, an intense depression, and one or more serious medical conditions. In addition, he used avoidance coping strategies to deal with stressors, and his important relationship was not of good quality. When the risk factors were considered together, an increasing number of factors was associated with an increasing likelihood of nonremission. Separate analyses for inpatients and outpatients revealed similar patterns. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Distribution of HCV genotypes in patients infected by different sources

During March and April 1993, a massive outbreak of Cryptosporidium infection resulted from contamination of the public water supply in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The health impact of this outbreak in HIV-infected persons was unknown but was perceived as severe. We surveyed HIV-infected persons who resided in the greater Milwaukee area to examine the acute health impact of cryptosporidiosis on this population. Data from a random-digit dialing survey in the general population residing in the same area were used for comparison. The attack rate of watery diarrhea suggestive of cryptosporidiosis was lower in HIV-infected persons (32%) than in the general population (51%). There was no significant difference in attack rate in HIV-infected persons based on CD4+ T-lymphocyte count. In persons with watery diarrhea, HIV-infected persons were more likely to experience cough (42%), fever (52%), and dehydration (55%). In HIV-infected persons with watery diarrhea, persons with CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts <200/microl had longer duration of diarrhea and were more likely to seek medical attention and be hospitalized. During this massive waterborne outbreak, HIV-infected persons were not more likely to experience symptomatic Cryptosporidium infection than the general population. However, once infected, the duration and severity of illness was greater in HIV-infected persons, especially if the CD4+ T-lymphocyte count was <200/microl.     

Antagonism of clonidine injected intracerebroventricularly in different models of salt intake

Clonidine, an alpha 2-adrenergic agonist, injected into the brain inhibits salt intake of animals treated by the diuretic model of sodium depletion. In th present study, we address the question of whether central injection of clonidine also inhibits salt intake in animals deprived of water or in the need-free state. Saline or clonidine (30 nmol) was injected into the anterior third ventricle of 24-h sodium-depleted (furosemide + removal of ambient sodium), of 24-h water-deprived and of normovolemic (need-free state) adult male rats. Clonidine injected intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) inhibited the 1.5% NaCl intake for 1209 min by 50 to 90% in every model tested. Therefore, different models of salt intake are inhibited by i.c.v. injection of clonidine. Idazoxan, an alpha 2-adrenergic antagonist, injected i.c.v. at a dose of 160 nmol, inhibited the effect of clonidine only in the furosemide + removal of ambient sodium model of salt intake. This indicates that the antagonism of this effect by idazoxan is dependent on the body fluid/sodium status of the animal.     

A comparison of root surface temperatures using different obturation heat sources

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between radiographic signs of subluxation in the cervical vertebrae and their clinical diagnostic value. DESIGN: Controlled, clinical study. SETTING: Institute of Clinical Anatomy and Biomechanics and NanFang Hospital of the First Military Medical University, Guangzhou, China. SUBJECTS: Eighty-seven subjects with cervicodynia and 21 asymptomatic volunteers. INTERVENTIONS: Radiological signs of subluxation from anteroposterior, lateral, open-mouth and dynamic radiographs of the cervical vertebrae of the subjects were measured and analyzed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The right and left odontoid lateral mass interspace, divergence of the spinous processes, sign of double contour and position of odontoid process were studied. RESULTS: The bilateral odontoid lateral mass interspaces were asymmetrical in most cases, and the divergence of spinous processes, sign of double contour and position of odontoid process were also common. Cervical vertebrae C5, C4 and C6 showed no special variations. CONCLUSION: There was little evidence to support the contention that signs of subluxation in the cervical vertebrae are of diagnostic significance. Subluxation should be defined in two ways: as a purely roentgenological diagnosis and as a combination of roentgenological signs with clinical signs.     

The influence of sodium dodecyl sulfate from different sources on the separation of virus proteins in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Bacteriophage 7-7-1 is shown to adsorb specifically to the complex flagella of its host Rhizobium lupini H13-3. Deflagellation of motile cells before the addition of phage leads to a complete inhibition of phage propagation for at least 60 min. Among phage-resistant mutants, many non-motile (mot) and non-flagellated (fla) derivatives of R. lupini H13-3 have been selected. Electron microscopic observations indicate that bacteriophage 7-7-1 attaches with its short tail fibres to the conspicuous helical filament of R. lupini flagells. This attachment is reversible; irreversible phage adsorption takes place at the flagellar base. It is postulated that phage 7-7-1 moves along the rotating flagellum towards a final receptor next to the insertion site of the flagellum, where tail contraction and injection of phage nucleic acid occurs.     

复杂矿源条件下的烧结生产实践

介绍韶冶面临的复杂矿源及其对烧结工艺的影响,阐述了韶冶通过改进工艺设备、优化工艺操作,实现了ISP烧结工艺处理复杂矿源状况的新突破.     

Comparative estimation of periodontal conditions by means of different index systems

The aim of the present study was to compare epidemiological data of periodontal disease obtained from a sample of adults by means of different, commonly employed, partial and full-mouth index systems, in order to explore the amount of discrepancy attributed to the methodology per se. 169 dentate subjects, aged 25-64 years, were subjected to a clinical examination, including circumferential probing assessments of pocket depth (PPD) and attachment level (PAL) at all teeth present. The individual mean % of tooth sites with PPD of > or = 6 mm and the % of subjects exhibiting at least one such deep pocket were calculated based on (i) full-mouth data, (ii) data derived from the buccal and mesial surfaces from 1 randomly selected upper and 1 lower quadrant, (iii) probing assessments at the 6 "Ramfjord teeth", (iv) the full-mouth community periodontal index for treatment needs (CPITN), and (v) the partial CPITN based on 10 index teeth. The PAL data were analyzed by means of 3 versions of the extent and severity index, 1 generated by full-mouth assessments and 2 by partial assessments based on 28 and 10 tooth sites, respectively. In the entire sample, the individual mean % of sites with PPD of > or = 6 mm generated by the different systems ranged between 5.0 and 4.2 sites/subject. By full-mouth CPITN scorings, an average of 1.0 score-4 sextants/subject was recorded, while the partial CPITN generated a corresponding value of 0.8 score-4 sextants/subject.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Pyrroloquinoline and pyridoacridine alkaloids from marine sources

Marine organisms are a rich source for natural products. Pyrrolo[4,3, 2-de]quinolines and pyrido[4,3,2-mn]acridines are of major interest as metabolites in sponges and ascidians. Many of these compounds have generated interest both as challenging problems for structure elucidation and synthesis as well as for their cytotoxicities. The isolation, structure proof, biological activities, chemical properties and synthesis have attracted the attention of chemists, biologists and pharmacists. The principal structural feature of these alkaloids is the core of a planar iminoquinone moiety which can intercalate into DNA and cleave the DNA double helix or inhibit the action of topoisomerase II. Of the makaluvamines, makaluvamine F and A are the most cytotoxic to the HCT 116 cell line. The enhanced toxicity of the makaluvamines towards xrs-6 cells shows that all of the makaluvamines, except makaluvamine B, act like m-AMSA and etoposide in inhibiting topo iso merases via cleavable complex formation, or via the direct induction of DNA double-strand breaks. They are also amongst the most potent inhibitors of topoisomerase II. Both makaluvamine A and C can decrease tumor size in a solid human tumor model. Discorhabdin A and C in contrast are of high cytotoxicity, but they exhibit no inhibition of topoisomerase II. As representatives of the derivatives of pyrido[4,3,2-mn]acridine, cystodytins, kuanoniamines and diplamine are the most potent to inhibit HCT replication. Eilatin, as a 1,10-phenanthroline derivative, can form complexes with metal ions. It has been shown that these metal complexes can bind to DNA by intercalation. The new members of the pyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinolines and pyrido[4,3, 2-mn]acridines, such as veiutamine, discorhabdin G, tsitsikammamines, epinartins, arnoamines as well as sagitol are reviewed. Some successful syntheses of pyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinoline ring system and pyrido[4,3,2-mn]acridine ring system are also reviewed in this article.     

Towards improved information retrieval from medical sources

We review a HEALNet health informatics project directed at information extraction from medical text resources in support of evidence based practice (EBP). The motivation for the approach is summarized. A brief review of pertinent methodology is given and the rationale for exploring approaches to statistical concept representation (SCR) derived. Data on the qualitative comparison of five related systems are presented. Installation and tests of three of these systems revealed that systems designed to deal with literature are not able to handle medical record text adequately because of various idiosyncrasies of the latter. To overcome these, it is necessary to control the system's text manipulation algorithms. This prompted us to build our own system. The principles of this development and its results are summarized. They include the construction of a core information retrieval (IR) system, which is now operational, initiation of work on the collection of test data bases and development of a conceptual framework for comprehensive system evaluation. A brief outline of further steps concludes the presentation.     

The performance of 10 different methods for the estimation of sperm concentration

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of different methods of sperm counting using latex beads and sperm suspension. DESIGN: A quality-control study. SETTING: University-based andrology laboratory. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Counting latex beads six times in two standard suspensions using 10 methods and counting spermatozoa with 4 methods. RESULT(S): When air-displacement pipettes were used, the disposable chambers Standard Count (Leja, Amsterdam, Holland), Cellvision (Anthos-ec, Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands), and Cell Vu (Fertility Technologies, Inc. Natick, MA) showed small variation and correct estimation of bead concentration. All the reusable chambers gave relatively large variability, with tendency to underestimate (improved Neubauer; Hawksley, Lancing, United Kingdom) or to overestimate the bead concentration. The use of plunger-displacement pipettes resulted in an overestimation of bead concentration in medium but not in seminal plasma. Counting the sperm suspension using plunger-displacement pipettes indicated that the Bürker hemocytometer overestimated concentration relative to that obtained by Cellvision and Makler Counting Chambers (Sefi Medical Instruments, Haifa, Israel) and that the improved Neubauer presented the lowest variability (7.1%). CONCLUSION(S): The improved Neubauer hemocytometer is the standard for sperm counting, though disposable chambers give reliable results as well. If beads are used to evaluate the accuracy of counting chambers, it is recommended to dilute them with seminal plasma.