A foldable cardboard box for drying and storage of by cotton swab collected biological samples

The ability to perform successful DNA analysis on biological evidence obtained at a crime scene or during a sexual assault examination depends very much on the first step--how specimens are collected and preserved. Body fluids and their wet or dry stains, are often recovered using dry cotton swabs or cotton swabs moistened with sterile water or saline. In order to prevent decomposition and deterioration of a specimen, resulting in degradation or loss of DNA, it is recommended to either air dry or freeze these swabs as soon as possible after collection. We designed a simple, foldable cardboard box, which is suitable for the drying and storage of biological evidence collected on cotton swabs. Immediately after collection swabs are placed into the drying racks within the cardboard box, which is subsequently folded, labeled, sealed and initialed. At room temperature swabs completely air dry within the sealed box within 6-9 hours. In this box the evidence is properly packed, labelled and sealed, thus preventing cross contamination, degradation and sample switch. It is a valuable device for the collection of biological evidence at a crime scene, during sexual assault examinations, and for the collection of buccal swabs for PCR-based databasing and paternity testing.     

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of staphylococci isolated from the skin surface of clinically normal cats

We evaluated the impact of the November 1994 ban on smoking on school property in Ontario. Telephone interviews were conducted at the end of the 1995-96 school year with 213 high school administrators. Almost all high schools (96%) prohibit smoking on school property. Although some smoking still occurs on school property, the location of smoking by students has changed, giving rise to perceptions of both benefits and risks, as well as varying complaints from parents, students, neighbours, and nearby businesses. Most of the problems arising from the ban are viewed as minor. Local conditions, particularly the geographic environment of the school, appear to be important determinants of complaints and problems. While sizeable minorities of school administrators felt the ban had favourable effects, the majority perceived little effect on either smoking behaviour or attitudes towards smoking.     

The effects of prolonged use of surfactants on the skin of normal and photo-exposed hairless mice

Cardiac surgery involves a complex of factors adversely affecting the pulmonary function (PF). Among them mainly pleurotomy and hypothermic phrenic nerve injury may potentially deteriorate postoperative PF. In a prospective study of 236 patients undergoing cardiac surgery, pre-, early and late postoperative PFs were evaluated. The impact of different techniques of coronary artery bypass grafting, of pleurotomy and diaphragmatic dysfunction and the effect of COPD on the postoperative modification of PF was investigated. The analysis revealed a substantial impairment of postoperative PF especially when pleural cavity was entered, the patients had COPD history, diaphragmatic dysfunction, or multiple pulmonary complications were present. These aspects should be considered in optimizing the pre-, per- and postoperative management of cardiac patients. (Tab. 5, Fig. 6, Ref. 34.)     

The combined treatment of peptic ulcer with the differentiated use of nontraditional physiotherapeutic methods

Efficiency was studied of multimodality treatment of 586 patients with ulcer disease. Of these, 110 had gastric ulcer, 460 patients had duodenal ulcer, sixteen were suffering from both gastric and duodenal ulcer. 275 patients (46.8%) had various concurrent chronic disorders involving cardiovascular system and alimentary canal. Three groups of patients were identified: those receiving magnetoresonance therapy apart from conventional antiulcer therapy (n = 89), those undergoing laser therapy (n = 170), those exposed to hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO), variable magnetic field (VMF) and acupuncture (AP) according to generally accepted techniques. In the control group, drug therapy promoted ulcer healing in 73.3% of patients, whereas multimodality treatment involving MRT induced healing in 80.6% that of incorporating computer-aided laser therapy led to healing in 85.7 to 89.4%. HBO, VMF and AP group demonstrated healing in 92.4 to 93.7%.     

Abstraction and the use of available information by schizophrenic and normal individuals.

Explored the ability of 288 schizophrenics and controls (aged 25–50 yrs) to perform 2 types of conceptual tasks, attribute identification and rule learning, that differ in the type and level of abstraction processes required. In addition, number of available aids to memory was varied. Schizophrenics were not impaired relative to controls in solving attribute-identification problems that required the application of a simple conceptual rule to concrete, physical attributes of the stimuli. However, they were impaired on more abstract, rule-learning problems. Further, schizophrenics were not able to use memory aids beyond 1 available prior instance to facilitate their performance in either task. Schizophrenics demonstrated positive transfer of training across 3 problems based on the same rule, but in amounts relatively smaller than demonstrated by controls. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The motor unit potential distribution over the skin surface and its use in estimating the motor unit location

Dextransucrase (DSRS) from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-512F is a glucosyltransferase that catalyzes the synthesis of soluble dextran from sucrose or oligosaccharides when acceptor molecules, like maltose, are present. The L. mesenteroides NRRL B-512F dextransucrase-encoding gene (dsrS) was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and cloned in an overexpression plasmid. The characteristics of DSRS were found to be similar to the characteristics of the extracellular dextransucrase produced by L. mesenteroides NRRL B-512F. The enzyme also exhibited a high homology with other glucosyltransferases. In order to identify critical amino acid residues, the DSRS sequence was aligned with glucosyltransferase sequences and four amino acid residues were selected for site-directed mutagenesis experiments: aspartic acid 511, aspartic acid 513, aspartic acid 551 and histidine 661. Asp-511, Asp-513 and Asp-551 were independently replaced with asparagine and His-661 with arginine. Mutation at Asp-511 and Asp-551 completely suppressed dextran and oligosaccharide synthesis activities, showing that at least two carboxyl groups (Asp-511 and Asp-551) are essential for the catalysis process. However, glucan-binding properties were retained, showing that DSRS has a two-domain structure like other glucosyltransferases. Mutations at Asp-513 and His-661 resulted in greatly reduced dextransucrase activity. According to amino acid sequence alignments of glucosyltransferases, alpha-amylases or cyclodextrin glucanotransferases, His-661 may have a hydrogen-bonding function.     

In vitro production of parathyroid hormone-related protein by cholesteatoma and normal skin

Severe inflammation and infection of the middle ear occasionally results in clinical evidence of bone resorption but with the addition of the cholesteatoma epithelium it becomes inevitable. This study examined production by the cholesteatoma epithelium of a bone resorbing factor, namely parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTH-rP), which would not be expected in inflammatory states alone. PTH-rP was detected in the conditioned medium of primary and secondary cell cultures derived from 12 cholesteatoma biopsies. The levels of PTH-rP were significantly greater than in control cultures of cells derived from normal scalp tissue. Production by the cholesteatoma epithelium may explain the increased incidence of bone resorption in this disease, particularly in cases where inflammation is minimal.     

Anti-lipid A antibodies in childhood arthritis: methods of immobilization affect quantitation and crossreactivity measured by ELISA

OBJECTIVE: To find an optimal method to study antibodies reactive with monophosphoryl lipid A characteristic of oligoarticular arthritis in children. METHODS: ELISA using 3 different methods of immobilization were compared, in (1) HCO3 buffer, pH 9.6; (2) HCl, pH 2.0; and (3) methanol. Competitive inhibition studies were carried out to quantitate relative avidity of cross reactions with suspected autoantigens. RESULTS: Sera from healthy children reacted significantly more strongly with monophosphoryl lipid A after immobilization in acid or in methanol than in a basic buffer. Sera from children with oligoarticular arthritis reacted more strongly than normal sera with the basic buffer method and even more strongly with the methanol method, but were not distinguishable from normal sera with the acid method. Results with individual oligoarticular sera correlated from method to method, but results with normal sera did not. Collagen types I and II, cardiolipin, and denatured DNA can block the anti-monophosphoryl lipid A reactivity to varying degrees on plates prepared with basic buffer, but only collagen type I and DNA block reactivity on plates prepared with methanol. CONCLUSION: The epitope on monophosphoryl lipid A recognized by oligoarticular sera is differentially affected by the method of immobilization. The crossreactivity of the anti-monophosphoryl lipid A antibody in this disease is confirmed.     

Transport of L-cystine by cultivated skin fibroblasts of normal subjects and patients with cystinosis

Uptake of L-cystine at the plasma membrane of fibroblasts derived from normal and cystinotic subjects was studied. L-Cystine accumulation after a 20-min period was increased in cystinotic fibroblasts incubated in 0.08 mM L-cystine. This effect appeared to be concentration-dependent since accumulation after 20 min at 0.004 mM concentration was decreased in cystinotic cells. Kinetic data suggested that at least two nondiffusional saturable processes with widely different substrate affinities mediate initial L-cystine uptake in skin fibroblasts. In addition, the transport process with high affinity for L-cystine may itself be a two-component system, as suggested by (1) additive inhibitory effect of other neutral amino acids, and (2) preincubation studies in which preincubation with cystathionine enhanced subsequent L-cystine uptake, whereas preincubation with other neutral amino acids depressed subsequent uptake. Affinity constants and maximal velocities of initial uptake did not appear to be altered in cells derived from patients with cystinosis. After 60-sec incubation with L-[35S] cystine, cystinotic cells retained more label as cystine than did normal cells at each concentration studied. These data indicate that initial L-cystine uptakein fibroblasts of patients with cystinosis proceeds at a normal rate by means of all transport systems currently shown to be present in normal cells.     

Differential disruption of genomic integrity and cell cycle regulation in normal human fibroblasts by the HPV oncoproteins

Natural background activity and food chain transfer of the uranium decay products, 210Po and 210Pb, were examined in the lichen-caribou-wolf food chain at two locations in the Northwest Territories of Canada. 210Po and 210Pb activities in lichens differed with species and location. Both 210Po and 210Pb were markedly higher in caribou bone than in wolf bone. 210Po activities in liver, kidney, and muscle were similar in both species. Caribou fetuses had lower activities of 210Po but higher activities of 210Pb than maternal muscle and placenta, suggesting greater placental transport of 210Pb than 210Po. Concentration ratios (CR = Bq kg-1 in consumer/Bq kg-1 in its food source) and ff values (ff in d kg-1 = Bq kg-1 in muscle/Bq d-1 ingested) showed that wolves retain more 210Po and less 210Pb from their diet than do caribou. 210Po CRs averaged 0.38 for caribou/lichens, 0.26 for caribou/rumen contents, and 0.40 for wolves/caribou. 210Pb CRs averaged 0.36 for caribou/lichens, 0.57 for caribou/rumen contents, and 0.13 for wolves/caribou.     

Differential diagnosis of post-transfusion graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) by rapid immunopathologic examination of the skin

The diagnosis of post-transfusion graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in early period is critical for the prognosis of the patients. Exanthema and fever are the earliest symptom of the post-transfusion GVHD and usually precede the disturbance of the liver and bone marrow. Snap-frozen, cryostat-sectioned specimens from the lesional and perilesional skin were labeled by monoclonal antibodies against HLA-ABC, HLA- DR, ICAM-1, CD1a and CD8. The reaction was visualized by indirect immunofluorescence. Graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) was immunopathologically characterized by extensive expression of HLA-DR and ICAM-1 in the epidermal keratinocytes, exocytosis of CD8 positive cytotoxic T-cell and the reduction or disappearance of CD1a expression by epidermal dendritic cells. The other GVHRs such as erythema exudativum multiforme (EEM), fixed drug eruption, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and lichen planus could not be separated. Our protocol of the immunopathologic examination could be done quickly (within 3 hours) and provides more detailed and useful information for the diagnosis of GVHD in early period compared with conventional histopathology.     

A system of measuring surface relief and elasticity of the skin

An opticoelectronic system for measurement of a surface microprofile and elasticity of the skin in real time has been developed operating with a source of radiation having small time coherence. The frequency of measurement is 120 Hz, accuracy at least 3 microns. The system can be used for anthropological inspections, study of age and pathological changes in the skin.     

Agricultural use of antibiotics and the evolution and transfer of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Microbial Resistance to antibiotics is on the rise, in part because of inappropriate use of antibiotics in human medicine but also because of practices in the agricultural industry. Intensive animal production involves giving livestock animals large quantities of antibiotics to promote growth and prevent infection. These uses promote the selection of antibiotic resistance in bacterial populations. The resistant bacteria from agricultural environments may be transmitted to humans, in whom they cause disease that cannot be treated by conventional antibiotics. The author reviews trends in antibiotic use in animal husbandry and agriculture in general. The development of resistance is described, along with the genetic mechanisms that create resistance and facilitate its spread among bacterial species. Particular aspects of resistance in bacterial species common to both the human population and the agrifood industry are emphasized. Control measures that might reverse the current trends are highlighted.     

Differential regulation of HLA-DQ expression by keratinocytes and Langerhans cells in normal and premalignant cervical epithelium

Mimics recapitulating the structural features of tRNAs are involved in biological processes other than ribosome-dependent protein synthesis. A knowledge of the rules underlying the architecture and function of tRNAs allows the design of non-natural mimics. The study of these mimics sheds light upon links between replication, translation and metabolic pathways, leads to biotechnological applications, and provides experimental and conceptual tools for the exploration of primordial evolutionary processes.     

Differential diagnosis of a vascular leukoencephalopathy within a CADASIL family: use of skin biopsy electron microscopy study and direct genotypic screening

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a condition caused by mutations of Notch3 gene on chromosome 19. Ultrastructural analysis of skin vessels discloses typical granular osmiophilic material (GOM) within the vascular smooth muscle basal lamina. We describe a CADASIL family in which two members suffering from a vascular leukoencephalopathy were shown to be CADASIL phenocopies: clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in these two patients were similar to those observed in their affected relatives. However, the skin biopsy performed on one of them did not reveal any GOM in the vascular smooth muscle cells, and the Notch3 mutation present in this family was shown to be absent in these two individuals. We emphasize the role of a direct DNA test for gene mutation to make a differential diagnosis between CADASIL and other forms of vascular leukoencephalopathy.     

Disruptive behavior of elderly residents and the use of nursing methods

This study is the first part of a larger research project concerned with disruptive behaviour and the use of physical restraints on elderly nursing home residents. This paper is focused on the types and prevalence of disruptive behaviour among elderly residents, nurses' experiences and the types of nursing interventions employed. Data was collected from nurses of varying qualifications (n = 173) in seven Swiss nursing homes by using a questionnaire. The most frequent behavioural problems reported by nurses were mobility, incontinence, getting dressed, verbal communication, passivity, withdrawal and continual requests. Nurses found physical aggression, continual shouting and verbal abuse the most difficult to manage with. The results also indicated that experiences varied between nurses. In particular, nursing staff always considered disruptive behaviour more disruptive against other residents rather then against themselves. The most frequently used interventions against disruptive behaviour were considering residents' wants and needs, getting close, adjustment to residents' background and organisation of activities. Physical and chemical restraints were also used.     

Comparison of methods for the detection and enumeration of lactic acid bacteria in yogurt

It is generally agreed that the population of lactic acid bacteria in yogurt must be not less than 10(6) ufc/g. Viability of the lactic flora until the end of shelf-life is affected for many factors, which has incidence in the recuperability of this microflora. MRS and LEE agar were selected for the total count of lactic bacteria, the M17 was used for the S salivarius ssp thermophilus and the RCA for L. delbrueckii ssp bulgaricus. Different methodologies were used for detection and enumeration of this bacteria: direct plate count; thermal treatment and recuperation of the injured cells in Soy Tripticase broth. The enumeration was done at time zero and 3 hours after the start of the fermentative process and during storage at 4, 12 and 21 days. The results shown an excellent recuperability of the lactic flora in the selected media and methods that were used: however the enumeration was significatively lower in the RCA agar. The counts in the LEE agar shown a better recuperability. The thermal treatment affected negatively the counts of lactic flora and the repair method shown better results in the yogurt sample during storage. pH and acidity were determined at the beginning and during the storage period. It was observed a pH decrease because of the lactic acid production at the end of shelf-life.