Improved osseointeraction of calcium phosphate-coated external fixation pins. Studies in calves

The analysis of health state of drivers sent for an extra health examination for the estimation of driving capability for the driving of motor vehicle in alcoholic state was presented. The study included 380 drivers who were found driving drunk by traffic police (studied group) and 180 drivers of control group sent for an extra health examination for some other reason. The disorders in psychomotor sphere were noticed in the drivers of studied group and it was determined that they had caused significantly larger number of traffic accidents in last five-year period compared to the drivers of control group. The alcohol consumption in driving population represents significant medical, social, economic and traffic problem. The control of driver's alcoholism, the sending of alcoholic drivers to an extra health examination for the repeated estimation of driving capability and including in therapeutic and health-educational program can present significant measure of the primary prevention of road traffic traumatism which is on the constant increase.     

Role of metabolism in ethyl carbamate-induced suppression of antibody response to sheep erythrocytes in female Balb/C mice

A possible role of metabolism by cytochrome P450 (P450) in ethyl carbamate-induced suppression of the antibody response to a T-cell-dependent antigen, sheep erythrocytes (SRBCs), was investigated in female Balb/C mice. When mice were treated with ethyl carbamate intraperitoneally for 14 consecutive days at 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, the antibody response was significantly suppressed from 200 mg/kg. These doses also caused a decrease in thymus weight. An acute dosing of ethyl carbamate at 1 g/kg also caused not only a significant suppression of the antibody response, but also a decrease in thymus weight. The antibody response was most likely to be the IgM antibody response, which was demonstrated in a haemagglutination study. When mice were pretreated with phenobarbital (80 mg/kg) for 3 days to induce P450 enzymes, followed by administration of ethyl carbamate intraperitoneally for 7 consecutive days, the antibody response was more suppressed than in saline-pretreated controls. Moreover, a study using aminoacetonitrile, a P450 inhibitor, showed that the antibody response suppressed by ethyl carbamate was completely recovered by the inhibitor. The present results suggest that metabolism of ethyl carbamate by P450 may be the critical pathway to produce metabolites capable of suppressing the antibody response.     

Milk production and composition responses to the source of protein supplements in diets containing wheat middlings

Two 3 x 3 Latin square trials were conducted to determine the effect of the source of supplemental protein in diets containing wheat middlings on milk production and composition. Cottonseed meal or meat and bone meal was substituted for a portion of the soybean meal and provided 24.5% of the total dietary crude protein. Trial 1 was conducted during fall 1989, and trial 2 was conducted during summer 1993. During trial 1, no differences in production or composition of milk were found for primiparous cows fed the various protein supplements. Multiparous cows tended to have higher dry matter intakes and produced more milk with lower milk fat percentages when fed meat and bone meal than when fed soybean meal or cottonseed meal. No differences were found among supplements for other milk components or for the production of energy-corrected milk. In trial 2, primiparous cows tended to produce more milk, and multiparous cows tended to produce less milk, when fed meat and bone meal than when fed soybean meal. No differences were found for dry matter intake, milk composition, or production of energy-corrected milk. Cottonseed meal was equal to soybean meal in supporting milk production. Meat and bone meal tended to support higher productions of milk than did soybean meal, but production of energy-corrected milk was similar for both.     

High density lipoprotein particle size restriction in apolipoprotein A-I(Milano) transgenic mice

Human carriers of apolipoprotein A-I(Milano) (Arg173 --> Cys substitution in apolipoprotein A-I) are characterized by an HDL deficiency in which small, dense HDL accumulate in plasma. Because affected individuals are heterozygous for this mutation, the full impact of apolipoprotein A-I(Milano) (apoA-I(Milano)) on HDL-cholesterol metabolism is unknown. In this study, apoA-I(Milano) transgenic mice were used to evaluate the extent of apoA-I(Milano) dimerization and HDL particle size restriction in the absence of wild-type apoA-I. Murine apoA-I knockout mice were utilized to express apoA-I(Milano) and human apoA-II in the presence of wild-type, human apoA-I (apoA-IMilano/A-Iwt/A-II) and in its absence (apoA-IMilano/A-II). Plasma HDL-cholesterol concentrations were similar (30 mg/dl) in both lines of apoA-I(Milano) transgenic mice. In the apoA-IMilano/A-Iwt/A-II phenotype, 14% of the apoA-I(Milano) formed homodimers and 33% formed heterodimers with apoA-II. ApoA-I(Milano) homodimers increased by 71% in the apoA-IMilano/A-II transgenics and was associated with an abundance of small, 7.6-nm HDL3-sized particles compared to the 9.5, 8.3, and 7.6-nm-sized particles in apoA-IMilano/A-Iwt/A-II mice. The unesterified cholesterol/cholesteryl ester mole ratio of HDL was elevated by 45% in apoA-IMilano/A-Iwt/A-II mice and by 90% in apoA-IMilano/A-II transgenics compared to wild-type (human apoA-I/A-II). Both apoA-I(Milano) transgenics possessed normal levels of plasma LCAT activity, but endogenous cholesterol esterification rates were reduced by 50% compared to controls. Thus, HDL particle size restriction was not the result of impaired LCAT activation; rather, dimerization of apoA-I(Milano) limited the esterification of cholesterol on endogenous HDL. In the absence of wild-type apoA-I, the more extensive dimerization of apoA-I(Milano) severely limited cholesteryl ester accumulation on plasma HDL accounting for the abundance of small, 7.6-nm HDL3 particles in apoA-IMilano/A-II mice.     

Implantation of the lateral cochlear wall for auditory nerve stimulation

Although cochlear implants now regularly achieve gratifying results, traditional intrascalar implants have certain limitations. Extraluminal implants may offset some of these problems by accessing neurons subserving a wider tonotopic range, avoiding intracochlear insertion trauma, and offering alternatives when cochlear obliteration is present. We have investigated the utility of a lateral cochlear wall implant in a normal-hearing cat model with implants at the middle and basal turns, and found successful activation of the auditory nerve at thresholds of 28.1 and 40.6 microA, respectively. No adventitial stimulation of the facial nerve was noted within the dynamic range. Maximum responsiveness was observed with implants of the middle turn of the cochlea, an area that is not reliably approached with current intrascalar implants. These observations support and extend prior observations of the feasibility of extraluminal stimulation of the auditory nerve.     

Melanocortin analogue Org2766 binds to rat Schwann cells, upregulates NGF low-affinity receptor p75, and releases neurotrophic activity

Binding of the stable melanocortin(4-9) analogue, Org2766 [Met(O2)-Glu-His-Phe-D-Lys-Phe] to cultured rat sciatic nerve Schwann cells was demonstrated using a biotinylated derivative in semiquantitative histochemical and CELISA assays. Org2766 bound to Schwann cells, but not to fibroblasts, and was displaced maximally by unlabeled Org2766, alpha-MSH and ACTH(1-24). Displacement of Org2766 from the binding sites was considerably reduced by N- and C-truncation of the peptide. Specific binding of Org2766 was also demonstrated in the immortal rat Schwann cell line SCL4.1/F7 and was more pronounced in cells displaying a differentiated morphology. Org2766 and alpha-MSH increased cyclic AMP content of Schwann cells but neither stimulated DNA synthesis when applied alone. However, in the presence of a priming (subthreshold) concentration of the mitogen, cholera toxin, Org2766 and alpha-MSH caused a delayed increase in DNA synthesis. Org2766 did not modulate the expression of several differentiation-related Schwann cell markers. However, Org2766 increased immunoreactivity for p75 low-affinity NGF receptor on Schwann cells and evoked the release of neurotrophic factor(s) that synergized with NGF in stimulating neurite outgrowth in rat DRG neurons. The results indicate that Schwann cells are a primary target for the action of Org2766 and provide evidence for an indirect mechanism by which melanocortins might stimulate neurite sprouting in regenerating peripheral nerve axons.     

Prostaglandin E2 for cervical ripening: a randomized comparison of Cervidil versus Prepidil

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare the efficacy and safety of two standardized preparations of prostaglandin E2, Prepidil and Cervidil, for ripening of the cervix and initiation of labor. STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective randomized study. Subjects in whom induction of labor was indicated were randomly assigned to receive either Prepidil (n = 36), an intracervical prostaglandin E2 gel, or Cervidil (n = 37), a controlled-release hydrogel pessary, as a cervical ripening agent. Inclusion criteria included (1) a Bishop score of < or = 7, (2) a cervix < 4 cm dilated, and (3) < or = 2 cm of cervical dilatation if effacement was > 70%. Each agent was administered according to the manufacturer's recommendations. RESULTS: There was no difference in Bishop scores between the two groups at the completion of the ripening process. The following mean times were shorter for the pessary group than for the gel group: (1) insertion of the ripening agent to vaginal delivery (20.6 vs 26.4 hours, p = 0.017), (2) time to achieve cervical ripening (11.1 vs 15.2 hours, p < 0.001), (3) time to achieve active labor (18.3 vs 25.5 hours, p = 0.019), and (4) hospital stay (3.7 vs 4.4 days, p = 0.03). Labor was initiated without the use of oxytocin in 24% of patients in the pessary group versus 3% of those in the gel group (p = 0.014). CONCLUSION: Both prostaglandin E2 agents are effective in achieving cervical ripening; however, the controlled-release pessary achieves ripening over a shorter time period. Furthermore, because time to achieve vaginal delivery and length of stay are shorter, the use of oxytocin is less frequent, and there is no increase in complications, the overall cost is expected to be less with the use of Cervidil as compared with Prepidil.