Estradiol-17 beta and progesterone increase ovine uterine suppressor cell activity

We evaluated the regulation of ovine uterine (UT) suppressor cell activity by progesterone (P4), estradiol-17 beta (E2), and P4 + E2 in ovariectomized (OVX) ewes. Following 14 d of steroid injections, endometrial cells (designated as UT cells) were recovered postmortem, and unfractionated and fractionated cells were assessed for suppression of autologous phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-treated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). Supernatants from cultured UT cells were also assessed for suppressor activity. In other experiments, UT cells recovered from nontreated OVX ewes were cocultured with PHA-treated PBL and varying concentrations (1 x 10(-11) to 1 x 10(-5) M) of each steroid preparation. Supernatants from separate cultures that contained UT cells and steroids were evaluated for suppressor activity. Uterine cells from control and steroid-treated ewes suppressed proliferative responses of PHA-treated PBL; however, suppressor activity of UT cells was greater (P < .05) for E2-treated than for control and P4-treated ewes. Uterine suppressor cells from steroid-treated ewes sedimented in Percoll within a density range of 1.002 to 1.056 g/mL. Uterine cells from all ewes released suppressor factor(s) into the culture medium; however, the activity of the supernatant from the cultured cells was not increased for the steroid-treated ewes. For cocultures that contained steroids and cultures that contained supernatant, suppressor activity of the UT cells was increased by specific concentrations of each steroid preparation. These findings demonstrate that reproductive steroids augment ovine UT suppressor cell activity.     

Vegetable fiber fermentation by human fecal bacteria: cell wall polysaccharide disappearance and short-chain fatty acid production during in vitro fermentation and water-holding capacity of unfermented residues

Dietary fiber from eight vegetables (broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, lettuce, onion and radish) was analyzed for chemical composition and potential in vitro fermentation by human fecal bacteria. Total dietary fiber concentration of substrates ranged from 34.9 (broccoli) to 5.8 (cucumber) g/kg edible matter. Substrate fiber fractions were composed primarily of pectic substances and cellulose with smaller concentrations of hemicelluloses and lignin. Total dietary fiber residues isolated from substrates were fermented in vitro for 24 h with fecal bacteria obtained from each of three human volunteers. Substrate dry matter disappearance during fermentation was highest for carrot (63.7%) and lowest for cucumber (49.4%). Averaged across all substrates, disappearances of arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose, xylose and uronic acids during fermentation were 96, 90, 54, 68, 51 and 97%, respectively. Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production during substrate fermentation averaged 10.5 mmol SCFA/g dry matter fermented. Averaged across all substrates, production of the major SCFA, acetate, propionate and butyrate, occurred in the molar ratio 76:14:10. Potential water-holding capacity of substrates was not influenced by fiber source and averaged 2.04 g H2O/g original substrate dry matter. Extent of substrate fermentation, SCFA production and substrate potential water-holding capacity were significantly different among inoculum donors, indicating that considerable inter-individual variation exists in the potential in vivo fermentation of vegetable fiber.     

Carious lesions in the heroin addicted patient. A case report

Heroin abuse is destroying the health of many individuals in our society. Much of the information that has appeared in the literature has concerned itself with the general health of addicts; the oral health status of these individuals has not been studied to the same extent. This report will present and discuss the management of a case involving the effects of long-term heroin abuse on the dentition.     

Clinical presentation and pharmacological therapy in corticobasal degeneration

BACKGROUND: To date, to our knowledge, there is no systematic presentation of treatment outcome in large series of patients clinically diagnosed as having corticobasal degeneration. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical presentation and treatment outcome of patients clinically diagnosed as having corticobasal degeneration. SUBJECTS: We gathered case patients seen in 8 major movement disorder clinics during the last 5 years who were diagnosed as having corticobasal ganglionic degeneration. METHODS: Using a chart review method, we recorded the clinical presentation, medications used, response to medications, and adverse effects. RESULTS: A total of 147 case patients were reviewed, 7 were autopsy proven. Parkinsonian features were present in all, other movement disorders in 89%, and higher cortical dysfunction in 93%. The most common parkinsonian sign was rigidity (92%), followed by bradykinesia (80%), gait disorder (80%), and tremor (55%). Other movement disorders were dystonia in 71% and myoclonus in 55%. Higher cortical dysfunction included dyspraxia (82%), alien limb (42%), cortical sensory loss (33%), and dementia (25%). Ninety-two percent of the case patients received dopaminergic drugs, which resulted in a beneficial effect for 24%. Parkinsonian signs were the elements improving the most and levodopa was the most effective drug. Benzodiazepines, primarily clonazepam, were administered to 47 case patients, which resulted in improvement of myoclonus in 23% and dystonia in 9%. The most frequent disabling adverse effects of drug trials in these case patients were somnolence (n = 24), gastrointestinal complaints (n = 23), confusion (n = 16), dizziness (n =12), hallucinations (n = 5), and dry mouth (n = 5). CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacological intervention was largely ineffective in the management of corticobasal degeneration, and new treatments are needed for ameliorating the symptoms of this syndrome.     

Use of recombinant nucleoproteins in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for detection of virus-specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG antibodies in influenza virus A- or B-infected patients

The nucleoprotein genes of influenza virus A/Netherlands/018/94 (H3N2) and influenza virus B/Harbin/7/94 were cloned into the bacterial expression vector pMalC to yield highly purified recombinant influenza virus A and B nucleoproteins. With these recombinant influenza nucleoproteins, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed for the detection of influenza virus A- and B-specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG serum antibodies. Serum samples were collected at consecutive time points after the onset of clinical symptoms from patients with confirmed influenza virus A or B infections. Nucleoprotein-specific IgA antibodies were detected in 41.2% of influenza virus A-infected patients and in 66. 7% of influenza virus B-infected patients on day 6 after the onset of clinical symptoms. In serum samples taken on day 21 (influenza virus A-infected patients) or day 28 (influenza virus B-infected patients), nucleoprotein-specific IgA antibodies could be detected in 58.8 and 58.3% of influenza virus A- and B-infected patients, respectively. At the same time, IgG antibody rises were detected in 88.2% of influenza virus A-infected patients and in 95.8% of influenza virus B-infected patients. On comparison, hemagglutination inhibition assays detected antibody titer rises in 81.3 and 72.7% of patients infected with influenza viruses A and B, respectively. In contrast to the detection of nucleoprotein-specific IgG antibodies or hemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies, the detection of nucleoprotein-specific IgA antibodies does not require paired serum samples and therefore can be considered an attractive alternative for the rapid serological diagnosis of influenza.     

Effect of a serotonergic extrinsic modulatory neuron (MCC) on radula mechanoafferent function in Aplysia

The serotonergic metacerebral cells (MCCs) and homologous neurons in related mollusks have been extensively investigated within the context of feeding. Although previous work has indicated that the MCCs exert widespread actions, MCC modulation of sensory neurons has not been identified. We characterized interactions between the MCCs and a cell that is part of a recently described group of buccal radula mechanoafferents. The cell, B21, has a peripheral process in the tissue underlying the chitinous radula [the subradula tissue (SRT)]. Previous studies have shown that B21 can fire phasically during ingestive motor programs and provide excitatory drive to the circuitry active during radula closing/retraction. We now show that activity of B21 can be modulated by serotonin (5-HT) and the MCCs. Centrally, although a slow depolarization is typically recorded in B21 as a result of MCC stimulation, this depolarization does not cause B21 to spike. It can, however, increase B21 excitability enabling a pulse that was previously subthreshold to elicit an action potential in B21. B21 is in fact rhythmically depolarized during the radula closing/retraction phase of ingestive motor programs. Thus central effects of the MCCs on radula mechanoafferent activity are only likely to be apparent while B21 is receiving input from the feeding central pattern generator. Peripherally, radula mechanoafferent neurons can be activated 1) when a mechanical stimulus is applied to the biting surface of the SRT and 2) when the SRT contracts. MCC stimulation and 5-HT modulate B21 responses to both types of stimuli. For example, MCC stimulation and low concentrations of 5-HT cause subthreshold mechanical stimuli applied to the SRT to become suprathreshold. 5-HT and MCC stimulation also enhance SRT contractility. Peripheral effects of MCC activity are also likely to be phase dependent. For example, MCC stimulation does not cause B21 to respond to peripheral stimuli with an afterdischarge. Consequently, radula mechanoafferents are likely to be activated when food is present between the radula halves during radula closing/retraction but are not likely to continue to fire as opening/protraction is initiated. In a similar vein, MCC effects on the contractility of the SRT will only be apparent when contractions are elicited by motor neuron activity. SRT motor neurons are rhythmically activated during ingestive motor programs. Thus we have shown that radula mechanoafferent activity can be modulated by the MCCs and that this modulation is likely to occur in a phase-dependent manner.     

The use of microbiology in the study of hygiene behaviour

Faecal indicator bacteria have been used to measure levels of hygiene in a variety of settings. This paper describes a study in northern Botswana which used the isolation of faecal indicator bacteria in combination with other quantitative and qualitative techniques to gain information regarding hygiene behaviour. The microbiological samples included, samples from stored drinking water and water sources; eating plates; infant feeding bottles; dishcloths and the fingertips of carers and children. Water was usually clean at source but contaminated after storage. Presumptive faecal coliforms contaminated 31% of the eating plates, 29% of the dishcloths and 40% of the infant feeding bottles. Many of the presumptive faecal coliform isolates were not identified as Escherichia coli, indicating the need for further research into methodologies appropriate for isolating E. coli in tropical climates.     

Glutathione-S-transferase activity and isoenzyme levels measured by two methods in ovarian cancer, and their value as markers of disease outcome

A study has been carried out to investigate the cellular distribution and levels of glutathione-S-transferase isoenzymes (GST), acidic (pi), basic (alpha) and neutral (mu), in ovarian tumour biopsies, and to measure GST activity in the same tumour specimens. Two methods of assessing isoenzyme levels (immunohistochemistry and Western blot) were compared. Well-known important clinicopathological features were correlated with response to treatment, overall survival and progression-free survival for each of 97 patients from whom biopsies had been obtained. The glutathione-S-transferase isoenzyme levels were also correlated with overall and progression-free survival, and with the important clinicopathological features. As expected, there was a significant correlation between FIGO stage, histological grade of tumour, amount of residual disease after staging laparotomy, response to chemotherapy, and both overall and progression-free survival. Glutathione-S-transferase isoenzyme levels (acidic, basic and neutral) measured by Western blot were not found to be significantly correlated with any of the clinicopathological parameters tested. Using the immunohistochemistry method of detection there was a correlation between the GST acidic isoenzyme level and the amount of residual disease remaining after initial debulking surgery (higher levels were detected in the group with no residual disease, P=0.034), and also between the GST acidic isoenzyme level and the type of chemotherapy regimen used. Higher levels of the acidic isoenzyme were present in tumour biopsies taken from the patient group who had received a combination regimen (cyclophosphamide, carboplatin, ifosfamide and doxorubicin). The neutral and basic GST isoenzyme levels were not significantly correlated with any of the clinicopathological parameters. None of the GST isoenzyme levels were significantly correlated with response to treatment, overall survival or progression-free survival (using either method of detection). Similarly, glutathione transferase activity showed no significant correlation with prognosis or survival.     

Nifedipine-induced gingival overgrowth in rats: brief review and experimental study

The first case report of gingival overgrowth induced by nifedipine (NIF), a calcium-beta blocker, was in 1984. However, the association between gingival alterations and the drug therapy of sodium diphenyl hydantoinate was initially described in 1939. The purpose of the experimental study was to examine the effect of NIF on gingival morphology in an animal model. Forty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. Animals in each group daily received NIF in dimethyl sulfoxide by gastric feeding at a dosage of 0 (control), 30, or 50 mg/kg body weight for 9 weeks. Gingival gross morphology was assessed tri-weekly from stone models obtained from the mandibular incisal region. Animals were sacrificed at the end of study and tissue blocks were processed for histopathologic and histometric evaluation. Histometric analysis was performed at 5 selected tissue levels. Macro- and microscopic significantly increased gingival dimensions were demonstrated in NIF-treated animals compared to control. Although a fibrovascular tissue was observed in the tooth-gingiva interface for both NIF-treated and control animals, it was thicker and appeared earlier in NIF-treated animals. The results of the present study suggest that gingival overgrowth can be induced by NIF in rats and that the gingival overgrowth appears dose dependent.