Self-esteem in alcoholics and nonalcoholics

Alcoholics scored lower on a test of self-esteem than did nonalcoholics, Alcoholics with lower self-esteem were found to be more willing to seek treatment than those with higher self-esteem.     

Scanning and transmission electron microscopy of the spermiophores of Ornithodoros ticks: an attempt to explain their motility

The spermiophores of two tick species, the kangaroo tick, Ornithodoros gurneyi and the cave tick, Ornithodoros tholozani have been examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The anterior end (head) of the spermiophore is a hemisphere covered with a hexagonal network of small projections. The rest of the spermiophore is covered with longitudinal ridges, seen in sections as cellular processes whose membranes are attached only at their anterior ends by specialized 'feet'. In the cytoplasm of the sperm cell body and just beneath the cellular processes are find filaments, which form a continuous layer in O. tholozani and bundles in O. gurneyi. Fibrils tend to be situated beneath the larger cellular processes. In scanning micrographs helical constrictions have been observed in the posterior parts of some spermiophores. It is proposed that certain of the movements observed by light microscopy in living cultures of spermiophores may be explained by contraction of the cytoplasmic filaments seen in the electron microscope.     

The specificity of split renal membranes in hereditary nephritis

This study was undertaken to assess the specificity of split renal basement membranes in hereditary nephritis (HN). Thirteen specimens from eight patients with HN were mixed in a random fashion with specimens from control patients with either idiopathic nephrotic syndrome or various forms of glomerulonephritis and with specimens from patients with benign recurrent hematuria (BRH). Each biopsy specimen was scored for splitting of glomerular basement membranes (GBMs). Control and BRH specimens contained focal splitting in the GBMs; the biopsy specimens from HN patients had widespread lesions. Evaluation of split GBMs is useful in differentiating patients with HN from those with BRH and other renal diseases that may be confused with HN.     

Genetic counseling. An evaluation of public health genetic clinics

The geographic distribution of County Health Department clinic facilities in the state of California has made it readily possible to establish a regionalized program for genetic counseling services, using public health nurses as a major source of case-finding. From both consumer and health professional standpoints, regionalized satellite genetic counseling clinics have been successful, and in particular, the effectiveness of public health nurses in identifying clinical genetic problems is readily apparent.Long-term follow-up reinforcement of genetic counseling appears to be an important conclusion from these studies. It is our suggestion that reinforcement of counseling would best be accomplished through the health team member (physician, nurse and so forth) following the patient or family rather than through the consulting geneticist.     

Comparison of the effect of carbon monoxide and of hypoxic hypoxia. I. In vivo metabolism, distribution and action of hexobarbital

1. The biosynthesis of cholesterol was studied, by using various precursors, in rats subjected to several dietary regimes. 2. The use of 3H2O as a substrate to demonstrate differences in cholesterogenesis under various conditions was validated by using rats fed on cholesterol or cholestyramine. Cholesterol feeding resulted in decreased cholesterogenesis, whereas cholestyramine caused an increase. 3. With acetate as precursor, the biosynthesis of both digitonin-precipitable sterol and fatty acids was increased in vitro in response to a meal. 4. In rats fed ad libitum, hepatic cholesterogenesis was increased at midnight relative to mid-morning as measured by using acetate precursor in vitro. However, no such difference was found by using 3H2O in vivo. 5. The lipogenic response was measured in meal-fed rats by using 3H2O or octanoate in vivo. In contrast with findings with acetate in vitro, no postprandial stimulation of cholesterogenesis was seen with either 3H2O or octanoate as precursor, whereas fatty acid biosynthesis from either substrate was increased. 6. These findings are discussed with respect to current theories about the circadian rhythm of cholesterogenesis. Such theories are based on experiments using isolated enzyme measurements or non-physiological precursors such as acetate. 7. It is considered that results obtained with 3H2O give an accurate representation of cholesterogenesis under various conditions, and it is therefore suggested that hepatic cholesterogenesis in rats is not subjected to the same degree of diurnal rhythm as has previously been believed.     

The sedimentation equilibrium of heterogeneously associating systems and mixtures of non-interacting solutes: analysis without determination of molecular weight averages

In 8 healthy subjects (group A) and 4 subjects with respiratory symptoms (group B), the lung pressure-volume curve (P-V curve), maximum expiratory flow-volume curve (MEFVC) and respiratory resistance (Rrs) at all vital capacities were measured. To avoid laryngeal artifact on a mouth pressure, an intratracheal catheter was used for measurement of Rrs which was obtained with 3 cycles/sec oscillatory forced pressure. Group B did not show a different elastic recoil from group A. In comparison of the maximum expiratory flow (Vmax) at 80, 70, 60 and 50% of the total lung capacity (TLC). Vmax of group B showed lower values than that of group A. Rrs was almost the same in both groups from 70% TLC upwards, but Rrs of group B was higher than that of group A from 65%TLC downwards. Since the lung elastic recoil pressures (Pst (1)) in the two groups were not different and Rrs's were different significantly only at low lung volumes, the decrease in Vmax of group B was supposed to be due to the increased Rrs which might reflect small airway obstruction.     

A conjugate gradient iterative method

A strongly implicit pre-conditioned form of the conjugate gradient method is considered. The resulting iterative technique is applicable for sparse systems of difference equations arising from boundary value problems. The method is used to solve two- and three-dimensional potential flows. In addition, it is extended to a 2 x 2 coupled system to solve the Navier-Stokes equations in stream function-vorticity form.     

Putative association between a new polymorphism in exon 3 (Arg109Cys) of the pancreatic colipase gene and type 2 diabetes mellitus in two independent Caucasian study populations

The protein encoded by the pancreatic colipase (CLPS) gene is an essential cofactor needed by pancreatic triglyceride lipase (PNLIP) for efficient dietary lipid hydrolysis. Since the inhibition of lipase activity was shown to reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, we tested the hypothesis that genetic variations in the CLPS and PNLIP genes are associated with type 2 diabetes; 47 unrelated subjects were screened for polymorphisms of the CLPS and PNLIP genes. A nested-case control study of 192 incident type 2 diabetes subjects and 384 sex- and age-matched controls taken from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Potsdam Cohort (EPIC) was employed for association studies. The Metabolic Intervention Cohort Kiel (MICK) consisting of 716 males was used for verification. A novel putative functional polymorphism (Arg109Cys) was identified in the CLPS gene. The frequencies of the Arg/Cys genotype were 2.6% in EPIC and 2.2% in MICK study subjects. No homozygotes for the Cys/Cys genotype were found in either study population. Logistic regression analysis showed a statistically significant association of the Arg/Cys genotype with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The odds ratios estimated by the model were 3.75 (95%CI = 1.13-12.49, p = 0.03) in EPIC and 4.86 (95%CI = 1.13-20.95, p = 0.03) in MICK. No comparable associations were found with other traits of the insulin-resistance syndrome (e. g.; body mass index, waist to hip ratio). In conclusion, we obtained evidence in two German Caucasian study populations that the variant of the rare CLPS Arg109Cys polymorphism might contribute to increased susceptibility of type 2 diabetes.     

Effect of government actions on technological innovation for SO2 control

The relationship between government actions and innovation in environmental control technology is important for the design of cost-effective policies to achieve environmental goals. This paper examines such relationships for the case of sulfur dioxide control technology for U.S. coal-fired power plants. The study employs several complementary research methods, including analyses of key government actions, technology patenting activity, technology performance and cost trends, knowledge transfer activities, and expert elicitations. Our results indicate that government regulation appears to be a greater stimulus to inventive activity than government-sponsored research support alone, and that the anticipation of regulation also spurs inventive activity. Regulatory stringency focuses this activity along particular technical pathways and is a key factor in creating markets for environmental technologies. We also find that with greater technology adoption, both new and existing systems experience notable efficiency improvements and capital cost reductions. The important role of government in fostering knowledge transfer via technical conferences and other measures is also seen as an important factor in promoting environmental technology innovation.     

Probiotic bacteria are antagonistic to Salmonella enterica and Campylobacter jejuni and influence host lymphocyte responses in human microbiota‐associated immunodeficient and immunocompetent mice

A defined human microbiota‐associated (HMA) mouse model in BALB/c and immunodeficient Tgε26 mice was used to assess the ability of probiotic lactobacilli and bifidobacteria to enhance colonization resistance to gastrointestinal (GI) tract pathogens. Probiotic bacteria (1×10⁸ colony forming unit (CFU)/mL) successfully excluded Campylobacter jejuni from both strains of mice 7 days after challenge. The probiotic bacteria also reduced the number of Salmonella in the large intestines of both mouse strains. The nylon wool fractionated spleen lymphocyte populations were incubated with Salmonella or C. jejuni antigens. The probiotic treatments did not affect lymphocyte proliferation to C. jejuni antigens, but significantly increased proliferation of lymphocytes to Salmonella antigens by 68 and 55%, respectively, over untreated mice. Caspase 3/7 activation was significantly reduced 33 and 38% in the T and B lymphocyte fractions, respectively, of probiotic‐treated, Salmonella‐challenged HMA BALB/c mice, suggesting that lymphocyte rescue from apoptosis was occurring as a result of probiotic bacteria activity. These results revealed an immunosuppressive activity by Salmonella that was inhibited by the presence of probiotic bacteria. In summary, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria competitively excluded C. jejuni from immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice and antagonized an observable Salmonella‐induced immunosuppression in immunocompetent mice.