Effect of short-term hormone replacement therapy on left ventricular mass and contractile function

This study examined the effects of neonatal cocaine exposure on the rewarding properties of play in a modified T-maze. Animals were artificially reared from postnatal day (PND) 4-9 with drug concentrated in four daily feeds. There were four treatment groups, 40 mg/kg/day cocaine, 20 mg/kg/day cocaine, an artificially reared control and a surgery control. From PND 38-42, subjects were tested with a food reward (EXP 1) or a play reward (EXP 2). No deficits in learning were seen when the reward was food. The 20 mg/kg/day cocaine group, however, showed impaired learning and altered play behavior when the reward was access to a play partner. Neonatal cocaine exposure thus appears to differentially affect learning based on the type of reward presented.     

Return Link Systems for Wireless Mobile Camera Using 42 GHz-Band with Frequency and Space Diversity Techniques

In this paper, return link systems for wireless mobile camera using 42 GHz-band in multipath fading environments are proposed. The return link systems for wireless mobile camera require wireless transmission with high reliability as same as the conventional wired camera systems. The proposed return link systems achieve transmission with high reliability by taking into consideration frequency and space diversity techniques. The proposed systems can be classified as 3 three types of return link systems according to diversity techniques： FD （frequency diversity） systems, SD （space diversity） systems and FD＋SD system （frequency and space diversity）. Computer simulations are carried out in order to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed return link systems. It is confirmed that the proposed three types of return link systems have an advantage about BER performances and effectively exploit frequency and space resources.     

Evaluation of a multicomponent, behaviorally oriented, problem-based "summer school" program for adolescents with diabetes

A 2-week summer school program, combining problem-based learning with behavior therapy, was developed to help adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes improve their ability to cope with obstacles to dietary management. Ten students participated in a first session, and 9 participated in a second session, serving as a waiting list control group. Outcomes were evaluated pre- and postsession and at a 4-month follow-up using 3-day food diaries, blood glucose data, and paper-and-pencil tests of diabetes-related knowledge, self-efficacy, coping strategies, and general problem solving. Improvements were observed in self-efficacy, problem-solving skills, and self-reported coping strategies. No significant changes were observed in daily intake of fat, cholesterol, calories, mean blood glucose levels or blood glucose variability, and diabetes knowledge. Comparisons between the first group and the waiting list control group do not allow the significant pre-post changes to be clearly attributed to the summer school program.     

A pilot study of the marginal adaptation and surface morphology of glass-cermet cements

This study investigated changes in the marginal adaptation and surface morphology of Ketac-Silver and Chelon-Silver glass-current cements over time. Dispersalloy amalgam was used as a control. Contralateral pairs of carious primary molars were restored with the test materials and amalgam. Clinical evaluations were scheduled at 12, 18, and 24 months after placement. Gold-plated replicas of the restorations were observed with scanning electron microscopy. Fractures and cracks in the surface of the Dispersalloy and Chelon-Silver increased the surface roughness; however, the damage was superficial and self-limiting in the Dispersalloy restorations, while in Chelon-Silver the fractures caused the material to break down in layers. A substantial quantity of pores, usually smaller than 50 microns in diameter, were observed throughout the surface of the Chelon-Silver restorations. The pores in the surface of Ketac-Silver were fewer and smaller. The incidence of cavomarginal breakdown increased with time. Chelon-Silver restorations had a higher rate of cavomarginal breakdown than did Ketac-Silver and Dispersalloy restorations up to 18 months. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the marginal adaptation of the three groups at 24 months.     

Primary bovine hepatocytes in the study of cytokine induced acute-phase protein secretion in vitro

OBJECTIVE: To determine placental transfer of ketanserin and to assess the effect of serotonin-2 receptor blockade by ketanserin on serotonin- and phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction. STUDY DESIGN: Five chronically instrumented pregnant ewes at 120 days gestation were injected with 20 mg ketanserin i.v., and fetal and maternal arterial samples were obtained at predetermined intervals to assess placental transfer. Maternal and fetal responses of blood flows and pressures were determined after injected of serotonin (20 micrograms/kg) or phenylephrine (10 micrograms/kg) before and after ketanserin (0.75 mg/kg). RESULTS: In the ewe, ketanserin is transferred across the placenta and reaches measurable levels in the fetal lamb. Ketanserin blocks the maternal and fetal serotonin-induced rise in arterial pressure, but not the serotonin-induced reduction in uterine blood flow. CONCLUSION: In the pregnant ewe, the serotonin-induced rise in maternal and fetal blood pressure is effectively antagonized by ketanserin, whereas the serotonin-induced reduction in uterine blood flow is not.     

Multiple symmetric lipomatosis in the Chinese: ultrasound, CT and MR imaging

We report four cases of multiple symmetric lipomatosis in the Chinese population. We believe that multiple symmetric lipomatosis in the Chinese is not uncommon and may be related to the increasing incidence of alcoholism. The ultrasound appearances of these lipomatous masses are presented for the first time. Heterogeneous echogenic masses with fine fibrous strands that insinuate around fascial planes, lymph nodes and vascular tissues are typical findings. Unlike diseases affecting the Western population, multiple symmetric lipomatosis in the Chinese appears to be limited to the head and neck.     

Risk factors for contralateral breast cancer in Chennai (Madras), India

BACKGROUND: This is the first cohort study conducted in India to identify risk factors for contralateral breast cancer (CBC) among patients with first primary breast cancer. METHODS: Patients with first primary breast cancer diagnosed in 1960-1989 at the Cancer Institute (WIA) in Chennai, India, were followed-up until 31 December 1994. The risk of CBC was assessed among unilateral breast cancer (UBC) patients who survived for >12 months following the diagnosis of breast cancer and did not develop a second cancer (n = 2665) and among those who developed a CBC > or =12 months after the diagnosis of breast cancer (n = 39). RESULTS: The age-adjusted incidence of CBC among women with UBC was seven times the incidence (per single breast) in the general population. Among women with UBC the relative risk (RR) was 4.5 (95% CI: 1.1-19.6) comparing those with and without a history of breast cancer in the mother, and 2.8 (95% CI: 1.2-6.7) comparing age at first birth 21-25 versus earlier. The RR was 0.3 (95% CI: 0.1-0.6) comparing those with and without hormone therapy for their UBC. Radiotherapy for the UBC had no significant effect on the incidence of CBC. CONCLUSION: Positive family history of breast cancer and later age at first childbirth emerged as stronger risk factors for CBC than UBC. Hormone therapy reduces the risk of CBC.     

Nonfluoroscopic guidance for catheter placement into the coronary sinus under direct vision using a balloon-tipped cardioscope

The right atrial posterior septum, including the coronary sinus (CS) ostium, is an important landmark in radiofrequency catheter ablation therapy for supraventricular tachycardia or atrial flutter. The anatomical findings around the CS ostium would be useful to determine a target site or line during catheter ablation. The aim of the study was to test the ability of the imaging catheter to identify structures in the posterior septal area of the right atrium and to evaluate the feasibility of guidance for catheter placement in the CS using a cardioscope that we recently developed. In 12 anesthetized dogs, the cardioscope, consisting of a deflectable 7 Fr fiberoptic endoscope with an inflatable and transparent balloon, was introduced into the right atrium via the femoral vein. The cardioscope was manipulated to observe the right atrial posterior septum. A deflectable electrode catheter was inserted via the jugular vein and positioned in the CS under cardioscopic guidance. In 10 of 12 dogs, the right atrial posterior septum, including the CS ostium, and the tendon of Todaro could be anatomically identified by cardioscopy. It was possible to position an electrode catheter in the CS in all 10 dogs under direct vision without fluoroscopy. But the CS ostium could not be detected in the remaining two dogs, although the cardioscope was placed at as many sites as possible. No complication occurred. The balloon-tipped cardioscope appears to be useful in observing the right atrialposterior septum and in guiding an electrode catheter into the CS.     

Influence of chemical treatments on glutathione S-transferases of maize with activity towards metolachlor and cinnamic acid

The subcellular distribution of glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity extracted from shoots of 3-day-old etiolated seedlings of maize (Zea mays L., Northrup-King 9283 hybrid) and the induction of soluble and membrane-bound GST activity by the safener benoxacor, the herbicide metolachlor and their combination (CGA-180937) were investigated. GST activity extracted from maize shoots was detected in both cytosolic and microsomal fractions and utilized 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), metolachlor, and trans-cinnamic acid (CA) as substrates. Soluble GST activity extracted from maize shoots was greater than microsomal with CDNB or metolachlor as substrate. Membrane-bound GST activity was greater than soluble with cinnamic acid as substrate. Washing the microsomal preparations from maize shoots with Triton X-100 increased GST(CA) activity. Pretreatment with the safener benoxacor or a formulated combination of the herbicide metolachlor with benoxacor induced soluble GST(CDNB), GST(metolachlor) and GST(CA) activities in maize shoots. Benoxacor and CGA-180937 induced also membrane-bound GST(CDNB) and GST(CA) activities in maize shoots, but did not affect membrane-bound GST(metolachlor) activity. These results confirm that maize contains multiple GST isozymes that differ in their substrate specificity and inducibility by safeners or other chemicals.