Need we measure anxiety differently for males and females?

Using 2 separate large samples of children (N1 = 957 and N2 = 3,885) and 1 smaller sample of adolescents and adults (N3 = 416), 3 studies of item selection for measurement of anxiety were conducted to determine if item selection differed across gender when traditional psychometric methods were applied. Applying a common set of item selection rules for males and for females, the same items were selected for inclusion on various measures of anxiety with differing item-response formats with comparable internal consistency reliability obtained using separate gender and combined gender samples. Standard psychometric methods indicate anxiety is measured in males and females about equally well and by essentially the same items.     

Puberty and depression: the roles of age, pubertal status and pubertal timing

The BAD protein is a pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family whose ability to heterodimerize with survival proteins such as Bcl-X(L) and to promote cell death is inhibited by phosphorylation. Monoclonal antibodies were generated against the human BAD protein and used to evaluate its expression by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry in normal human tissues and by immunoblot analysis of the National Cancer Institute anti-cancer drug screening panel of 60 human tumor cell lines. BAD protein was detectable by immunoblotting in many normal tissues, with testis, breast, colon, and spleen being among those with the highest steady-state levels. Immunostaining of tissues revealed many examples of cell-type-specific expression of BAD, suggesting dynamic regulation of BAD protein levels in vivo. In many types of normal cells, BAD immunoreactivity was associated with cytosolic organelles resembling mitochondria, suggesting that BAD is often heterodimerized with other Bcl-2 family proteins in vivo. The relative levels of BAD protein varied widely among established human tumor cell lines, with colon, lung, and melanomas generally having the highest expression. As a group, hematopoietic and lymphoid lines contained the least BAD protein. The BAD protein derived from 11 of 41 tumor lines that expressed this pro-apoptotic protein migrated in gels as a clear doublet, consistent with the presence of hyperphosphorylated BAD protein. Taken together, these findings define for the first time the normal cell-type-specific patterns of expression and intracellular locations of the BAD protein in vivo and provide insights into the regulation of this pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family protein in human tumors.     

Intravesical electromotive drug administration technique: preliminary results and side effects

PURPOSE: We performed intravesical electromotive drug administration (EMDA) for various bladder disorders during a 3-year period and assessed the technique, possible applications, complications and outcomes of this procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Intravesical EMDA was performed with local anesthetics for transurethral surgery and in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of noninfectious chronic cystitis (interstitial/radiation cystitis), with mitomycin C for recurrence prophylaxis of high risk superficial bladder cancer and with oxybutynin/bethanechol for the hyperreflexive/acontractile detrusor. A standardized power source and electrode catheter were used for 215 treatments in 84 patients. RESULTS: Transurethral bladder tumor resections were pain-free in 10 of 12 patients. Of the 25 patients with chronic noninfectious cystitis 15 were free of symptoms for a mean of 6.6 months, and there was a 73% increase in mean bladder capacity from 244 before to 421 cc after EMDA. Of the 16 patients with superficial bladder cancer 9 were free of recurrence for a mean of 14.1 months. In 10 of 14 patients with acontractile detrusors urodynamic examination showed detrusor contraction during EMDA of bethanechol. There were no contractions without electric current. EMDA of oxybutynin reduced detrusor hyperreflexia. A bladder ulcer was the single severe local complication and 4.6% of patients, mainly those with chronic cystitis, reported significant post-EMDA bladder/urethral pain. Minor side effects accounted for 23% of all treatments. No systemic side effects occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Intravesical EMDA is effective and innocuous. The therapeutic concept combines the advantages of increased drug administration without systemic side effects.     

The effects of F strain Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae, and the dual infection in commercial layer hens over a 44-week laying cycle when challenged before beginning of lay. I. Egg production and selected egg quality parameters

In each of two trials, 160 commercial pullets were separated into four treatments with four replicates of 10 chickens in each treatment. Forty pullets were designated as controls and received no inoculation; 40 other pullets received F strain Mycoplasma gallisepticum (FMG); an additional 40 pullets received Mycoplasma synoviae (MS); and the final 40 pullets were inoculated with both FMG and MS (dual). Hen-day egg production, egg weight, eggshell strength, Haugh unit score, pimpling incidence, and blood/meat spot incidence were monitored and recorded in each trial through an entire laying cycle. No significant difference was observed among the treatments for hen-day egg production, egg weight, eggshell strength, or Haugh unit scores. Significant differences were observed for pimpling incidence among controls (1.63%), Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG)-infected (2.09%), and dual-infected hens (2.41%). A significant difference in blood/meat spot incidence was observed between MG-infected hens (0.27%) and dual-infected hens (0.45%). Histopathologic examination of the ovary and all segments of the oviduct revealed no significant differences among the treatments. These results suggest that the majority of the hen reproductive tract functions similarly in FMG-vaccinated, MS-infected, or dual-infected hens as compared with Mycoplasma-clean hens.     

Atypical Escherichia coli strains and their association with poult enteritis and mortality syndrome

To date, no definitive etiology has been described for Poult Enteritis and Mortality Syndrome (PEMS). However, two atypical Escherichia coli colony types are isolated consistently from moribund and dead poults afflicted with PEMS. To test the infectivity of these E. coli strains, poults were placed into floor pens in three isolation treatment rooms: 1) Control: no bacterial challenge, 2) E. coli colony Types 1 or 2 posthatch oral challenge: 10(8) cfu/per poult at 1 d, and 3) E. coli colony Types 1 or 2 posthatch oral challenge: 10(8) cfu/per poult at 6 d. Daily intramuscular injections of cyclophosphamide (100 micrograms per poult) from 1 to 5 d posthatch were given to half of the poults in each treatment. Atypical E. coli challenge caused BW depression, and cyclophosphamide treatment exacerbated the response. All E. coli-challenged poults developed diarrhea similar to PEMS. Mortality was increased by both atypical E. coli colony types, but at 21 d E. coli colony Type 2 caused greater mortality than colony Type 1. With cyclophosphamide treatment, mortality was exacerbated with both colony types, but colony Type 2 at 1 d caused the greatest mortality. Ultrastructural damage to ileum epithelium cell microvilli and subcellular organelles indicated that part of the BW depression could be attributed to malabsorption of nutrients. It was concluded that the atypical E. coli colony Types 1 and 2 play a significant role in the PEMS disease.     

Detection of sequential genetic alterations relevant for breast cancer development

Infusion of LPS or nematode larvae into the mammary glands of sheep induces recruitment of neutrophils or eosinophils respectively. While neutrophil recruitment required only a single infusion of LPS, repeated infusions of parasite larvae were required to induce significant eosinophil migration into the lumen of the glands. Eosinophil recruitment was accompanied by a distinct population of lymphocytes consisting mainly of activated (MHC class II and CD25+) T cells. L-selectin was expressed at reduced levels on both neutrophils and eosinophils collected from the mammary gland compared with cells present in the blood of the same sheep. In addition, VLA-4 and beta 1-integrin were down-regulated or negative in mammary eosinophils compared with strong expression in the blood while neutrophils were negative for these markers in both mammary washes and blood. Eosinophils in blood and mammary glands were negative for MHC class II, CD25 and CD4. Mast cells and lymphocyte aggregates were present in the tissue of glands chronically stimulated with parasite larvae while eosinophils were only present if the gland had been recently stimulated. These studies show that detailed in vivo analysis of leucocyte migration can be easily performed in the sheep mammary infusion model which allows non-invasive and repeated sampling of inflammatory cells before and after tissue migration.     

Surgery for lung cancer: age alone is not a contraindication

A retrospective analysis of the clinical features, operative procedures, postoperative complications and subsequent survival of 70 (50 male) elderly patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer compared with 74 (53 male) younger patients treated at the same hospital during the same period was performed, to determine if elderly people with lung cancer are less likely to benefit from and/or tolerate surgery. The elderly group had to wait longer for operation (p = 0.001) and were more likely to have pre-existing disease (p = 0.019). In contrast, they had fewer recognised postoperative complications (p = 0.032) and there was no difference between the two groups in perioperative mortality and subsequent survival. Surgical treatment of localised lung cancer represents the best chance for cure and this study suggests that age should not be a consideration in the decision to operate or not. The patient's general state of health should be assessed and management decisions based on individual status rather than on age.     

Insights into the mechanism of haemorrhage caused by snake venom metalloproteinases

Local and systemic haemorrhage are common consequences of crotaline and viperine envenoming. Several studies carried out using purified toxins have indicated that local haemorrhage can be attributed to a distinct class of venom metalloproteinases. Analyses of their cDNAs predict multi-domain enzymes, with an N-terminal metalloproteinase domain, a disintegrin-like domain and a Cys-rich C-terminus. Haemorrhagic metalloproteinases are responsible for degrading proteins of the extracellular matrix and they also have cytotoxic effects on endothelial cells. However, to date very few investigations have been carried out on the effects of venom haemorrhagic metalloproteinases on components of the haemostatic system. We describe here the effects of a high molecular weight haemorrhagic metalloproteinase, jararhagin, from the venom of a South American pit viper Bothrops jararaca, on platelet and plasma components involved in haemostasis. Jararhagin, which is not inhibited in plasma, causes the loss of the platelet collagen receptor alpha 2 beta 1 integrin (gpIa/IIa or VLA-2) and degrades the adhesive plasma protein von Willebrand factor. Alterations of these haemostatic components are known to result in bleeding. This suggests that venom haemorrhagic metalloproteinases, in addition to causing local bleeding, may also contribute to systemic haemorrhage.     

Specific role for the PH domain of dynamin-1 in the regulation of rapid endocytosis in adrenal chromaffin cells

Dynamin plays a key role in the scission event common to various types of endocytosis. We demonstrate that the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of dynamin-1 is critical in the process of rapid endocytosis (RE) in chromaffin cells. Introduction of this isolated PH domain into cells at concentrations as low as 1 microM completely suppressed RE. PH domains from other proteins, including that from the closely related dynamin-2, were ineffective as inhibitors, even at high concentrations. Mutational studies indicated that a pair of isoform-specific amino acids, located in a variable loop between the first two beta-strands, accounted for the differential effect of the two dynamin PH domains. Switching these amino acids in the dynamin-2 PH domain to the equivalent residues in dynamin-1 (SL-->GI) generated a molecule that blocked RE. Thus, the PH domain of dynamin-1 is essential for RE and exhibits a precise molecular selectivity. As chromaffin cells express both dynamin-1 and -2, we speculate that different isoforms of dynamin may regulate distinct endocytotic processes and that the PH domain contributes to this specificity.