Cancer prevention--behavior changes: the short and the long of it

BACKGROUND: Behavioral factors play an important role in the adoption and maintenance of nutritional modifications, delivered either through chemopreventive regimens or through dietary adaptation. A body of research supports a protective role of fruits and vegetables, dietary fiber, and eating a low-fat diet in reducing cancer risk. There is only limited knowledge, however, about the cancer-preventing properties of specific micronutrients, apart from beta-carotene; about optimal levels of intake of differing micronutrients; and about patterns of food intake associated with reduced cancer risk. Thus, it would seem preferable, overall, to be able to recommend cancer prevention through dietary modification rather than through the administration of individual agents. METHODS: Studies of dietary adherence in cancer prevention have yielded varying success rates, but are generally quite promising. We have developed a model that encompasses the range of behavioral, psychological, social, and systemic variables thought to influence adherence to nutritional regimens. RESULTS: The model is being utilized to influence the form and content of nutritional regimens and to promote short-term change which can then be sustained as long-term lifestyle modification. The model can also be applied to evaluate adherence to nutritional or other behavioral modifications and to determine the factors predictive of success.     

Implementation of a quiet hour: effect on noise levels and infant sleep states

It is necessary to decrease environmental stimuli in order to provide developmentally supportive care to the very low birthweight (VLBW) infant, thereby enhancing the sleep/wake cycle and possibly physiologic stability. The purpose of this study was to determine if it was possible to decrease the noise level in the Developmental Unit, and promote sleep states in infants on the unit. After determining control noise levels and infant state, the last hour of each shift was designated a Quiet Hour. During this time, noise levels were monitored in the room in five locations. Infant sleep states were also noted. The results indicate that noise levels decreased significantly on two of the three shifts. Fewer infants were crying during the Quiet Hour than the control period (2.4 vs 14.3 percent), and more were in deep or light sleep (84.5 vs 33.9 percent). This study demonstrates that noise levels in Developmental Units can be significantly decreased, and that the decreased noise levels positively impact infant state. By enhancing sleep states, nurses can enhance the long term developmental outcome of the VLBW infant. However, the reduction of noise is highly dependent on the collaborative efforts of all health care providers within the unit.     

Clinical and historical predictors of dental caries on radiographs

Jet injection can be used to introduce genes into the cells of differentiated tissues of living animals and organ cultures. When a solution of plasmid DNA is jet injected into a selected tissue or organ, cells lying in or near the path of the jet injection are transfected with the DNA and the introduced gene(s) are expressed. Since there is minimal morbidity from each jet injection, multiple injections can be performed at the same or nearby sites. Both mRNA and protein expression from transfected genes can be quantitated using standard methods. In addition, the technique is an efficient means of DNA immunization. Methodology for using jet injection to transfer plasmid DNA into the cells of skin, fat, mammary gland, and muscle are described.     

Die wirtschaftliche Bedeutung von Kaffee, Tee und Kakao – eine übersicht für Deutschland

Um Auskunft über die wirtschaftliche Bedeutung von Kaffee, Tee und Kakao zu geben, werden in diesem Mini-Review u.a. aktuelle Angaben zur weltweiten Produktion dieser drei „Exoten“ gemacht (Menge und Herkunftsl?nder), die jeweiligen Import-Anteile der Produktionsl?nder nach Deutschland (bzw. in die EU) benannt, der Pro-Kopf-Verbrauch an Kaffee, Tee oder Kakao in Deutschland mit dem anderer Staaten verglichen und – sofern m?glich – Einblick gegeben in die Entwicklung von weltweitem Angebot und Nachfrage und die damit verbundene Preisentwicklung in den vergangenen Jahren.     

Spatial learning deficits in mice with a targeted glucocorticoid receptor gene disruption

Previous studies in rats using the Morris water maze suggested that the processing of spatial information is modulated by corticosteroid hormones through mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors in the hippocampus. Mineralocorticoid receptors appear to be involved in the modulation of explorative behaviour, while additional activation of glucocorticoid receptors facilitates the storage of information. In the present study we used the water maze task to examine spatial learning and memory in mice homozygous and heterozygous for a targeted disruption of the glucocorticoid receptor gene. Compared with wild-type controls, homozygous and heterozygous mice were impaired in the processing of spatial but not visual information. Homozygous mutants performed variably during training, without specific platform-directed search strategies. The spatial learning disability was partly compensated for by increased motor activity. The deficits were indicative of a dysfunction of glucocorticoid receptors as well as of mineralocorticoid receptors. Although the heterozygous mice performed similarly to wild-type mice with respect to latency to find the platform, their strategy was more similar to that of the homozygous mice. Glucocorticoid receptor-related long-term spatial memory was impaired. The increased behavioural reactivity of the heterozygous mice in the open field points to a more prominent mineralocorticoid receptor-mediated function. The findings indicate that (i) the glucocorticoid receptor is of critical importance for the control of spatial behavioural functions, and (ii) mineralocorticoid receptor-mediated effects on this behaviour require interaction with functional glucocorticoid receptors. Until the development of site-specific, inducible glucocorticoid receptor mutants, glucocorticoid receptor-knockout mice present the only animal model for the study of corticosteroid-mediated effects in the complete absence of a functional receptor.     

Association between cigarette smoking and lipid peroxidation in a controlled feeding study

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoke may promote atherogenesis by producing oxygen-derived free radicals that damage lipids. However, evidence in support of this hypothesis is inconsistent because most studies did not control for aspects of diet (antioxidants and lipid substrate) that may confound the association between smoking and measures of lipid peroxidation. METHODS AND RESULTS: The relationships between cigarette smoking and two measures of lipid peroxidation, breath ethane (an in vivo assay) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS, an in vitro assay), were examined in 123 adults (11% of whom were smokers) participating in a controlled feeding study. After 3 weeks of controlled feeding on a common diet (36% total fat, 14% saturated fats, 6% polyunsaturated fats, and 12% monounsaturated fats), breath and fasting serum samples were collected for measurement of ethane and TBARS, respectively. Baseline characteristics of smokers and nonsmokers were similar, including several indices related to diet and nutritional status (albumin, cholesterol, body mass index, and oxygen radical-absorbing capacity). Cigarette smokers had significantly higher breath ethane (8.88 versus 1.71 pmol/L; P<.0001) and TBARS (24.0 versus 20.7 micromol/mL; P=.008) than nonsmokers. The interval between breath collection and the time the last cigarette was smoked was significantly and inversely correlated with breath ethane. Neither measure of lipid peroxidation was associated with measures of serum cholesterol or albumin, body mass index, or serum oxygen radical-absorbing capacity. CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette smokers have higher rates of in vivo and in vitro lipid peroxidation. These results support the hypothesis that the atherogenic effects of smoking are mediated in part by free radical damage to lipids.     

Effect of calmodulin on the activity of NAD-kinase from rabbit liver

It has been shown that rabbit liver NAD-kinase is a Ca(2+)-dependent, calmodulin-regulated enzyme. Differences were found between the sensitivity of the alpha- and beta-forms of the enzyme to calmodulin. The maximal activation of the NAD-kinase alpha-form was observed at a calmodulin/NAD-kinase ratio equal to 2, that of the beta-form--at 4. Further increases in the above parameter (up to 10) had no effect on the activity of the alpha-form, whereas that of the beta-form dropped down to the initial (basal) level.     

Perfluorocarbons are effective oxygen carriers in cardiopulmonary bypass

Intravascular perfluorochemical (PFC) emulsions together with a high oxygen (O2) tension may increase the delivery of dissolved O2 to useful levels. A severely anemic model of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was used to test the hypothesis that a novel PFC emulsion (PFCE; Oxygent [Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp., San Diego, CA] 90% w/v perflubron) used at a high PO2 during bypass delivers sufficient O2 to ameliorate hypoxic myocardial contractile dysfunction. Acutely anemic dogs (N = 42; hematocrit = 15.8 +/- 0.6% [mean +/- SEM] before CPB and 10.9 +/- 0.1% during CPB) were divided into four groups. Group 1 was a control (n = 12). As CPB was initiated, groups 2 (n = 10), 3 (n = 10), and 4 (n = 10) had 1.35 g PFC.kg-1, 2.7 g PFC.kg-1, or 5.4 g PFC.kg-1 added via the venous return cannula. Pre-CPB and post-CPB cardiac function was measured by the first derivative of left ventricular pressure (dP/dtmax). The dP/dtmax on separation from CPB was: group 1, 619 +/- 96; group 2, 738 +/- 56; group 3, 782 +/- 101; and group 4, 828 +/- 100 (p < 0.05 groups 3 and 4 versus group 1). Mortality during the first hour after separation from CPB was higher in group 1 than in PFCE treated dogs; however, this trend did not attain statistical significance (p < 0.065). The PFC dose was higher in survivors than in nonsurvivors (2.6 +/- 0.4 g PFC.kg-1 versus 1.2 +/- 0.5 g PFC.kg-1; p < 0.05). A PFCE used at a high PO2 provides sufficient physically dissolved O2 to relieve myocardial hypoxic injury in a severely anemic model of CPB. Current PFCEs are effective O2 carriers. This finding suggests that they can be used as a temporary erythrocyte substitute to diminish the need for allogeneic transfusions during cardiac operations.