The effect of urinary tract reconstruction on neurologically impaired women previously treated with an indwelling urethral catheter

PURPOSE: We investigated the changes in sexuality and quality of life that evolve after lower urinary tract reconstruction in neurologically impaired women previously treated with an indwelling urethral catheter. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 18 neurologically impaired women treated with an indwelling urethral catheter underwent bladder reconstruction. Pubovaginal sling urethral compression was required to restore perineal dryness in 13 patients and was the only operation required in conjunction with intermittent catheterization in 3. Eight patients underwent ileocystostomy, that is creation of a "bladder chimney," and 4 underwent augmentation cystoplasty with creation of a continent catheterizable stoma. In 3 patients ileocystoplasty alone with intermittent urethral catheterization was performed. All patients were followed 6 to 40 months (mean 18) after reconstructive surgery using a 9-part questionnaire to score numerically the effect of surgical reconstruction on sexuality and quality of life issues. RESULTS: On a scale of 0 (worst) to 5 (best) mean score for self-esteem improved from 1 preoperatively to 4 postoperatively, self-image from 1 to 4, sexual desire from 2 to 4 and ability to cope with disability from 1 to 4, respectively. In 4 of the 15 women who were sexually active preoperatively the frequency of sexual intercourse doubled from a mean of 3 to 6 times per month, respectively, and all 4 women reported improved sexual satisfaction. All 13 patients with pelvic pain and 5 with symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia noticed significant improvement if not complete resolution of the symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction treated with an indwelling urethral catheter is detrimental to sexuality and quality of life in neurologically impaired women. Urinary tract reconstruction restores not only quality of life but also sexuality by improving self-image, self-esteem and the ability to cope. Indwelling catheterization as a method of long-term urinary treatment should be avoided in women.     

Isolation, purification and ultrastructure of bacteriophages from natural mosquito breeding places in Egypt

Two bacteriophages were isolated from field collected samples representing two different mosquito breeding places. The phage AB-1 (isolated from Abheit village, Faiyoum Governorate "seepage water") and the phage GA-2 (isolated from El-Gabal El-Asfer Qualyobia Governorate "sewage drain water") were purified. Both bacteriophages were ultrastructurally described with respect to their morphology, dimensions, phases of bacterial attack and lysogeny. No major differences were observed between both isolated phages in relation to specificity, however; they were isolated from two different types of breeding places and two different geographic areas as well. This study may assume a wide host range of the isolated phages and reflect how bacterial insecticides used for mosquito larval control could be inhibited by such bacteriophage.     

Using Latent Trait Modeling to Conceptualize an Alcohol Problems Continuum.

Recent research points toward the viability of conceptualizing alcohol problems as arrayed along a continuum. Nevertheless, modern statistical techniques designed to scale multiple problems along a continuum (latent trait modeling; LTM) have rarely been applied to alcohol problems. This study applies LTM methods to data on 110 problems reported during in-person interviews of 1,348 middle-aged men (mean age=43) from the general population. The results revealed a continuum of severity linking the 110 problems, ranging from heavy and abusive drinking, through tolerance and withdrawal, to serious complications of alcoholism. These results indicate that alcohol problems can be arrayed along a dimension of severity and emphasize the relevance of LTM to informing the conceptualization and assessment of alcohol problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quorum sensing in Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Vibrio harveyi: a new family of genes responsible for autoinducer production

In bacteria, the regulation of gene expression in response to changes in cell density is called quorum sensing. Quorum-sensing bacteria produce, release, and respond to hormone-like molecules (autoinducers) that accumulate in the external environment as the cell population grows. In the marine bacterium Vibrio harveyi two parallel quorum-sensing systems exist, and each is composed of a sensor-autoinducer pair. V. harveyi reporter strains capable of detecting only autoinducer 1 (AI-1) or autoinducer 2 (AI-2) have been constructed and used to show that many species of bacteria, including Escherichia coli MG1655, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium 14028, and S. typhimurium LT2 produce autoinducers similar or identical to the V. harveyi system 2 autoinducer AI-2. However, the domesticated laboratory strain E. coli DH5alpha does not produce this signal molecule. Here we report the identification and analysis of the gene responsible for AI-2 production in V. harveyi, S. typhimurium, and E. coli. The genes, which we have named luxSV.h., luxSS.t., and luxSE.c. respectively, are highly homologous to one another but not to any other identified gene. E. coli DH5alpha can be complemented to AI-2 production by the introduction of the luxS gene from V. harveyi or E. coli O157:H7. Analysis of the E. coli DH5alpha luxSE.c. gene shows that it contains a frameshift mutation resulting in premature truncation of the LuxSE.c. protein. Our results indicate that the luxS genes define a new family of autoinducer-production genes.     

Supplemental methionine and time of supplementation effects on ruminal fermentation, digesta kinetics, and in situ dry matter and neutral detergent fiber disappearance in cattle

Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of methionine supplementation on ruminal fermentation and digesta kinetics. In Exp. 1, nine ruminally cannulated beef heifers (average initial BW = 527 kg) in a crossover design were fed low-quality grass hay and cottonseed meal with or without 11.4 g of supplemental methionine (polysaccharide-coated). Particulate and fluid kinetics, rate of DM and NDF disappearance, ruminal VFA and NH3 N concentrations, and pH were not altered (P > .10) by supplemental methionine; however, ruminal purine concentration was greater (P < .05) in methionine-supplemented heifers than in unsupplemented heifers. In Exp. 2, 12 ruminally cannulated Holstein steers (average initial BW = 622 kg) grazing a fescue pasture were allotted to one of three groups: no supplemental methionine (CON) or 11.4 g of supplemental methionine fed at 0700 (AM) or at 1200 (PM). Forage intake, particulate kinetics, ruminal fluid kinetics, pH, VFA, and NH3 N concentrations were not altered (P > .10) by supplemental methionine or supplementation time. In situ rate of DM and NDF disappearance was greater (P < .05) in supplemented steers than in CON steers; AM steers exhibited faster (P < .05) rates than PM steers. Overall, methionine supplementation of low-quality forage increased ruminal purine concentration but did not alter in situ fermentation or digesta passage, whereas supplementation at 0700, but not at 1200, of steers grazing fescue forage increased rate of NDF fermentation.     

Local food production: some implications for planning

Following a catalogue of problems in British farming, attempts are being made to re-localize agriculture for reasons of rural regeneration and sustainable development. It is a move that is both consumer driven and encouraged by government policies and grant schemes. This article examines what the implications for the land use planning system might be from this small revolution in farming and retailing. Research in Somerset using planning history records reveals that in some cases planning permission has proved an obstacle to the establishment and expansion of local food businesses. This is especially so for applications for farm shops and agricultural workers' dwellings. Survey data shows that a significant proportion of local food producers selling through box schemes, farmers' markets and farm gate sales are new entrants to farming. New entrants present particular difficulties for planners and planning committees, because they challenge the conventional conception of what farmers and farm businesses are like, and invoke concerns about abuse of the agricultural dwelling concessions provided by the system. A tension is identified between the interpretation of ‘sustainable development’ in planning circles and among local food proponents. The neglect of ‘food miles’ as a consideration in retail planning policy is highlighted as an example of this clash of perspectives.     

Microstructure and mechanical performance examination of 3D printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene thermoplastic parts

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is a process where thermoplastic materials are heated to its melting point and then extruded, layer by layer, to create a three dimensional printed part. Printing occurs in a layered manner, which leads to creation of voids (air gaps) in the 3D printed parts. These voids act as centers for crack initiation, propagation and therefore resulting bulk mechanical properties are lower. This paper focuses on microstructural characterization and analysis of fused filament fabricated tensile test coupons made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene polymer, at various design conditions. Comparable tensile modulus with injection molded specimens was obtained for FFF design condition that is, slice height (0.1778 mm), raster width (0.4064 mm), raster to raster air gap (−0.0015 mm), contour to raster air gap (−0.0508 mm) and raster angle (0°). Scanning electron microscope studies provided an understanding as to why FFF processed specimens yielded lower failure strain and an insight into the presence of intralayer voids in specimens having lower tensile modulus. The study confirmed that though bulk mechanicals were affected by the combined effect of inter, intra and interfacial voids, intravoids had a predominant influence.     

LGMD 2E in Tunisia is caused by a homozygous missense mutation in beta-sarcoglycan exon 3

Four of the currently recognized autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMD type 2C-F) are caused by mutations in the genes encoding components of the sarcoglycan complex. LGMD 2C, caused by mutations in gamma-sarcoglycan, is prevalent in northern Africa, especially in Tunisia, where this type of muscular dystrophy was originally described. Although the disease initially was assumed to be genetically homogeneous in this region, linkage to the alpha-sarcoglycan locus (LGMD 2D) has also been found. We have now identified the first Tunisian family with beta-sarcoglycanopathy (LGMD 2E), further adding to the genetic heterogeneity of autosomal recessive LGMD in this population. Direct sequencing of the beta-sarcoglycan gene revealed a homozygous mutation (G272-->T, Arg91Leu) in exon 3. This change affects the same arginine residue in the immediate extracellular domain of the protein that was mutated to a proline (G272-->C, Arg91Pro) in a Brazilian family with a severe form of the disease. Immunohistochemical analysis for the sarcoglycan complex demonstrates absence of the known components of the complex in both of these families. We postulate that the immediate extracellular domain of beta-sarcoglycan may be important for the assembly and/or maintenance of this complex, potentially mediated by disulfide-bond formation to another sarcoglycan via the single cysteine residue in that domain.     

An outbreak of Shigella sonnei infection associated with consumption of iceberg lettuce

OBJECTIVES: This study compared the relative strength of the associations of a set of structural (social, economic, and political) variables and a set of health services variables with state-level infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality. It also examined whether health services mediate the relationships between structural variables and state-level infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality. METHODS: With the state as the unit of analysis, data for all 50 states were analyzed by means of multiple regression. RESULTS: Structural variables accounted for substantially more variance in infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality than health services variables, and health services variables were more strongly related to infant mortality than to neonatal or postneonatal mortality. When health services variables were controlled, the strengths of the associations between the structural variables and infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality were reduced but remained statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial portion of the variance in state-level infant mortality is accounted for by states' structural characteristics, which are partially mediated by health services.