Relative occurrence of flow limitation and snoring during continuous positive airway pressure titration

OBJECTIVE: To distinguish between the existence of detached ciliary tufts (DCTs) and the possibility of protozoa in the sputum of asthma patients. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred six samples of sputum obtained from 97 patients hospitalized with either asthma or other respiratory diseases were examined blindly. The combination of such criteria as movement, absence of basal plate, existence of red granules, positivity for ultraviolet light and Heidenhain's iron hematoxylin stain (for protozoa) was employed to distinguish between DCTs and true protozoa. RESULTS: The presence of ameboflagellates in sputum has a diagnostic accuracy of 86% in predicting or ruling. out the possibility of acute asthma. CONCLUSION: The presence of ameboflagellate forms is closely related to the existence of bronchial asthma, and these result reflect some etiopathogenic significance in asthma.     

Evaluation of a sexual abuse prevention program for adults with mental retardation

We have measured the Fourier transform spectrum of natural OCS from 3700 to 4800 cm-1 with a near Doppler resolution and a line-position accuracy between 4 and 8 x 10(-5) cm-1. For the normal isotopic species, 37 vibrational transitions have been analyzed for both frequencies and intensities. We also report 15 bands of OC34S, eight bands of O13CS, nine bands of OC33S, and two bands of 18OCS. Important effective Herman-Wallis terms are explained on the basis of eigenvectors. A comparison of different line-pointing programs is also presented. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.     

Change in colony morphology influences the virulence as well as the biochemical properties of the Mycobacterium avium complex

Factors that influence colony morphology are of crucial importance for drug development as well as for understanding the virulence of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) strains. The MAC 101 strain used in the present study grows as smooth transparent (SmT) colonies that tend to become opaque and pigmented when incubated for long periods of time. However, when MAC was passaged in animals, two types of colonies were recovered. The new rough transparent (RgT) colony morphology appeared more flat and transparent, having a central spot, irregular edges at times, and a dry, granular appearance like that of the rough mutants. In animal studies, the RgT bacilli multiplied at a much faster rate than that of the SmT bacilli, causing 60-80% mortality compared with the 10% mortality observed in mice infected with SmT. In vitro studies indicated that the SmT MAC did not grow and multiply as well in resident peritoneal macrophages as the RgT MAC did. The two morphotypes did not differ in their growth ratesin vitro but the RgT MAC failed to reduce dimethylthiazol-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), alamar blue and neutral red, suggesting that there might be significant changes in the cell wall or elsewhere causing changes in cellular permeability. These two morphotypes could serve as models for studying the biochemical markers or the identification of factors responsible for the virulence of the MAC.     

Antibodies to the HIV type 2 core protein p26 and Vpx: association with disease progression

A longitudinal cohort study was conducted to define the prevalence and temporal pattern of antibody response to the HIV-2 virion-associated proteins p26gag and Vpx. One hundred and forty-one asymptomatic HIV-2-infected women were enrolled, and followed for up to 11 years. Eighty-one percent of the subjects had antibodies to p26, and 51% to Vpx; response to these two antigens was not correlated. The response to both proteins was determined early in infection, and remained stable over time. The absence of antibodies to p26 was a highly significant predictor of CDC category IV HIV-related disease (p < 0.01) in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Antibody response to Vpx alone was not associated with disease progression. However, those individuals lacking anti-p26 antibodies, and with anti-Vpx antibodies, were six times more likely to be classified as CDC category IV by the end of the study (p < 0.01). This represents the first identification of virus-specific serological markers for HIV-2-related disease progression.     

Nickel subsulfide is genotoxic in vitro but shows no mutagenic potential in respiratory tract tissues of BigBlue rats and Muta Mouse mice in vivo after inhalation

The immunostimulatory capacity of Acanthospermum hispidum, a tropical plant which is used in the traditional medicine of Benin for the treatment of infectious diseases, was studied in the porcine immune system. These in vitro studies revealed the capacity of A. hispidum to enhance the proliferation of T lymphocytes after stimulation with ConA or allogeneic stimulator cells in the mixed leucocyte culture (MLC). The virus-specific MHC class II-restricted in vitro immune response against pseudorabies virus (PRV) was also enhanced in a co-stimulating manner. Phenotyping of T lymphocytes that had been activated in vitro in the presence of A. hispidum revealed an increase of activated gamma delta T lymphocytes with the phenotype CD2-CD5low+CD8-. In vitro analysis of the influence on the lymphocyte function demonstrated neither an increase of the immunoglobulin synthesis, nor of the interleukin-2 production, nor of the cytolytic activities. Experiments using separated T-lymphocyte subpopulations showed that the co-stimulatory activity was based on a synergism between T helper and gamma delta T lymphocytes, and that gamma delta T lymphocytes were the targets of the plant-derived extract. The gamma delta T cells which could not activated in mixed leukocyte cultures or with pseudorabies virus antigen in a secondary immune response, were reactive to the interleukin-2 released from antigen-stimulated T helper lymphocytes.     

Beta-lactamase inhibitors: agents to overcome bacterial resistance

Parental illness can have a profound impact on family relationships and children's behaviour. The amount and nature of communication between parents and children about the illness can play an important role, both positively and negatively, in mediating the outcomes. When children have a disability, families can be reluctant to communicate with them about family difficulties. They are often concerned about the impact that parental unavailability may have on their child's life. This paper reports on three families in which the mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and one child in the family had a disability. The extent and specific characteristics of their communication about the maternal illness with their children, behavioural changes in the children, explanations of communication strategies and attributions of behavioural changes are described. Family coping strategies are examined with reference to Lazarus's process model of stress and coping and the use of either problem-focused or emotion-focused strategies. Implications for possible clinical interventions are proposed. In particular it is suggested that families be offered consultation about: what children might understand; ways in which to communicate effectively; and strategies for coping with the long-term implications of serious parental illness.     

Relationship between lead mining and blood lead levels in children

The authors studied blood lead levels of 226 randomly selected children, aged 6-92 mo, who lived in either a lead-mining area or a nonmining area, and 69 controls. The authors sought to determine to what extent mining activities contributed to blood lead levels in the children. The mean blood lead levels in the study and control groups were 6.52 microg/dl and 3.43 microg/dl, respectively. The corresponding proportions of children with elevated blood lead levels were 17% and 3%. Soil and dust lead levels were up to 10 times higher in the study than the control group. Elevated blood lead levels appeared to result from exposure to both lead-mining waste and lead-based paint. Mining waste was the cause of the higher prevalence of elevated blood lead levels in these children.     

Caring for a family member with a traumatic brain injury

The responses to a questionnaire on subjective burden are reported for 52 primary caregivers of a group of persons with traumatic brain injuries sustained an average of 6 years previously. The aim of the study was to examine satisfaction with social support, perception of coping skills, and appraisal of symptoms as predictors of strain in the carers. A range of responses, both positive and negative, to the work of caring for a relative with a head injury was reported. A high prevalence rate of emotional and behavioural changes in the persons with head injuries was found and the amount of distress caused by these symptoms was found to be predictive of burden. The other factor important in predicting burden was the carers' ratings of their satisfaction with their ability to cope with the work of caregiving. Social support, injury severity, and the demographic characteristics of the persons with head injury and their carers were not significant predictors. Depression in the carers was also investigated and the variable most predictive of elevated depression scores was coping satisfaction. These findings reinforce the importance of strengthening carers coping resources in rehabilitation work with head injured persons and their families.