Increased use of mammography among Hispanic women: baseline results from the NCI Cooperative Group on Cancer Prevention in Hispanic Communities

BACKGROUND: The Healthy People 2000 report set the objective of increasing the percentage of women 40 or older who had ever received a mammogram and clinical breast examination to 80% by the year 2000. The report used a baseline of 36% for all American women and 20% for Hispanic women. The purpose of this study was to compare baseline estimates with data obtained in five Hispanic communities. METHODS: Common survey measures were administered in five studies participating in a National Cancer Institute Cooperative agreement. The surveys evaluated history of mammography in five Hispanic communities in the southwestern Unites States. RESULTS: Across the five communities, the rates of mammography use were significantly higher than the national baseline. Among women 40-49 years of age, 55% had completed mammography (95% confidence interval [CI] = 52%, 57%). Among women 50 years of age or older, 64% had received a mammogram (95% CI = 62%, 66%). Older women (above age 50) were significantly more likely to have completed the test than younger women (younger than age 50), and mammography was obtained less often among women who were uninsured and those who had lower levels of acculturation. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the rate of mammography use among Hispanic women has increased significantly over the last few years and that we are on track to reach the goal of 80% mammography compliance for Hispanic women 40 years and older by the year 2000.     

NaF potentiates a K(+)-selective ion channel in G292 osteoblastic cells

In a previous study, isoelectrofocusing of serum from liver-diseased and healthy dogs revealed three different types of the acute phase protein, alpha-1-antitrypsin: Pi (protease inhibitor) F, Pi I and Pi S. Moreover, accumulated alpha-1-antitrypsin was found immunohistochemically in liver sections from dogs with chronic liver disease, predominantly in association with Pi I in serum. The present study was made to further the relationship between alpha-1-antitrypsin and the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease in dogs. Aliquots of samples of purified canine Pi F, Pi I and Pi S were examined for elastase inhibitory capacity, the main function of alpha-l-antitrypsin, and for polymerization tendency, a possible cause of accumulation of alpha-1-antitrypsin in the liver. These parameters were studied after incubation of the proteins at different temperatures (4, 37 and 42 degrees C) and pH values (6.8, 7.8 and 8.5) and for different periods (< or = 24 h and 5 days). In contrast to findings with Pi Z, the human alpha-1-antitrypsin variant associated with liver disease, polymers of canine Pi F, Pi I or Pi S could not be detected under any of the conditions tested. However, Pi I was sensitive to pH, as was demonstrated by reduced elastase inhibitory capacity after incubation at pH 6.8 for < or = 24 h or 5 days, or at pH 8.5 for 5 days. However, after incubation at pH 7.8 for < or = 24 h or 5 days at 4, 37 or 42 degrees C, Pi I was completely stable. Pi F retained its elastase inhibitory capacity, even after prolonged incubation, at all pH values and temperatures tested. Due to low yield, Pi S was tested only after incubation for < or = 24 h at pH 6.8 and at 4 degrees C; under these conditions its elastase inhibitory capacity was equal to that of Pi F. Taken together, these findings indicate molecular and functional differences between Pi I and Pi F and further support a role for alpha-1-antitrypsin in the pathogenesis of canine liver disease.     

Maternal recognition of pregnancy

Maternal recognition of pregnancy reflects the various ways in which the mother responds to the presence of a conceptus within her reproductive tract. A part of the biochemical information she senses may be irrelevant to pregnancy outcome, but some reflects the attempts by the conceptus to gain some measure of control over corpus luteum function, uterine blood supply, the mother's immune system, and other aspects of maternal physiology. Most probably as a result of ongoing genetic conflict between the mother and the conceptus, a bewildering range of placental structures and trophoblast signaling mechanisms are encountered in eutherian mammals despite the fact that the uterus and conceptus share a common interest, which is the successful outcome of the pregnancy. Here we review some of the ways that such mammals maintain luteal function in early pregnancy and briefly discuss the related topics of embryonic loss and maternal monitoring of conceptus fitness. We next address the view that the conceptus is an intruder, recognized as foreign by the mother, that likely survives by using strategies analogous to those employed by successful parasites. In this context, we describe the pregnancy-associated glycoproteins, multiple isoforms of which are released at the trophoblast-endometrial interface during pregnancy of ungulate species. These molecules, which are structurally related to pepsin, are proposed to bind and sequester antigenic peptides, thereby serving an immunoprotective role.     

Percutaneous catheter drainage of tension pneumatocele, secondarily infected pneumatocele, and lung abscess in children

OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of percutaneous catheter drainage of tension pneumatocele, secondarily infected pneumatocele, and lung abscess in children. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: A 24-bed pediatric intensive care unit. PATIENTS: Patients with tension pneumatocele, secondarily infected pneumatocele, or lung abscess. Tension pneumatocele was defined as an expanding intraparenchymal cyst compressing adjacent areas of the lung. Infected pneumatocele and lung abscess were defined, respectively, as intraparenchymal thin-walled cyst or thick-walled cavity containing an air-fluid level and purulent fluid. INTERVENTIONS: Seven pneumatoceles/lung abscesses were percutaneously drained in five patients. After computed tomography of the chest was obtained to localize the optimum site for drainage, a modified Seldinger technique was used to insert an 8.5-Fr soft catheter percutaneously into the cyst/cavity. The catheter was left in place until drainage (fluid and air) stopped. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: All patients had clinical and radiologic improvement and were afebrile within 24 hrs after drainage. Bacterial culture grew aerobic bacteria from three cysts/cavities, anaerobic bacteria from one, and mixed bacteria from three. One patient had three secondarily infected pneumatoceles. Four of five secondarily infected pneumatoceles were under tension in two patients receiving mechanical ventilation. In both patients, the trachea was extubated within 24 hrs of drainage after prolonged mechanical ventilation. The number of days the catheter was in place ranged from 1 to 20 days. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous catheter drainage of tension pneumatocele, secondarily infected pneumatocele, and lung abscess can be performed safely and effectively in children. Early drainage is helpful, both as a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure. Drainage of tension pneumatocele may assist in weaning from mechanical ventilation. Computed tomography of the chest is helpful in determining the optimum site for percutaneous drainage.     

Inhalation of nitric oxide: effect on cerebral hemodynamics and activity, and antioxidant status in the newborn lamb

Ventilation with nitric oxide (NO) is increasingly being used to treat pulmonary hypertension in the newborn. In the brain, NO has vasoactive properties and is involved in neurotransmission. However, the effect of inhaled NO on the cerebral blood flow (CBF) and on the cerebral activity is not known. Furthermore, there is little information on the influence of this free radical gas on the redox status in pulmonary vessels. We therefore investigated the effect of inhaled NO (2-60 ppm) on CBF, cerebral activity and redox status in blood effluent from the pulmonary circulation in 6 ventilated newborn lambs before and during group B streptococci (GBS)-induced pulmonary hypertension. Blood pressure in the pulmonary artery (P(ap)) and aorta (Pao), carotid artery blood flow (Qcar) to assess changes in CBF, and electrocortical activity were measured. Blood gases, indices of free radical status and methemoglobin were determined in blood samples obtained from the left ventricle. Inhalation of NO, before and during GBS-induced pulmonary hypertension, decreased P(ap) and PCO2 and increased PO2. Multiple linear regression revealed that Qcar was positively related to PCO2, but not to inhaled NO or PO2 before or during GBS conditions. Electrocortical activity and indices of antioxidative capacity and lipid peroxidation did not change significantly. Methemoglobin was not detected. In conclusion, inhalation of NO (up to 60 ppm) lowered P(ap) without directly affecting CBF, electrocortical activity, and redox status in the pulmonary vessels. CBF, however, can indirectly be influenced by NO-mediated changes in PCO2.     

Autosomal dominant optic atrophy with asymptomatic peripheral neuropathy

The association between hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN) and optic atrophy has been termed HMSN type VI. The autosomal dominant inheritance of this syndrome is reported. Three generations were affected with optic atrophy, which differed in some respects from classic dominant optic atrophy, and an asymptomatic, mainly sensory, neuropathy.     

Comparison of aspirin with a thromboxane antagonist for patients with prolonged chest pain and ST segment depression

AIM: To compare a thromboxane antagonist (GR3219) with aspirin in patients with prolonged chest pain and ST segment depression to see if the frequency of attacks of chest pain was reduced. METHODS: The trial was part of a study comparing GR3219 with aspirin, and streptokinase with placebo and comprised the GR3219/aspirin leg. Thirty one patients were randomly assigned to GR3219 80 mg twice daily and 28 to aspirin 300 mg daily. The patients were under the age of 76 and admitted to a coronary care unit within 6 hours of continuous chest pain. The ECG showed at least 1 mm of flat or down-going ST segment. The patients kept diaries of their pain over the subsequent 31 days. RESULTS: Seventy percent of patients developed further chest pain. There was no difference between the pattern of recurrent chest pain according to which drug was used. CONCLUSIONS: The hypothesis that specific thromboxane A blockade with GR3219 would be more efficacious than aspirin was not supported by these results.     

Mixed-mode correlator for micropower acoustic transientclassification

A mixed-mode very large scale integration (VLSI) processor for acoustic transient classification performs a running correlation between a time-frequency decomposed analog input signal and a corresponding template. Differential encoding of the inputs allows simplification of the multiply-and-accumulate operations, operating on binary templates and positive-valued inputs, implemented in current mode with eight MOS transistors per cell including SRAM template storage. The use of a bucket-brigade device (BED) instead of a charge-coupled device (CCD) for shift-and-accumulate operations allows long integration times necessary for acoustic transients spanning several hundred milliseconds. Correlated double sampling at the output compensates for dark current losses in the BED and other common-mode effects. The 64×16 time-frequency correlator measures 700 μm×1170 μm in a 1.2-μm CMOS process and dissipates an average of 30 μW in continuous operation     

SBR Treatment of High COD Effluent from Bottling Plant

The feasibility of bench scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) in treating a bottling plant effluent is demonstrated at various influent chemical oxygen demands (CODs) ranging from 300 to over 4,000 mg∕L. The SBRs removed over 75% of the biodegradable fraction of the influent COD at a fixed react time of 5.5 h. An easy to use process model is presented to predict the temporal variations of substrate, biomass, and dissolved oxygen concentrations during the fill and react periods in SBRs. The model satisfactorily predicted effluent COD and final biomass concentrations, as well as temporal variations of COD, biomass, and dissolved oxygen throughout the fill and react cycles.