Green tea polyphenols block endotoxin-induced tumor necrosis factor-production and lethality in a murine model

The effects of arginine on cell proliferation and subsequent T helper (Th) 1 and Th 2 cytokine synthesis by murine Peyer's patch (PP) Th cells in vitro and the influence of arginine on the induction of antigen-specific mucosal and systemic immune responses in vivo were examined. When the PP T cells were stimulated with the anti-alpha beta T cell receptor (TCR) antibody in the presence of different concentrations of arginine, a higher proliferative response was observed in the culture with an optimal concentration of arginine compared with that with a minimum amount of this amino acid. The concentration of cytokines in the supernatant, the number of cytokine-producing cells and the cytokine-specific mRNA expression of PP T cells were also increased in a dose-dependent fashion. Furthermore, when mice fed on an arginine-supplemented liquid diet were orally immunized with tetanus toxoid plus cholera toxin as a mucosal adjuvant, a higher level of antigen-specific fecal IgA was observed when compared with the response in mice fed on an arginine-free diet. Taken together, these results suggest that arginine enhanced antigen-specific mucosal immune response resulting from the supporting activation of cell proliferation and subsequent cytokine synthesis of PP Th cells.     

Maternal education and risk factors for small-for-gestational-age births

OBJECTIVES: This article examines the association between maternal education, smoking and other risk factors and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births. DATA SOURCE: The data are from the 1994/95 National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. The analysis was restricted to a subsample of 4,181 children younger than age 2 and was based on information provided by their biological mothers. ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES: Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios for SGA by maternal education, controlling for maternal smoking during pregnancy, household income, family status, maternal age at birth of child, and use of prenatal care. MAIN RESULTS: Maternal education and smoking during pregnancy appear to have independent effects on SGA, after controlling for other risk factors. The effects of maternal education, smoking and other risk factors are likely underestimated, as the analysis pertains only to children who had survived at the time of the interview.     

Discrete quinolinic acid lesions of the rat prelimbic medial prefrontal cortex affect cocaine- and MK-801-, but not morphine- and amphetamine-induced reward and psychomotor activation as measured with the place preference conditioning paradigm

As a part of the mesocorticolimbic system, the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is thought to participate in the regulation of locomotor activity, motivation and reward. The mPFC consists of at least three different subareas. In previous lesion studies examining this region usually large parts of the mPFC were destroyed, with little discrimination between the different subareas. Therefore, this study was designed to selectively lesion the prelimbic area of the mPFC using a relatively low dose of quinolinic acid. In a conditioned place preference (CPP) experiment, lesioned and control animals were treated with cocaine (15 mg/kg), amphetamine (4 mg/kg), morphine (10 mg/kg) or MK-801 (0.3 mg/kg) to induce CPP. The lesion blocked the development of CPP only in animals receiving cocaine, but not in animals receiving amphetamine or morphine. MK-801 failed to produce a CPP in both lesioned and unlesioned animals. During the conditioning experiment, the acute locomotor response to the different drugs was also measured. Only the response (in terms of locomotion and rearing) to cocaine and MK-801 was reduced to a significant extent by the lesion, while the response to amphetamine and morphine was not affected. Also, the lesions did not cause any changes in the spontaneous activity of the animals when tested without drug. These results show that even small lesions of the prelimbic subarea of the mPFC are sufficient to produce behavioral effects. However, these are apparent only when the animals are challenged with cocaine or MK-801, but not with amphetamine or morphine, or when drug-free. This suggests that the mPFC might have a special role in mediating cocaine and MK-801 effects.     

Hepatic failure and liver cell damage in acute Wilson''s disease involve CD95 (APO-1/Fas) mediated apoptosis

We gave auditory examples of two semantic categories through headphones to 100 surgical patients anaesthetized with propofol and enflurane. This presentation was made during certain stages of the procedure, potentially associated with arousal, and during steady-state anaesthesia. Postoperative review using category generation tests showed successful priming in a pre-induction group but no evidence of implicit memory in the anaesthetized groups. These results suggest that timing an auditory input to coincide with surgical stimulation does not increase the probability of retrieval of information by this type of testing.     

CT features of calcifications in abdominal malignant fibrous histiocytoma

Driven by the need for a readily available, non-immunological tissue that possesses many of the characteristics of normal human skin, tissue-engineered skin has been developed. For over a decade, laboratory grown or processed skin has been under investigation and, in some cases, available as an alternative to autologous grafts. Apligraf, derived from neonatal foreskin and bovine type I collagen, is the first bi-layered living skin equivalent approved in the US and other countries for use in venous ulcers. Apligraf is effective both in the treatment of refractory venous ulcers and for acute wounds such as surgical excision sites and split thickness donor sites. Apligraf is safe and is not clinically rejected. Its ultimate fate is not known, so it may well work to aid healing in a variety of ways including graft 'take' and as a stimulus for healing.     

Cycloalkylpyranones and cycloalkyldihydropyrones as HIV protease inhibitors: exploring the impact of ring size on structure-activity relationships

Previously, 3-substituted cycloalkylpyranones, such as 2d, have proven to be effective inhibitors of HIV protease. In an initial series of 3-(1-phenylpropyl) derivatives with various cycloalkyl ring sizes, the cyclooctyl analog was the most potent. We became interested in exploring the influence of other structural changes, such as substitution on the phenyl ring and saturation of the 5,6-double bond, on the cycloalkyl ring size structure-activity relationship (SAR). Saturation of the 5,6-double bond in the pyrone ring significantly impacts the SAR, altering the optimal ring size from eight to six. Substitution of a sulfonamide at the meta position of the phenyl ring dramatically increases the potency of these inhibitors, but it does not change the optimal ring size in either the cycloalkylpyranone or the cycloalkyldihydropyrone series. This work has led to the identification of compounds with superb binding affinity for the HIV protease (Ki values in the 10-50 pM range). In addition, the cycloalkyldihydropyrones showed excellent antiviral activity in cell culture, with ED50 values as low as 1 microM.     

Post-thaw sperm motility, cAMP concentration and membrane lipid peroxidation after stimulation with pentoxifylline and platelet-activating factor

Earlier studies have demonstrated that pentoxifylline (PTX) and platelet-activating factor (PAF) can significantly improve the motion parameters of post-thaw human spermatozoa. This study has investigated the effects of PAF, PTX and their combination on cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) concentrations and membrane lipid peroxidation (LPO) in post-thaw human spermatozoa. Washed spermatozoa from normal volunteers (n = 10) were cryopreserved in Test-yolk buffer using a standard protocol. After 2 weeks the sperm samples were thawed, washed and incubated with either 1 microM PAF, 3 mM PTX or 0.5 microM PAF plus 1.5 mM PTX. Video sequences were recorded at 0, 30, 60, and 120 min for analysis of sperm motion parameters using the Cell Track Sperm Analysis System. Concentrations of cAMP were assessed by radioimmunoassay, and LPO levels were measured by malondialdehyde-thiobarbituric acid reactivity. Our studies indicate a time-course stimulatory effect with overall maximal stimulation observed in samples treated with the combination of PAF and PTX. The maximal stimulation of percentage motility compared to control was observed at 60 min in samples treated with PAF, PTX, or PAF plus PTX. PAF plus PTX stimulated straight-line velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL) and lateral head displacement (ALH) after 30 min incubation. The primary effect of PAF was observed on VSL, while the main effect of PTX was on VCL. cAMP concentrations were 3-fold higher than controls in samples treated with PTX or PAF plus PTX. cAMP concentrations in PAF-treated samples did not differ significantly from controls. No significant differences were observed between any groups for LPO.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Serum HIV-1 RNA levels and time to development of AIDS in the Multicenter Hemophilia Cohort Study

Normal women produce small amounts of active androgens. When androgen levels are elevated, such as for example in the polycystic ovary syndrome, this is followed by the development of male physical characteristics and muscle mass, structure and function as well as android adipose tissue distribution and function. Psychological features and stress reactions also seem similar to those of men. Such women have an increased risk of developing hypertension, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Recent data have shown that these physical, and psychological characteristics, as well as risk of ill health, are also found in the population of women selected at random. Women in the lowest quintiles of levels of sex-hormone-binding globulin--an indicator inversely related to active androgens--are at risk of developing hypertension, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular mortality. The mechanism probably includes muscular insulin resistance, following a relative androgen excess. It is thus apparent that androgens, even within the highest levels of the nonselected population of women, are powerful predictors of serious disease development. The population at risk might be as large as about 20% of middle-aged women. This is an area of female disease risk which requires more attention in screening and intervention procedures.     

Present heat flow and a preliminary paleogeothermal history of the central prairies basin,Canada

The heat flow pattern in the Prairie Basin in Canada is influenced mostly by hydrodynamic conditions in the deep geological strata. The hydraulic head is a post-Laramide feature and the exceptionally high heat flow values in the Prairies are closely related to the upward fluid motion in the porous formations. Heat flow values in the Prairies are higher than in other Precambrian platforms in the world. On the basis of coal maturation studies it can be shown that the paleo-geothermal gradients were slightly lower in the Central Prairies during Eocene-Oligocene times than those observed at present. The maximum burial temperatures influenced significantly the depth distribution of the oil and gas in the Paleozoic formations in the Basin.     

Ineffective and non-nodulating mutant strains of Rhizobium japonicum

Mutant strains of Rhizobium japonicum that were unable to allow the Corsoy cultivar of soybean to reduce acetylene or fix N2 were isolated. These strains grow as well as the wild type in a variety of media. Mutant strains SM1 and SM2 did not form nodules on the host plant; however, they reduced acetylene in the nonsymbiotic assay. Strains SM3 and SM4 produced nodules that did not have the characteristic pink pigment caused by leghemoglobin. The nodules formed by these strains also were small. One mutant strain, SM5, produced large pink nodules. The lesion in this strain seems to be in the gene that specifies nitrogenase component II.