Global self-ratings of health and mortality: hazard in the North Carolina Piedmont

We analyzed the first 5 years of surveillance data from the Established Population for the Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE) in the Piedmont of North Carolina (n = 4162) to estimate the effect of a global self-rating of health on survival. Covariates used in Cox proportional hazard models included sociodemographic factors, chronic medical conditions, activities of daily living, use of health services, health risk behaviors, cognitive function, affective mood, and negative life events. Adjusted risk of mortality associated with poor (compared to excellent) self-ratings of health was significantly elevated among urban men only. Confounders of the association between survival and overall health assessment varied widely by subgroup. Pooled estimates from heterogeneous populations may mask significant subgroup differences both in the pattern of variables that mediate crude risk and also in the magnitude of residual risk of global self-ratings of health.     

Antimicrobial effect of combinations of EDTA-Tris and amikacin or neomycin on the microorganisms associated with otitis externa in dogs

Combinations of EDTA-Tris and two aminoglycoside antibiotics (amikacin and neomycin) were tested for synergistic activities against the microorganisms associated with otitis externa in dogs and for the solutions' stability over time. Synergistic activity was observed when EDTA-Tris plus amikacin and EDTA-Tris plus neomycin were tested against Staphylococcus intermedius, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli, but not against Candida albicans. Stability studies over a 3-month period indicated that the test solutions were stable at room temperature and that their antimicrobial activity was maintained.     

Effects of Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin on primary cultures of human gastric epithelial cells

BACKGROUND: Many Helicobacter pylori strains produce a cytotoxin that induces cytoplasmic vacuolation in various types of eukaryotic cells. In contrast with the marked cell vacuolation that occurs in vitro in response to this cytotoxin, comparatively little epithelial vacuolation has been observed in the gastric mucosa of H pylori infected persons. AIMS: Experiments were performed to determine the susceptibility of human gastric epithelial cells in vitro to H pylori vacuolating cytotoxin activity. METHODS: Human gastric epithelial cells, harvested from upper gastrointestinal endoscopic biopsy specimens, were incubated overnight with broth culture supernatants from either a wild type cytotoxin producing (tox+) H pylori strain or an isogenic mutant strain that lacks cytotoxin activity. RESULTS: Prominent cytoplasmic vacuolation occurred in response to tox+ supernatant, but not supernatant from the isogenic mutant strain. Primary human gastric epithelial cells were significantly more sensitive to H pylori vacuolating cytotoxin activity than were either HeLa or AGS cells. Exposure of human gastric epithelial cells to high concentrations of tox+ supernatant for 48 hours caused lethal cell injury. CONCLUSIONS: These studies indicate that primary human gastric epithelial cells are highly sensitive to H pylori vacuolating cytotoxin activity.     

BID: a novel BH3 domain-only death agonist

The BCL-2 family of proteins consists of both antagonists (e.g., BCL-2) and agonists (e.g., BAX) that regulate apoptosis and compete through dimerization. The BH1 and BH2 domains of BCL-2 are required to heterodimerize with BAX and to repress cell death; conversely, the BH3 domain of BAX is required to heterodimerize with BCL-2 and to promote cell death. To extend this pathway, we used interactive cloning to identify Bid, which encodes a novel death agonist that heterodimerizes with either agonists (BAX) or antagonists (BCL-2). BID possesses only the BH3 domain, lacks a carboxy-terminal signal-anchor segment, and is found in both cytosolic and membrane locations. BID counters the protective effect of BCL-2. Moreover, expression of BID, without another death stimulus, induces ICE-like proteases and apoptosis. Mutagenesis revealed that an intact BH3 domain of BID was required to bind the BH1 domain of either BCL-2 or BAX. A BH3 mutant of BID that still heterodimerized with BCL-2 failed to promote apoptosis, dissociating these activities. In contrast, the only BID BH3 mutant that retained death promoting activity interacted with BAX, but not BCL-2. This BH3-only molecule supports BH3 as a death domain and favors a model in which BID represents a death ligand for the membrane-bound receptor BAX.     

Effects of alternative modeling strategies on outcomes of interpersonal-skills training.

The effects of 2 alternative modeling strategies (using multiple scenarios and combining negative and positive model displays) on outcomes of a behavior modeling training program were explored. Trainees (N?=?72) participated in a program on assertive communication structured to allow for a controlled experimental design that crossed scenario variability (1 vs multiple scenarios) with model display variability (positive model displays vs positive and negative model displays). Outcomes assessed included trainee reactions, learning, and retention and behavioral measures of reproduction and generalization. The effects of multiple scenarios were negligible, but the positive and negative combination of model displays had a significant positive effect on trainee generalization and a significant negative effect on reproduction. Implications for future modeling research and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intensive postremission chemotherapy in adults with acute myeloid leukemia. Cancer and Leukemia Group B

BACKGROUND: About 65 percent of previously untreated adults with primary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) enter complete remission when treated with cytarabine and an anthracycline. However, such responses are rarely durable when conventional postremission therapy is administered. Uncontrolled trials have suggested that intensive postremission therapy may prolong these complete remissions. METHODS: We treated 1088 adults with newly diagnosed AML with three days of daunorubicin and seven days of cytarabine and randomly assigned patients who had a complete remission to receive four courses of cytarabine at one of three doses: 100 mg per square meter of body-surface area per day for five days by continuous infusion, 400 mg per square meter per day for five days by continuous infusion, or 3 g per square meter in a 3-hour infusion every 12 hours (twice daily) on days 1, 3, and 5. All patients then received four courses of monthly maintenance treatment. RESULTS: Of the 693 patients who had a complete remission, 596 were randomly assigned to receive postremission cytarabine. After a median follow-up of 52 months, the disease-free survival rates in the three treatment groups were significantly different (P = 0.003). Relative to the 100-mg group, the hazard ratios were 0.67 for the 3-g group (95 percent confidence interval, 0.53 to 0.86) and 0.75 for the 400-mg group (95 percent confidence interval, 0.60 to 0.94). The probability of remaining in continuous complete remission after four years for patients 60 years of age or younger was 24 percent in the 100-mg group, 29 percent in the 400-mg group, and 44 percent in the 3-g group (P = 0.002). In contrast, for patients older than 60, the probability of remaining disease-free after four years was 16 percent or less in each of the three postremission cytarabine groups. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the concept of a dose-response effect for cytarabine in patients with AML who are 60 years of age or younger. The results with the high-dose schedule in this age group are comparable to those reported in similar patients who have undergone allogeneic bone marrow transplantation during a first remission.     

Molecular and cell models of biological effects of heavy ion radiation

The nitric oxide (NO) production by porcine aortic valve endothelial cells was estimated in cusps incubated at 37 degrees C by measuring their cyclic GMP content and the nitrite levels of the incubation medium. After a stabilization period, incubation for 5 min with acetylcholine, bradykinin, ADP and bovine thrombin resulted in a receptor-mediated increase in cyclic GMP which could be blocked by EGTA, N-omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA). Incubation with lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) from E. coli O111:B4 or bovine for 5 h, dose-dependently increased nitrite production as well as cyclic GMP content. The elevated nitrite production was completely abolished in the presence of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, was reduced by more than 50% by dexamethasone but was not affected by EGTA. L-NMMA dose-dependently reduced the increased nitrite production and cyclic GMP content. These results suggest that besides the presence of a constitutive NO synthase in porcine aortic valve endothelial cells thrombin, like lipopolysaccharide, triggers the de novo expression of an inducible Ca(2+)-independent NO synthase.