Reproductive impairment of sea urchins upon chronic exposure to cadmium. Part I: Effects on gamete quality.

Successful reproduction is a determining factor for species survival. Pollution may impair reproductive success of adults through effects on gamete quality. Reproductive impairment of the sea urchin Anthocidaris crassispina upon chronic (4 weeks) exposure to 0.

Hirschsprung's disease: a more generalised neuropathy?

Background/purpose: Aberrant neural crest migration is implicated in the pathogenesis of hindgut aganglionosis in Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR). Neural crest progenitors also give rise to a variety of cell types outside the gut, including nerves of the inner ear and peripheral nervous system. This study aims to determine whether such nerves are also affected in HSCR.

Standing orders for influenza vaccination increased vaccination rates in inpatient settings compared with community rates.

Background: Hospitalization of older adults during the period of influenza vaccination in the fall of each year presents a barrier to immunization against influenza. This study evaluates a program using standing orders for influenza vaccination to increase vaccination rates among hospitalized older adults and to determine the effect of vaccination on readmission rates for influenza-like illness.

Methods: An influenza vaccination program using a standing order policy was implemented to vaccinate all consenting persons 65 years and older prior to hospital discharge.

Nuage constituents arising from mitochondria: is it possible?

An ultrastructural study of nuage-mitochondria complexes in spermatogonia of the sea urchin, Anthocidaris crassispina, was carried out. Release of mitochondrial contents into the cytoplasm was observed. The mitochondrial derivatives persisted as cristae-containing globules of friable material that subsequently contacted and integrated with nuage.

Effects of cadmium and phenol on motility and ultrastructure of sea urchin and mussel spermatozoa.

Computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) was used to study the effects of Cd(II) and phenol on sperm motility of sea urchin and mussel. In parallel, ultrastructural changes of sperm induced by these two toxicants were also investigated and related to motility impairment. Spermatozoa of sea urchin were more sensitive than mussel spermatozoa to both toxicants.

Correlation of pure tone audiogram results and hearing benefit of tympanoplasty for chronic suppurative otitis media.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between pure tone audiogram results and the subjective sensation of hearing benefit of patients who had tympanoplasty for chronic suppurative otitis media. This is a prospective study of 115 patients who had tympanoplasty between 1992 and 1994. The outcome, including a pure tone audiogram and the subjective sensation of hearing benefit, was evaluated at 1 year after operation.

The risk of myocardial infarction associated with inhaled beta-adrenoceptor agonists.

Beta-adrenoceptor agonists (beta-agonists), in widespread clinical use for obstructive lung disease, have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. The objective of this study was to assess the association between incident myocardial infarction and the use of inhaled beta-agonists. We performed a case-control study within the Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound (GHC).

Constructing options for health care reform in Hong Kong.

The Harvard Report, published in April 1999 for public consultation in Hong Kong, proposed a fundamental restructuring in its health care delivery and financing systems. The Report claims to be evidence-based in its approach (Hsiao et al., 1999a).

Long-term sensorineural hearing deficit following radiotherapy in patients suffering from nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A prospective study.

Background: This was a prospective study to evaluate the effect of radical external irradiation on inner ear function after treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Methods: Pure tone audiograms were performed at regular intervals before, after, and up to 4.5 years following completion of radiotherapy.

Clinical differences among women with and without self-reported perimenstrual asthma.

Background: Studies suggesting that 30% to 40% of asthmatic women report significant perimenstrual (late luteal phase) exacerbations of asthma are primarily retrospective, rely on subjective findings and do not demonstrate a consistent association between asthma and the menstrual cycle.

Objective: In this exploratory analysis, women with and without self-reported perimenstrual exacerbations of asthma (PMA) were examined prospectively to determine the association between asthma and the menstrual cycle and to characterize associated clinical factors.

Methods: Thirty-two adult asthmatic women with regular menstrual periods recorded daily asthma symptoms, medication use, and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) over six consecutive menstrual cycles, and underwent spirometry and methacholine bronchoprovocation during the luteal and follicular phases of 2 cycles.

Docetaxel/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

Preliminary results from phase I trials suggest that the use of docetaxel (Taxotere) and doxorubicin (Adriamycin) is a well tolerated and highly active combination regimen for patients with metastatic breast cancer. The maximum tolerated dose of this combination was 50 mg/m2 of doxorubicin given as an intravenous bolus followed 1 hour later with 75 mg/m2 of docetaxel given as a 1-hour intravenous infusion. Because cardiotoxicity was not observed with this combination, we added cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar) in a phase II trial to determine the antitumor activity and tolerability of this 3-drug combination as first-line therapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Sensorineural hearing loss in patients treated for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a prospective study of the effect of radiation and cisplatin treatment.

Purpose: The pattern of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) after primary treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) was studied, and the effect of cisplatin, radiotherapy does, and fractionation were evaluated.

Methods And Materials: One hundred thirty-two patients, 227 ears, and 1100 audiogram reports were analyzed. Radiotherapy dose ranged from 59.

Helper and cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses to influenza vaccination in healthy compared to diabetic elderly.

This study was designed to determine the effect of Type II diabetes mellitus in older adults on two measures of the cell-mediated immune response to influenza vaccination. Twenty-two elderly persons with diabetes mellitus were compared to 20 healthy seniors, all of whom were living independently in the community. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were challenged in vitro with live influenza virus, pre-vaccination and 4 and 12 weeks post-vaccination.

Spore attachment and extracellular mucilage of aquatic hyphomycetes.

Stages in conidiun attachment to surfaces of Lemmoniera aquatica and Mycocentrospora filiformis (freshwater Hyphomycetes) were studied at the light microscope and scanning and transmission electron microscope levels. Sigmoid conidia of M. filiformis attach by pre-existing conidial mucilage at the spore pole and at a point along the conidial body.

Exposure to threshold doses of nicotine in utero: III. Augmentation of the prolactin and ACTH response to 8-OH DPAT by desipramine treatment is compromised in adult male offspring.

Gravid female rats were injected subcutaneously with saline (SAL) or nicotine (3.0 mg/kg and 0.05 mg/kg, bid) from days 14-21 of gestation.

Genomic organization and characterization of a three-gene rat adult beta-globin haplotype.

The isolation and detailed characterization of a three-beta-globin gene (GloB) haplotype in the Sprague-Dawley (S-D) rat is described. An enriched library, lambda SDHelib, was screened with a human GloB probe, humbg44, and from which a beta minor gene, Rathbbz, was isolated, sequenced and characterized. A S-D rat GloB-specific probe, Ratbgze12, derived from the Rathbbz gene, was then used to screen a S-D rat genomic library, lambda SDglib.

Pretreatment with MK-801 inhibits pemoline-induced self-biting behavior in prepubertal rats.

The indirect dopamine agonist, pemoline (120-300 mg/kg s.c.), can induce self-biting behavior in the rat.

Prenatal stress prevents the desensitization of the corticosterone response to TFMPP by desmethylimipramine, but not by phenelzine, in adult male offspring.

Gravid female rats were subjected to one hour of restraint stress twice daily or left undisturbed from days 14-21 of gestation. Adult 105-day old male non-stressed (NS) and stressed (S) offspring were treated once daily with saline, desipramine (DMI) (10 mg/kg, sc) or phenelzine (5.0 mg/kg, sc) for 14 days.

Exposure to threshold doses of nicotine in utero: II. Neuroendocrine response to nicotine in adult male offspring.

Groups of gravid female rats were injected subcutaneously with saline (SAL), a low-dose of nicotine (LN) (0.05 mg/kg, bid) or a high-dose of nicotine (HN) (3.0 mg/kg, bid) from day 4 to day 20 of gestation, or were left undisturbed.

Exposure to threshold doses of nicotine in utero: I. Neuroendocrine response to restraint stress in adult male offspring.

Gravid female rats were injected subcutaneously with saline or nicotine (3.0 mg/kg and 0.05 mg/kg, bid) from day 4 to day 20 of gestation or were left undisturbed.

Two new rat alpha-globin sequences as identified by the conserved region PCR.

Based on the notion that regions of structural genes which encode critical domains of the corresponding proteins are highly conserved among closely related species, oligonucleotide primers were designed and used to amplify the alpha-globin sequence(s) of the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat. Data of these amplified sequence constructs showed that two new rat alpha-globin specific sequences have been identified. Southern hybridization confirmed the presence of these sequences in the rat genome.

Low-dose naltrexone inhibits pemoline-induced self-biting behavior in prepubertal rats.

ABSTRACT Pemoline-induced self-biting behavior has been compared to similar self-injurious behavior (SIB) that occurs in the context of some mental retardation syndromes. The opiate antagonist, naltrexone, has been used successfully in the treatment of SIB in individuals with autism or mental retardation. This is the first report of the effect of naltrexone in an animal model of self-biting behavior.