Dissemination of central nervous system tissue from the brain and spinal cord of cattle after captive bolt stunning and carcass splitting.

In the absence of reliable live animal tests for the presence of BSE in cattle, a number of measures have been applied to exclude specified risk materials (SRM) from the human food chain. However, concerns remain that current practices in the stunning and slaughter of cattle may disseminate central nervous system (CNS) tissue to meat and meat contact surfaces. The objective of this study was to establish the particular risks of CNS tissue dissemination associated with captive bolt stunning and carcass splitting.

Optimization of enrichment and plating procedures for the recovery of Escherichia coli O111 and O26 from minced beef.

Aim: Optimization of enrichment media and selective agars for the detection of Escherichia coli O26 and O111 from minced beef.

Methods And Results: This study compared a number of different enrichment conditions and plating media for the recovery of E. coli O26 and E.

Reciprocal DNA topoisomerase II cleavage events at 5'-TATTA-3' sequences in MLL and AF-9 create homologous single-stranded overhangs that anneal to form der(11) and der(9) genomic breakpoint junctions in treatment-related AML without further processing.

Few t(9;11) translocations in DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor-related leukemias have been studied in detail and the DNA damage mechanism remains controversial. We characterized the der(11) and der(9) genomic breakpoint junctions in a case of AML following etoposide and doxorubicin. Etoposide-, etoposide metabolite- and doxorubicin-induced DNA topoisomerase II cleavage was examined in normal homologues of the MLL and AF-9 breakpoint sequences using an in vitro assay.

Immunization with Haemophilus influenzae (Hib) conjugate vaccine following discharge from hospital.

Background: This study was undertaken to ascertain Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccination status following discharge from hospital and to determine the time taken to vaccinate with Hib conjugate vaccine following hospital discharge of unvaccinated children.

Materials And Methods: Population-based cross-sectional survey involving children aged 3-59 months admitted to a hospital with laboratory confirmed invasive H. influenzae disease.

Targeted lipidomics using electron capture atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

There is an increasing need to be able to conduct quantitative lipidomics analyses as a complement to proteomics studies. The highest specificity for proteomics analysis can be obtained using methodology based on electrospray ionization (ESI) or atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) coupled with liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). For lipidomics analysis it is often necessary to be able to separate enantiomers and regioisomers.

The effects of treating bovine hide with steam at subatmospheric pressure on bacterial numbers and leather quality.

Aims: To examine the effect of subatmospheric steam treatment on total viable counts (TVCs) on bovine hide and on the quality of derived leather.

Methods And Results: Pieces of bovine hide were heated to 75 degrees C (+/-2 degrees C) (n = 3) or 80 degrees C (+/-2 degrees C) (n = 3) for periods of 1, 10 or 20 s by the application of steam at subatmospheric pressure in a laboratory scale apparatus. Treated hide pieces and untreated controls were tanned and the quality of leather was assessed.

A novel lipid hydroperoxide-derived cyclic covalent modification to histone H4.

Previous studies have established that 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal is a lipid hydroperoxide-derived aldehydic bifunctional electrophile that reacts with DNA and proteins. However, it has now been recognized that 4-oxo-2-nonenal is also a major product of lipid hydroperoxide decomposition. Furthermore, 4-oxo-2-nonenal is more reactive than 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal toward the DNA-bases 2'-deoxyguanosine, 2'-deoxyadenosine, and 2'-deoxycytidine and proteins.

Characterization of 2'-deoxycytidine adducts derived from 4-oxo-2-nonenal, a novel lipid peroxidation product.

Analysis of the reaction between 2'-deoxycytidine and 4-oxo-2-nonenal by LC/MS revealed the presence of three major products (adducts A(1), A(2), and B; [M + H](+) = 364). Adducts A(1) and A(2) were isomeric, and each dehydrated to form adduct B. The structure of adduct B was shown by LC/MS and NMR spectroscopy to be an etheno-2'-deoxycytidine adduct 1' '-[1-(2'-deoxy-beta-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-1H-imidazo[2,1-c]pyrimidin-2-oxo-4-yl]heptane-2' '-one.

Determination of the platinum drug cis-amminedichloro(2-methylpyridine)platinum(II) in human urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A validated stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay for the novel platinum drug cis-amminedichloro(2-methylpyridine)platinum(II) (ZD0473) in human urine has been developed. This method uses selected reaction monitoring on the transition of m/z 393 [M+NH(4)](+) to m/z 304 [M+NH(4)-NH(3)-2 x H(35)Cl](+) for ZD0473, and m/z 400 [M+NH(4)](+) to m/z 310 [M+NH(4)-NH(3)-H(35)Cl-(2)H(35)Cl](+) for the internal standard [(2)H(7)]ZD0473. Standard curves were prepared over the range from 0.

The prevalence and spread of Escherichia coli O157:H7 at a commercial beef abattoir.

Aims: To investigate the prevalence and virulence characteristics of Escherichia coli O157:H7 after a number of beef process operations at a commercial Irish abattoir.

Methods And Results: Two 12-month studies were carried out. The first study (study 1) examined the prevalence of E.

Invasive Haemophilus influenzae disease: an ecological study of sociodemographic risk factors before and after the introduction of Hib conjugate vaccine.

This study examines the impact of H. influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine on sociodemographic risk factors for invasive H. influenzae disease in the 2 years before and immediately after the introduction of Hib conjugate vaccine.

Improved limits on nu(e) emission from mu+ decay.

We investigated mu(+) decays at rest produced at the ISIS beam stop target. Lepton flavor (LF) conservation has been tested by searching for nu(e) via the detection reaction p(nu(e),e(+))n. No nu(e) signal from LF violating mu(+) decays was identified.

Decontamination of pork carcasses during scalding and the prevention of Salmonella cross-contamination.

Aims: The objective of this study was to establish critical temperature limits to prevent cross-contamination of pork carcasses during scalding.

Methods And Results: Mixtures of antibiotic-resistant mutants of Salmonella species were heat treated at 50, 55 and 60 degrees C in samples of commercial scald tank water. Surviving cell numbers were estimated by plating treated suspensions on (i).

A human melanoma xenograft in a nude rat responds to isolated limb perfusion with TNF plus melphalan.

Background: Isolated limb perfusion (ILP) with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) and melphalan for advanced extremity malignancies achieves significant complete response rates. To study molecular mechanisms underlying this response, a nude rat ILP model with a human melanoma xenograft was developed.

Methods: NIH1286 human melanoma was grown subcutaneously in the hind limb of nude rats.

The prevalence of Salmonella spp. in bovine faecal, rumen and carcass samples at a commercial abattoir.

Aims: To determine the prevalence, serotype and antibiotic resistance profile of Salmonella isolates in cattle and on carcasses at a commercial Irish abattoir.

Methods And Results: Faecal, rumen and carcass samples were collected from a beef abattoir over a 12-month period and examined for the presence of Salmonella spp. Isolates were serotyped, phage typed (when serotype was found to be S.

Changing socioeconomic risk factors for invasive H. influenzae disease after the introduction of conjugate vaccine.

Objectives: To determine socioeconomic risk factors for invasive Haemophilus influenzae (HI) disease before and after the introduction of HI type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine in the West Midlands, UK.

Methods: Study population consisted of children aged <5 years with laboratory confirmed invasive disease. Linear associations between disease rates and socioeconomic variables were examined 2-years before and 2-years after the introduction of conjugate vaccine.

The reliability of the DRM paradigm as a measure of individual differences in false memories.

Despite considerable research on the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) false memory paradigm, little attention has been paid to the reliability of the paradigm as a measure of individual differences. In the present research, we examined the reliability of the DRM paradigm in a 2-week test-retest design. This analysis showed that the false memories produced in the paradigm were quite stable across the 2-week period and that this stability had both global (cross-list) and list-specific components.

The effect of commercial production and product formulation stresses on the heat resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (NCTC 12900) in beef burgers.

The effects of commercial beef burger production and product formulation on the heat resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (NCTC 12900) in beef burgers were investigated. Fresh beef trimmings were inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 to approximately log10 7.

Analysis of anticancer drugs and their metabolites by mass spectrometry.

There is an increasing awareness that the metabolites of anticancer drugs can contribute to the pharmacodynamic effects that are observed, which has stimulated a much greater emphasis on metabolic and pharmacokinetic issues. This has coincided with the development of electrospray and related atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry techniques such as ionspray (nebulizer assisted electrospray), turboionspray (heated nebulizer assisted electrospray) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (nebulization coupled with corona discharge). The combination of collision induced dissociation and tandem mass spectrometry coupled with a soft ionization process that produces abundant molecular species provides very powerful methodology for the trace analysis of drugs and their metabolites.

A transcript map encompassing a susceptibility locus for bipolar affective disorder on chromosome 4q35.

Bipolar affective disorder is one of the most common mental illnesses with a population prevalence of approximately 1%. The disorder is genetically complex, with an increasing number of loci being implicated through genetic linkage studies. However, the specific genetic variations and molecules involved in bipolar susceptibility and pathogenesis are yet to be identified.

Using Internet search engines to estimate word frequency.

The present research investigated Internet search engines as a rapid, cost-effective alternative for estimating word frequencies. Frequency estimates for 382 words were obtained and compared across four methods: (1) Internet search engines, (2) the Kucera and Francis (1967) analysis of a traditional linguistic corpus, (3) the CELEX English linguistic database (Baayen, Piepenbrock, & Gulikers, 1995), and (4) participant ratings of familiarity. The results showed that Internet search engines produced frequency estimates that were highly consistent with those reported by Kucera and Francis and those calculated from CELEX, highly consistent across search engines, and very reliable over a 6-month period of time.

The role of Afrocentric features in person perception: judging by features and categories.

Four studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that group-related physical features may directly activate related stereotypes, leading to more stereotypic inferences over and above those resulting from categorization. As predicted, targets with more Afrocentric features were judged as more likely to have traits stereotypic of African Americans. This effect was found with judgments of African Americans and of European Americans.

Activation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon trans-dihydrodiol proximate carcinogens by human aldo-keto reductase (AKR1C) enzymes and their functional overexpression in human lung carcinoma (A549) cells.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are environmental pollutants and suspected human lung carcinogens. In patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma, differential display shows that aldo-keto reductase (AKR1C) transcripts are dramatically overexpressed. However, whether AKR1C isoforms contribute to the carcinogenic process and oxidize potent PAH trans-dihydrodiols (proximate carcinogens) to reactive and redox active o-quinones is unknown; nor is it known whether these reactions occur in human lungs.

Washing and chilling as critical control points in pork slaughter hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) systems.

Aims: The aim of this research was to examine the effects of preslaughter washing, pre-evisceration washing, final carcass washing and chilling on final carcass quality and to evaluate these operations as possible critical control points (CCPs) within a pork slaughter hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system.

Methods And Results: This study estimated bacterial numbers (total viable counts) and the incidence of Salmonella at three surface locations (ham, belly and neck) on 60 animals/carcasses processed through a small commercial pork abattoir (80 pigs d(-1)). Significant reductions (P < 0.