Adolescent smoking rates remain high and the use of smokeless tobacco is increasing, especially among males. Despite this continuing public health problem and the recent development of more effective prevention programs, few adolescents now participate in such programs at school. Recent legislation in Minnesota established guidelines for tobacco-use prevention programming and provides financial incentives to school districts to use more effective methods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe formation and degradation of fibrin play a central role in hemostasis, but other activities have been associated with fibrin(ogen)-derived peptides, which suggests that products of fibrin(ogen) turnover may be involved in inflammation and wound healing. The present study was undertaken to determine whether the plasmic fibrinogen-derived peptide B beta 1-42 has effects on inflammatory cells and fibroblasts (FB). B beta 1-42 was found to be a potent chemotaxin for neutrophils (PMN) and FB, maximally stimulating PMN migration at 10(-9) mol/L peptide.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn inhibitor-proteinase complex consisting of human alpha 1-PI and human leukocyte elastase is chemotactic for human neutrophils. The chemotactic activity is optimal at 1 nM and is associated only with the alpha 1-PI portion of the complex. Neither HLE in the complex, free HLE, nor native alpha 1-PI possesses chemotactic activity for human neutrophils.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA BASIC program is described which is used to collect, check and analyse rank estimates of plant yield in the field. The program operates in a portable, battery-powered Sharp PC1500A hand-held computer than can be used in a field environment. Data are collected using a modified dry-weight-rank method and comparative yield estimates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMouse macrophage elastase, a metalloproteinase, catalytically inactivates human alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1-PI) by attacking a single peptide bond between Pro357 and Met358, resulting in Mr = 4,200 and 47,800 fragments. We show here that this proteolytically inactivated alpha 1-PI is a potent chemotactic factor for human neutrophils at a concentration of 1 nM. The chemotactic response is equivalent to that elicited by formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHuman platelet-derived growth factor (hPDGF) is likely to be important in stimulating tissue repair, based upon its in vivo chemotactic and stimulatory activities for inflammatory cells and fibroblasts and upon the presence of PDGF and related proteins in platelets, macrophages, and activated fibroblasts, cell types that make up the milieu of the healing wound. Recombinant human c-sis (rPDGF-B), homodimers of the B chain of PDGF, were compared with hPDGF in vitro. rPDGF-B was immunologically similar to hPDGF and, at identical concentrations, similar to hPDGF in stimulating fibroblast mitogenesis and chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, monocytes, and fibroblasts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBecause inferior repositioning of the maxilla after Le Fort I osteotomy has a high relapse rate, a modified bone cut oriented obliquely upward has been tried in 29 patients. The modification allows extrusion of the fragment while maintaining good bony contact, thus eliminating the need for bone grafts. It also permits self-retention of the fragment and can be adapted to movements in any plane.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAviat Space Environ Med
December 1987
Interactive voice query and control systems are being considered as an alternative method of interfacing pilots with aircraft systems in high performance aviation environments. Before engineers integrate interactive voice systems into aircraft, knowledge is needed concerning what types of vocal changes, if any, are likely to occur as a result of environmental and task-induced stress. Recordings of the vocal utterances of 20 subjects, obtained as the subjects performed psychomotor and dichotic listening tasks, were subjected to acoustical analyses to evaluate the effects of task complexity on three measures: fundamental frequency (fo), peak amplitude (intensity), and word duration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCalcif Tissue Int
December 1987
Cultured mouse kidney cells grown in serum-free medium were used to assess the metabolism of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in the presence of simulated metabolic acidosis. Kidney epithelial cells isolated from 4-6 week old mice were grown to confluence in a defined serum-free medium at pH 7.4.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA quantitative assay for Clostridium difficile cytotoxin has been developed, based on the observation that suspended fibroblasts exposed to cytotoxin fail to adhere to plastic. A dye-binding technique was used to quantitate adherent cells, in order to obviate microscopy. Adherent BHK cells were fixed with glutaraldehyde and cell protein was stained with Coomassie blue R-250.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSoil temperature at planting and initial population densities (Pi) significantly affected (P < 0.05) the chemical control of Heterodera schachtii on sugarbeet, Beta vulgaris. The fumigant 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) at 9.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNumbers ofDitylenchus dipsaci or Meloidogyne hapla invading Ranger alfalfa, Tender crop bean, Stone Improved tomato, AH-14 sugarbeet, Yellow sweet clover, and Wasatch wheat from single inoculations were not significantly different from numbers by invasion of combined inoculations. D. dipsaci was recovered only from shoot and M.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe complexities of interpreting results of electrical stimulation of the motor cortex in pathological states are discussed and illustrated by reference to results from a variety of patients with diseases affecting the upper motor neurone (multiple sclerosis, cervical spondylosis and myelopathy, motor neurone disease, hemiparesis due to cerebral infarction, and hereditary spastic paraplegia). The abnormalities of the electromyographic (EMG) responses after anodal cortical stimulation consisted of delay in the latency to onset, dispersion or reduction in response size or even absence of EMG responses. These changes were not confined to any specific condition or pathology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAbnormal accumulation of connective tissue in blood vessels contributes to alterations in vascular physiology associated with disease states such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. Elastin synthesis was studied in blood vessels from newborn calves with severe pulmonary hypertension induced by alveolar hypoxia in order to investigate the cellular stimuli that elicit changes in pulmonary arterial connective tissue production. A two- to fourfold increase in elastin production was observed in pulmonary artery tissue and medial smooth muscle cells from hypertensive calves.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCool humid weather enhanced development and reproduction of Ditylenchus dipsaci in alfalfa in laboratory and field studies in Utah. Relative humidity and nematode reproduction were positively correlated (P < 0.05), whereas air temperature and nematode reproduction were negatively correlated (P < 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe results of a survey of patterns of work in general practice over five days in one health district were linked to family practitioner committee data on individual general practitioners. Characteristics of doctors and practices were mostly unrelated to various aspects of workload. However, referral rates for pathological tests and to outpatient departments and claims for cervical cytology screening were significantly higher for younger principals than for older doctors, while younger doctors prescribed less frequently.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe reviewed the records of 11 patients with yolk sac carcinoma of the testis seen at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia from 1971 through 1983. Each child was less than 2 years old at diagnosis, and each had stage I disease (localized to the testicle). Initial management consisted of radical inguinal orchiectomy in all 11 patients.
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