Self-reported sexual arousability in women with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

As part of a larger study of psychosexual development and sexual functioning in women with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), we assessed self-reported sexual arousability with the Sexual Arousability Inventory-Short Form (SAI-SF; Hoon & Chambless, 1998). Compared to their unaffected sisters/female cousins (n = 15), women with CAH (n = 30) reported significantly lower sexual arousability on the SAI, with an effect size, using Cohen's d, of 1.16.

Effect of essential oil concentration on the pH of nutrient and Iso-sensitest broth.

The role of pH on the antimicrobial activity of essential oils has not been well studied. The effect of four essential oils: Backhousia citriodora, Melaleuca alternifolia, Lavandula angustifolia and Santalum spicatum (0.1% to 10%) on the pH of two commonly used media, nutrient broth and Iso-sensitest broth, was therefore undertaken.

Clinical and local biological effects of an intratumoral injection of mda-7 (IL24; INGN 241) in patients with advanced carcinoma: a phase I study.

The melanoma differentiation-associated gene-7 (mda-7; approved gene symbol IL24) is a tumor suppressor gene whose expression induces selective apoptosis in tumor cells. To characterize the safety and biologic activity of mda-7 gene transfer, we conducted a phase I trial using intratumoral injections of an adenovirus containing the mda-7 construct (Ad-mda7; INGN 241; 2 x 10(10) to 2 x 10(12) vp) in 28 patients with resectable solid tumors. One hundred percent of injected lesions demonstrated INGN 241 vector transduction, transgenic mRNA, elevated MDA-7 protein, and apoptosis induction, with the highest levels near the injection site.

Differential compartmentalization of the calpain/calpastatin network with the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus.

Calpain, a calcium-activated cysteine protease, is involved in modulating a variety of cell activities such as shape change, mobility, and apoptosis. The two ubiquitous isoforms of this protease, calpain I and II, are considered to be cytosolic proteins that can translocate to various sites in the cell. The activity of calpain is modulated by two regulatory proteins, calpastatin, the specific endogenous inhibitor of calpain, and the 28-kDa regulatory subunit.

Association of the calpain/calpastatin network with subcellular organelles.

The calcium-activated cysteine protease calpain is intimately involved in modulating cell adhesion and migration. The two ubiquitous isoforms of this protease, calpain I and II, are considered to be cytosolic proteins that can translocate to both focal complexes/adhesions or the plasma membrane. Using confocal microscopy and isopycnic density centrifugation, the results demonstrate that calpain I and II, the 30kDa regulatory subunit, and calpastatin associate with the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus.

Corporate culture: the missing piece of the healthcare puzzle.

The U.S. healthcare system requires radical, not incremental, change.

Differential alphav integrin-mediated Ras-ERK signaling during two pathways of angiogenesis.

Antagonists of alphavbeta3 and alphavbeta5 disrupt angiogenesis in response to bFGF and VEGF, respectively. Here, we show that these alphav integrins differentially contribute to sustained Ras-extracellular signal-related kinase (Ras-ERK) signaling in blood vessels, a requirement for endothelial cell survival and angiogenesis. Inhibition of FAK or alphavbeta5 disrupted VEGF-mediated Ras and c-Raf activity on the chick chorioallantoic membrane, whereas blockade of FAK or integrin alphavbeta3 had no effect on bFGF-mediated Ras activity, but did suppress c-Raf activation.

Role of Raf in vascular protection from distinct apoptotic stimuli.

Raf kinases have been linked to endothelial cell survival. Here, we show that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) differentially activate Raf, resulting in protection from distinct pathways of apoptosis in human endothelial cells and chick embryo vasculature. bFGF activated Raf-1 via p21-activated protein kinase-1 (PAK-1) phosphorylation of serines 338 and 339, resulting in Raf-1 mitochondrial translocation and endothelial cell protection from the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, independent of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1 (MEK1).

Role of integrins in cell invasion and migration.

As cancer cells undergo metastasis--invasion and migration of a new tissue--they penetrate and attach to the target tissue's basal matrix. This allows the cancer cell to pull itself forward into the tissue. The attachment is mediated by cell-surface receptors known as integrins, which bind to components of the extracellular matrix.

A cross sectional study of water quality from dental unit water lines in dental practices in the West of Scotland.

Objective: To determine the microbiological quality of water from dental units in a general practice setting and current practice for disinfection of units.

Design: A cross-sectional study of the water quality from 40 dental units in 39 general practices and a questionnaire of the disinfection protocols used in those practices.

Setting: NHS practices in primarydental care.

Evaluation of the efficacy of Alpron disinfectant for dental unit water lines.

Aims: To assess the efficacy of a disinfectant, Alpron, for controlling microbial contamination within dental unit water lines.

Methods: The microbiological quality of water emerging from the triple syringe, high speed handpiece, cup filler and surgery hand wash basin from six dental units was assessed for microbiological total viable counts at 22 degrees C and 37 degrees C before and after treatment with Alpron solutions.

Results: The study found that the use of Alpron disinfectant solutions could reduce microbial counts in dental unit water lines to similar levels for drinking water.

A novel model of autosomal dominant Alport syndrome in Dalmatian dogs.

Background: Autosomal dominant Alport syndrome is a rare inherited disease characterized clinically by haematuria, renal failure and deafness, and ultrastructurally by a lamellated glomerular basement membrane (GBM). It is usually caused by mutations in the COL4A3 or COL4A4 genes which code for the alpha3 and alpha4 chains of type IV collagen. We describe here a novel spontaneous model of autosomal dominant Alport syndrome in Dalmatian dogs.

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis of Clostridium novyi, C. perfringens and Bacillus cereus isolated from injecting drug users during 2000.

As part of the follow-up investigations associated with an outbreak of severe illness and death among illegal injecting drug users during 2000, 43 cultures of Clostridium novyi type A, 40 C. perfringens type A and 6 isolates of Bacillus cereus were characterised by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis. Among the 43 C.

Isolation and identification of Clostridium spp. from infections associated with the injection of drugs: experiences of a microbiological investigation team.

Pathogenic species of the genus Clostridium may contaminate the materials used in the injection of drugs and under the right conditions may cause serious or life-threatening disease. C. novyi type A was implicated in an outbreak of severe infection with high mortality in injecting drug users who injected heroin extravascularly.

Lethal outbreak of infection with Clostridium novyi type A and other spore-forming organisms in Scottish injecting drug users.

This report describes the investigation and management of an unprecedented outbreak of severe illness among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Scotland during April to August 2000. IDUs with severe soft tissue inflammation were prospectively sought among acute hospitals and a mortuary in Scotland. Cases were categorised as definite or probable: probable cases had severe injection site inflammation or multi-system failure; definite cases had both.

Correlation of histopathological features and renal impairment in autosomal dominant Alport syndrome in Bull terriers.

Background: Bull terrier hereditary nephritis represents a model for autosomal dominant Alport syndrome, as affected dogs have the characteristically lamellated glomerular basement membrane and demonstrate vertical male-to-male disease transmission.

Methods: This study compared the histopathological features in kidneys from affected Bull terrier neonates, puppies, and adult dogs with normal or impaired renal function, with the histopathological appearance of kidneys from age- and size-matched normal dogs.

Results: There were fewer glomeruli per unit area of cortex in kidneys from affected neonatal kidneys (P<0.

Explaining the adoption of telemedicine services: an analysis of a paediatric telemedicine service.

Since 1998, over 1300 telemedicine consultations have been provided to 12 schools in Kansas City. Despite the success of the programme, effective utilization of services has not occurred at all sites. We used a focus group and survey methods to investigate barriers to and catalysts for service adoption.

Radial artery mycotic pseudoaneurysm in a haemophiliac: a potentially fatal complication of arterial catheterization.

We present a case of radial artery pseudoaneurysm formation in a haemophiliac patient, which developed after radial artery cannulation. Haematologists and anaesthetists should be aware of this potentially fatal condition.

Tumor regression by targeted gene delivery to the neovasculature.

Efforts to influence the biology of blood vessels by gene delivery have been hampered by a lack of targeting vectors specific for endothelial cells in diseased tissues. Here we show that a cationic nanoparticle (NP) coupled to an integrin alphavbeta3-targeting ligand can deliver genes selectively to angiogenic blood vessels in tumor-bearing mice. The therapeutic efficacy of this approach was tested by generating NPs conjugated to a mutant Raf gene, ATPmu-Raf, which blocks endothelial signaling and angiogenesis in response to multiple growth factors.

Effect of ceramic surface treatment on tensile bond strength to a resin cement.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to test the following hypotheses: (1) hydrofluoric acid (HF)-treated ceramic surfaces produce the highest tensile bond strength to resin cements, independent of the ceramic microstructure and composition; and (2) the tensile bond strength test is appropriate for analysis of interfacial adhesion for ceramic-bonded-to-resin systems.

Materials And Methods: Ceramic specimens were polished with 1-micron alumina abrasive and divided into four groups of 10 specimens for each of seven ceramic types. One of the following surface treatments was applied: (1) 10% ammonium bifluoride (ABF) for 1 minute; (2) 9.

Load-deflection characteristics of superelastic nickel-titanium orthodontic wires.

Previous mechanical testing of orthodontic wires has, in many cases, failed to simulate some key features of the clinical environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the load-deflection characteristics of 7 different 0.016-in initial alignment archwires (Twistflex, NiTi, and 5 brands of heat-activated superelastic nickel-titanium [HASN]) with modified bending tests simulating a number of conditions encountered clinically.