Pregnancy outcome of patients with previous four or more caesarean sections.

Between 1994 and 1999, of the 44 357 mothers delivered at the Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital (RAFH), 255 patients had four or more previous caesarean sections (CS). This comprised 0.5% of the obstetric population.

In CCR2-/- mice monocyte recruitment and egress of LDL cholesterol in vivo is impaired.

Recruitment of macrophages plays an important role in initiation of atheroma, but their involvement in cholesterol clearance during regression is unknown. We developed a mouse model to quantitate cholesterol clearance from a depot of cationized LDL injected into a leg muscle, which evokes a sterile inflammatory reaction. In the CCR2(-/-) mice, cholesterol clearance was significantly slower than in C57BL controls because of decrease in cholesteryl ester (CE) hydrolysis, which is mandatory prior to cholesterol efflux.

Linalool in orange juice: origin and thermal stability.

Linalool concentrations were determined in juice from three groups of 60 Valencia oranges using pentane:ether extraction and high-resolution capillary GC. The outer peel (flavedo) was removed from one group. The other two groups retained their peel intact.

Head and neck masses in children: A clinicopathological study.

Fifty children with head and neck masses were evaluated clinically and pathologically. Inflammatory swellings constituted the majority (54%). Congenital - developmental malformations were the next common lesions (30%) and neoplastic masses constituted the rest (16%).

Reverse cholesterol transport in mice expressing simian cholesteryl ester transfer protein.

The role of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) in atherogenesis remains ambiguous, as both pro and antiatherogenic effects have been described. Expression of CETP increases HDL-cholesteryl ester turnover, but there is no direct evidence whether CETP mobilizes cholesterol in vivo. The rate of cholesterol removal injected into a leg muscle as cationized low density lipoprotein (cat-LDL) was compared in CETP transgenic and control mice.

Aroma composition changes in early season grapefruit juice produced from thermal concentration.

Differences in aroma components and total volatiles between a single unpasteurized Marsh grapefruit juice and its 65 Brix concentrate reconstituted to 10 Brix were examined using GC-olfactometry (GC-O) and GC-FID. Total volatiles (FID) in the reconstituted concentrate were reduced to less than 5% of initial values, but 57% of total aroma (GC-O) remained. Forty-one aroma-active compounds were observed in unpasteurized single strength juice, whereas 27 components were found in the unflavored reconstituted concentrate.

Macrophage cholesterol efflux to free apoprotein A-I in C3H and C57BL/6 mice.

Cholesterol efflux from peritoneal macrophages of mice C57BL/6 susceptible and C3H resistant to atherosclerosis was compared, using apoprotein A-I as acceptor. The elicited macrophages were labeled with 3H-cholesterol and cholesterol enriched by incubation for 24 h with acetylated LDL. After incubation for 6 or 24 h, 3H-cholesterol efflux to free apoA-I (10 microg/ml) was significantly higher with macrophages derived from C3H mice compared to C57BL/6 mice.

2-Methyl-3-furanthiol and methional are possible off-flavors in stored orange juice: aroma-similarity, NIF/SNIF GC-O, and GC analyses.

The occurrence of methional in fresh orange juice, and possible occurrence of beta-damascenone in heated orange juice, has been previously suggested. Here we report on the occurrence of 2-methyl-3-furanthiol in the headspace, collected by solid-phase micro-extraction, of fresh, pasteurized, and stored orange juice. The contents of 2-methyl-3-furanthiol and methional were quantified, and the relative level of beta-damascenone was estimated, in the headspace of fresh, pasteurized, and stored orange juices using the nasal impact frequency (NIF) and surface of NIF (SNIF) GC-Olfactometry procedure.

Quality measures in applications of image restoration.

We describe a new method for the estimation of image quality in image restoration applications. We demonstrate this technique on a simulated data set of fluorescent beads, in comparison with restoration by three different deconvolution methods. Both the number of iterations and a regularisation factor are varied to enforce changes in the resulting image quality.

Analysis of Furaneol in tomato using dynamic headspace sampling with sodium sulfate.

High-flow dynamic headspace sampling with excess anhydrous sodium sulfate was found to be an effective method of isolating Furaneol from fresh tomatoes. Quantitative analysis was carried out by gas chromatography using maltol as internal standard. Furaneol was found in the highest concentrations (660-1100 ppb) in the summer crop of home-grown tomatoes and in some of the greenhouse hydroponically grown tomatoes, which are ripened on the plant before being transported to the supermarkets.

Gc-olfactometry with solid phase microextraction of aroma volatiles from heated and unheated orange juice.

Solid phase micro extraction, SPME, the solventless headspace volatile extraction technique, was combined with GC-olfactometry (GCO) to examine changes in aroma active volatiles when orange juice was heated. Juice volatiles extracted from the static headspace using SPME (carboxen-polydimethylsiloxane fiber) were compared to liquid-liquid extracts. The SPME extract contained a greater proportion of terpenes.

Mentoring senior house officers. Is there a role for middle grade doctors?

Objectives: To determine whether the mentoring scheme currently used has an impact on the training of senior house officers and also determine if they are willing to accept middle grade mentors.

Methods: A questionnaire comprising 10 questions was sent to all the senior house officers employed in the emergency departments of two large inner city teaching hospitals and three large district hospitals. Most of the questions required a simple yes/no response.

Effect of atherogenic diet on reverse cholesterol transport in vivo in atherosclerosis susceptible (C57BL/6) and resistant (C3H) mice.

Mice susceptible (C57BL/6) or resistant (C3H) to atherosclerosis induced by a high cholesterol-cholate containing diet (A-diet) were used to study reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) in vivo as measured by loss of cholesterol from a depot created by injection of cationized LDL into the rectus femoris muscle. Plasma total and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), total and HDL phospholipid (HDL-PL) levels in chow fed C3H male and female mice were higher than in C57BL/6 mice. After one month on A-diet, plasma cholesterol more than doubled in both strains and genders.

Cesarean section in the primigravid.

Objective: To review all cases of cesarean section in the primigravid mother delivered at the Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital between January 1996 and December 1997. To determine its incidence, describe the clinical indications, outcome and highlight areas of improvement in an attempt to reduce the rate of cesarean section.

Methods: Retrospective case record analysis.

Macrophage cholesterol metabolism, apolipoprotein E, and scavenger receptor AI/II mRNA in atherosclerosis-susceptible and -resistant mice.

Female mice known to be susceptible (C57BL) and resistant (C3H and BALB/c) to diet-induced atherosclerosis were studied. Feeding of a cholate-containing atherogenic diet for 1 month resulted in an increase in plasma total cholesterol, little or no change in total phospholipids and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and a fall in HDL phospholipid, which was most pronounced in the C57BL strain. In elicited macrophages, cholesterol esterification was lower with acetylated low density lipoprotein (acLDL) and higher with beta-very low density lipoprotein (beta-VLDL) in C57BL than in C3H or BALB/C strains.

Photoreversible modulators of Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase. 1-Benzoyl-1-cyano-2-(4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrophenyl)-ethene and 1,1-dicyano-2-(4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrophenyl)-ethene.

Beta-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.

Inhibition of Papaya latex papain by photosensitive inhibitors. 1-(4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrophenyl)-2-nitroethene and 1,1-dicyano-2-(4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrophenyl)-ethene.

1-(4,5-Dimethoxy-2-nitrophenyl)-2-nitroethene (1) was shown to be an irreversible inhibitor of papain (EC 3.4.22.

Sucrose-stimulated subsecond transient increase in cGMP level in rat intact circumvallate taste bud cells.

Initial sweet taste transduction is expected to occur in the subsecond time range. We demonstrate a rapid and transient (75-250 ms) increase of cGMP (but not cAMP) level in rat intact circumvallate taste cells after stimulation by sucrose. This rapid increase does not occur in nonsensory epithelial cells.

Sexuality during pregnancy in Pakistani women.

Objective: We investigated the patterns of sexual activity during pregnancy and explored all beliefs related to coitus during pregnancy in women with the objective of promoting awareness and assisting health care providers in understanding and dispelling fears/misconceptions prevalent in our culture.

Methods: A cross-sectional, KAP (Knowledge, Attitude, Practice) study was conducted using questionnaires to interview 150 healthy pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) and Lady Dufferin Hospital, both located in Karachi, Pakistani. Data was analysed using Epi Info 6 statistical package.

Prognostic indicators of childhood acute viral encephalitis.

Objective: To devise a set of clinical signs and laboratory parameters that would help clinicians assess prognosis in patients and plan appropriate management.

Methods: Medical records of 147 paediatric cases (with a discharge diagnosis of acute viral encephalitis) admitted over a ten year period from 1987 to 1997 were reviewed and relevant information collected on a data extraction form.

Results: Of 147 patients, 24 (16.

Rapid entry of bitter and sweet tastants into liposomes and taste cells: implications for signal transduction.

Some amphipathic bitter tastants and non-sugar sweeteners are direct activators of G proteins and stimulate transduction pathways in cells not related to taste. We demonstrate that the amphipathic bitter tastants quinine and cyclo(Leu-Trp) and the non-sugar sweetener saccharin translocate rapidly through multilamellar liposomes. Furthermore, when rat circumvallate (CV) taste buds were incubated with the above tastants for 30 s, their intracellular concentrations increased by 3.

The delta-selective opioid peptide dermenkephalin and the mu-selective hybrid peptide dermenkephalin-[1-4]-dermophin-[5-7] display strikingly different conformations despite identical tetrapeptide N-termini. A quantitative 2-D NMR and molecular modeling analysis.

The selective recognition of the aminoterminal binding pharmacophore Tyr-D-Xaa-Phe of the opioid heptapeptide dermorphin, Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Gly-Tyr-Pro-Ser-NH2 (DRM)1, and of dermenkephalin, Tyr-D-Met-Phe-His-Leu-Met-Asp-NH2 (DREK), by the mu-opioid receptor and delta-opioid receptor, respectively, depends upon the constitution / conformation of the C-terminal tripeptide. The hybrid peptide DREK-[1-4]-DRM-[5-7] is very potent at, and exquisitely selective for the mu-opioid receptor, and differs only from dermenkephalin by its C-terminal tripeptide. Comparison of the structural features of DREK-[1-4]-DRM-[5-7] and dermenkephalin by nmr analysis and molecular modeling revealed striking differences, as well in the trans (Tyr5 - Pro6) isomer (population 75%) than in the cis isomer.

Clearance of cationized LDL cholesterol from a muscle depot is not enhanced in human apolipoprotein A-IV transgenic mice.

Human apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV) transgenic mice fed an atherogenic diet were shown previously to develop less atherosclerosis than control mice. The question arose whether the antiatherogenic effect of human apoA-IV is due to enhancement of reverse cholesterol transport despite no increase in plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. We studied male and female mice overexpressing human apoA-IV and their wild-type (WT) controls, all of which were fed a chow diet.

Effects of L-cysteine and N-acetyl-L-cysteine on 4-hydroxy-2, 5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (furaneol), 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural, and 5-methylfurfural formation and browning in buffer solutions containing either rhamnose or glucose and arginine.

Solutions of L-cysteine (Cys) and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (AcCys), containing glucose or rhamnose, with or without arginine, were buffered to pH 3, 5, and 7 and incubated at 70 degrees C for 48 h. Cys and AcCys inhibited the formation of (hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) from glucose and methylfurfural (MF) from rhamnose under acidic conditions. AcCys inhibited the accumulation of 4-hydroxy-2, 5-dimethyl- 3(2H)-furanone (DMHF, Furaneol) from rhamnose, but Cys, under our experimental conditions, enhanced Furaneol accumulation from rhamnose.