European Multicentre Association Study of Schizophrenia: a study of the DRD2 Ser311Cys and DRD3 Ser9Gly polymorphisms.

As part of the European Multicentre Association Study of Schizophrenia (EMASS), we studied polymorphisms in the dopamine DRD2 and DRD3 receptor genes. The EMASS collaboration was established to create a large, statistically powerful sample of schizophrenic patients and controls from different European centres. Previous studies have suggested associations between schizophrenia and the Ser311Cys polymorphism in exon 7 of the dopamine DRD2 receptor gene [Arinami et al.

The Kentucky Emergency Medical Services Information System: current progress and future goals.

The Kentucky Emergency Medical Services Information System was formed in 1993 to establish a centralized registry of prehospital and emergency department data. These data can aid individual providers in planning and providing patient services and state planners in systems development and disease surveillance. This article seeks to provide an overview of the system for providers of acute care services in Kentucky, its current capabilities and future goals.

Regulation of metabolism and growth during immune challenge: an overview of cytokine function.

Commercially reared food animals encounter serial pathogenic and nonpathogenic immune challenges throughout production. Because of the diversion of nutrients away from growth in support of immune-related processes, immune challenge is considered a major obstacle to animals' achieving their genetic potential for growth or efficiency of gain. Scientists now recognize that many metabolic processes respond directly or indirectly to proinflammatory cytokines.

Linkage study of chromosome 6p in sib-pairs with schizophrenia.

Following reports of linkage between schizophrenia and markers in the chromosomal region 6p24-22 we have studied nine microsatellite markers spanning 40 cM of this region in our sample of 102 affected sibling pairs from 86 families. Allele sharing identity by descent was examined using likelihood based sib-pair analysis as implemented by the program SPLINK. No evidence for linkage was obtained and the highest lod score was only 0.

Effect of dietary energy source and immunological challenge on growth performance and immunological variables in growing pigs.

Forty-eight growing pigs (23 kg BW) were assigned to four treatments (n = 12) arranged as a 2 x 2 factorial. Dietary energy source (conventional [CON] vs high-oil corn [HOC]), with or without an immunological challenge (IC) regimen constituted main effects. The IC regimen consisted of injection of endotoxin (E.

Mental health issues of culturally diverse underserved children.

This article addresses the clinical issues relevant to mental health workers when evaluating children of diverse cultures who live in conditions of persistent poverty. We suggest a model that considers the social as well as the biologic risk factors affecting these children and that includes the importance of culture on symptom expression and health-seeking behavior. The discussion includes specific assessment approaches sensitive to the context in which these children develop and the psychiatric diagnostic entities and treatment approaches thought to be particularly relevant to these children.

Expression of stress proteins in porcine tissues: developmental changes and effect of immunological challenge.

Immunoblot procedures were used to evaluate stress protein (SP) expression in developing and suckling piglet and in growing pigs challenged immunologically with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The constitutively expressed 70-kDa SP (HSC70) and HSP60 were detected in the whole fetus at 30 d of development and in cardiac and skeletal muscle, liver, and lung at 50, 80, and 109 d. Expression of HSP60 was higher (P < or = .

Occupational fatalities in Kentucky--1994.

In Kentucky, seven out of nine industry groups exceed the national average fatality rates; in 1994, the agriculture/forestry/fishing industry rate of 80/ 100,000 was more than three times the national average. This paper describes the occupational fatality data collected during the first year of operation (1994) of the Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Project in Kentucky. Investigators used multiple reporting sources to identify incidents, which were then systematically recorded and updated.

Antagonism of cholinergic nerve-mediated contractions by the sensory nerve inhibitory system in rat bronchi.

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential functional significance of the sensory nerve inhibitory system in modulating contraction. Tension development in response to electrical field stimulation (EFS) and exogenous acetylcholine was monitored in segments of intrapulmonary bronchi isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats. Contractile responses to EFS were enhanced by desensitization of sensory nerves with capsaicin, by antagonizing neurokinin NK1 receptors with RP-67580, and by inhibition of cyclooxygenase with meclofenamate.

No evidence for allelic association between schizophrenia and a polymorphism determining high or low catechol O-methyltransferase activity.

Objective: Catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) inactivates catecholamines by methylating their m-hydroxy group. Some previous studies using biochemical methods have found higher levels of COMT activity in schizophrenic patients. Recently, the genetic polymorphism that underlies variation in COMT activity, which results in the creation of a NlaIII restriction site in the low-activity allele, has been elucidated.

Sensory nerve- and neuropeptide-mediated relaxation responses in airways of Sprague-Dawley rats.

We examined the role of sensory nerves in mediating nonadrenergic inhibitory responses in airway segments isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats. In the presence of adrenergic blockade, capsaicin (Cap; 1 microM) elicited marked relaxation responses in isolated bronchi precontracted with bethanechol (Beth). Cap-induced inhibitory responses were unaffected by tetrodotoxin (TTX), were attenuated by incubation of the airway with indomethacin (Indo), phosphoramidon, or RP-67580, but were abolished by previous exposure of the airway to Cap and by denuding the epithelium.

Nutrition, genital tract infection, hematologic values, and premature rupture of membranes among African American Women.

Using a prospective comparative design, African American gravidae with and without genital tract infection were assessed with respect to dietary intakes, serum nutrient values, hematologic values, and pregnancy outcomes. Intakes of ascorbic acid, vitamin A, protein, and iron were the dietary variables while levels of ascorbic acid, protein, albumin, globulin, and ferritin were the variables measured in serum. The hematologic variables included hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red and white blood cell counts.

Maternal low level lead and pregnancy outcomes.

We examined the relationship between the concentrations of blood lead and pregnancy outcomes in a subset of 349 African American women who enrolled in the program project, "Nutrition, Other Factors, and the Outcome of Pregnancy." Vitamin-mineral supplement users had significantly higher serum levels of ascorbic acid and vitamin E. Also, in supplement users, there were significantly lower mean concentrations of maternal blood lead.

Relationships of serum illicit drug concentrations during pregnancy to maternal nutritional status.

Findings reported are for a subset of African American subjects, residing in the urban area of Washington, D. C., who participated in a Program Project designed to study nutrition, other factors, and the outcome of pregnancy.

The effect of ractopamine on beta-adrenoceptor density and affinity in porcine adipose and skeletal muscle tissue.

We have evaluated the effect of feeding ractopamine (Rac), a phenethanolamine lean enhancer being developed for commercial use in finishing pigs, on beta-adrenoceptor (beta-AR) number and ligand-receptor binding affinity in adipose and muscle tissues. Pigs weighing 78 +/- 1 kg were fed Rac (20 mg/kg of diet) for 0 (control), 1, 8, or 24 d before being killed at 105 +/- 1 kg BW. beta-adrenoceptor density (per milligram of protein) was decreased by Rac up to approximately 50% in both the middle and the outer layers of subcutaneous (SQ) adipose tissue.

The affinity of ractopamine, clenbuterol, and L-644,969 for the beta-adrenergic receptor population in porcine adipose tissue and skeletal muscle membrane.

The affinities (Ki) with which ractopamine (RA), clenbuterol (CB), and L-644,969 (L6) bind the beta-adrenoceptor populations of adipose tissue (middle and outer subcutaneous [SQ] layers) and longissimus (LM) and semitendinosus (ST) muscle were determined. Within a given agonist, Ki values (nanomolar) were similar among tissues, except for RA, which had a higher (P < or = .05) affinity (lower Ki) for middle SQ adipose tissue than for outer SQ adipose and both muscles.

(-)-[3H]-dihydroalprenolol binding to beta-adrenergic receptors in porcine adipose tissue and skeletal muscle membrane preparations.

We have characterized binding of (-)-[3H]dihydroalprenolol (DHA) to the beta-adrenergic receptor population in membrane from longissimus and semitendinosus muscles and subcutaneous adipose tissue (middle and outer layers) of pigs weighing 100 to 120 kg at slaughter. Linearity of specific binding with increasing membrane protein concentration was confirmed for muscle and adipose tissue. Specific binding was saturable; the beta-receptor population showed a high affinity for the radioligand.

Bi-directional changes in the levels of messenger RNAs encoding gamma-aminobutyric acidA receptor alpha subunits after flurazepam treatment.

Changes in gamma-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor function have been observed following chronic benzodiazepine administration. The molecular mechanisms responsible are unknown, but one possibility is that benzodiazepines induce alterations in the expression of genes which encode subunits of the GABAA receptor complex, resulting in changes in the receptor structure and function. We have investigated this hypothesis by evaluating the effect of flurazepam 40 mg/kg i.

Age and Pap smear history as a basis for intervention strategy.

As a means of developing effective intervention strategies for promoting Pap smear screening, we analyzed data from a population-based women's health survey (N = 603) in a 36-county area in southeastern Kentucky. The cervical cancer mortality rate for white women in this area is one of the highest in the United States. By using selected sociodemographic, health-care utilization, health knowledge, and health behavior variables in age-specific logistic regression models, we discriminated between women who had had a Pap smear within 3.

Cardiovascular effects and fatalities associated with intravenous administration of doxycycline to horses and ponies.

Intravenous use of doxycycline in horses is associated with deleterious side effects on the cardiovascular system which may result in fatalities. At dosages and infusion rates used in these studies, supraventricular tachycardia, systemic arterial hypertension, clinical signs of discomfort, collapse and death were observed. Results of the present study suggest that the intravenous use of doxycycline should be avoided in horses.

The Survival of Listeria monocytogenes in Aerosols.

Aerosols of Listeria monocytogenes were generated in 0.1 % reconstituted nonfat dried milk, 0.1% peptone water, and distilled water.

Growth and Attachment of Listeria monocytogenes to Cast Iron.

The growth and potential attachment of Listeria monocytogenes to cast iron in drains was investigated in this study. L. monocytogenes was grown in rich and dilute nutritive media in free-standing cast iron drains.