The development of a Chinese version of the tobacco use subscale of the behavioral risk factor surveillance system (BRFSS).

Objectives: To provide a culturally and linguistically specific survey instrument for tobacco consumption in Taiwan, we evaluated the reliability and validity of a Chinese translation of the 1993 US Tobacco Use Subscale of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (TU-BRFSS).

Methods: An integrative translation was followed by a pilot study of 100 randomly selected adults from throughout Taiwan. Telephone interviews took place in July, 2004.

Responses of Helicoverpa armigera to tomato plants previously infected by ToMV or damaged by H. armigera.

We report the comparative inducing effects of a phytopathogen and a herbivorous arthropod on the performance of an herbivore. Tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., was used as the test plant, and tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) and corn earworm, Helicoverpa armigera Hübner, were used as the phytopathogen and herbivore, respectively.

Novel irreversible caspase-1 inhibitor attenuates the maturation of intracellular interleukin-1beta.

Caspase-1, the most efficient enzyme in processing the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin 1beta and interleukin 18 in humans, is associated with inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and some neuronal diseases. We previously reported that isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione and its derivatives are novel caspase-3 inhibitors that could attenuate apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Here we report a novel derivative of isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione that is highly potent in inhibiting caspase-1 activity in an irreversible and slow-binding manner, thus inhibiting cellular caspase-1 activity and the maturation of interleukin 1beta in U-937 cells.

Comparative analysis of flow cytometric techniques in assessment of ZAP-70 expression in relation to IgVH mutational status in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

We compared 1 subjective and 5 objective flow cytometric methods to evaluate zeta-associated protein (ZAP-70) expression in relation to immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable-region (IgVH) gene mutational status in 154 samples from 125 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). ZAP-70 expression determined by all methods used correlated with IgVH gene mutational status, but none of them demonstrated high concordance rates. Of the objective methods, ZAP-70 staining determined as a ratio of molecules of equivalent soluble fluorochrome intensity in CLL cells to that in normal B cells (ZAP-70+ staining in IgVH germline cases, 59%; ZAP-70- in IgVH mutated cases, 75%) or T cells (ZAP-70+ in IgVH germline cases, 66%; ZAP-70- in IgVH mutated cases, 57%) provides the best combination for assigning ZAP-70+ status to IgVH germline and ZAP-70- status to IgVH mutated cases.

Characterization of the agr2 gene, a homologue of X. laevis anterior gradient 2, from the zebrafish, Danio rerio.

We characterized a zebrafish (Danio rerio) anterior gradient 2 homologue (agr2) gene. agr2 contains an open reading frame of 513bp encoding 171 amino acids. Deduced amino acid sequence comparison showed that the zebrafish agr2 protein shares high (80-89%) amino acid sequence similarity with those homologues of anterior gradient 2 (HAGR2, MAgr2, Tagr2, and Sagr2) from the human, mouse, pufferfish, and Atlantic salmon, while sharing less (67-71%) sequence similarity with those anterior gradient 2 genes (XAG-2, XAG-1, XAgr2, MAgr3, and HAGR3) from Xenopus laevis, mouse, and human.

Isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione and its derivatives attenuate beta-amyloid-induced apoptosis of neuronal cells.

Caspase-3 is a programmed cell death protease involved in neuronal apoptosis during physiological development and under pathological conditions. It is a promising therapeutic target for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. We reported previously that isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione and its derivatives inhibit caspase-3.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione derivatives as potent caspase-3 inhibitors.

A series of isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione derivatives were identified as novel and potent inhibitors of caspase-3 through structural modification of the original compound from high-throughput screening. Various analogues (2, 6, 9, 13, and 14) were synthesized and identified as caspase inhibitors, and the introduction of a 6-N-acyl group (compound 13) greatly improved their activity. Some of them showed low nanomolar potency against caspase-3 in vitro (for example, for 6k, IC50 = 40 nM) and significant protection against apoptosis in a model cell system.

Immunophenotypic variations in hairy cell leukemia.

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) exhibits a characteristic immunophenotypic profile that is strongly positive for pan-B-cell markers; positive for CD103, CD11c. and CD25; and usually negative for CD5, CD10, and CD23. We evaluated 35 HCL cases and identified atypical immunophenotypes in 12 cases (34%), including CD103- in 2 (6%), CD25- in 1 (3%), CD10+ in 5 (14%), and CD23+ in 6 (17%) cases.

Oblongifolinol, a new long chain diol from bark of Litsea rotundifolia var. oblongifolia.

A new long chain linear diol, named oblongifolinol (1), was isolated from the bark of Litsea rotundifolia var. oblongifolia. The structure and relative configuration of the new metabolite was chemically characterized by spectroscopic methods and comparison with related model compounds, whereas the absolute stereochemistry of 1 was determined by the modified Mosher's method.

Cytotoxicities, cell cycle and caspase evaluations of 1,6-diaryl-3(Z)-hexen-1,5-diynes, 2-(6-aryl-3(Z)-hexen-1,5-diynyl)anilines and their derivatives.

Compounds 3, 6-7, 9-10, 15-17, and 20-21 showed growth inhibition effects on a full panel of 60 human cancer cell lines, and most of the average IC50 values of the indicated analogues were from < 0.01 to 96.6 microM, in which analogues 16 and 17 revealed the highest cytotoxic activity with the cancer cell lines at 10(-7) M concentration range.

Functional analyses of oxygenases in jadomycin biosynthesis and identification of JadH as a bifunctional oxygenase/dehydrase.

A novel angucycline metabolite, 2,3-dehydro-UWM6, was identified in a jadH mutant of Streptomyces venezuelae ISP5230. Both UWM6 and 2,3-dehydro-UWM6 could be converted to jadomycin A or B by a ketosynthase alpha (jadA) mutant of S. venezuelae.

Firesetting in adolescence and being aggressive, shy, and rejected by peers: new epidemiologic evidence from a national sample survey.

This population-based case control study examined the hypothesis that the occurrence of firesetting might be greater in youths who exhibit a combination of shyness and aggressiveness and may be complicated by peer rejection. The study's self-report data were from a nationally representative sample survey conducted in 1995. There were 284 cases involving 12- to 17-year-old youths who self-reported recent firesetting, regardless of their intentions.

Fetal constrictive pericardial defect with pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis.

Pericardial defect is a rare anomaly that has a variable presentation. Prompt recognition and early surgical intervention are associated with a favorable outcome. The authors present an unusual case of unexpected fetal demise in a 31-week-gestational-age girl who had a large pericardial defect forming a constrictive ring around both ventricular chambers.

Surviving physical and sexual abuse: what helps low-income women?

Objectives: This paper contributes to the growing literature on help-seeking among women who experience violence.

Methods: We interviewed 390 low-income women who reported experiencing physical or sexual violence during adulthood, half of whom were infected with HIV. We obtained information on actions taken in response to episodes of violence and for leaving abusive relationships.

Associations between maternal and child health status and patterns of medical care use.

Objective: To determine associations in health status and health care utilization between mothers and their children.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of the 1996-97 Community Tracking Study Household Survey. Separate logistic regression models describing each type of service use were conducted and adjusted for child age, health status, mother age, race, education, and respondent type.