Total plasma homocysteine level and risk of cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

The role of homocysteine as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease remains controversial because positive reports from case-control studies may be the consequence of reverse causality bias, and positive and negative results have been reported in cohort studies. This is a meta-analysis of published cohort studies. An average relative risk (ARR) was calculated using fixed and random effect models.

Neurotrophins alter the numbers of neurotransmitter-ir mature vagal/glossopharyngeal visceral afferent neurons in vitro.

Mature nodose and petrosal ganglia neurons (placodally derived afferent neurons of the vagal and glossopharyngeal nerves) contain TrkA and TrkC, and transport specific neurotrophins [nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrophin-4 (NT-4)]. This study evaluated neurotrophin influences on the presence of neuropeptides and/or neurotransmitter enzymes in these visceral sensory neurons. NGF, NT-3 and NT-4 (10-100 ng/ml) were applied (5 days) to dissociated, enriched, cultures of mature nodose/petrosal ganglia neurons, and the neurons processed for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and neurofilament (NF-200) immunocytochemistry.

The effect of epidural analgesia on the second stage of labor.

A retrospective review of 202 randomly selected records of parturient labors examined the relationship between cervical dilation at epidural analgesia administration and length of the second stage of labor. The epidural group received bupivacaine 0.11% or 0.

Phentermine/fenfluramine decreases cocaine self-administration in rhesus monkeys.

Dopaminergic agonists can decrease cocaine self-administration at doses that do not decrease food-maintained responding, a pre-clinical effect indicative of a potential treatment for human cocaine abuse. To assess whether similar effects could be obtained with medications currently used to treat substance abuse, phentermine and fenfluramine were given alone and in combination to rhesus monkeys responding under schedules of food and cocaine delivery. Phentermine decreased cocaine-maintained responding with no effect on food-maintained responding.

Countries where anesthesia is administered by nurses.

Nurse anesthetists make significant contributions to healthcare worldwide. A little known fact is that, in many countries of the world, nearly all anesthesia is provided by nurses. This international survey, in five languages, was done to provide information about nurse anesthesia care delivered in countries in the regions of the world designated by the World Health Organization.

Mucormycosis in a patient with sarcoidosis.

Mucormycosis is a rare complication of sarcoidosis. We report only the third instance of mucormycosis occurring in a patient with sarcoidosis. Corticosteroid therapy, even short courses of less than one month duration, appears to be a major risk factor for the development of mucormycosis.

Regulation of fibronectin expression by PDGF-BB and IGF-I in cultured rat thoracic aortic adventitial fibroblasts.

Regulation of fibronectin (FN) by Platelet-derived Growth Factor-BB (PDGF-BB) and Insulin-like Growth Factor-I (IGF-I) in cultured rat thoracic aortic adventitial fibroblasts were examined. PDGF-BB enhances FN mRNA levels in a time and concentration-dependent fashion. The effect of IGF-I on PDGF-BB-induced FN levels was also examined.

Sequence, mapping and disruption of CCC1, a gene that cross-complements the Ca(2+)-sensitive phenotype of csg1 mutants.

We have isolated, sequenced, mapped and disrupted a novel gene, CCC1, from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This gene displays non-allelic complementation of the Ca(2+)-sensitive phenotype conferred by the csg1 mutation. The ability of this gene, in two copies per cell, to reverse the csg1 defect suggests it may have a role in regulating Ca2+ homeostasis.

Neurokinin B peptide-2 neurons project from the hypothalamus to the thoracolumbar spinal cord of the rat.

The presence and location of CNS neurokinin B peptide-2-like immunoreactive neurons that project to the spinal cord were studied by a combination of retrograde transport of fluorescent dye (FluoroGold) and fluorescence immunocytochemistry. After injections of FluoroGold into the thoracic or lumbar segments of the rat spinal cord, serial sections of brain were stained with antisera directed against neurokinin B peptide-2. The results of the study showed that neurokinin B peptide-2-like immunoreactive neurons were located in the nucleus arcuate, median eminence, ventral and external bed nuclei of the stria terminalis, dorsal hypothalamic area, and medial habenula.

Selective cardiorespiratory activity of an iodinated analog of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH).

The biological activity of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and its analogs 4(5)-I-Im-TRH and 2,4(5)-I2-Im-TRH was assessed by means of their effects on: 1) the mean arterial pressure (MAP), 2) heart rate (HR), 3) ventilation minute volume (MV), 4) contractility of the rat duodenum, and 5) concentrations of thyrotropin (TSH) or prolactin (PRL) in serum. Also their binding to TRH-receptors in brain homogenates was studied. In urethane-anesthetized rats TRH ICV increased MAP, HR and MV.

Comparative inhibition of ras p21 protein synthesis with phosphorus-modified antisense oligonucleotides.

A rabbit reticulocyte lysate translation assay was used to quantitatively compare a series of antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides (11-mers) having different internucleoside linkages and various degrees of complementarity (100-80%) with the start codon and downstream 8 bases of Balb-ras p21 mRNA. The oligomers had either contiguous phosphodiester, or alternating methylphosphonate-phosphodiester, or contiguous methylphosphonate, or contiguous phosphorothioate linkages. Under the conditions used for the assay, all of the test compounds when present in about 10(3)-10(4) excess over mRNA (15 nM mRNA) inhibited protein synthesis to a degree which was dependent on both the concentration and sequence of the oligomer.

Platelet-activating factor and shock.

The aim of this chapter was to highlight the major components of PAF actions which lead to a state of shock, i.e. inadequate perfusion of essential organs which if sustained over a critical period of time, leads to irreversible damage in essential organs and eventually death.