High Fat Diet Exposure during Fetal Life Enhances Plasma and Hepatic Omega-6 Fatty Acid Profiles in Fetal Wistar Rats

Pregnant rats were fed a high fat diet (HFD) for the first (HF1), second (HF2), third (HF3) or all three weeks (HFG) of gestation. Maintenance on a HFD during specific periods of gestation was hypothesized to alter fetal glycemia, insulinemia, induce insulin resistance; and alter fetal plasma and hepatic fatty acid (FA) profiles. At day 20 of gestation, fetal plasma and hepatic FA profiles were determined by gas chromatography; body weight, fasting glycemia, insulinemia and the Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA-insulin resistance) were also determined. HF3 fetuses were heaviest concomitant with elevated glycemia and insulin resistance (p < 0.05). HFG fetuses had elevated plasma linoleic (18:2 n-6) and arachidonic (20:4 n-6) acid proportions (p < 0.05). In the liver, HF3 fetuses displayed elevated linoleic, eicosatrienoic (20:3 n-6) and arachidonic acid proportions (p < 0.05). HFG fetuses had reduced hepatic docosatrienoic acid (22:5 n-3) proportions (p < 0.05). High fat maintenance during the final week of fetal life enhances hepatic omega-6 FA profiles in fetuses concomitant with hyperglycemia and insulin resistance thereby presenting a metabolically compromised phenotype.     

组织工程化人形下颌骨髁状突的实验研究

目的　评价采用组织工程技术构建人下颌骨髁状突软骨复合组织的可行性。方法　以可降解生物材料聚羟基乙酸 (polyglycolicacid ,PGA) /聚乳酸 (polylacticacid ,PLA)预制人下颌骨髁状突模型 ,体外培养扩增牛骨膜成骨细胞和牛关节表面软骨。实验分 3组 :第 1组 ,模型内仅注入 1.5 %藻酸钙和 30 %氧化乙丙烯 ;第 2组 ,模型内分别注入成骨细胞和软骨细胞悬液 ,浓度为 5× 10 7/ml;第 3组 ,模型内接种成骨细胞藻酸钙悬液 ,同时在模型关节表面涂敷软骨细胞 PluronicF12 7悬液 ,浓度为 5× 10 7/ml。分别植入裸鼠皮下 ,12周后取材 ,作大体和组织学观察。结果　第 1组无骨和软骨形成 ,模型支架明显缩小 ,形态不规则 ;第 2组仅留残缺不全的组织结构 ,标本体积缩小变形 ;第 3组形态结构与原植入模型支架相同 ,组织学观察有骨和软骨组织结构 ,两者界面连接有序 ,骨组织内有大量新生骨板。结论　以人工合成生物材料预制人下颌骨髁状突支架 ,采用组织工程技术 ,可以在裸鼠体内构建具有骨软骨复合结构的正常形态的人形下颌骨髁状突 ,从而为进一步临床应用提供了理论依据     

Caries status and treatment needs in South Africa: report of the 1999-2002 National Children's Oral Health Survey.

A third national children's oral health survey was conducted in South Africa between July 1999 and June 2002. OBJECTIVE AND METHODOLOGY: One of the objectives of the survey was to determine the prevalence and severity of dental caries and the treatment needs for dental caries in 4- to 5-, 6-, 12- and 15-year-old South African school children. The sample comprised 30876 children from the nine provinces of South Africa. RESULTS: The results of the survey show that 39.7 per cent of the 6-year-old group were caries free. This figure, 39.7 per cent, is below the goal of 50 per cent set by the Department of Health for 6-year-old children in South Africa for the year 2000. The DMFT of 1.1 for the 12-year-old group on the other hand was below the goal of 1.5 set for South Africa for the year 2000. The highest DMFT/dmft scores were recorded in the Western Cape Province and the lowest in the Limpopo Province. More than 80 per cent of caries in children go untreated while the greatest need for treatment in South African school children was for preventive services, restorations and extractions. The results for the 12-year-old-group show a reduction in dental caries severity in the permanent dentition in that the DMFT decreased from 2.5 in 1982 to 1.1 for the current survey. CONCLUSIONS: Although dental caries severity in South Africa is classified as low by WHO standards, the high levels of untreated caries in all age groups in South Africa is a cause for concern.     

A caries preventive programme for Robertson school children--baseline data.

This study describes the baseline caries experience of a cohort school children in the Robertson area who were selected to take part in a longterm school-based preventive programme. On the whole baseline DMFT values for the various age groups did not differ significantly except for the 13-year-olds at Vergesig who had significantly higher values than those obtained at the other two schools. The D-component predominated with a moderate M-component and no filled teeth. The teeth at risk for the respective age groups did not differ significantly between the schools. The frequency of caries experience decreased from the molars to the central incisors except for the canines which were least vulnerable. The DMFT values were high and warrant the search for the most suitable preventive measures to facilitate reduction towards the WHO goal of 3 for 12-year-olds by the year 2000.     

Total radical trapping antioxidant potential (TRAP) and exercise

The relationship between physical activity, physical fitness and total radical trapping antioxidant potential (TRAP) was examined in the Northern Ireland Health and Activity Survey. This was a cross-sectional population study (n = 1600) using a two-stage probability sample of the population. TRAP was calculated using the sum of the individual serum antioxidant concentrations (urate, protein thiols, ascorbate, alpha tocopherol and bilirubin) multiplied by their respective stoichiometric values. Physical fitness was determined by estimation of VO2max by extrapolation from submaximal oxygen uptake, and physical activity was recorded by computer-assisted interview. Mean serum TRAP concentrations were significantly higher in males (653 +/- 8.2 mumol/l, mean +/- SEM) compared to females (564 +/- 8.0 mumol/l) (p < 0.0001). Both male and female smokers had significantly lower TRAP values than non-smokers (males p < 0.0001, females p = 0.02). In females, there was a positive relationship of TRAP with age (p < 0.001) and body mass index (p < 0.001) but a negative relationship with physical fitness (p < 0.05). The known beneficial effects of exercise and activity do not appear to be directly mediated through increased antioxidant status.      

Mechanism of action of doxepin in the treatment of chronic urticaria

The present study examined 15 patients previously resistant to conventional antihistamines, in which doxepin at doses in the range of 50-75 mg/day was shown to be effective in treatment of chronic urticaria and without significant adverse side effects. However, some controversy remains about its mechanism of action in this particular disease. The aim of the present study was to examine the muscarinic, H1 and H2 blocking activity of doxepin. The following methods were used: a) gastric acid hypersecretion induced by histamine and carbachol in the pylorus-ligated rat preparation; b) contractile dose-response curves to histamine and carbachol in the guinea pig ileum; c) dimaprit-stimulated guinea pig atrium in vitro. pA2 values were determined for atropine, mepyramine, cimetidine and doxepin. As regards histamine, doxepin (50 mg/kg, po) increased gastric pH and decreased secretion volume, gastric acid concentration and total acid output; with carbachol, doxepin weakly antagonized those values. In the ileum, doxepin competitively antagonized carbachol (pA2 = 7.08) and histamine (pA2 = 9.72); pA2 values for atropine and mepyramine against carbachol and histamine were 9.11 and 8.82, respectively. In the atria, the dose-response curve to dimaprit was also competitively displaced by cimetidine (pA2 = 6.69) and doxepin (pA2 = 6.00). Doxepin displayed a very high affinity for H1 histamine receptor, being 8-fold more potent than mepyramine. Doxepin showed significant H2 blocking activity which was 5 times less potent than that of cimetidine. Doxepin competitively antagonized carbachol in the guinea pig ileum, and was 107 times less potent than atropine. The combined H1, H2 and muscarinic blocking activities of doxepin may contribute towards explaining its clinical efficacy in the treatment of chronic urticaria.     

A study of confidential unit exclusion

The effectiveness of the confidential unit exclusion (CUE) procedure recommended by the Food and Drug Administration has been questioned by the blood banking community. The purpose of this study was to determine whether donors were informing the blood center correctly regarding the disposition (transfuse or do not transfuse) of their donated blood. A letter explaining the confidential study and requesting permission to send the participant a questionnaire noting his or her self-exclusion choice was mailed to 230 donors who had chosen transfuse and 276 donors who had chosen do not transfuse. After consent was obtained, participants were sent a second packet and asked to indicate whether they had chosen correctly and, if not, to identify reasons for that incorrect choice. A seven-word terminology quiz made up of words from the CUE form was also enclosed. All participants who had chosen transfuse indicated that this was the correct choice. Approximately 50 percent of those who had chosen do not transfuse indicated that this was an incorrect choice; the most common reason was that "I was not paying attention." The most frequently misunderstood term was "confidential." Donors who chose do not transfuse had a significantly higher rate of error on the terminology quiz (p less than 0.01) than did those who chose transfuse.     

Bactericidal activity response of blood neutrophils from critically ill patients to in vitro granulocyte colony-stimulating factor stimulation

OBJECTIVE: Neutrophil function impairment is common in nonneutropenic critically ill patients. Whether granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) may be useful for preventing nosocomial infection in these patients is debated. The response of blood neutrophils from critically ill patients to G-CSF was investigated in vitro. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective study, laboratory investigation in two intensive care units. PATIENTS: 52 critically ill patients without immunosuppression. MEASUREMENTS: Neutrophils obtained from 52 patients on the 5th day of their intensive care unit stay were incubated with and without G-CSF (1, 10, 100 ng/ml). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) release and bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were evaluated. Plasma cytokines (interleukin 10, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and G-CSF) were measured. RESULTS: Median values (25th-75th percentiles) indicated no stimulatory effect of G-CSF on neutrophil bactericidal activity against either organism: S. aureus, 100% (95-109) of the unstimulated condition with 1 ng/ml G-CSF, and P. aeruginosa, 102% (98-109) with 1 ng/ml G-CSF. However, wide interindividual variability was found, ranging from marked inhibition to marked stimulation. Similar variability was found for ROS release. No correlations were found between ROS release and bactericidal activities against either bacterial strain. Inhibition of neutrophil bactericidal activity by G-CSF was associated with significantly higher plasma interleukin 10 concentrations. Plasma G-CSF levels were significantly higher in patients whose neutrophil bactericidal activity was unresponsive to G-CSF, suggesting G-CSF receptor downregulation. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of G-CSF on in vitro neutrophil bactericidal activity varied widely, depending on endogenous levels of G-CSF and was not predictable based on severity scores.