The effect of ovarian steroids on epithelial ciliary beat frequency in the human Fallopian tube

Using a method that detects variations in light intensity we have studied the effect of ovarian steroids on human Fallopian tube epithelial ciliary beat frequency in vitro. We have found that baseline ciliary beat frequency averages between 5-6 Hz. Cilia from ampullary segments of the Fallopian tube beat significantly faster (5.4 Hz+/-0.2) than those from fimbrial segments (4.8 Hz+/-0.2). There was no significant difference in baseline ciliary beat frequency at any other anatomical site in the Fallopian tube. Incubation with progesterone (10 micromol/l) suppresses human Fallopian tube epithelial ciliary beat frequency by 40-50%. This inhibition was observed at similar magnitudes in all Fallopian tubes studied irrespective of anatomical site. Progesterone-induced reductions in ciliary beat frequency were concentration dependent and prevented by the progesterone receptor antagonist mifepristone (RU486). Oestradiol alone (10 micromol/l) had no effect on ciliary beat frequency at any anatomical site in the Fallopian tube but did prevent the reduction in ciliary beat frequency seen with progesterone when tissues were incubated with these two steroids together.      

Enterococcal prosthetic valve infective endocarditis: report of 45 episodes from the International Collaboration on Endocarditis-merged database

Enterococcal prosthetic valve infective endocarditis (PVE) is an incompletely understood disease. In the present study, patients with enterococcal PVE were compared to patients with enterococcal native valve endocarditis (NVE) and other types of PVE to determine differences in basic clinical characteristics and outcomes using a large multicenter, international database of patients with definite endocarditis. Forty-five of 159 (29%) cases of definite enterococcal endocarditis were PVE. Patients with enterococcal PVE were demographically similar to patients with enterococcal NVE but had more intracardiac abscesses (20% vs. 6%; p=0.009), fewer valve vegetations (51% vs. 79%; p<0.001), and fewer cases of new valvular regurgitation (12% vs. 45%; p=0.01). Patients with either enterococcal PVE or NVE were elderly (median age, 73 vs. 69; p=0.06). Rates of in-hospital mortality, surgical intervention, heart failure, peripheral embolization, and stroke were similar in both groups. Patients with enterococcal PVE were also demographically similar to patients with other types of PVE, but mortality may be lower (14% vs. 26%; p=0.08). Notably, 93% of patients with enterococcal PVE came from European centers, as compared with only 79% of patients with enterococcal NVE (p=0.03). Thus, patients with enterococcal PVE have higher rates of myocardial abscess formation and lower rates of new regurgitation compared to patients with enterococcal NVE, but there are no differences between the groups with regard to surgical or mortality rates. In contrast, though patients with enterococcal PVE and patients with other types of PVE share similar characteristics, mortality is higher in the latter group. Importantly, the prevalence of enterococcal PVE was higher in the European centers in this study.     

Streptococcus pneumoniae endocarditis: persistence of DNA on heart valve material 7 years after infectious episode

We amplified by PCR and sequenced Streptococcus pneumoniae rpoB from DNA of the cardiac valve of a man who had presented with pneumococcal endocarditis 7 years earlier. Histopathologically, the valve did not show evidence of endocarditis. This case raises the question of persistence of DNA without any evidence of infection.     

Molecular diagnosis of Granulicatella elegans on the cardiac valve of a patient with culture-negative endocarditis

We herein report one case of culture-negative infectious endocarditis (IE) where the organism, Granulicatella elegans, was identified by molecular analysis using broad-range PCR primers complementary to the 16S rRNA gene on the removed valve. The results and utility of this method are discussed.     

A comparative immunogenicity-reactogenicity dose-response study of influenza vaccine

This study examined the immunogenic and reactogenic responses of influenza vaccine in 29 healthy nonallergic adults at three vaccine dosages: 0.5 mL, 0.1 mL, and 0.05 mL. After immunization a 7-day assessment of adverse reactions was made and serial serum hemagglutination-inhibition (HAI) antibody responses were measured during a 28-day period. The incidence of adverse reactions was significantly decreased in the group receiving 0.1 mL and 0.05 mL compared with the group receiving 0.5 mL of vaccine. After immunization with 0.1 mL or 0.05 mL vaccine increases in serum HAI antibody to A/Leningrad, A/Taiwan, and B/Ann Arbor influenza antigens were seen comparable to those observed after 0.5 mL. However the magnitude of these rises were lower and were directly correlated with the dose of vaccine. Since immunization of egg-sensitive allergic patients with influenza vaccine poses a risk of localized and systemic reactions, a common clinical practice is to prevent such reactions by vaccine dilution. Although the results of the present study suggest that vaccine dilution results in a decrease in adverse reactions, there is also the risk of decrease protective immunity with this procedure and therefore the practice should not be condoned.     

Effects of dietary fatty acids on the early stages of neoplastic induction in the rat pancreas. Changes in fatty acid composition and development of atypical acinar cell nodules.

Diets enriched with fat, especially unsaturated fat, promote experimental pancreatic carcinogenesis, but little is known of the effects of individual fatty acids. The effect of stearic and oleic acid on pancreatic fatty acids and atypical acinar cell nodules (preneoplastic lesions) was studied in 14-day-old weanling male Leeds strain rats (n = 60) given the carcinogen azaserine. Rats were allocated to one of six groups: untreated controls (n = 10), 20% stearic acid diet (n = 10), 20% oleic acid diet (n = 10), carcinogen alone (n = 10), carcinogen plus 20% stearic acid diet (n = 10) or carcinogen plus 20% oleic acid diet (n = 10). Azaserine was administered by intraperitoneal injection in a dose of 30 mg/kg at 2, 3 and 4 weeks of age. When total lipid extracts of pancreas were examined, there was an increase in stearic acid in the stearic acid fed group and an increase in oleic acid in the oleic acid fed group, irrespective of carcinogen treatment. The relative content of all other pancreatic fatty acids was suppressed by feeding oleic acid. At 26 weeks, the number and volumetric indices of pancreatic atypical acinar cell nodules was increased only in rats given azaserine and oleic acid. The enhancing effect of oleic acid on pancreatic carcinogenesis may be associated with pancreatic fatty acid changes.     

The use of segmented regression for evaluation of an interrupted time series study involving complex intervention: the CaPSAI project experience

Health Services and Outcomes Research Methodology - An interrupted time series with a parallel control group (ITS-CG) design is a powerful quasi-experimental design commonly used to evaluate the...