Variability in acquired resistance of Pasteurella and Mannheimia isolates from the nasopharynx of calves, with particular reference to different herd types

To measure the level of antimicrobial resistance in potential bovine respiratory pathogens at different production types, nasal swabs were collected from 57 calves of 13 dairy herds, 150 calves of 9 beef cattle herds, and 289 calves of 5 high-density veal calf herds and investigated for the presence of Pasteurellaceae. All calves were less than 6 months old. Susceptibilities of the Pasteurella and Mannheimia isolates to eight antimicrobials were determined using an agar dilution method. P. multocida (37.3%) and hemolytic Mannheimia organisms (M. haemolytica sensu lato) (6.3%) were the most frequently detected organisms. The overall prevalence of isolates resistant to at least one antimicrobial from the dairy, beef, and veal calves were 17.6% (6/34), 21.9% (14/64), and 71.9% (64/89), respectively. In isolates obtained on the veal calf herds, acquired resistance to ampicillin, oxytetracycline, potentiated sulfonamides, gentamicin, tilmicosin, and enrofloxacin was frequently present, and 32.6% of these isolates were resistant to more than two of the tested antimicrobials. Resistance to ceftiofur and florfenicol was not detected. A substantial within-herd variability of species diversity and resistance profiles among isolates belonging to the genera Pasteurella and Mannheimia was found among the isolates of the veal calf farms.     

A Group Randomized Trial Evaluating High School FLASH,a Comprehensive Sexual Health Curriculum

PurposeTo evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based comprehensive sexual health curriculum (FLASH) on high-school students’ sexual behavior and related outcomes.MethodsA cohort of 1,597 9th and 10th grade students representing 20 schools from two regions in the U.S. (Midwest and South) were enrolled and completed the baseline survey. Following baseline, the 20 schools were randomly assigned to receive FLASH (n = 10 schools, five per region) or a knowledge-based sexual health curriculum (n = 10 schools, five per region). Follow-up surveys were administered at 3 months and 12 months after the instruction period.ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences between conditions for the overall sample on rates of vaginal sex in the past 3 months or the rates of vaginal sex without a condom or other birth control. In supplementary subgroup analyses of students who were not sexually experienced at baseline, FLASH showed a statistically significant protective impact at the 3-month follow-up on vaginal sex without a condom or birth control (p = .04). FLASH also showed statistically significant gains in psychosocial outcomes, such as refusal and condom use self-efficacy, attitudes toward birth control and condoms, and perceived norms.ConclusionsFLASH demonstrated consistent short-term and long-term impacts on key behavioral determinants. It also showed a significant impact on vaginal sex without a condom or other birth control for the subgroup of students who were not sexually experienced at baseline. Behavioral impacts were not evident for the entire study population.     

Effects of high and low anxiety provoking instructions on the responses to the hyperventilation provocation test

This study examined the effect of high and low anxiety provoking instructions in subjects submitted to a Hyperventilation Provocation Test (HVPT). Subjects were 43 out-patients referred to our clinic for a diagnostic examination of Hyperventilation Syndrome (HVS). Results showed that anxiety levels were affected by the instruction manipulation, but the magnitude of this effect was less than expected and the instruction manipulation had no effect on intensity arid type of reproduced symptoms, nor on symptom recognition. Subjects who met Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev,; American Psychiatric Association, 1987) criteria for Panic Disorder (PD) were not more responsive to the instruction manipulation than non-PD patients. It is argued that the small effect of the manipulation is probably not due to the solidity of the HVPT but to the pervasiveness of pretest cognitions and expectations. In line with this, the report of HVS symptoms appeared highly related to psychological trait measures like anxiety, fear of bodily sensations, and a general tendency to report somatic symptoms.     

Fruits, vegetables, and micronutrients in relation to breast cancer modified by menopause and hormone receptor status.

Whether fruit, vegetable, and antioxidant micronutrient consumption is associated with a reduction in breast cancer incidence remains unresolved. To address this issue, we analyzed data from a large population-based case-control study, with consideration given to whether the associations varied with menopausal status or with clinical characteristics of the cases' disease. Study participants completed a modified Block food frequency questionnaire, which included assessment of the frequency and portion sizes of 13 fruits and fruit juices and 16 vegetables and the use of multiple and single vitamin supplements. Statistical analyses were done on 1,463 cases and 1,500 controls. Among postmenopausal women, reduced odds ratios [OR; 95% confidence intervals (95% CI)] were noted for the highest fifth, as compared with the lowest fifth, of intake of any vegetables [0.63 (0.46-0.86); P for trend < 0.01] and leafy vegetables [0.66 (0.50-0.86); P for trend = 0.03] after controlling for age and energy intake. Adjusted ORs (95% CIs) were also decreased for postmenopausal breast cancer in relation to high intake of carotenoids, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, and particularly lycopene [0.66 (0.48-0.90); P for trend = 0.03]. Inverse associations for fruits and vegetables were stronger for postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor (ER)+ tumors (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.51-0.82) than ER- tumors (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.64-1.32), but results were less consistent for micronutrients. No similarly reduced associations were observed among premenopausal women. ORs did not appreciably differ by in situ or invasive breast cancer or by whether cases had begun chemotherapy. Our results support an inverse association for fruit and vegetable intake among postmenopausal but not premenopausal breast cancer, which may be more pronounced among women with ER+ tumors.     

The impact of CYP2C9 genetics and oral contraceptives on cytochrome P450 2C9 phenotype.

CYP2C9-dependent drug metabolism is subject to large interindividual variation. To some extent, this is explained by genetic polymorphism with expression of enzyme variants that differ in catalytic activity. The aim of this study was to characterize the variation in CYP2C9 phenotype in relation to genotype, with further analysis of the CYP2C9 gene in metabolic outliers. A study population of 126 healthy white subjects were recruited and genotyped for the variant alleles, CYP2C9*1-3. In CYP2C9 phenotyping with losartan, three subpopulations were distinguished that differed in the number of CYP2C9*3 alleles (0, 1, or 2). A three-fold higher metabolic ratio (MR; urinary losartan/carboxymetabolite) was found comparing CYP2C9*1/*3 (n = 20) to CYP2C9*1/*1 (n = 81), but there was considerable variation within each genotype. Subjects genotyped as CYP2C9*1/*1, but with an unexpectedly slow oxidation of losartan, were selected for DNA-sequencing analysis of the CYP2C9 gene. Interestingly, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) could not be identified either in the 5'-flanking region, the nine exons, or exon-intron boundaries. However, sequencing of the CYP2C9 gene was also carried out in patients genotyped as CYP2C9*1/*1 but with an exceptionally low steady-state clearance of S-warfarin. Here, five different SNPs were identified. In further analysis of the healthy volunteers, it became evident that women on oral contraceptives (OCs) had slower oxidation of losartan (MR of losartan: 1.7) than women without OCs (MR of losartan: 0.86). This novel finding was not explained by a different frequency of variant alleles. In summary, CYP2C9 genotype and oral contraceptives both contribute to a large interindividual variation in CYP2C9 activity.