Communicating with tribals on health and nutrition

Health and nutrition education involves not only conveying new information and concepts, but also persuading the target population to engage in innovative action and direct participation. This process can be thwarted if cultural factors are ignored, particularly in dealing with a tribal population. In a country like India, communication with tribals is influenced by ethnic and cultural diversities, different types of ecological settings, a low literacy level, geographic isolation, the lack of development infrastructure, language barriers, health taboos and problems, a lack of access to modern media forms, and food availability and use. Most suitable for working with tribal populations appear to be the media of the spoken work, song and drama, games, exhibitions at the weekly market and yearly festivals, and pictorial aids. Since communication is a 2-way process, there must be a shared frame of reference among scientists, communicators, and receivers. Moreover, even when health education messages are delivered through culture-specific entertainment programs, they must be part of a comprehensive health and development package in which extension workers are backed up by health professionals and integrated programs.     

Morphological study of some hypothalamic centers in rats after deafferentation of the mediobasal hypothalamus

The volume of the nuclei and nucleoli of certain hypothalamic centers (SON, PVN, SCN, AN, VMN) was determined in control rats and in rats after deafferentation of the mediobasal hypothalamus. Sex differences were found in the parvocellular formations of the control animals: The volumes of nuclei and nucleoli of neurons of AN and VMN, and also of the nucleolus of SCN neurons were larger in females than in males. After deafferentation of the mediobasal hypothalamus the volume of the cell nuclei was increased, especially in hypothalamic formations located outside the isolated zone. This increase was more clearly defined in rats constantly in a state of estrus after the operation. Statistically significant differences between volumes of both nuclei and nucleoli of the cells in subgroups of rats with permanent estrus and with permanent diestrus were found only in the case of SCN. No such differences were found for AN, despite the considerable difference in the constant of luteinizing hormone in the pituitary of the same rats. It is suggested that gonadotropin releasing factors are not produced by the cells of AN and that control over the succession of phases of the sex cycle may be exerted by SCN.Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, I. M. Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR V. N. Chernigovskii.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 89, No. 3, pp. 352–354, March, 1980.     

Emotional abuse, self-blame, and self-silencing in women with irritable bowel syndrome

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of emotional abuse and two psychosocial constructs (self-blame and self-silencing) in a sample of women diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) relative to a comparison sample of women diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: Women diagnosed with IBS (N = 25) were compared with women diagnosed with IBD (N = 25) on measures of history of abuse, self-blame, and self-silencing. RESULTS: It was found that women in the IBS sample scored significantly higher on emotional abuse, self-blame, and self-silencing than did women in the IBD sample. These three variables were also found to be significantly intercorrelated in both the IBS and IBD samples. Finally, emotional abuse was significantly higher in IBS patients than in IBD patients beyond the differences accounted for by physical and/or sexual abuse history. CONCLUSIONS: These findings empirically demonstrate an association between IBS and emotional abuse, as well as a possible connection with psychosocial variables, that may mediate the connection between emotional abuse and functional bowel symptoms. We suggest that these variables be further evaluated in the context of clinically relevant research on IBS.     

The effect of prostaglandin synthesis inhibition on motility of the sheep ureter

To determine the effect of prostaglandin-synthesis inhibition on ureteral motility, isolated rings of sheep ureters were suspended for recording isometric tension in organ baths filled with Krebs-Henseleit solution. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) indomethacin and diclofenac sodium (10(-5) M) inhibited rhythmic ureteral motility by reducing frequency, amplitude and finally stopping contractions. Prostaglandin F2 alpha, 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha and thromboxane B2 were determined by radioimmunoassay in the bathing solution before and after addition of NSAIDs. Peak contractile activity at 100 min of suspension was associated with increased concentration of all three prostanoids and 50 min after addition of indomethacin and diclofenac sodium when rhythmic contractions stopped, concentration dropped to low levels. The concentration of prostaglandins released into the organ bath were not quantitatively related to the frequency of contractions and therefore do not seem to affect pacemaker activity within ureteral smooth muscle but rather intercellular recruitment of myo-genically active fibres. These findings indicate that prostaglandins play a role in the motor control of the ureter, and that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs exert an inhibitory action.     

Analysis of the mechanism of immunodepression following heterologous antigenic stimulation during concurrent infection with Nematospiroides dubius.

The suppression of immune responsiveness to heterologous antigenic stimulation during concurrent infection with Nematospiroides dubius was reproduced using soluble antigens derived from adult parasites. Immunosuppression appeared to be selective in that the administration of equivalent quantities of an irrelevant heterogeneous antigen had no immunosuppressive effect, and suppression was transferable using spleen cells from parasite antigen-treated donors. The differential immunomodulatory activity of parasite antigens from a variety of nematode species suggested that a correlation might exist between suppressor activity and chronicity of infection. A role for suppressor T cell activity in the infected host was implicated by the restorative effect of 2'deoxyguanosine treatment on the immune response, and non-specific suppressor cell activity was detected in splenocyte populations from infected mice. It is suggested that a parasite-induced defect in antigen processing led to the induction of suppressor cell activity in the infected host and that this may be one mechanism of parasite survival. The relevance of these observations to vaccination against chronic gastrointestinal nematode infections is discussed.     

Influence of a self-etching primer on compound nerve action potentials

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of self-etching primers on nerve conductance. A self-etching primer (One Up Bond F) which combines etching and bonding in one step, and a fifth-generation bonding agent (Prime&Bond NT ) were tested. Isolated rat sciatic nerves were placed between two platinum electrodes in a bath containing Tyrode solution. The bonding agents were brought into contact with the nerves and the evoked compound action potentials (CAP) were recorded before and after contact with the materials. One Up Bond F caused total inhibition of the CAP within an average time of 7 min. All CAPs in this group were blocked irreversibly. As with Prime&Bond NT, the reduction in CAP was 45.9% after an application time of 15 min, after which readings were terminated. Recovery of the CAP in this group were maintained after rinsing with fresh tyrode solution. One Up Bond F elicited faster blocking of nerve conductance under the conditions of this model. In the context of dentin desensitization with bonding agents, the self-etching primer may be more effective, clinically.     

Treg-Cell Control of a CXCL5-IL-17 Inflammatory Axis Promotes Hair-Follicle-Stem-Cell Differentiation During Skin-Barrier Repair

1. Download high-res image (91KB)
2. Download full-size image

     

Differential uptake of systemic fluorochrome Hoechst 33342 in lung and liver metastasis of B16 melanoma

Summary The growth and vascularization patterns of B16 melanoma colonies in the liver and lungs were measured and compared by histological techniques and dye diffusion patterns after injection of the fluorochrome Hoechst 33342. In the liver, the fluorescent pattern of dye diffusion revealed that uninodular tumours measuring up to 146 n in diameter were not functionally vascularized. However, when the nodules fused to give rise to multinodular tumours measuring between 256 and 366 n in diameter, a reticular dye diffusion pattern revealed functional tumour vascularization. In the lungs, subpleural, parenchymal and peritubular (i.e. surrounding blood vessels and airways) tumours were observed. The two former classes were vascularized down to thicknesses and diameters of 49 and 24 m respectively. In contrast, dye diffusion was never seen in peritubular tumour cuffs up to 609 m in thickness. The results indicate differences in vascularization patterns in B16 tumours in the liver and lungs, and differences between tumours growing in different sites within the lungs. If these results are applicable to metastases in these two organs, they indicate potential diffusion-mediated resistance to chemotherapy, and potential hypoxia-mediated resistance to radiotherapy of both metastases and micrometastases.     

Characterization and identification of Oya virus,a Simbu serogroup virus of the genus Bunyavirus,isolated from a pig suspected of Nipah virus infection

Summary.  A virus, named Oya virus, was isolated in Vero cell cultures from the lungs of a pig suspected of Nipah virus infection. The virus was revealed as a spherical enveloped RNA virus with a diameter of 79 nm. For identification of Oya virus, RT-PCR was performed. A common primer set for S-RNA of the Simbu serogroup of the genus Bunyavirus was able to amplify a cDNA from Oya virus RNA. The sequence data of the product revealed that the partial gene of Oya virus S-RNA segment had 65–70% homology with published cDNA sequences of Simbu serogroup viruses. The phylogenetic analysis of the data showed that the Oya virus is grouped in Simbu serogroup, but is genetically distinct from the serogroup viruses that have been analyzed molecularly. Serological surveys revealed that the virus distributed widely and densely in Malaysia. Received January 5, 2002; accepted April 16, 2002 Published online July 19, 2002