Risk factors for early termination of breast feeding in Brazil

A prospective study was undertaken to identify possible factors related to the duration of breast feeding. Two hundred and thirty-eight mothers who had delivered normal single babies with birth weights greater than 2.5 kg and had initiated breast feeding were randomly selected at the maternity hospital, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil, and followed by mail questionnaires until termination of breast feeding, or until the end of the first year. If no reply was received, telephone contact or home visits were made. The group of mothers who stopped breast feeding prior to the end of the third month was compared with those who extended breast feeding beyond three months with respect to socioeconomic, biological, environmental, medical and psychological factors. The variables with a significant coefficient of association with early termination of breast feeding were maternal education, past experience with breast feeding, help of a maid, help with housework provided by a relative, breast feeding orientation during prenatal care and encouragement from the husband. These factors act simultaneously, with interactions among them.     

Increased Müller cell density during diabetes is ameliorated by aminoguanidine and ramipril

Background: The Müller cell, the major glial cell in the retina, may be important in diabetes. The purpose of this project was to examine the localisation of glutamine synthetase in control and diabetic Müller cells and to determine whether the number of Müller cells is altered during diabetes. We also examined whether two experimental treatments of diabetes, aminoguanidine and ramipril, ameliorated these changes. Methods: Normal Sprague‐Dawley rats rendered diabetic by a single injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) were treated with either aminoguanidine, ramipril or standard water. Following 12 weeks, animals were sacrificed, their eyes removed and the retinae processed for glutamine synthetase immunocytochemistry. The level of glutamine synthetase was quantified in control and diabetic animals and the number of Müller cells counted for each of the treatment groups. Results: In all retinae examined, glutamine synthetase labelled Müller cells along their entire cellular extent and endfeet were more intensely labelled. Following 12 weeks of diabetes, there was a small increase in the level of glutamine synthetase labelling in somata and endfeet compared with controls (ANOVA, P < 0.05). The number of Müller cells was increased following 12 weeks of diabetes (ANOVA, P < 0.0001). This effect was ameliorated by treatment with ramipril and aminoguanidine. Conclusions: These data suggest that Müller cells are altered in number following 12 weeks of diabetes. Moreover, the two experimental treatments were beneficial in preventing this change in Müller cells. Further work is required to establish the mechanisms underlying the change to Müller cells during diabetes.     

The production of leukaemia inhibitory factor by human endometrium: presence in uterine flushings and production by cells in culture

The concentration of leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) was measured in uterine flushings obtained from normal fertile women, from women with unexplained infertility and from women who suffered recurrent miscarriage. In normal fertile women, LIF was not detected in flushings obtained on days luteinizing hormone (LH)+0 to LH+6 of the cycle, but concentrations gradually increased from day LH+7 to a maximum at day LH+12. The amount of LIF in flushings obtained from women with unexplained infertility was significantly lower than in those from normal fertile women on day LH+10 (P < 0.05). The production of LIF by cultured human epithelial and stromal cells was also investigated. LIF was not detectable in the supernatants of cultured stromal cells. Basal LIF production by epithelial cells varied according to the stage in the cycle at which the biopsy was taken. Significantly more LIF was produced by epithelial cells from late proliferative and early secretory endometrium compared with amounts produced by cells from early proliferative (P < 0.001) and late secretory (P < 0.01) endometrium. High doses of progesterone and oestradiol caused a small decrease in epithelial cell LIF production: the combined effect of progesterone and oestradiol (P < 0.01) was greater than the effect of either steroid alone (P < 0.05). The results show, for the first time, the capability of human endometrium to produce LIF in vivo. The fact that maximum LIF concentrations are present at implantation and that decreased concentrations occur in women with unexplained infertility suggest the importance of this cytokine in embryo implantation.      

A Bar Code and Radio-Frequency Identification System for Transfusion Safety

This presentation will describe a pilot study of radio-frequency (RF) identification tags ("chips") that was conducted in parallel with standard procedures for the collection and testing of Red Blood Cells (Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Region, American Red Cross Biomedical Services, Baltimore, MD) and transfusion (Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC). The purpose of the study was to evaluate whether multi-write RF chips could be attached to blood bags, programmed, and used to facilitate the collection of information from (1) a blood bag manufacturer to (2) a blood collection center and, subsequently, to (3) a hospital transfusion service.     

中药龙胆质量的化学模式识别

对7个种的38个龙胆样品进行了化学模式识别:按中国药典的规定将诸样品分为正品和非正品两大类,随机选取一部分正品和非正品样品作训练集,另一部分样品作试验集;对诸样品的甲醇提取液进行了HPLC分析;用SIMCA法对色谱峰进行特征选择,将代表诸样品特征的点即“星”显示在半圆形极坐标上构成星区图;根据“星”所属的星区和所走的路径,即可评价诸龙胆样品的质量。化学模式识别的结果与植物形态学鉴定的结果一致,而且弥补了后者的不足。     

Anemoside A3 Enhances Cognition through the Regulation of Synaptic Function and Neuroprotection

Compounds that have the ability to both strengthen synaptic function and facilitate neuroprotection are valuable cognitive enhancers that may improve health and quality of life, as well as retard age-related cognitive deterioration. Medicinal plants are an abundant source of potential cognitive enhancers. Here we report that anemoside A3 (AA3) isolated from Pulsatilla chinensis modulates synaptic connectivity in circuits central to memory enhancement. AA3 specifically modulates the function of AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) by increasing serine phosphorylation within the GluA1 subunit, which is a modification required for the trafficking of GluA1-containing AMPARs to synapses. Furthermore, AA3 administration activates several synaptic signaling molecules and increases protein expressions of the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor and monoamine neurotransmitters in the mouse hippocampus. In addition to acting through AMPARs, AA3 also acts as a non-competitive NMDA receptor (NMDAR) modulator with a neuroprotective capacity against ischemic brain injury and overexcitation in rats. These findings collectively suggest that AA3 possesses a unique ability to modulate the functions of both AMPARs and NMDARs. Concordantly, behavioral studies indicate that AA3 not only facilitates hippocampal long-term potentiation but also enhances spatial reference memory formation in mice. These multifaceted roles suggest that AA3 is an attractive candidate for further development as a cognitive enhancer capable of alleviating memory dysfunctions associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases.     

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in monocytes during acute Dengue Fever in patients and during in vitro infection

 

Mononuclear phagocytes are considered to be main targets for Dengue Virus (DENV) replication. These cells are activated after infection, producing proinflammatory mediators, including tumour-necrosis factor-α, which has also been detected in vivo. Nitric oxide (NO), usually produced by activated mononuclear phagocytes, has antimicrobial and antiviral activities.

Methods

The expression of DENV antigens and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in human blood isolated monocytes were analysed by flow cytometry using cells either from patients with acute Dengue Fever or after DENV-1 in vitro infection. DENV-1 susceptibility to iNOS inhibition and NO production was investigated using N^G-methyl L-Arginine (N^GMLA) as an iNOS inhibitor, which was added to DENV-1 infected human monocytes, and sodium nitroprussiate (SNP), a NO donor, added to infected C6/36 mosquito cell clone. Viral antigens after treatments were detected by flow cytometry analysis.

Results

INOS expression in activated monocytes was observed in 10 out of 21 patients with Dengue Fever and was absent in cells from ten healthy individuals. DENV antigens detected in 25 out of 35 patients, were observed early during in vitro infection (3 days), significantly diminished with time, indicating that virus replicated, however monocytes controlled the infection. On the other hand, the iNOS expression was detected at increasing frequency in in vitro infected monocytes from three to six days, exhibiting an inverse relationship to DENV antigen expression. We demonstrated that the detection of the DENV-1 antigen was enhanced during monocyte treatment with N^GMLA. In the mosquito cell line C6/36, virus detection was significantly reduced in the presence of SNP, when compared to that of untreated cells.

Conclusion

This study is the first to reveal the activation of DENV infected monocytes based on induction of iNOS both in vivo and in vitro, as well as the susceptibility of DENV-1 to a NO production.     

Plasminogen activator inhibitor: a regulator of ancrod-induced fibrin deposition in rabbits

Plasma levels of a fast-acting plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI), which neutralizes both tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and urokinase, are markedly increased in endotoxin-treated rabbits. The ability of this inhibitor to prevent the fibrinolysis that occurs after a thrombogenic stimulus was investigated in a rabbit model. Normal and endotoxin-treated male New Zealand rabbits were infused with ancrod, an enzyme that causes noncrosslinked fibrin formation in vivo. Ancrod stimulated t-PA activity by 90% in normal rabbits and caused hypofibrinogenemia but did not increase PAI levels or induce fibrin deposition in target organs. Rabbits injected with endotoxin (10 micrograms/kg) showed an increase in PAI from less than 1 to 32 U/mL 4 hours later. When ancrod was infused at this time, 90% of the rabbits developed renal fibrin thrombi. Fibrin deposition was recorded in 40% of the rabbits that received a lower dose of endotoxin (1.0 microgram/kg) and had a PAI level of 14 U/ml at the time of ancrod infusion 4 hours later. Fibrin deposition did not occur in the endotoxin-treated rabbits that received normal saline. These data suggest that high levels of PAI inhibit fibrinolysis in vivo, thereby promoting fibrin clot deposition following a thrombogenic stimulus.     

A prospective randomized comparison of total body irradiation-etoposide versus busulfan-cyclophosphamide as preparatory regimens for bone marrow transplantation in patients with leukemia who were not in first remission: a Southwest Oncology Group study

Two novel preparatory regimens for conditioning of patients with leukemia for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from histocompatible sibling donors have been tested in a phase III trial under the auspices of the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG 8612). These two regimens consisted either of fractionated total body irradiation and etoposide (FTBI/VP-16) or high-dose busulfan with cyclophosphamide (BU/CY). Only patients who had failed prior conventional management at least once were study eligible, ie, no patients with acute leukemia in first remission (CR) or in first chronic phase (CP) of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) participated. Patients were stratified according to the following risk criteria: "good-risk" patients were those who were in second CR of their acute leukemia or in accelerated phase (AP) of CML; "poor-risk" patients had further advanced stages of leukemia. During a 52-month period, 131 patients were registered of whom 122 (93%) were study eligible. Sixty-one eligible patients were randomized to the FTBI/VP-16 arm and 61 to the BU/CY regimen. Of these 122 patients, 114 (93%) proceeded to BMT according to protocol. Posttransplant immunosuppression to prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) consisted of cyclosporine and prednisone (CSA/PSE). Neither overall survival nor disease-free survival (DFS) differed significantly between the two treatment groups (P = .89 and .69, respectively). Estimated DFS for "good-risk" patients who had been prepared with the FTBI/VP-16 regimen was 55% +/- 11%, as compared with patients treated with BU/CY whose DFS figure was 34% +/- 10% (P = .30). For "poor-risk" candidates, the DFS rates at 24 months were 17% +/- 6% (for FTBI/VP-16) and 24% +/- 8% (for BU/CY), respectively (P = .81). These figures do not differ significantly, especially in view of the fact that the "good- risk" patients prepared with the FTBI/VP-16 regimen were younger than those treated with BU/CY. Both regimens were well tolerated with no regimen-related deaths encountered during the 6-week period after BMT. This study also confirmed the efficacy of the CSA/PSE combination in the prevention of GVHD with 23 of 113 (20%) of BMT recipients developing moderate to severe acute GVHD. The leading cause for treatment failure was leukemic relapse (45 of the 114 BMT recipients suffered a recurrence of their leukemia), whereas 38 patients died without evidence of relapse. Thirty-one patients are alive and in continued CR after marrow transplantation; four are alive in relapse.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)