Biomaterial microarrays: rapid, microscale screening of polymer-cell interaction

The identification of biomaterials that induce optimal gene expression patterns and allow for appropriate levels of cellular attachment is of central importance in tissue engineering and cell therapy. Herein, we describe the creation of cell-compatible, biomaterial microarrays, that allow rapid, microscale testing of biomaterial interactions with cells. As proof of principle, we simultaneously characterized over 3456 human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC)-biomaterial composite interactions, and describe preliminary studies on the utility of these arrays with a neural stem cell line (NSC), and primary articular chondrocytes.     

Role modelling and cigarette smoking: vulnerable working class girls? A longitudinal study.

Risk factors for the onset of cigarette smoking were examined by means of a prospective longitudinal study in 1230 Norwegian adolescents aged 12-18. In particular the importance of role modelling was focused. The findings revealed that the age period between 12 and 15 is most important when it comes to the initiation of smoking. Among those who initiate smoking, the incidence rates of quitting is low, indicating that most of the initiators quickly seem to develop a relatively stable smoking habit. Smoking initiation can be divided into two stages. The first, experimental one, is predicted by peer modelling and low socioeconomic status (SES). The second, establishing a regular pattern of use, is predicted by modelling of parental smoking and the interaction between female sex and low SES. Studying the characteristics of the regular smokers cross-sectionally, peer modeling showed the strongest correlates. Studying the predictors of the transitions longitudinally, the more complex picture described above was uncovered. This indicates that the complexity of the role modelling process can only be simulated adequately by means of prospective research methods and by paying attention to such parameters as gender, age, SES and stage in the smoking acquisition process.     

Essential skills for purchasing — The views of directors of public health andhealth authority chief executives

Since the NHS reforms, health authorities have been purchasing health care and have been advised that publichealth considerations must inform all NHS activities, and that the Director of Public Health must be supported by a team of qualified support staff. This survey of directors of public health and health authority chief executives in England shows the skills currently available to support health authority purchasing, and the perceived importance of this wide range of skills to the purchasing process. Future models of purchasing will need to ensure access by purchasers to public health and multi-disciplinary advice.     

Adolescents and benzodiazepines: prescribed use, self-medication and intoxication

In a longitudinal study of 1230 people aged 13-18 years from the Greater Oslo Area, the past-year prevalence of anxiolytic or hypnotic use was 10%, which is higher than previously reported. The majority gave therapeutic reasons as a motive for using these drugs. However, most of the use was unprescribed. The parents, and especially the mother, were the most important suppliers. A minority gave intoxication as a motive for using these drugs. In this group, the suppliers were mainly peers and the illegal market. Neither the unprescribed nor the prescribed therapeutic use show any association with use of drugs such as alcohol and cannabis. There is, however, a strong association between the unprescribed use of benzodiazepines by young people and by their parents. This suggests a pattern of learning and role modelling, which must be regarded as problematic for public health policy. Those who use the drugs to become intoxicated have particularly poor mental health, and they use many other drugs as well. This group probably runs a special risk of developing more serious drug abuse.     

The clinical information value of an immunoenzyme study of the tumor markers CA-19-9, CEA and AFP in cancer of the stomach, pancreas, colon and rectum]

Blood levels of CEA, CA 19-9 and AFP were assayed by immunoenzyme technique in 60 cases of gastric cancer, 15 patients with pancreatic cancer and 30 patients with colorectal cancer. CEA and CA 19-9 levels were found to depend upon stage and degree of tumor differentiation. Changes in the antigen levels in the course of treatment reflected the degree of its radicality. In application of the immunoenzyme assay, CA 19-9 level appeared most clinically relevant in gastric, pancreatic and colorectal cancers. CEA concentration can serve as an indicator of liver metastases. CA 19-9 and CEA levels can be used for monitoring and objective evaluation of treatment for gastric, pancreatic and colorectal cancer as well as for predicting response.     

A comparison of histological and immunohistochemical methods for quantifying the pathological lesions of Pick's disease

Counts of Pick bodies (PB), Pick cells (PC), senile plaques (SP) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) were made in the frontal and temporal cortex from patients with Pick's disease (PD). Lesions were stained histologically with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and the Bielschowsky silver impregnation method and labeled immunohistochemically with antibodies raised to ubiquitin and tau. The greatest numbers of PB were revealed by immunohistochemistry. Counts of PB revealed by ubiquitin and tau were highly positively correlated which suggested that the two antibodies recognized virtually identical populations of PB. The greatest numbers of PC were revealed by HE followed by the anti-ubiquitin antibody. However, the correlation between counts was poor, suggesting that HE and ubiquitin revealed different populations of PC. The greatest numbers of SP and NFT were revealed by the Bielschowsky method indicating the presence of Alzheimer-type lesions not revealed by the immunohistochemistry. In addition, more NFT were revealed by the anti-ubiquitin compared with the anti-tau antibody. The data suggested that in PD: (i) the anti-ubiquitin and anti-tau antibodies were equally effective at labeling PB; (ii) both HE and anti-ubiquitin should be used to quantitate PC; and (iii) the Bielschowsky method should be used to quantitate SP and NFT.     

Quantitative liver function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with low-dose methotrexate: a longitudinal study

The objectives were to determine quantitative liver function prospectively in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with low-dose methotrexate (MTX), to search for risk factors for a loss of quantitative liver function and to assess the relationship between quantitative liver function and histological staging. A total of 117 patients with RA (ACR criteria, 85 women, mean age 59 yr) had measurements of galactose elimination capacity (GEC), aminopyrine breath test (ABT) and liver enzymes [aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), 7-glutamyl transferase (GGT), bile acids, bilirubin, albumin] before treatment with weekly i.m. MTX injections and every year thereafter. In 16 patients, liver biopsies were performed. Before the introduction of MTX, mean GEC was 6.6 mg/min/kg [5th to 95th percentile (5-95 PC) 5.1- 8.5; reference range 6.0-9.1] and mean ABT was 0.80% kg/mmol (5-95 PC 0.42-1.30: reference range 0.6-1.0). During treatment with MTX [mean weekly dose 11.8 mg (5-95 PC 5.4-20.2), mean observation period 3.8 yr (5-95 PC 0.4-6.9)], significant declines of GEC (-0.12 mg/min/kg per year. t = 3.30, P < 0.002) and ABT (-0.06% kg/mmol per year, t = 4.81, P < 0.001) were observed. Negative correlations were found between the annual change in GEC and GEC at baseline (Rs = -0.40, P < 0.0001), and the annual change in ABT and ABT at baseline (Rs = -0.43, P < 0.0001). No correlations were found between the annual change in GEC or ABT and weekly MTX dose, age or percentage of increased liver enzymes, and no effect of a history of alcohol consumption > 30 g/week became evident. Two patients with Roenigk grade III had impaired quantitative liver function, while 14 patients with Roenigk grades I and II exhibited a high variability of GEC and ABT from normal to abnormal values. The continuous declines in GEC and ABT observed deserve attention in patients with prolonged treatment. Patients with a low GEC or ABT at baseline seem not to be at increased risk for a further loss of quantitative liver function. An impaired GEC or ABT does not necessarily concur with hepatic fibrosis on histological examination.