FIELD TRIAL OF Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis PELLET FORMULATION IN THE CONTROL OF MOSQUITOES

In a simulated field trial Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis (BTI) pellet formulation exhibited an enhanced efficacy with increasing dose. A dosage of 1.0 and 1.5 ppm was most effective under simulated field conditions. In field trials persistence of BTI pellet (1.0 ppm) was observed for 35 days in moderately polluted water collection as compared to 21 days in highly polluted water bodies.KEY WORDS: Bacillus thuringiensis, Malaria, Mosquito control     

Development and implementation of a science training course for breast cancer activists: Project LEAD (leadership, education and advocacy development)

Objective  To develop and implement Project LEAD (leadership, education, and advocacy development), a science course for breast cancer activists.
Population  Students were breast cancer activists and other consumers, mainly affiliated with advocacy organizations in the United States of America.
Setting  Project LEAD is offered by the National Breast Cancer Coalition; the course takes place over 5 days and is offered 4 times a year, in various cities in the United States of America.
Results  The Project LEAD curriculum has developed over 5 years to include lectures, problem-based study groups, case studies, interactive critical appraisal sessions, a seminar by an 'expert' scientist, role play, and homework components. A core faculty has been valuable for evaluating and revising the course and has proved necessary to provide consistent high quality teaching. Course evaluations indicated that students gained critical appraisal skills, enhanced their knowledge and developed confidence in selected areas of basic science and epidemiology.
Conclusions  Project LEAD comprises a unique curriculum for training breast cancer activists in science and critical appraisal. Course evaluations indicate that students gain confidence and skills from the course.     

Relationship between age and measures of balance, strength and gait: linear and non-linear analyses

An age-related decline in balance, gait and lower-extremity muscle strength measures may lead to increased risk of falls and fractures. Previous studies have reported a possible non-linear age-related decline in these measures, but the choice of methodological approach has limited its interpretation. Healthy community-dwelling women (n=212) 21-82 years of age were evaluated for strength [Nicholas MMT (manual muscle tester)], gait [CSA (clinical stride analyser)], activity [HAP (human activity profile)] and static and dynamic balance [CBS (Chattecx balance system), LBT (Lord's balance test) and the ST (step test)]. A GAM (generalized additive model) was developed for each outcome variable to estimate the functional relationship, with age as a continuous variable. Performance was maintained until 45-55 years of age, depending on the outcome measure. Thereafter a decline in performance was evident with increasing age in all measures. Overall, a significant non-linear relationship with age was demonstrated for lower-extremity strength measures (MMT), velocity and double support duration of gait (CSA) and some clinical and laboratory balance tests [ST, LBT (eyes open) and the CBS]. Linear relationships were demonstrated by the LBT with eyes closed and activity measures. Balance, lower-extremity muscle strength and gait may decline non-linearly with age. Our study suggests possible threshold effects between age and balance, muscle strength and gait measures in women. Further research into these threshold effects may have implications for the optimal timing of exercise and other interventions to reduce the risk of falls and fractures.     

Update on pathological gambling

Pathological gambling (PG) is a signi.cant public health concern associated with high rates of psychiatric comorbidity and mortality. Although research into the biology of PG is still in an early stage, recent advances in our understanding of motivation, reward, and addiction have provided substantial insight into the possible pathophysiology of this disorder. In addition, over the past 5 years, extraordinary progress has been made in the area of clinical research examining treatments for PG. Although PG is a disabling disorder that continues to represent a clinical challenge for the healthcare professional, our current knowledge of pharmacotherapy and psychosocial interventions offers potentially effective treatment options.     

Comparison of Spinal Cord Protection Utilizing Left Atrial-Femoral with Femoral-Femoral Bypass in Patients with Traumatic Rupture of the Aortic Isthmus

Introduction Postoperative paraplegia remains a dreaded complication of repair of traumatic rupture of the aortic isthmus. Claims have been made that left atrial-femoral bypass provides better spinal cord protection. To test the hypothesis that left atrial-femoral bypass is better than femoral vein-to-femoral artery bypass in regard to postoperative paraplegia, we concurrently compared the two techniques. Methods We compared the occurrence of paraplegia in 18 patients whose ruptures were repaired utilizing left atrial-femoral bypass with 10,000 units of systemic heparin (group A) and 72 patients with femoral-femoral bypass with heparin 300 units/kg and an oxygenator (group B) operated on between January 1995 and July 2004. Results The mortality rate was 5.6% (5/90), with no statistical difference between the two groups. Postoperative paraplegia was present in three (16.7%) group A patients and five group B (6.9%) patients. However, the specific etiology of the neurologic defect was not clear, as one patient’s paraplegia was transient following a period of cardiac arrest, and four others had had neurologic injuries prior to the aortic repair. Median aortic cross-clamp times were shorter in group A (34 minutes vs. 49 minutes). No patient required reexploration for bleeding, and no patient developed a graft infection. Conclusions Paraplegia rates were higher in the left atrial-femoral group, but the difference was not statistically significant. This occurred despite the decreased cross-clamp times in this group. In patients undergoing repair of traumatic rupture of the aortic isthmus, left atrial-femoral bypass does not provide better spinal cord protection than femoral-femoral bypass.     

Genetic and environmental influences on variation in balance performance among female twin pairs aged 21-82 years

Genetic and environmental influences on variation in balance performance were measured in 93 monozygous and 83 dizygous female twin pairs aged 21-82 years (mean age, 50.5 years) in Melbourne, Australia, between 1999 and 2003. The authors administered clinical (Lord's Balance Test and Step Test) and laboratory tests of static and dynamic balance from the Chattecx Balance System with and without distractor tasks. The authors conducted factor analysis and estimated genetic and environmental variance components and heritability (defined as additive genetic variance as a proportion of all variance, after adjustment for age) using a multivariate normal model with the statistical package FISHER. Three factors were identified and adjusted for age. Heritability was 46% (standard error (SE), 9) for the "sensory balance tests" factor and 30% (SE, 9) for the "static and dynamic perturbations" factor. For both factors, the remaining variance was attributed to unique environmental effects. There was no evidence that genetic factors influenced variation in the "dynamic weight shift tests" factor, with environmental effects shared by twins accounting for 38% (SE, 7) of variance. Neither genetic nor environmental proportions of variance differed significantly between twin subgroups by age (50 years). An age-related decline in performance measures was found across the whole sample. These results imply that balance impairments may have a heritable element.     

SEVENTY-TWO HOUR COMPARISON OF METHYLPREDNISOLONE SULEPTANATE AND METHYLPREDNISOLONE SODIUM SUCCINATE IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ASTHMA

SUMMARY The efficacy and safety of the methylprednisolone prodrugs methylprednisolone suleptanate and methylprednisolone sodium succinate were evaluated in a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy parallel study of 88 patients hospitalised with acute asthma. Each study drug was administered as a bolus intravenous injection of 40mg methylprednisolone equivalents every 6 hours for 48 hours. Methylprednisolone 32mg was administered orally 6 hours after the last dose. Pulmonary function, medical events, and clinical laboratory values were assessed at predefined intervals before and during the 72-hour study. The primary response measure of pulmonary function was per cent predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) at 48 hours. Secondary response measures were peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and FEV₁/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio. Although both drugs demonstrated within-group mean changes from baseline (starting at 6 hours) that were statistically significant for each response, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups. The mean percent predicted FEV₁ at 48 hours and mean per cent change from baseline were 64% and 13% (p<0.0001) for the methylprednisolone suleptanate group and 67% and 17% (p<0.0001) for the methylprednisolone sodium succinate group, respectively. The mean PEFR and FEV₁/FVC ratio at 48 hours were 5.77 l/s and 73% for the methylprednisolone suleptanate group and 5.78 l/s and 76% for the methylprednisolone sodium succinate group, respectively. There were no clinically or statistically significant between-group differences in any of the safety parameters. In this study, methylprednisolone suleptanate and methylprednisolone sodium succinate have been shown to be therapeutically equivalent in the treatment of patients hospitalized with acute asthma.