Lymphocyte propionyl-CoA carboxylase is an early and sensitive indicator of biotin deficiency in rats,but urinary excretion of 3-hydroxypropionic acid is not

Recent clinical studies have provided evidence that marginal biotin deficiency is more common than previously thought. The validity of that conclusion rests on two indicators of biotin status that depend on renal function. Our goal was to develop and assess the usefulness of two additional indicators in detecting marginal biotin status in a rat model, i.e., 1) activity of the biotin-dependent enzyme propionyl-CoA carboxylase in lymphocytes; and 2) urinary excretion of 3-hydroxypropionic acid, an organic acid that reflects decreased activity of propionyl-CoA carboxylase. Marginal-to-moderate biotin deficiency was induced experimentally by an egg-white diet (deficient rats); the biotin-supplemented rats were fed the egg-white diet plus supplemental biotin. Propionyl-CoA carboxylase activity was determined by an optimized H(14)CO(3)(-) incorporation assay. Urinary organic acids were determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Lymphocyte propionyl-CoA carboxylase activity decreased dramatically and in parallel with hepatic propionyl-CoA carboxylase activity. By d 7, lymphocyte propionyl-CoA carboxylase activity in each rat in the deficient group had decreased to less than the lowest value of any rat on d 0. By two-way ANOVA, the effects of diet (P < 0.0001), time (P < 0.005) and their interaction (P < 0.0001) were all significant. The urinary excretion of 3-hydroxypropionic acid did not differ between the two groups. Lymphocyte propionyl-CoA carboxylase activity is an early and sensitive indicator of marginal biotin deficiency, whereas the urinary excretion of 3-hydroxypropionic acid is not.     

Evaluation of spouse abuse treatment: description and evaluation of the Air Force Family Advocacy Programs for spouse physical abuse

Data are reported from a sample of 2,991 spouse physical abusers who received Air Force Family Advocacy Program (FAP) services and who volunteered to complete program evaluation measures that were administered before and after treatment and at a 6-month follow-up. As expected, after treatment compared with before treatment, professionals rated offenders as less at risk, and the offenders indicated general satisfaction with the Family Advocacy Program services. Additionally, as predicted, objective measures indicated that offenders showed significant (p < 0.001) decreases in family conflict and child abuse risk and significant increases (p < 0.001) in family cohesion, family expression, and marital satisfaction. An analysis of the available follow-up data indicated that each of the post-treatment improvements were maintained at the time of the follow-up evaluation.     

Lessons learned--15 years of the WHO-NCTB: a review

Based on expert recommendations, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (NCTB) in 1983 to detect neurotoxicity in world-wide populations. The NCTB consists of 7 neurobehavioral tests (Digit Symbol, Digit Span, Benton visual memory test/recognition form, Santa Ana dexterity test, Simple Reaction Time, Pursuit Aiming II, and Profile of Mood States). Research with the NCTB provides the context for the results of a mini-symposium held in 1999 to discuss the lessons learned about using the NCTB in working populations. Speakers from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America reviewed data from 94 studies using the NCTB, including 63 from China, 13 from Korea, 11 from Poland, three from South Africa, three from the USA, and one from Ecuador. Although a consensus was not sought in the symposium, the key lessons learned that emerged from the various presentations, were: * The NCTB is effective in testing adults with 12 or more years of formal education, but can not reliably test persons with less than 9 years of education. * People from cultures very different from those in Europe and North America (eg, aboriginal and African cultures) may not be tested effectively by the NCTB, although others such as at least some Asian populations, can be. To address this problem, the construct validity of the NCTB should be established in a wide range of countries. * The POMS measures of emotion proved to be very sensitive to neurotoxic exposures in several countries, but the POMS was the NCTB test most affected by cultural differences. The Digit Symbol or the Milan modification of that test was also highly sensitive to neurotoxic exposures. * Examiner drift following training to administer the NCTB is a significant problem in technically trained Examiners. Pursuit Aiming II is very difficult to score reliably.     

The dependence of the anti-nociceptive effect of morphine and other analgesic agents on spinal motor activity after central monoamine depletion

The interference of central monoamine depletion with the anti-nociceptive effect of morphine, pethidine and aminophenazone was studied in rats with regard to the changes in spinal motor activity induced by reserpine, tetrabenazine and α-methyl-p-tyrosine.All three analgesic agents prolonged the time of the tail-flick reaction in intact rats. This effect was abolished by reserpine, which prolonged the reaction time. Bilateral lesioning of the substantiae nigrae with microinjections of 6-hydroxydopamine prolonged the reaction time and abolished the anti-nociceptive effect of morphine. In spinal rats, the time of the tail-flick reaction was prolonged by morphine and reduced by aminophenazone. Reserpine did not abolish the effect of morphine in spinal rats.Morphine, pethidine and aminophenazone inhibited the α-reflex discharges facilitated by conditioning stimulation in intact and spinal rats. Pethidine and aminophenazone, but not morphine, depressed the facilitation of α-reflex discharges produced by central monoamine depletion in intact rats. The increase in the amplitude of monosynaptic mass reflexes produced by reserpine in intact rats was not reduced by morphine, whereas the depression of polysynaptic mass reflexes after reserpine was antagonized by morphine.The three analgesic agents differ markedly in their action on spinal motor activity altered by monoamine depletion. It is concluded that the antagonizing effect of central monoamine depletion on the anti-nociceptive effect of morphine, pethidine and aminophenazone in the rat is due to a change in the basal motor activity on which the spinal nociceptive reflex is elicited.     

Toward a new philosophy of care: Perspectives on prevention

The history of medical care in America and the present practice of mental health professionals generally reflect the economic structure of the country and of supply and demand. Revision is seriously needed in the areas of service delivery and training to give emphasis to primary prevention, and this requires social action on two levels: redirection of national priorities and development of a new philosophy of care founded in service and committed to prevention. Prevention is a form of response that can be made to existing and anticipated societal difficulties, to attempts to resolve them, and thus to planning properly for the future. Such plans must involve specific goals, purposes, attainable relevant programs, and the ability of providers and consumers to plan and act collaboratively; education of both providers and consumers: and making use of the political process to support this new philosophy of care both morally and financially. The tools of modern technology can be adapted and brought to bear on the problem of mental health care and mental illness prevention so that society can move beyond past failures to a system of care for the mentally ill that can keep pace with our complex modern society.     

Reduced prevalence of the Lucké renal adenocarcinoma in populations of Rana pipiens in Minnesota.

Northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) afflicted with the Lucké renal adenocarcinoma virtually disappeared from Minnesota in the autumn of 1977. Frogs from four sites in Minnesota counties (Polk, Otter Tail, Kandiyohi, and Scott) with a previously high prevalence of Lucké renal tumor were studied. In the past decade, prevalence averaged 4.2% in 29 collections (total, 1,870 frogs). No tumors were detected in 685 frogs autopsied in the autumn of 1977 by the method of previous studies. Frog collections, each comprised of 20 or more individuals, were compared for the presence or absence of tumor-bearing frogs. Significantly fewer collections contained tumor-bearing frogs in the autumn of 1977 than did collections of previous years.