Influence of fetal to neonatal transition on nitric oxide synthase expression in the nucleus tractus solitarius in sheep

Transition from fetal to newborn life is accompanied by a marked rise in circulating norepinephrine (NE) concentrations though arterial blood pressure does not substantively change. Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in the central regulation of sympathetic tone in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) expression is functionally regulated in the brain. The purpose of these studies was to determine the influence of transition at birth on nNOS expression in the brainstem nuclei, particularly in the NTS, associated with changes in arterial pressure and plasma NE concentration. Experiments were performed using time-dated gestational ewes with twin fetuses. Arterial blood pressure was recorded and arterial blood NE concentrations were measured in the term fetus (gestational 147-148 days) and newborn lambs (4 h of postnatal age). The fetal and newborn animals were then perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde. Sections of the medulla were examined by using both immunolabeling with a polyclonal antibody directed against nNOS and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPHd) histochemistry, a marker for expression of nNOS. Micrographs were quantified using a microscope with reticule grid to measure the number of positive cells containing color staining in the brainstem nuclei. Plasma NE concentration in the newborn was more than two-fold greater compared to fetal values but mean arterial blood pressure was similar between fetus and newborn. The nNOS positive cells and NADPHd positive cells were significantly increased in the medial NTS (mNTS) of the newborn compared to fetus. nNOS immunoreactivity and NADPHd reactivity tended to increase in the rostral ventral medulla (RVM) in newborn, but were not altered in other brainstem nuclei during the transition from fetal to newborn life. The results suggest that nNOS expression in the mNTS is predominately enhanced at 4 h of neonatal age vs. the term fetus. We conclude that elevated circulating NE is associated with up-regulation of nNOS in the mNTS which may serve a protective role in central regulation of neonatal arterial blood pressure.     

Needs for Youth Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention in Schools and Communities

Substance abuse and violence among today's youth are at an all time high. Numerous prevention programs have been implemented to address these issues. Not all are successful. Research has found that when schools and communities are involved in the planning of prevention programs, youth are more cognizant of risk factors and of behaviors that strengthen risk factors. The purpose of this study was to assess the emerging needs for prevention and health education among youth, and to identify effective approaches for prevention program development and service delivery in schools and communities. This study surveyed 312 youth prevention specialists, school and community health educators and counselors, and parents in a regional sample of ten states. Results indicated that substance abuse and violence are the two most critical and priority issues in need of comprehensive prevention. Multiple prevention service delivery strategies appropriate to youth, including training, technical assistance, conferencing and networking, needs assessment and evaluation, and information requests are discussed in detail. Implications for prevention programming emphasized reducing risk factors and strengthening protective factors, reaching and motivating youth participation.     

Neonatal tetanus associated with topical umbilical ghee: covert role of cow dung

BACKGROUND: Previous studies in Pakistan have shown that ghee (clarified butter) is commonly applied to umbilical wounds of neonates, and have documented that such applications are a risk factor for neonatal tetanus (NNT). In-use contamination of ghee with Clostridium tetani has been demonstrated, but mechanisms underlying the risk of ghee have been incompletely evaluated epidemiologically. METHODS: Detailed information on ghee usage, including fuels used to heat it, was obtained from cases of NNT (n = 229) and their matched controls (n = 687) from a population-based study of NNT in Punjab Province, Pakistan. Design variables were created to evaluate the impact of different fuel sources on risk of ghee applications. RESULTS: Nearly one-third of all infants had ghee applied, and it was nearly always heated before application to umbilical wounds of newborns. After controlling for all factors found to be significantly associated with NNT in conditional logistic regression, only ghee that had always been heated with dried cow dung fuel was significantly associated with NNT. Topical antimicrobials and ghee were never applied together. CONCLUSIONS: Ghee applications to umbilical wounds, when heated with 'clean' fuels, appear to pose no increased risk of NNT, although handling practices undoubtedly result in hazardous microbial contamination. In contrast, ghee heated with dung fuel was significantly associated with NNT. The effective promotion of topical antimicrobials might help reduce ghee use, since the intended purpose of each is to enhance healing.     

40所军队医院病种病例分型质量评价结果分析

应用病例分型质量费用监控管理软件和ＳＡＳ６．１２统计软件包,对４０所军队医院５０万份病例样本资料进行深入分析,结果显示：病例分型组合数据稳定,分析结果合理。     

Effect of the chloroform extract of Tanacetum vulgare and one of its active principles, parthenolide, on experimental gastric ulcer in rats

This study examines the anti-ulcerogenic activity of a chloroform extract of Tanacetum vulgare and purified parthenolide, the major sesquiterpene lactone found in the extract. Gastric ulcers induced by oral administration of absolute ethanol to rats were reduced dose-dependently by oral pretreatment of animals with the chloroform extract (2.5-80 mg kg(-1)) or parthenolide (5-40 mg kg(-1)). When administered 30 min before challenge with the alcohol the protection ranged between 34 and 100% for the extract and 27 and 100% for parthenolide. When the products were administered orally 24 h before treatment with ethanol, 40 mg kg(-1) of the extract and of the lactone reduced the mean ulcer index from 4.8+/-0.3 for control animals to 1.4+/-0.2 and 0.5+/-0.1, respectively. The products also prevented alcohol-induced reduction of the number of sulphydryl groups within the gastric mucosa (50.6+/-2.3 microg (mgprotein)(-1) for normal animals compared with 17.7+/-3.0 microg (mg protein)(-1) for alcohol-treated animals). Administration of the extract (80 mg kg(-1)) or parthenolide (40 mg kg(-1)) 24 h before ethanol treatment restored the numbers of mucosal -SH groups to values near those found for normal animals. These results suggest that the products assayed, in particular parthenolide, might find therapeutic application, although further work is required to establish their profit/risk ratio.     

Ingenane diterpenes from Euphorbia petiolata

From the whole plants of Euphorbia petiolata, four new ingenane-type diterpenoids, 3,20-O-diacetylingenol 5-O-(2' E,4' Z)-tetradecadienoate (1), 5,20-O-diacetylingenol 3- O-(2' E,4' Z)-tetradecadienoate (2), ingenol 3-O-(2' E,4' Z)-tetradecadienoate (3), and 5,20-O-isopropylidenylingenol 3-O-(2' E,4' Z)-tetradecadienoate (4) were isolated. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and chemical transformations.     

Reduction of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol in drug addicts treated by acupuncture and electrical stimulation (AES).

Forty-two heroin addicts and 31 normal persons were examined for the effect of acupuncture and electrical stimulation (AES) on plasma ACTH, cortisol and cyclic-AMP levels. Both ACTH and cortisol levels were reduced significantly in the addicts after treatment whereas no such significant reduction was observed in the normals. Plasma cyclic-AMP level was not affected in either group. Taken together, results from the present study suggest that the mechanism of AES in the treatment of addiction may have a neuroendocrinological basis. This hypothesis is particularly attractive in view of the isolation of opiate-like peptides from the brain.     

Immunological parameters in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia

Immunological function were studied in 22 patients with hydatidiform mole and 29 patients with malignant trophoblastic disease before and after treatment; normal pregnant and post-pregnant women served as controls. The only significant abnormality in hydatidiform mole was a low granulocyte chemotaxis before evacuation. In malignant trophoblastic disease the total lymphocyte counts, T-cell counts. B-cell counts, lymphocyte responses to mitogens and serum IgA levels were significantly lower than in normal women 6 wk after pregnancy. In those who responded to chemotherapy, these indices rose to the levels of post-pregnancy controls. An 'immune profile score' based on these indices was found to be a useful prognostic index. All patients with hydatidiform mole who had a score of 7 or less developed malignant trophoblastic disease, while the two patients with malignant trophoblastic disease who died had the lowest scores of the series.