Measuring salivary cortisol in studies of child development: watch out--what goes in may not come out of saliva collection devices

Technical advances that enable the noninvasive measurement of biomarkers in saliva have spawned a generation of investigations that integrate biological variables into behavioral and developmental research. This study examines whether the collection of saliva, using common absorbent devices compromises the measurement of cortisol when saliva specimens have low sample volume. Within subjects (n = 20), saliva samples were prepared to experimentally represent a gradient of lower to higher sample volumes. One aliquot was immediately frozen (no treatment control) and the remaining aliquots were absorbed ("collected") using one of three collection techniques employed in studies of child development (e.g., braided cotton dental rope, Salivette cotton pledget, or hydrocellulose microsponge). The sample volume recovered from each device relative to the initial volume available to be absorbed, and cortisol level recovered from each device relative to the untreated-control condition were measured. Results reveal that for certain collection devices (1) the percent volume recovered is related to the initial volume available to be absorbed, (2) a substantial percentage of cortisol in saliva specimens can remain in absorbent material, and (3) the percent of cortisol recovered can be associated with the initial sample volume available to be absorbed. When research participants, such as young children, produce low volume saliva specimens, some absorbent devices may have the potential to introduce error variance in the measurement of salivary cortisol.     

Hedgehog signaling in the posterior region of the mouse gastrula suggests manifold roles in the fetal-umbilical connection and posterior morphogenesis

Although many fetal birth defects, particularly those of the body wall and gut, are associated with abnormalities of the umbilical cord, the developmental relationship between these structures is largely obscure. Recently, genetic analysis of mid‐gestation mouse embryos revealed that defects in Hedgehog signaling led to omphalocoele, or failure of the body wall to close at the umbilical ring (Matsumaru et al. [ 2011 ] PLos One 6:e16260). However, systematic spatiotemporal localization of Hedgehog signaling in the allantois, or umbilical precursor tissue, and the surrounding regions has not been documented. Here, a combination of reagents, including the Ptc1:lacZ and Runx1:lacZ reporter mice, immunohistochemistry for Smoothened (Smo), Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), and Indian hedgehog (Ihh), and detailed PECAM‐1/Flk‐1/Runx‐1 analysis, revealed robust Hedgehog signaling in previously undocumented posterior sites over an extended period of time (～7.0–9.75 dpc). These included the recently described proximal walls of the allantois (Ventral and Dorsal Cuboidal Mesothelia; VCM and DCM, respectively); the ventral embryonic surface continuous with them; hemogenic arterial endothelia; hematopoietic cells; the hindgut; ventral ectodermal ridge (VER); chorionic ectoderm; and the intraplacental yolk sac (IPY), which appeared to be a site of placental hematopoiesis. This map of Hedgehog signaling in the posterior region of the mouse conceptus will provide a valuable foundation upon which to elucidate the origin of many posterior midline abnormalities, especially those of the umbilical cord and associated fetal defects. Developmental Dynamics 240:2175–2193, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

自制减压圈在整形外科患者中预防压疮的应用

近年来,压疮已成为衡量医院护理质量的一项重要指标。由于整形外科皮片移植术、带蒂皮瓣移植术、游离皮瓣移植术,术后术区需严格制动,防止皮片移位,皮瓣扭曲导致手术失败。加之强迫体位如：交腿皮瓣术后、胸三角皮瓣术后等,强迫体位需保持3～4周。腹部、会阴部、腹股沟、臀部、髋部、颈部术后植皮部位禁止受压,术区需严格制动,增加了受压部位发生压疮的几率。因此,我科护士使用自制的减压圈用于预防压疮,取得了良好效果,现报告如下。     

Cholesterol crystallization in human atherosclerosis is triggered in smooth muscle cells during the transition from fatty streak to fibroatheroma

Recent studies have shown that in addition to being major constituents of the atheromatous core, solid cholesterol crystals (CCs) promote atherosclerotic lesion development and rupture by causing mechanical damage and exerting cytotoxic and pro‐inflammatory effects. These findings suggest that targeting CCs might represent a therapeutic strategy for plaque stabilization. However, little is known about how cholesterol crystallization is initiated in human atherothrombotic disease. Here, we investigated these mechanisms. We performed a thorough immunohistological analysis of non‐embedded, minimally processed human aortic tissues, combining polarized light and fluorescence microscopy. We found that CC formation was initiated during the fatty streak to fibroatheroma transition in tight association with the death of intralesional smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Cholesterol‐loaded human SMCs were capable of producing CCs in vitro, a process that was enhanced by type I collagen and by inhibition of autophagy and cholesterol esterification. The fibrous transition, which was characterized by increased type I collagen expression, was associated with changes in the expression of autophagy and cholesterol flux‐related genes, including a decrease in the autophagic adapter p62 and an increase in the cholesterol intracellular transporter Niemann–Pick C1. Collagen was identified as a potent inducer of these changes in SMCs. Collagen‐induced changes in cholesterol metabolism and autophagy flux in smooth muscle foam cells at the fibrolipid transition likely contribute to initiate cholesterol crystallization in human atherosclerosis. Also, our data are in support of a protective role of autophagy against CC formation. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

碘酊棉球填塞法急诊治疗牙龈出血的效果评价

目的:评价碘酊棉球填塞法急诊治疗牙龈出血的疗效。方法 :应用饱和2.5%碘酊溶液的棉球,对108例牙龈出血的急诊病例,进行填塞和压迫止血,观察15～30min,评价止血效果。结果:15min控制出血72例,占66.67%;30min控制出血36例,占33.33%。有效率达100%。结论:碘酊棉球填塞法急诊治疗牙龈出血方法简便、疗效可靠、复发率低,是一种有效的急诊止血方法。     

棉花秸秆作为绵羊粗饲料的研究

将18只平均体重为38．6kg的罗姆尼为父本、军垦型细毛羊为母本的杂交一代公羊分为三组，测定在补饲350g精料的情况下绵羊限饲粉碎棉花秸秆(试验1组)、自由采食粉碎棉花秸秆(试验2组)和自由采食玉米青贮(试验3组)时的采食量和消化率，以研究比较绵羊对粉碎棉花秸秆的利用性。结果表明，粉碎棉花秸秆作为粗饲料，可被绵羊采食和利用。绵羊对棉花秸秆的自由采食量达693g／d／羊，其干物质、有机物、粗蛋白、纤维素和半纤维素的消化率分别为34．6％，39、7％．43，0％，5％和65．8％。纤维素消化率低，是棉花秸秆消化利用中需研究的问题之一。在本试验条件下，根据推算，绵羊每采食4.3kg棉花秆可增加1kg体重．因此．可以考虑在生产中较大范围地使用粉碎棉花秸秆饲喂牛羊。     

绵羊棉籽饼中毒的临床诊治报告

新疆在全国来说是最大的生产棉花基地。又是畜牧业基地之一。棉花是主要的经济作物之一。其副产品棉籽饼和棉籽壳富含蛋白质和磷．是畜牧业中蛋白质的来源。但是棉籽饼中的有毒成分一棉酚制约着它的利用率。主要因农牧民单一饲喂未加工脱毒处理的棉籽饼和棉籽壳．因此不断的发生着畜禽的中毒。动物对棉酚的敏感性不一样．猪、禽、羔羊和犊牛对棉酚最敏感．其次是反刍家畜。本文中主要介绍在新疆某一地区绵羊棉籽饼中毒的发病过程、绵羊中出现的临床症状、诊断方法、治疗方法以及预防方面的内容。     

两种润滑剂润滑肛管灌肠的比较

目的通过2种润滑剂润滑肛管灌肠的比较,选择对病人有效且无痛苦的操作方案。方法154倒病人进行实验组和对照组灌肠。分别用凡士林和液体石蜡作为润滑剂润滑肛管灌肠。观察2组疼痛程度和出血率。结果实验组和对照组在疼痛程度和出血率2组比较中具有统计学意义,P〈0．01。结论凡士林作为润滑剂润滑肛管能减轻病人的疼痛和出血率。     

雷公藤多苷的抗炎作用与NO的关系

 目的:研究雷公藤多普的抗炎作用与NO的关系。方法:采用锡还原柱层析和Griess比色法,测定NO的稳定代谢产物NO₂〈sup〉-〈/sup〉-(NO₂〈sup〉-〈/sup〉)。结果:雷公藤多等对正常大鼠血、尿中亚峭酸盐(稍酸盐)[NO₂〈sup〉-〈/sup〉(NO₃〈sup〉-〈/sup〉),μmol·L^-1]含量无显著影响;雷公藤多普能不同程度地抑制角叉菜胶所致的大鼠足拓肿胀,同时剂量依赖性地降低血清、尿液和炎性足拓组织中NO₂〈sup〉-〈/sup〉(NO₃〈sup〉-〈/sup〉)含量;雷公藤多普能使棉球肉芽肿大鼠模型中棉球肉芽肿重量减轻,同时可剂量依赖性地降低血清、尿液和炎症组织中NO₂〈sup〉-〈/sup〉(NO₃〈sup〉-〈/sup〉)的含量。其减轻棉球肉芽肿作用与降低肉芽组织中NO含量呈明显正相关(r=0.9978)。结论:雷公藤多普对正常大鼠体内NO的产生没有影响;其抗炎(大鼠角叉菜胶性足书肿胀和棉球肉芽肿)作用与抑制其体内NO水平有关。