Term birthweight centiles for babies from New Zealand's main ethnic groups

BACKGROUND: There are significant differences in mean birthweights between New Zealand's main ethnic groups. Birthweight centiles developed predominantly from babies of European ethnicity may therefore not be appropriate to classify babies from other ethnic groups. AIMS: To develop ethnic specific birthweight centiles for New Zealand babies delivered at term (>37 weeks). METHODS: Births from the National Women's Hospital database from 1993 to 2000 who also had scan data at <24 weeks comprised the study population (n = 10 292). Multiple pregnancies, fetal abnormalities, stillbirths and preterm births were excluded. For six ethnic groupings, born at gestational weeks from 38 to 41, sex specific centiles were generated and smoothed. RESULTS: Birthweight centiles were constructed from 5203 European, 801 Maori, 825 Samoan, 577 Tongan, 1058 Chinese, 433 Indian and 1395 other ethnic group births. Mean birthweights by ethnic group were: European 3521 g, Maori 3467 g, Samoan 3691 g, Tongan 3791 g, Chinese 3418 g, Indian 3192 g and other 3466 g. Tongan and Samoan babies were significantly heavier and Indian babies were significantly lighter than babies from all other ethnic groups (P < 0.001 for all comparisons). Overall Maori babies were approximately 50 g lighter than European babies but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.08), whereas Chinese babies were significantly lighter with a mean birthweight 100 g less than European (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These ethnic specific centile charts are likely to identify term babies with inappropriate growth better than population centiles generated predominantly from one ethnic group.     

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: pathogenesis and emerging therapies

Peripheral neuropathy is a major dose-limiting side effect of many chemotherapeutic agents. The type and degree of neuropathy depend on the chemotherapy drug, dose-intensity, and cumulative dose. Disabling peripheral neuropathy has a significant negative impact on quality of life. Accordingly, a reliable assessment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity is necessary, especially if potential neuroprotective agents are to be investigated. Chemoprotectants are agents that have been developed to ameliorate the toxicity associated with cytotoxic drugs. They aim to provide site-specific protection for normal tissues, without compromising antitumor efficacy. Several chemoprotectant compounds have been studied in recent clinical trials. These trials must include sufficient dose-limiting events for study and assessment of both toxicity and antitumor effect. A future avenue of investigation includes the identification of patients at higher risk for the development of peripheral neuropathy based on their genotype. Identification of these higher-risk patients may enable us to devise prevention strategies prior to the onset of this potentially debilitating complication.     

Aoteaoroa/New Zealand nursing: from eugenics to cultural safety..

The concept of cultural safety offers a unique approach to nursing practice, based on recognition of the power differentials inherent in any interaction. It is from within the context of nursing in Aoteaoroa/New Zealand (A/NZ) that the concept developed and was subsequently integrated into nursing education. Cultural safety is based within a framework of biculturalism, and is congruent with the tenets of the nation's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi. Clarification of the concept is offered, together with a review of the historical shift in nursing attitudes that has led to the emergence of "cultural safety" as a viable and valued component of nursing practice. The argument is made that cultural safety has allowed for a more reflective, critical understanding of the actions of nursing to develop. This includes recognition that nurses' attitudes and values have inevitably been influenced by social and political forces, and as such are in part reflective of those within the wider community. Comparison between the support given by nurses in the early 1900s to the theory of eugenics and the current acceptance of cultural safety is used to highlight this point. An examination of the literature identifies that ideological and conceptual changes have occurred in the approach of A/NZ nurses to issues with cultural implications for practice. A review of background factors relating to Maori health status and the Treaty of Waitangi is presented as a necessary context to the overall discussion. The discussion concludes with an acknowledgement that while the rhetoric of cultural safety is now part of nursing culture in New Zealand, there is no firm evidence to evaluate its impact in practice. Issues identified as impacting on the ability to assess/research a concept, such as cultural safety, are discussed. For cultural safety to become recognised as a credible (and indispensable) tool, it is necessary to further examine the "end-point" or "outcomes" of the process.     

Effects of testosterone and vitamin E on the antioxidant system in rabbit testis

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of testosterone propionate and vitamin E on the antioxidant system in the testis. Thirty-two male New Zealand White rabbits were randomly divided into four groups. The first group was used as control. The second group was injected with testosterone propionate, the third group vitamin E and the fourth group vitamin E and testosterone propionate combination. All treatments were carried out during 6 weeks and oxidative parameters were evaluated in homogenized testicular tissue. The levels of vitamin E and the activity of glutathione peroxidase were lower (P < 0.05) in the testosterone group than in controls. However, vitamin C and malondialdehyde levels were higher (P < 0.05) in this group than in controls. The levels of reduced glutathione, beta-carotene, vitamin C and E increased, but malondialdehyde levels decreased in the vitamin E group, when compared with controls (P < 0.05). Vitamin E and beta-carotene levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the combination group than in testosterone group. However, MDA levels were lower (P < 0.05) in combination group than in the testosterone group. In conclusion, administration of testosterone propionate led to a significant elevation of oxidative stress. Vitamin E is quite an effective antioxidant which protects rabbit testis against lipid peroxidation, and, testosterone-induced lipid peroxidation could be improved by additional vitamin E treatment.     

成人及家兔阴茎海绵体平滑肌细胞培养和鉴定

目的 :探索阴茎海绵体平滑肌细胞 (CCSM)体外培养及鉴定方法。　方法 :采用勃起功能正常的成年男子及新西兰家兔的新鲜阴茎标本 ,经处理后采用原代细胞培养法 ,对阴茎海绵体组织块进行培养 ,获得CCSM后用光镜、透射电镜和免疫组化等多种方法从细胞形态学及CCSM生长特性等不同侧面对培养的人及新西兰家兔的CCSM进行鉴定 ,并测定CCSM在体外培养时的细胞增殖情况。　结果 :经 2 4h潜伏期 ,体外培养的CCSM进入指数增长期 ,维持约 96h后进入平台期 ;从接种组织块至长成单层细胞约需 15～ 2 0d ,传代后约 4～ 7d后长成单层 ;传代后的细胞增殖旺盛 ,成束状生长 ,并呈现层叠排列及“峰 谷”现象 ;CCSM在体外可稳定传 7～ 12代 ,传代期间其形态及增殖活性变化不明显 ;各种检测鉴定均证实所获细胞为CCSM。　结论 :CCSM原代细胞培养法简便、稳定、可靠 ,对研究阴茎的勃起机制及勃起功能障碍的发生、发展、调控及其治疗药物筛选有重要理论及现实意义。     

New insights into disease pathogenesis from mouse lupus genetics

Full manifestation of mouse lupus, similar to the human disease in its severe form, is characterized by elevated antinuclear autoantibody levels and the development of kidney disease. Considerable evidence supports a genetic basis for lupus. The functional dissection of susceptibility loci in multigenic mouse models of lupus has provided insight into the immune abnormalities associated with autoantibody production and other processes critical for inflammation and damage in the kidney. The elucidation of models with single-gene manipulations has also identified immune mechanisms in the pathway to lupus. Recent advances have challenged previously accepted truths and new layers of complexity have become apparent.     

Xylitol enhances bacterial killing in the rabbit maxillary sinus

OBJECTIVES: Factors that alter airway surface liquid (ASL) ionic concentrations may influence the course of sinusitis. Xylitol has been shown to effect ASL ionic composition in vitro and to reduce nasal bacterial carriage, otitis media, and dental caries in vivo. We examined the effect of xylitol on experimental sinusitis in the rabbit model. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective randomized controlled study of xylitol, saline, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa administration to the rabbit maxillary sinus. METHODS: P. aeruginosa was administered to the sinuses of 26 New Zealand white rabbits. Saline was placed in the left maxillary sinus and xylitol in the right. The rabbits were randomly assigned to one of three groups: one, simultaneous administration of bacteria and solutions with bacterial analysis at 20 minutes, 11 rabbits; two, preadministration of solutions 1 hour before bacterial infection with analysis at 20 minutes, 11 rabbits; three, established sinusitis, 4 rabbits had daily injections of solutions for 5 days starting 7 days after P. aeruginosa administration. RESULTS: In group 1, 6.96% of injected bacteria were retrieved on the left (saline), whereas 0.095% were retrieved on the right (xylitol) (P = .034). In group 2, 5.64% of inoculum was recovered from the left and 2.89% from the right (P = .188). Group 3 demonstrated evidence of sinusitis with recovery of noninoculate bacteria. with no difference between right and left. CONCLUSIONS: Xylitol reduces experimental sinusitis when administered simultaneously with bacteria. Its effect in established sinusitis is less clear. A role may exist for xylitol in nasal irrigation fluid in human disease.     

Determination of the critical concentration of neutrophils required to block bacterial growth in tissues

We showed previously that the competition between bacterial killing by neutrophils and bacterial growth in stirred serum-containing suspensions could be modeled as the competition between a first-order reaction (bacterial growth) and a second-order reaction (bacterial killing by neutrophils). The model provided a useful parameter, the critical neutrophil concentration (CNC), below which bacterial concentration increased and above which it decreased, independent of the initial bacterial concentration. We report here that this model applies to neutrophil killing of bacteria in three-dimensional fibrin matrices and in rabbit dermis. We measured killing of 10(3)-10(8) colony forming units/ml Staphylococcus epidermidis by 10(5)-10(8) human neutrophils/ml in fibrin gels. The CNC was approximately 4 x 10(6) neutrophils/ml gel in the presence of normal serum and approximately 1.6 x 10(7) neutrophils/ml gel in the presence of C5-deficient serum. Application of our model to published data of others on killing of approximately 5 x 10(7) to 2 x 10(8) E. coli/ml rabbit dermis yielded CNCs from approximately 4 x 10(6) to approximately 8 x 10(6) neutrophils/ml dermis. Thus, in disparate tissues and tissuelike environments, our model fits the kinetics of bacterial killing and gives similar lower limits (CNCs) to the neutrophil concentration required to control bacterial growth.     

Ad/CMV-hTGF-β1 treats rabbit intervertebral discs degeneration<Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis>

Summary  To investigate therapeutic efficiency of Ad/CMV-hTGF-β1 gene for rabbit intervertebral dise degeneration model. 60 Japanese white rabbits were selected to form the L5-L6 Anterior-Lateral-Anulus-Fibrosus-Incision-Induced model in order to simulate human intervertebral dise degeneration. 36 rabbits, whose corresponding intervertebral discs were injected with 20 μl (10×10⁶ pfu) of Ad CMV-hTGF-β1 gene, constituted the therapy group, 12 were injected with 20 μl (10×10⁶ pfu) of Ad CMV-LacZ gene as comparison group, while 12 were only injected with equivalent capacity of saline for empty comparison group, 3 weeks after injection, examples were taken for investigation of HE staining, MRI. Western Blotting and immunohistochemical research TGF-β1. Wide distribution of TGF-β1 was detected by immunohistochemical research in the degenerated annulus fibrosus after injection. Western Blotting research showed significant increase of TGF-β1 content in intervertebral dises treated with TGF-β1 gene than comparison groups. MRI signal transformed from low to comparatively high and that intervertebral dise pathological degree improved. Ad CMV-hTGF-β1 gene transfection is a potential method to increase TGF-β1 content and reverse intervertebral dise degeneration. ZHAN Zirui, male, born in 1970 Associate Professor The Project Sponsored by the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, Ministry of Education P.R.C. (No. [2001]345).