Developmental Toxicity of L-Selenomethionine in Macaca fascicularis

Forty pregnant long-tailed macaques were dosed via nasogastricintubation with 0, 25, 150, or 300 µg/kg of L-selenomethionine(Se) daily during organogenesis [Gestational Day (GD) 20–50].Clinical examination of the dams, maternal body weights, sonographicevaluations, clinical chemistry screens, and measures of serumprogesterone and urinary estrone conjugates were used as indicatorsof maternal and fetal status in all animals. The pregnanciesof two to three dams from each dose group were followed untilterm ({small tilde}GD 165); the remainder (N = 7/dose group)were scheduled for hysterotomy on GD 100 ± 2. A standardteratologic evaluation was performed including visceral andskeletal examinations. Fetal liver, kidney, skin, and smooth,cardiac, and skeletal muscles were examined by light microscopy;heart muscle was also evaluated by transmission electron microscopy.Neonates delivered at term remained with the dams and were removedperiodically for morphometric, neurologic, behavorial, and ophthalmologicassessments on Days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 30 of age. Dose-dependentmaternal toxicity as evidenced by anorexia, vomiting, and asignificant reduction in body weight increased with increasingduration of Se exposure. One growth-retarded fetus was recoveredon GD 131 from a compromised dam exposed to 25 /ig/kg-day; oneearly embryonic death (GD 35) and two fetal deaths [GD 68 (followedby maternal death) and GD 123] occurred among animals dosedwith 300 µg/kg-day. Pregnancy loss among treated animalswas not significantly different from concurrent or historicalcontrols. No statistically significant treatment-related effectswere observed at necropsy on GD 100 ± 2. One infant exposedto 150 Mg/kg-day prenatally exhibited a unilateral corticalcataract, which may have been a spontaneous occurrence. Thelimited developmental effects observed and reported teratogenesisin nonmammalian species suggest that comparative pharmacokineticstudies are required before the full public health significanceof elevated Se is understood.     

Maternal Stress in Caring for Children with Feeding Disabilities: Implications for Health Care Providers

The purposes of this study were to compare the stress experienced by mothers of children with feeding disorders to the stress experienced by mothers of children with other childhood disabilities, to compare the stress experienced by mothers of children who are tube-fed with that of mothers of children with disabilities who do not require tube feeding, to ascertain the types of stressors that mothers in both groups experience, and to determine their coping resources. Subjects were mothers of children with disabilities who had recently been discharged or were receiving outpatient care from a private rehabilitation facility in a Midwestern city. The Short Form of the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress instrument and open-ended questions developed by the researchers were used. Results were analyzed using analysis of variance. Results indicate that mothers of children requiring tube feeding experienced significantly greater stress than mothers of children with disabilities who do not require tube feedings. Mothers of children requiring tube feeding also receive less support from family and friends. To assist dietitians, other health care professionals, and university instructors in developing family-centered treatment programs, we recommend including fathers, friends, or relatives in the care and feeding process; discovering ways to include the tube-fed child in family mealtime activities; increasing public awareness of tube-feeding issues; organizing support groups; and educating dietetics students about the unique stresses experienced by mothers of children who are tube-fed.     

Effects of Continuous-Wave (670-nm) Red Light on Wound Healing

BACKGROUND Recent work suggests that injuries can heal faster if treated by lasers emitting 670-nm red light. LED lights emitting 670-nm light are now available. This suggests that inexpensive and easy-to-use 670-nm LED lights might help accelerate cutaneous wound healing.
OBJECTIVE The objective was to evaluate the effect of 670-nm LED light on wound healing in SKH-1 hairless mice.
METHODS To study 670-nm light effects on incisional injury, animals were left unexposed or exposed to equal doses of high-, medium-, or low-flux light. Burn injuries were treated with high-flux light or left unexposed. Healing was assessed by measurement of the burn area and the gap remaining to closure of incisional injury.
RESULTS Mice exposed to 670-nm red light showed significantly faster healing than control mice. High, medium, and low fluxes of light were all effective after incisional injury. In burn injury, there was improvement in wound healing initially, but the time to repair was unchanged.
CONCLUSIONS A 670-nm LED red light source accelerates healing in skin of SKH-1 hairless mice after incisional injuries, but is not as effective for burn injuries. These data that suggest red light exposure may be helpful in postoperative wound repair.     

Two year cumulative incidence of trunk abnormalities in a schoolpopulation in Rotterdam, The Netherlands

We conducted a study of the 2 year cumulative incidence of trunkabnormalities in a cohort of 3,071 11 year old children (1,621boys, 1,450 girls). The following data were recorded: height,weight, signs of puberty and menarche. Trunk abnormality wasassessed in the erect child (asymmetry of shoulders and waistline,imbalance of the trunk, scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis, swaybackand flexibility) and by the forward bending test (FBT) (ribhump or lumbar prominence, persisting scoliosis, kyphosis anddeviant lateral aspect). A normal FBT both at baseline and atfollow-up was found in 84% of the boys and in 79% of the girls.The 2 year cumulative incidence of an abnormal FBT was 10% inboys and 13% in girls.