Serum cholesterol, fat intake, and breakfast consumption in the United States adult population

Morgan et al demonstrated that adults who consumed ready-to-eat cereals had significantly lower fat and cholesterol intakes than those who ate other foods at breakfast. Not discussed in that study was the effect of breakfast consumption habits on serum cholesterol levels. The NHANES II study of 11,864 adults was used to both verify the Morgan et al results with a different sample and to extend that research by including serum cholesterol. The analysis disclosed that serum cholesterol levels are lowest among adults eating a breakfast that includes ready-to-eat cereal and highest among breakfast skippers.     

Danazol administration after gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue reduces rebound of uterine myomas [published erratum appears in Hum Reprod 1998 Mar;13(3):780]

We report the results of administration of danazol after suspension of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa) therapy for uterine myomas. A total of 21 women with uterine myomas was treated with 100 mg danazol for 6 months after GnRHa therapy. Uterine volume and endocrine status were monitored monthly by ultrasound and assay of plasma gonadotrophins, oestradiol and progesterone. The results show a rebound of uterine volume about 30% less than in controls at the end of danazol therapy. Menstrual cyclicity returned after 65 +/- 3 days in 16 subjects and five patients remained amenorrhoeic. Hormone assays confirmed renewed ovarian function in the women whose menstrual periods returned. Bone mineral content was substantially reduced during GnRHa treatment but improved significantly during danazol therapy even in the women who remained amenorrhoeic. These results show the utility of danazol in prolonging the therapeutic effects of GnRHa. The mechanism by which danazol inhibits rebound of uterine volume may be due to its antiprogesterone effects on uterine myomas.      

Pneumothorax and other lung diseases: effect of altered resolution and edge enhancement on diagnosis with digitized radiographs

Prior studies have shown that pneumothorax is one of the more difficult entities to diagnose with digitized radiography. This study was designed to test whether increasing resolution from 1.25 to 2.5 line pairs per millimeter (lp/mm) and image processing (edge enhancement from unsharp masking) would increase accuracy and confidence in the diagnosis of pneumothorax, as well as normal cases and other forms of lung disease. Conventional radiographs were digitized with use of a laser reader and then reformatted as film hard copy. Eleven observers read 35 cases reformatted in three different ways (1.25 lp/mm, 2.5 lp/mm, 1.25 lp/mm unsharp mask). The images with finer resolution (2.5 lp/mm) and unsharp mask images were superior to those with coarser resolution (1.25 lp/mm) for the diagnosis of pneumothorax. There was no difference in diagnostic accuracy for normal patients. For abnormalities other than pneumothorax, the unsharp mask images were significantly worse. Confidence in the diagnosis of pneumothorax and other abnormalities was highest with the finest resolution (2.5 lp/mm).     

Characterization of antibody and selection of alternative drug therapy in hydrochlorothiazide-induced immune hemolytic anemia

The authors report the clinical and laboratory findings of a patient who had severe immune hemolytic anemia due to hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). In this case, the HCTZ antibody reacted not only with other thiazide and thiazide-like drugs, but also with a chemically unrelated diuretic, ethacrynic acid. These results indicate that HCTZ antibody activity is not restricted solely to the thiazides and imply that therapy with any of the reactive drugs would be contraindicated for this patient. The serologic screening for drug reactivity may be useful for selecting alternative therapy for patients with drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia.     

Segmental distribution and peptide content of primary afferent neurons innervating the urogenital organs and colon of male rats.

Many visceral afferent neurons contain peptides, which have been proposed as histochemical markers for nerve pathways of particular targets or as transmitter candidates. The former possibility was investigated in the present study. Primary afferent neurons which project to the urinary bladder, distal colon or penis of rats, and the colon of cats were labelled with retrogradely transported fluorescent dyes (Fast Blue, True Blue, or Fluoro Gold). One to six weeks after dye injection into the organs, lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia were removed, treated with colchicine, and processed for immunohistochemical identification of five peptides. Dye-labelled neurons were distributed in an organ-specific manner in the lower lumbosacral ganglia, where colon afferent neurons were almost exclusively found in S1 ganglia, penis neurons primarily in L6, and bladder neurons at both levels. Substance P- (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide-(CGRP), vasoactive intestinal peptide- (VIP), enkephalin- (ENK), and somatostatin- (SOM) immunoreactivity (IR) were detected in neurons in all lumbosacral ganglia but only some of these peptides were present in a large percentage of labelled neurons. The numbers of peptide-containing neurons innervating each organ were CGRP greater than SP greater than VIP greater than ENK greater than SOM; however some differences were observed in the relative proportions of these neuronal populations between upper lumbar and lower lumbosacral ganglia and between different organs. The major difference seen at the upper lumbar level was amongst the SP-IR neurons, which were common (25-30%) amongst bladder and colon afferent neurons but absent in penis neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Inhibition of 2-nitropropane-induced rat liver DNA and RNA damage by benzyl selenocyanate

We observed that pretreatment of male F344 rats with benzyl selenocyanate, a versatile organoselenium chemopreventive agent in several animal model systems, decreases the levels of DNA and RNA modifications produced in the liver by the hepatocarcinogen 2- nitropropane. To clarify the mechanisms involved, we pretreated male F344 rats with either benzyl selenocyanate, its sulfur analog benzyl thiocyanate, phenobarbital or cobalt protoporphyrin IX; the latter is a depletor of P450. We then determined (1) the ability of liver microsomes to denitrify 2-nitropropane, (2) effects on 2-nitropropane- induced liver DNA and RNA modifications and (3) amount of nitrate excreted in rat urine following administration of the carcinogen. Pretreatment with benzyl selenocyanate or phenobarbital increased the denitrification activity of liver microsomes by 217 and 765%, respectively, increased liver P4502B1 by 31- and 435-fold, respectively, decreased the levels of 2-nitropropane-induced modifications in liver DNA (29-70% and 17-30%, respectively) and RNA (67-85% and 30-50%, respectively), and increased the 24-h urinary excretion of nitrate by 157 and 209%, respectively. Pretreatment with benzyl thiocyanate had no significant effect on any of these parameters. Pretreatment with cobalt protoporphyrin IX decreased liver P4502B 1 by 87%, decreased the denitrification activity of liver microsomes by 76%, decreased the 24 h urinary excretion of nitrate by 88.5%, but increased the extent of 2-nitropropane-induced liver nucleic acid modifications by 17-67%. These results indicate that the metabolic sequence from 2-nitropropane to the reactive species causing DNA and RNA modifications does not involve the removal of the nitro group. Moreover, they suggest that benzyl selenocyanate inhibits 2-NP-induced liver nucleic acid modifications in part by increasing its detoxication through induction of denitrification, although it is evident that other mechanisms must also be involved.      

Innervation of the monotreme gastrointestinal tract: A study of peptide and catecholamine distribution

The distribution of neurons and endocrine cells containing various peptides or catecholamines was examined in the digestive tracts of the echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) and the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus). Comparisons were made with published studies in other species in order to obtain a broader view of the phylogenetic distribution and possible functions of gut peptides and catecholamines. Further comparisons between the echidna and platypus were made in light of their different dietary features and gut histology. The distribution of neurons and axons containing catecholamines or various peptides resembled that in other species (such as the frequent appearance of axons containing substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide in the intestinal mucosa, and axons containing substance P or enkephalins in the circular muscle). In both species, the stomach histologically resembles the esophagus, being aglandular and lined with stratified squamous epithelium. Innervation of these two organs was similar but not identical, with a greater array of peptides found in the gastric muscle. The intestinal mucosa was densely innervated in both species. The platypus small intestine is unusual in having a thick and deeply folded mucosa (but no villi), in which the superficial epithelium is absent or incomplete at many sites; many axons travel close to these luminal surfaces. Many (putative noradrenergic) axons associated with blood vessels contained neuropeptide Y, but there was no evidence for intrinsic catecholamine-containing neurons. Somatostatin and cholecystokinin were present in some endocrine cells, but unlike many mammals, absent in neuronal tissue. These studies have shown that there are many strong similarities between monotremes and other mammals in the distribution and array of peptides found within nervous and endocrine tissues of the digestive tract. However, numerous small differences of the echidna and platypus innervation may be correlated with their different digestive structures. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.