Private business: the uptake of confidential HIV testing in remote aboriginal communities on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands

Bacterial populations associated with three sample types from the neck region of poultry carcasses in the dirty area of an abattoir were characterized. Sample types before and after scalding were skin only, feathers only, and a skin and feather combination. The neck skin of carcasses after the defeathering processing stage was also sampled. Bacterial populations associated with water from the scald tank, rubber fingers at the exit of the defeathering machine, and air in the dirty area were also characterized. Bacterial colonies (751) were randomly isolated from yeast extract-supplemented tryptone soya agar plates exhibiting 30 to 300 colonies. Micrococcus spp. were isolated in the highest proportion from pre-and postscalded carcass samples (63.5 to 86.1% of isolates), regardless of the sample type. Conversely, Enterobacteriaceae (40.3%), Acinetobacter (19.4%), and Aeromonas/Vibrio (12.5%) species predominated on neck skin samples taken from mechanically defeathered carcasses. Isolates from the rubber fingers were, however, predominantly Micrococcus spp. (94.4%). Bacterial groups isolated in the highest proportion from scald tank water samples were Micrococcus spp. (38.3%), species of Enterobacteriaceae (29.1%), and lactic acid bacteria (17.0%). Corynebacterium spp., species of Enterobacteriaceae, and Micrococcus spp. were dominant on air settle plates.     

Anticonvulsant and glutamate release-inhibiting properties of the highly potent metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist (2S,2''R, 3''R)-2-(2'',3''-dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine (DCG-IV)

IgA has an important function in the gastrointestinal immune system. We investigated IgA anti-ganglioside antibodies in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and Fisher's syndrome (FS) subsequent to Campylobacter jejuni enteritis. In previous studies, serological diagnosis of C. jejuni infection was based on the detection of IgG, IgA, and IgM anti-C. jejuni antibodies. Our study, however, showed that the detection of IgG anti-C. jejuni antibody alone was sufficient for the serological diagnosis of antecedent C. jejuni enteritis in GBS and FS, when the cut-off level was defined for results of sera from C. jejuni-isolated patients. Serological evidence of C. jejuni infection was found in 62 (31%) of 201 GBS patients and 12 (18%) of 65 FS patients. IgA anti-GMI antibody was detected in sera from 33 (16%) of the GBS patients, 1 (2%) of the FS patients, and none of the 46 normal control subjects. IgA anti-GM1 antibody titers were significantly higher in the GBS patients with positive C. jejuni serology than in those with negative serology (P < 0.0001) or the FS patients with positive C. jejuni serology (P = 0.007). IgA anti-GQ1b antibody was detected in sera from 18 (28%) of the FS patients, 9 (4%) of the GBS patients, and none of the normal control subjects. FS patients with positive C. jejuni serology had significantly higher titers of IgA anti-GQ1b antibody than those with negative serology (P = 0.01) or the GBS patients with positive C. jejuni serology (P < 0.0001). We conclude that anti-GM1 and anti-GQ1b IgA antibodies are closely associated with antecedent C. jejuni enteritis in GBS and FS, respectively.     

Malignant mucosal melanoma of the head and neck: review of the literature and report of 14 patients

BACKGROUND: Fortunately, primary malignant mucosal melanoma of the head and neck is a rare entity. A paucity of data elucidating the predictive factors as well as the unpredictable and aggressive biologic behavior of mucosal melanoma compound the vexing clinical situation. This review summarizes what the literature reveals about the epidemiology, patient survival, patterns of local recurrence, and local and distant metastasis of the disease. Over 1000 patients with this disease have been reported. Survivals at 5 and 10 years is 17% and 5%, respectively. Approximately 19% of patients present with lymph node metastasis and another 16% develop lymph node metastases after treatment, whereas 10% present with distant metastasis. Local metastasis does not affect survival; this is in sharp contrast with skin melanoma. Over 50% of patients experience local treatment failure, and salvage treatment is effective in only 25% of these cases. Local failure is the harbinger of distant metastases. Patients with nasal mucosal melanoma have a 31% 5-year survival rate, whereas sinus melanoma patients fare poorly, with a 0% rate of 5-year survival. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective review of 14 patients with characteristics similar to those in the literature in terms of outcome. RESULTS: The 5-year survival rate for these patients was 14%. Whole-body positron emission tomography was performed on 3 patients to detect metastatic disease. The patterns of local recurrence, distant metastasis, and survival for these patients were compared with the same data for patients described in the literature. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery appears to have the greatest efficacy in the management of mucosal melanoma, although radiation therapy may play an increasingly important role in the future.     

Estimation of Koc values for deuterated benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene, and application to ground water contamination studies

Sorption partition coefficients between water and organic carbon (Koc) for deuterated benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene have been estimated by measuring values of the octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) and HPLC retention factors (k1), which correlate closely to values of Koc. Measured values of log Kow for non-deuterated and deuterated toluene are 2.77 (+/- 0.02) and 2.78 (+/- 0.04), respectively, indicating that within experimental error, log Koc for deuterated and non-deuterated toluene are the same. The HPLC method provides greater precision, and yields values of delta log Koc (= log Koc [deuterated]-log Koc [non-deuterated]) of -0.021 (+/- 0.001) for benzene, -0.028 (+/- 0.002) for toluene, and -0.035 (+/- 0.003) for ethylbenzene. The small values of delta log Koc demonstrates that deuterated compounds are excellent tracers for the hydrologic behavior of ground water contaminants.     

Regulated binding of the protein kinase C substrate GAP-43 to the V0/C2 region of protein kinase C-delta

The interaction between protein kinase C-delta and its neuronal substrate, GAP-43, was studied. Two forms of protein kinase C-delta were isolated from COS cells and characterized by differences in gel mobility, GAP-43 binding, and specific GAP-43 and histone kinase activities. A slow migrating, low specific activity form of protein kinase C-delta bound directly to immobilized GAP-43. Binding was abolished in the presence of EGTA, suggesting Ca2+ dependence of the interaction. The free catalytic domain of protein kinase C-delta did not bind GAP-43, suggesting the existence of a binding site in the regulatory domain. Glutathione S-transferase-protein kinase C-delta regulatory domain fusion proteins were generated and tested for binding to GAP-43. The V0/C2-like amino-terminal domain was defined as the GAP-43-binding site. GAP-43 binding to this region is inhibited by EGTA and regulated at Ca2+ levels between 10(-7) and 10(-6) M. The interaction between protein kinase C-delta and GAP-43 was studied in intact cells by coexpression of the two proteins in human embryonic kidney cells followed by immunoprecipitation. Complex formation occurred only after treatment of the cells with the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin, indicating that elevation of intracellular Ca2+ is required for interaction in vivo. It is concluded that protein kinase C-delta interacts with GAP-43 through the V0/C2-like domain, outside the catalytic site, and that this interaction is modulated by intracellular Ca2+.     

Assessment of the dysexecutive syndrome in schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: Cognitive neuropsychological theories hypothesize a role for frontal lobe executive deficits in the aetiology of schizophrenic symptoms. The study examined the performance of a schizophrenic group on the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS; Wilson et al. 1996), a test battery which assesses the 'everyday' difficulties associated with the dysexecutive syndrome. Performance of the schizophrenics was contrasted with that of brain injured and healthy volunteer groups. METHODS: Matched groups of 31 schizophrenic patients, 35 patients with brain injuries and 26 healthy volunteers were administered the BADS. Patients were also given tests of general intelligence and memory. Patients and their relatives/carers also completed a questionnaire rating day-to-day failures of executive functioning. RESULTS: Schizophrenic and brain-injured patients showed impairment on the BADS, compared to healthy controls. There were no significant differences between the two patient groups. Significant impairment was found in a subgroup of 16 schizophrenics who showed otherwise intact general intellectual functioning, suggesting the existence of a specific executive deficit. Among the schizophrenic patient group there was evidence of a dissociation between executive and memory impairments. A significant correlation existed between performance on the BADS and relatives ratings of executive problems for the brain injured group, but not for the schizophrenic group. CONCLUSIONS: The BADS is a useful tool for identifying executive deficits in people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, especially those who are otherwise generally intellectually intact. This is particularly important in the context of rehabilitation and community transition programmes.     

Expression of the opioid growth factor, [Met5]-enkephalin, and the zeta opioid receptor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Heterogeneity of DNA content in multiple hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) was investigated by flow cytometry in 62 tumours from 26 patients who had undergone surgical treatment for multiple synchronous HCCs. Heterogeneity of DNA content was defined (a) when tumours had a different DNA ploidy pattern or (b) when the difference in the DNA index of the aneuploid clone was more than 0.1. A tumour with DNA aneuploidy was observed in 17 (66%) of the 26 patients. Heterogeneity of the DNA content was demonstrated in 12 (46%) out of 26 patients: in ten cases by definition (a) and in two cases by definition (b). Histological examination revealed that, of the 12 patients with a heterogeneous tumour DNA content, seven (58%) had a heterogeneous and the remaining five (42%) had a homogeneous type and grade of differentiation among the tumours, showing the absence of a relationship between histological heterogeneity and DNA content. The present results suggest the clinical relevance of DNA content analysis for identifying the clonal origin of multiple HCCs.