Biological effects of continuous exposure of embryos and young chickens to electromagnetic fields emitted by video display units

The effects of continuous exposure of embryos and young chickens to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emitted by video display units (VDUs) were investigated. Embryos and brood were continuously exposed during embryonic and postembryonic phases to EMFs emitted by two types of VDU (TV or computer). Embryonic mortality was evaluated in three independent experiments. Young chickens were immunized three times by porcine thyroglobulin (Tg). Blood samples were assayed after each immunization for specific anti-Tg antibodies (IgG), plasma corticosterone (CORT), and plasma melatonin (MLT). In the sham-exposed samples, embryonic death (10-33%) was restricted to the perinatal period and the IgG, CORT, and MLT responses of young chickens crested after the second immunization. Constant EMF exposure was accompanied by significantly increased fetal loss (47-68%) and markedly depressed levels of circulating anti-Tg IgG, CORT, and MLT. Collectively, these findings indicate that continuous exposure to EMFs, issuing from VDUs, adversely affects embryos and young chickens.     

Comparison of Roth appliance and standard edgewise appliance treatment results

The effect of the betamethasone sodium phosphate (BSP) enema on the colonic mucosal lesions in the carrageenan induced colitis (rabbit) was examined laboratory and histologically. The effect of drugs were evaluated by the changes of body weight, fecal occult blood, blood analysis, and histological examinations. Fecal occult blood were highly positive in the physiological saline treated but less positive in the BSP groups. In the blood analysis, anemia was not detected in both groups. Histological findings such as the defect of superficial epithelium, crypt abscess, inflammatory cell infiltration, atrophic changes, defect of muscularis mucosae, goblet cell depletion, goblet cell depletion, ulcer formation, and edematous change were scored to evaluate the colonic mucosal lesions. These scores (Mean +/- S.D.) were 4.4 +/- 1.96, 7.7 +/- 3.67 for BSP, physiological saline groups respectively. From these results, BSP enema showed an antiulcerative effect on the entire colonic lesions in the carrageenan induced colitis in the rabbit.     

Induction of cyclooxygenase-2 expression by peroxisome proliferators and non-tetradecanoylphorbol 12,13-myristate-type tumor promoters in immortalized mouse liver cells

Increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the rate-limiting enzyme in prostaglandin synthesis, has been associated with growth regulation and carcinogenesis in several systems. COX-2 is known to be induced by cytokines and the skin tumor promoter 12-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-myristate (TPA). In the present study, we investigated the effects of several non-TPA-type tumor promoters on COX-2 expression in immortalized mouse liver cells. Specifically, we tested peroxisome proliferators (PPs), which are rodent liver tumor promoters that cause gross alterations in cellular lipid metabolism, the rodent liver tumor promoter phenobarbital, and the skin tumor promoters okadaic acid and thapsigargin. The PPs Wy-14643, mono-ethylhexyl phthalate, clofibrate, ciprofibrate ethyl ester, and eicosatetraynoic acid each caused large increases in COX-2 mRNA and protein, with maximal expression seen approximately 10 h after treatment of quiescent cells. COX-2 expression was also induced by thapsigargin, okadaic acid, and calcium ionophore A23187, but not by phenobarbital or the steroid PP dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. Induction of COX-2 expression generally resulted in increased synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). However, the PPs caused little or no increase in PGE2 levels, and they inhibited serum-induced PGE2 synthesis. Unlike non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the PPs do not directly inhibit cyclooxygenase enzyme activity in vitro. Thus, PPs regulate prostaglandin metabolism via both positive (COX-2 induction) and inhibitory mechanisms. In summary, the strong induction of COX-2 expression by PPs, thapsigargin, and okadaic acid suggests a possible role for COX-2 in the growth regulatory activity of these non-TPA-type tumor promoters.     

Rural sex education: assessment of programs and interagency collaboration

The purposes of this study were to assess the sex education programs offered in three rural Ohio counties, the agencies involved, and the extent to which agencies collaborated, and to compare interagency collaboration across counties. This cross-sectional study occurred in two phases. Using key-informant interviews (n = 85), Phase 1 identified current programs. Phase 2 assessed interagency collaboration via a mailed survey (n = 116). Results indicated that there were five to nine sex education programs per county, each involving five to eight agencies. Sex education was offered inside and outside of schools; programs were available to keep pregnant/parenting youth in school, enhance self-esteem, provide parenting education to teens, and advocate for abstinence. Sex education also occurred via a newsletter and an adolescent health conference, and in various clinics. Minimal collaboration was noted among agencies providing these programs. Public health nurses are ideally situated to identify current programs and agencies involved and form an interagency group to plan and implement comprehensive, collaborative sex education programs for youth. Further research is needed to longitudinally assess the impact of such program development on interagency collaboration, teen sexual activity, and pregnancy rates.     

Real-time analysis of immunogen complex reaction kinetics using surface plasmon resonance

The role of the N-terminal sequence of myeloperoxidase in the intracellular targeting was examined by using glycosylated lysozyme as a reporter. A fusion protein was constructed in which the presequence residues-18 through -6 of the lysozyme moiety had been replaced by residues 1-158 of prepromyeloperoxidase. Expression of the fusion protein in Chinese hamster ovary cells demonstrated its partial secretion and partial intracellular retention. The latter was accompanied by trimming the myeloperoxidase prosequence off the lysozyme moiety. The rate of the retention of the lysozyme fusion protein was higher than that of glycosylated lysozyme that had been expressed in cells transfected with cDNA of glycosylated lysozyme. The retention was insensitive to NH4Cl. In the secreted protein, lysozyme contained predominantly complex oligosaccharides as demonstrated by a proteolytic fragmentation in vitro and resistance to endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H. In contrast, when targeted to lysosomes, the lysozyme moiety of the fusion protein contained predominantly mannose-rich oligosaccharides. In baby hamster kidney cells, the trimming of the oligosaccharides in the lysozyme fragment was less vigorous, and a selective targeting of molecules bearing mannose-rich oligosaccharides to lysosomes was more apparent than in Chinese hamster ovary cells. In the presence of monensin, the formation of complex oligosaccharides in the fusion protein and its secretion were strongly inhibited, whereas the intracellular fragmentation was not. We suggest that the prosequence of myeloperoxidase participates in the intracellular routing of the precursor and that this routing operates on precursors bearing mannose-rich rather than terminally glycosylated oligosaccharides and diverts them from the secretory pathway at a site proximal to the monensin-sensitive compartment of the Golgi apparatus.     

Adenovirus-mediated dystrophin minigene transfer improves muscle strength in adult dystrophic (MDX) mice

Tablets have been prepared at known compaction force from three types of pellets in different proportions: (1) pellets containing 80% theophylline as a model drug coated with different thicknesses of a polymer film coat, (2) pellets containing glyceryl monostearate as a deformable material, and (3) pellets containing a disintegrant. The breaking load, friability, disintegration and drug release properties were evaluated, the latter as a mean dissolution time (MDT) and its variance (VDT). The mechanism of dissolution was assessed from the value of the relative dispersion (RD) of the mean dissolution time. The possible relationship between the properties of the pellets and those of the tablets was evaluated by canonical analysis followed by multiple regression analysis. It was found that only about 51% of the tablet properties could be predicted from the properties of the pellets. The quantitative relationship between pellet properties and tablet properties was found to vary in type and level of quality. Reduction of breaking load, friability and disintegration was less predictable than that of dissolution represented as the MDT. The values of RD for the different preparations clearly identified those preparations where the film coat still retained control of the dissolution process. Such formulations contained at least 40% of soft pellets and coated pellets with at least a weight gain of 8%.