The effect of Trypanosoma vivax infection on late pregnancy and postpartum return to cyclicity in Boran cattle

A study was designed to examine the effect of infection with Trypanosoma vivax KETRI 2501 on the maintenance of pregnancy and postpartum return to reproductive function in susceptible Galana (n = 6) and trypano-tolerant Orma Boran (n = 6) heifers during the third trimester of pregnancy. Of the 12 study animals, 3 Galana and 3 Orma Boran heifers served as controls. One of 3 Galana heifers calved prematurely with subsequent perinatal loss. Of the 2 heifers that produced live calves, 1 calf died shortly after birth, while the other survived. Two of 3 Orma heifers calved prematurely and all 3 calves died shortly after birth. The 6 control heifers produced live calves at term, all of which survived. Infection with T. vivax during the third trimester of pregnancy delayed the resumption of ovarian activity after calving, with the Ormas taking a significantly (P < 0.05) shorter time from calving to ovulation. There was no clear evidence that premature birth was associated with pathological changes in reproductive organs. Results from this study demonstrated that infection with pathogenic T. vivax during late pregnancy influenced the outcome of pregnancy in both susceptible Galana and trypano-tolerant Orma Boran heifers, resulting in premature births, perinatal loss, retained placentae, low birth weights and a prolonged period to the onset of postpartum ovarian activity.     

Improved survival of patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia treated with plasma exchange.

Plasma exchange was undertaken in five patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia at intervals of two weeks for a mean of 8.4 years. These patients had survived an average of 5.5 years longer than their five respective homozygous siblings (p = 0.3), each of whom must have had a matching genetic defect but who died untreated. The 37% decrease in peak serum cholesterol concentrations maintained by plasma exchange presumably reduced progression of atherosclerosis in the treated patients and thus lessened their risk of premature death.     

Sublethal heat shock induces premature senescence rather than apoptosis in human mesenchymal stem cells

Stem cells in adult organism are responsible for cell turnover and tissue regeneration. The study of stem cell stress response contributes to our knowledge on the mechanisms of damaged tissue repair. Previously, we demonstrated that sublethal heat shock (HS) induced apoptosis in human embryonic stem cells. This study aimed to investigate HS response of human adult stem cells. Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) cultivated in vitro were challenged with sublethal HS. It was found that sublethal HS did not affect the cell viability assessed by annexin V/propidium staining. However, MSCs subjected to severe HS exhibited features of stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS): irreversible cell cycle arrest, altered morphology, increased expression of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity, and induction of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 protein. High level of Hsp70 accumulation induced by sublethal HS did not return to the basal level, at least, after 72 h of the cell recovery when most cells exhibited SIPS hallmarks. MSCs survived sublethal HS, and resumed proliferation sustained the properties of parental MSCs: diploid karyotype, replicative senescence, expression of the cell surface markers, and capacity for multilineage differentiation. Our results showed for the first time that in human MSCs, sublethal HS induced premature senescence rather than apoptosis or necrosis. MSC progeny that survived sublethal HS manifested stem cell properties of the parental cells: limited replicative life span and multilineage capacity.     

Studies of Male Survivors of Myocardial Infarction: VI. The Electrocardiogram

Electrocardiograms of 101 men who survived myocardial infarction for at least three months and were free of hypertension, heart failure and other significant disease were analyzed. Within the range of 30 to 70 years, age had no apparent influence on the ECG. Six ECGs were borderline, 79 were abnormal and 16 had returned to normal. Of those with the pattern of infarction, 56 were transmural and 22 nontransmural. For all cases, posterior involvement was somewhat more common than anterior (46 to 32), but it was less common in non-transmural infarction. Ventricular premature beats, always unifocal and few in number, were the only abnormality in rhythm. Atrial fibrillation was conspicuously absent. There were four instances of complete left bundle-branch block. No evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy was seen. The clinical significance of these observations is briefly discussed.     

A FIVE-YEAR STUDY OF PREMATURITY

To get a comprehensive picture of prematurity and neonatal death or survival, all factors on the maternal and fetal records that might be pertinent were recorded. This information, having to do with factors such as age, gravida of the mother, blood group incompatibility, period of gestation, weight at birth, type of delivery, medication and anesthesia administered to the mother, is presented in tabular form.In the study of perinatal mortality it was noted that failure to establish normal pulmonary ventilation is the most common cause of death in the neonatal period. Maternal history of relative infertility, that is, previous abortions, stillbirths and premature deliveries, was the most impressive finding in the stillborn series.In the follow-up study of premature infants who survived the neonatal period, 8.5 per cent were found to be severely handicapped. In four cases the handicap was due to congenital anomalies, in two others probably to infection, leaving 12 with complications possibly ascribable to prematurity. Six of these had retrolental fibroplasia as a major handicap. In seven, mental retardation was the presenting problem. Most of the handicapped children had multiple handicaps, which included spasticity, delayed motor development, strabismus, etc. The incidence of the necessity for corrective measures for feet and legs appeared relatively high.In general, survivors compared favorably with the rest of the childhood population. Complications and twinning were associated inordinately often.     

Genetic parameters and correlations of collar rot resistance with important biochemical and yield traits in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.)

Collar rot, caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn, is one of the most severe fungal diseases of opium poppy. In this study, heritability, genetic advance and correlation for 10 agronomic, 1 physiological, 3 biochemical and 1 chemical traits with disease severity index (DSI) for collar rot were assessed in 35 accessions of opium poppy. Most of the economically important characters, like seed and capsule straw yield per plant, oil and protein content of seeds, peroxidase activity in leaves, morphine content of capsule straw and DSI for collar rot showed high heritability as well as genetic advance. Highly significant negative correlation between DSI and seed yield clearly shows that as the disease progresses in plants, seed yield declines, chiefly due to premature death of infected plants as well as low seed and capsule setting in the survived population of susceptible plants. Similarly, a highly significant negative correlation between peroxidase activity and DSI indicated that marker-assisted selection of disease-resistant plants based on high peroxidase activity would be effective and survived susceptible plants could be removed from the population to stop further spread.     

Effects of fenoxycarb on ovarian development, spring fecundity and longevity in winterform pear psylla

The insect growth regulator fenoxycarb prompts ovarian development in diapausing winterform pear psylla, Cacopsylla pyricola (Förster) (Homoptera: Psyllidae). We applied fenoxycarb to caged psylla in September, November, and December to test whether premature ovarian development reduced overwintering survival, spring fecundity, or spring longevity. Fenoxycarb prompted ovarian development in all treated psylla, with the largest effects occurring in the September-treated insects. Recovery of live psylla in spring was 46–95% in treated insects and 72–92% in controls; overwintered insects from the fenoxycarb treatment survived field temperatures below –20°C despite having had mature ovaries. Fecundity and longevity of psylla were the same in treated and untreated insects, indicating that overwintering with mature ovaries did not cause reduced spring egglaying capacity. Several treated insects each deposited over 1900 eggs and survived more than 120 days. Due to their more advanced development, treated insects had higher oviposition rates than controls during the first 5 days after removal from the field. The largest impact on spring fitness was due to the effects of fenoxycarb on egg hatch. Eggs deposited on clean foliage by September-treated females were less likely to hatch than eggs deposited by controls, suggesting that fenoxycarb affected developing eggs within the female. Prospects for using fenoxycarb in fall to control pear psylla appear to be limited.     

Premature labor and indomethacin.

Administration of indomethacin to 29 women in the 26th--37th week of gestation with premature labor contractions was followed in 26 by a significant decrease of uterine activity. The effect of therapy was monitored by serial external tocometry recordings and by plasma concentrations of estriol, h.P.L., alpha-fetoprotein, and estriol/creatinine ratio in urine. The labor was monitored by cardiotocography; the new born infants were examined by the pediatrician. Following oral indomethacin treatment (25 mg every 6 Hours for 5 days) no untoward effects was observed on maternal and fetal wellbeing during pregnancy and labor. Four out 29 newborn infants, all appropriate for gestational age of 36--40 weeks, had one-minute Apgar scores less than 7, cyanosis, tachypnea, hypoxemia and serious oxygen dependency for several days. All the infant survived. These abnormalities may be due to short-term exposure to indomethacin and consequent inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase, impairement of prostaglandin-dependent physiological regulation of vessel tone during fetal life and circulatory disorders at birth.     

Premature labor and indomethacin

Administration of indomethacin to 29 women in the 26th–37th week of gestation with premature labor contractions was followed in 26 by a significant decrease of uterine activity. The effect of therapy was monitored by serial external tocometry recordings and by plasma concentrations of estriol, h.P.L., alpha-fetoprotein, and estriol/creatinine ratio in urine. The labor was monitored by cardiotocography; the newborn infants were examined by the pediatrician. Following oral indomethacin treatment (25 mg every 6 Hours for 5 days) no untoward effects was observed on maternal and fetal wellbeing during pregnancy and labor. Four out 29 newborn infants, all appropriate for gestational age of 36–40 weeks, had one-minute Apgar scores less than 7, cyanosis, tachypnea, hypoxemia and serious oxygen dependency for several days. All the infant survived. These abnormalities may be due to short-term exposure to indomethacin and consequent inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase, impairement of prostaglandin-dependent physiological regulation of vessel tone during fetal life and circulatory disorders at birth.     

Variability in the cadherin gene in an Ostrinia nubilalis strain selected for Cry1Ab resistance

Transgenic corn expressing Cry1Ab (a Bacillus thuringiensis toxin) is highly effective in the control of Ostrinia nubilalis. For its toxic action, Cry1Ab has to bind to specific insect midgut proteins. To date, in three Lepidoptera species resistance to a Cry1A toxin has been conferred by mutations in cadherin, a protein of the Lepidoptera midgut membrane. The implication of cadherin in the resistance of an Ostrinia nubilalis colony (Europe-R) selected with Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protoxin was investigated. Several major mutations in the cadherin (cdh) gene were found, which introduced premature termination codons and/or large deletions (ranging from 1383 to 1701 bp). The contribution of these major mutations to the resistance was analyzed in resistant individuals that survived exposure to a high concentration of Cry1Ab protoxin. The results indicated that the presence of major mutations was drastically reduced in individuals that survived exposure. Previous inheritance experiments with the Europe-R strain indicated the involvement of more than one genetic locus and reduced amounts of the cadherin receptor. The results of the present work support a polygenic inheritance of resistance in the Europe-R strain, in which mutations in the cdh gene would contribute to resistance by means of an additive effect.     

Listeria Monocytogenes Infections in Metropolitan Toronto: A Clinicopathological Study

The clinical and laboratory findings in 21 patients with listeriosis are described and the subject is reviewed. Eleven of the infections were septicemias of newborns, eight were meningitis in infants or adults, and two other children had unusual manifestations.Neonatal septicemia was rapidly fatal; one of 11 infants survived. The disease often seemed traceable to mild maternal infection during the third trimester usually leading to premature delivery of critically ill babies. Only awareness of the possible presence of listeriosis and early antibiotic therapy seem capable of reducing this high mortality.Tissues from autopsies showed characteristic microscopic necrotic foci with mononuclear infiltration progressing to microabscesses containing small Gram-positive rods. Lesions were found in the one placenta examined.Five infants with meningitis recovered, and one of three affected adults. Specific diagnosis depends on demonstrating Listeria monocytogenes; differentiation from other forms of acute meningitis cannot be made clinically.One older child had septicemia and another had listerial pharyngitis. Both recovered.     

Heat shock induces apoptosis in human embryonic stem cells but a premature senescence phenotype in their differentiated progeny

Embryonic stem cells (ESC) are able to self-renew and to differentiate into any cell type. To escape error transmission to future cell progeny, ESC require robust mechanisms to ensure genomic stability. It was stated that stress defense of mouse and human ESC against oxidative stress and irradiation is superior compared with differentiated cells. Here, we investigated heat shock response of human ESC (hESC) and their differentiated progeny. Fibroblast-like cells were generated by spontaneous hESC differentiation via embryoid bodies. Like normal human diploid fibroblasts, these cells have a finite lifespan in culture, undergo replicative senescence and die. We found that sublethal heat shock affected survival of both cell types, but in hESC it induced apoptosis, whereas in differentiated cells it produced cell cycle arrest and premature senescence phenotype. Heat shock survived hESC and differentiated cells restored the properties of initial cells. Heated hESC progeny exhibited pluripotent markers and the capacity to differentiate into the cells of three germ layers. Fibroblast-like cells resisted heat shock, proliferated for a limited number of passages and entered replicative senescence as unheated parental cells. Taken together, these results show for the first time that both hESC and their differentiated derivatives are sensitive to heat shock, but the mechanisms of their stress response are different: hESC undergo apoptosis, whereas differentiated cells under the same conditions exhibit stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS) phenotype. Both cell types that survived sublethal heat shock sustain parental cell properties.     

Heat shock induces apoptosis in human embryonic stem cells but a premature senescence phenotype in their differentiated progeny

Embryonic stem cells (ESC) are able to self-renew and to differentiate into any cell type. To escape error transmission to future cell progeny, ESC require robust mechanisms to ensure genomic stability. It was stated that stress defense of mouse and human ESC against oxidative stress and irradiation is superior compared with differentiated cells. Here, we investigated heat shock response of human ESC (hESC) and their differentiated progeny. Fibroblast-like cells were generated by spontaneous hESC differentiation via embryoid bodies. Like normal human diploid fibroblasts, these cells have a finite lifespan in culture, undergo replicative senescence and die. We found that sublethal heat shock affected survival of both cell types, but in hESC it induced apoptosis, whereas in differentiated cells it produced cell cycle arrest and premature senescence phenotype. Heat shock survived hESC and differentiated cells restored the properties of initial cells. Heated hESC progeny exhibited pluripotent markers and the capacity to differentiate into the cells of three germ layers. Fibroblast-like cells resisted heat shock, proliferated for a limited number of passages and entered replicative senescence as unheated parental cells. Taken together, these results show for the first time that both hESC and their differentiated derivatives are sensitive to heat shock, but the mechanisms of their stress response are different: hESC undergo apoptosis, whereas differentiated cells under the same conditions exhibit stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS) phenotype. Both cell types that survived sublethal heat shock sustain parental cell properties.     

Ischaemic Heart Disease in Young Women

The mortality rate from ischaemic heart disease (I.H.D.) has increased in young women by about 50% in 12 years, and it is now possible to report the findings in 150 women who developed symptoms and signs of I.H.D. under the age of 45. Data obtained from 145 of these women form the basis of this report: 81 presented with myocardial infarction and 64 with angina. In the remaining five there was a definite nonatherosclerotic cause for the premature onset of I.H.D.Hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension, or excessive cigarette smoking each occurred in a large minority, and more than one of these major risk factors was present in most patients. Hypercholesterolaemia was the commonest factor. In women in whom lipoprotein typing was undertaken the type II pattern was more frequent than type IV. The prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia and hypertension was the same in those with myocardial infarction and in those with angina.Excessive cigarette smoking was more common in women with myocardial infarction than in those with angina. The latter did not differ in their cigarette smoking habits from the normal population.A premature menopause had occurred in 20% of these women, but there was no relation between the early onset of I.H.D. with age at menarche, parity, or the incidence of abortion. Oral contraceptives did not increase the risk of myocardial infarction unless one of the major risk factors was also present.Altogether 75% of patients with angina or myocardial infarction survived 12 years. Coexisting hypertension worsened the prognosis. The prognosis after myocardial infarction was similar in these women to that previously described for men under the age of 40.     

Thymineless Death in Escherichia coli: Deoxyribonucleic Acid Replication and the Immune State

Thymineless death (TLD) and nalidixic acid (NA) inactivation were studied in multiple auxotrophic strains of Escherichia coli B and B/r. As expected, it was found that both E. coli B and B/r exhibited an "immune state," i.e., a fraction of the population survived inactivation to both TLD and NA. With glucose as a carbon source in minimal medium, 0.1 to 0.3% of strain B and 0.2 to 0.5% of strain B/r survived inactivation; with acetate as the carbon source, the surviving fractions were increased to 1 to 2% and 5 to 7%, respectively. These immune fractions could be increased in magnitude by preincubation in minimal media containing thymine. Systematic analysis of the particular supplements necessary for the immune state indicated that the absence of the required amino acids was essential for the maximal expression of immunity. However, immunity was not abolished in acetate medium even in the presence of the required supplements. Further studies on the replication of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) during preincubation indicated that the degree of immunity did not necessarily correlate with the completion of a round of DNA replication. This finding was supported by examining the immune state in synchronous populations. In both glucose and acetate medium, there was no significant change in the degree of immunity to inactivation within the cell cycles of E. coli B and B/r. We concluded that some other event, possibly inhibition of protein synthesis, was necessary in determining the degree of the immune state. DNA replication was investigated after TLD and NA inactivation, and, as expected, it was found that both events led to premature initiation of replication. The only differences observed in the effects of these two processes on DNA synthesis were the following. (i) NA-induced replication was less sensitive to chloramphenicol than was TLD. (ii) TLD-induced replication was unaffected by pretreatment of the cells with mitomycin C, but this pretreatment prevented the replication of DNA after NA treatment. It was suggested that the mechanism of action of NA could involve a monofunctional attack on the DNA.     

未足月胎膜早破合并绒毛膜羊膜炎孕妇血清淀粉样蛋白A、血小板激活因子水平的表达及临床意义

目的:检测未足月胎膜早破合并绒毛膜羊膜炎(HCA)孕妇血清淀粉样蛋白A(SAA)、血小板激活因子(PAF)水平,并探讨其临床意义。方法:选择从2013年7月到2017年7月,在我院接受治疗的165例胎膜早破孕产妇作为研究对象。165例患者中,未足月胎膜早破者80例(未足月胎膜早破组),足月胎膜早破者85例(足月胎膜早破组),再根据是否合并HCA分为合并HCA胎膜早破组43例和未合并HCA胎膜早破组122例。另选取同期在我院体检的80例健康孕产妇志愿者作为正常组,对比各组血清SAA和PAF水平,分析合并与未合并HCA胎膜早破组的妊娠结局,利用受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线分析血清SAA和PAF对未足月胎膜早破是否合并HCA的诊断价值。结果:未足月胎膜早破组及足月胎膜早破组的血清SAA和PAF水平均明显高于正常组,且未足月胎膜早破组又高于足月胎膜早破组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。未足月胎膜早破组80例患者中HCA发生率为35.00%(28/80),明显高于足月胎膜早破组的17.65%(15/85),差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。合并HCA胎膜早破组的血清SAA和PAF水平均明显高于未合并HCA胎膜早破组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。合并HCA的未足月胎膜早破患者血清SAA和PAF水平高于未合并HCA的未足月胎膜早破患者(P0.05)。合并HCA的胎膜早破组的产后大出血、剖宫产以及新生儿肺炎的发生率均明显高于未合并HCA胎膜早破组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。根据ROC曲线分析可知,血清SAA和PAF对未足月胎膜早破是否合并HCA的诊断价值较高。结论:血清SAA、PAF水平在未足月胎膜早破合并HCA孕妇中明显升高,二者对此种合并症具有较高的诊断价值。临床诊疗过程中可将SAA及PAF纳入到指标监测体系中,从而为临床治疗提供指导。     

Serotonergic influences on life-history outcomes in free-ranging male rhesus macaques

Several studies have demonstrated that nonhuman primate males with low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) exhibit antisocial behavior patterns. Included in these deleterious patterns are impulse control deficits associated with violence and premature death. No studies to date have longitudinally studied the long-term outcome of young subjects with low CSF 5-HIAA concentrations as they mature into adults. In this study we examined longitudinal relations among serotonergic and dopaminergic functioning, as reflected in CSF metabolite concentrations, aggression, age at emigration, dominance rank, and mortality in free-ranging rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) males. Our results indicate long-term consistency of individual differences in levels of 5-HIAA in CSF in the subject population from the juvenile period of development through adulthood. We found a significant negative correlation between 5-HIAA concentrations measured in juveniles and rates of high-intensity aggression in the same animals as adults. Further, CSF 5-HIAA concentrations were lower in juveniles that died than in animals that survived. For the young animals that migrated there was a positive correlation between CSF 5-HIAA concentration and age at emigration, whereas for the animals that remained in their troop until later in sexual maturity there was a negative correlation between CSF 5-HIAA concentration and age of emigration. After animals emigrated to a new troop, social dominance rank in the new troop was positively correlated with early family social dominance rank, but inversely correlated with juvenile CSF 5-HIAA concentrations. Taken together, our findings suggest that males with low central serotonin levels early in life delay migration and show high levels of violence and premature death, but the males that survive achieve high rank. These findings indicate that longitudinal measures of serotonergic and dopaminergic functioning are predictive of major life-history outcomes in nonhuman primate males. Low concentrations of CSF 5-HIAA are associated with negative life-history patterns characterized by social instability and excessive aggression, and positive life-history patterns characterized by higher dominance rank.     

34例胎膜早破孕妇妊娠晚期阴道微生态及免疫因子变化状况分析

目的：胎膜早破是一种常见但发生机制十分复杂的妊娠并发症。在所有的早产儿中,孕妇胎膜早破的比例高达33％。本研究针对胎膜早破产妇妊娠晚期阴道微生态及免疫因子的变化情况,分析阴道内茵群失调或局部免疫反应与胎膜早破的关系,为临床研究提供实验数据。方法：回顾性分析我院于2010年7月-2013年3月收治的34例胎膜早破孕妇的临床资料,同时选取于我院进行健康体检的妇女及产前检查的健康孕妇各34例作为对照。采集所有研究对象的阴道分泌物,对比分析各组样本中病原微生物的分布及免疫因子的浓度。结果：胎膜早破组乳酸杆菌的检出率要明显低于健康妇女组与健康孕妇组（79．4％VS70．6％VS34．1,X2=8．438,P〈0．05）,三组研究对象其他茵属分布的差异比较无统计学意义（P〉0．05）;胎膜早破组阴道分泌物IL-6浓度与TNF．仪浓度要显著高于健康妇女组与健康孕妇组（P〈0．05）。结论：胎膜早破产妇阴道内的菌群分布与健康女性及孕妇有所不同,阴道内茵群失调及局部的免疫反应可能会导致胎膜旱破的发生。     

儿童保健对早产儿生长和智力发育的影响及相关性研究

为了探究正常的儿童保健对早产儿生长和智力发育的影响,并明确早产儿的生长和智力发育分别与儿童保健的影响,本研究选取40例早产儿,随机分为对照组和观察组,每组20例。对照组进行常规育儿管理,观察组采用儿童保健管理。统计分析两组早产儿在0.5岁、1岁、1.5岁和2岁的生长(头围,体重和身高)和智力(智力和心理活动)发育情况及相关性。研究发现,儿童保健可明显促进早产儿的生长和智力发育,且正规儿童保健与早产儿的生长和智力发育呈正相关关系,均具有显著性差异。本研究结果说明,儿童保健可明显促进早产儿的生长和智力发育,具有重要的临床应用价值。