Electronic Cigarette and Traditional Cigarette Use among Middle and High School Students in Florida, 2011–2014

Recent youth trends in the prevalence of e-cigarette and traditional cigarette use in Florida were examined in a cross-sectional, representative state sample from 2011 to 2014. Traditional cigarette use among youth declined during the study period. Experimentation with and past 30-day use of e-cigarettes among Florida youth tripled over 4 years. Past 30-day e-cigarette use exceeded traditional cigarette use in 2014; 10.8% of high school and 4.0% of middle school students reported recent e-cigarette use, compared with 8.7% of high school and 2.9% of middle school students for traditional cigarettes (P<0.001). By 2014, 20.5% of high school and 8.5% of middle school students reported ever use of e-cigarettes. Among ever e-cigarette users in 2014, 30.3% of high school and 42.2% of middle school students had never smoked traditional cigarettes. Given the concern that significant rates of e-cigarette use by U.S. adolescents may have a negative effect on public health, further review of e-cigarette advertising, marketing, sales, and use among U.S. youth is warranted.     

Effectiveness of Petasites hybridus preparations in the prophylaxis of migraine: A systematic review

The objective of this review was to evaluate the strength of evidence of effectiveness for Petasites hybridus in the prophylaxis of migraine. Several databases and other sources were searched to identify randomised-controlled trials investigating P. hybridus preparations. Two trials totalling 293 patients (60 and 233 patients) were included in this review. Both trials investigated the proprietary Petasites root extract Petadolex^®. The trials were described in narrative way, taking into consideration methodological quality scores. Pooling of data was not carried out due to the heterogeneity of the results. The extract at higher dose (150 mg) showed a greater decreased frequency of migraine attacks and a greater number of responders (improvement >50%) after treatment over 3–4 months than the extract at lower dose (100 mg) and placebo. Moderate evidence of effectiveness is, thus, available for a higher than the recommended dose of the proprietary Petasites root extract Petadolex^® in the prophylaxis of migraine. Further rigorous studies are required to confirm effectiveness and safety in long-term use before treatment with Petasites root extract can be recommended as an alternative option in the treatment schedule for the prophylaxis of migraine.     

Apoplastic {alpha}-Amylase in Pea is Enhanced by Heat Stress

The apoplastic -amylase (EC 3.2.1.1 [EC] ) in pea (Pisum sativum L.cv. Laxton's Progress No. 9) seedlings was enhanced by a 4-to 6-fold with heat stress. Increased levels of the enzyme persistedfor 48 h at least after the stress and subsequent heat treatmentsenhanced the activity further. These results indicate that thefunction of apoplastic -amylase in vegetative tissues may berelated to plant stress. (Received October 14, 1996; Accepted February 20, 1997)     

Recovery plan for Kootenai River white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)

The white sturgeon ( Acipenser transmontanus ) of the Kootenai River was listed as endangered on September 6, 1994 by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. This transboundary population, residing in Kootenay Lake and Kootenay River in Canada, and the Kootenai River in the US, has been in general decline since the mid-1960's. There has been very little recruitment to this population in the last 20 years.
This population became isolated from other white sturgeon populations of the Columbia River basin during the last ice age of approximately 10,000 years ago. The population adapted to the pre-development conditions of the Kootenai system, with a high spring freshet and extensive side channel and low-lying delta marshlands. Modification of the Kootenai River by human activities, such as industrial developments, floodplain dyking, and dam construction has changed the hydrograph of the Kootenai River, altering sturgeon spawning, incubation and rearing habitats and reducing overall biological productivity.
A Kootenai River white sturgeon draft recovery plan was prepared by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with other agencies in the US and Canada. The plan was peer reviewed and there was a parallel public consultation process, where public commentary was invited from both sides of the international border. The short-term recovery objectives of the recovery plan are to prevent extinction and re-establish successful natural recruitment. The identified long-term objectives are the re-establishment of a self sustaining population and the restoration of productive habitat, in order to downlist to threatened status and subsequently delist this population when recovery is well established. Specific actions needed for recovery include spring flow augmentation during the reproduction period; a conservation aquaculture program to prevent near-term extinction; habitat restoration, and research and monitoring programs to evaluate recovery progress.     

Calreticulin, PDI, Grp94 and BiP chaperone proteins are associated with retained COMP in pseudoachondroplasia chondrocytes.

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), a large pentameric glycoprotein and member of the thrombospondin (TSP) group of extracellular proteins, is found in the territorial matrix surrounding chondrocytes. More than 50 unique COMP mutations have been identified as causing two skeletal dysplasias: pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH); and multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (EDM1). Recent studies suggest that calcium-binding and calcium-induced protein folding differ between wild type and mutant proteins, and abnormal processing of the mutant COMP protein contributes to the characteristic enlarged lamellar appearing rER cisternae in PSACH and EDMI chondrocytes in vivo and in vitro. Towards the goal of delineating the pathogenesis of PSACH and EDM1, in-vivo PSACH growth plate and in-vitro PSACH chondrocytes cultured in alginate beads were examined to identify and localize the chaperone proteins participating in the processing of the retained extracellular matrix proteins in the PSACH rER. Aggrecan was localized to both the rER cisternae and matrix while COMP and type IX collagen were only found in the rER. Type II collagen was solely found in the ECM suggesting that it is processed and transported differently from other retained ECM proteins. Five chaperone proteins: BiP (Grp78); calreticulin (CRT); protein disulfide (PDI); ERp72; and Grp94, demonstrated immunoreactivity in the enlarged PSACH cisternae and the short rER channels of chondrocytes from both in-vivo and in-vitro samples. The chaperone proteins cluster around the electron dense material within the enlarged rER cisternae. CRT, PDI and GRP94 AB-gold particles appear to be closely associated with COMP. Immunoprecipitation and Western blot, and Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) analyses indicate that CRT, PDI and GRP94 are in close proximity to normal and mutant COMP and BiP to mutant COMP. These results suggest that these proteins play a role in the processing and transport of wild type COMP in normal chondrocytes and in the retention of mutant COMP in PSACH chondrocytes.     

Multiple molecular forms of xanthine dehydrogenase and related enzymes. IV. The relationship of aldehyde oxidase to xanthine dehydrogenase

Variants of the enzyme aldehyde oxidase in Drosophila melanogaster are described. In addition to electrophoretic variants, a mutant that causes low levels of the enzyme has been found by screening more than 80 strains for aldehyde oxidase levels. The locus of the mutation maps on the third chromosome near lpo and aldox. The existence of the ry, lpo, and aldox mutants and of the new mutant indicates that xanthine dehydrogenase, pyridoxal oxidase, and aldehyde oxidase are under a separate genetic control, in addition to a common genetic control by ma-l and lxd. The genetic separation is shown to be accompanied by physical separation of the enzymes with DEAE-cellulose column chromatography and (NH ₄)₂SO₄fractionation. Further data on the metabolism of aldehydes by xanthine dehydrogenase and aldehyde oxidase are presented. Although xanthine dehydrogenase requires NAD or a similar cofactor to metabolize purine and pteridine substrates, aldehyde oxidase oxidizes salicylaldehyde to salicylic acid without dissociable cofactors and with the uptake of oxygen.This work was supported in part by Research Grant GM-08202, by a Predoctoral Fellowship (J.C.) and a Genetics Training Grant (J.C. and E.D.), and by a Research Career Development Award (E.G.), all from the National Institutes of Health. Part of this work was submitted by J.C. to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.