The effectiveness of two smoking cessation programmes for use in general practice: a randomised clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE--To evaluate a structured, behavioural change, smoking cessation intervention designed for use within general practice. DESIGN--Randomised controlled clinical trial. SETTING--General practices in Newcastle, Australia. PATIENTS--311 Patients identified as smokers by a screening question were enrolled in the study. Of these, 101 were assigned to a structured behavioural change programme, 104 to a simple advice programme adapted from previous research, and 106 to a control group. No significant differences were found between groups for demographic and smoking related variables before the study. INTERVENTIONS--Patients in the simple advice group received a brief statement of advice from the general practitioner as well as three pamphlets; those in the structured intervention group were given strategies which included attitude and behavioural change programmes as well as techniques to aid compliance. The amount of smoking in all groups was assessed by self reports with validation by measurement of salivary cotinine concentrations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE--Significant increase in cessation rates. CONCLUSIONS--Significant differences between controls and the structured behavioural change group were found at the one month follow up, but only for self reported abstinence. The simple advice programme did not produce any significant differences over the control group. General practitioner evaluation of the structured programme highlighted difficulties in relation to the duration of the intervention. Overall the structured programme in its present form did not appear to be an effective programme for use within general practice.     

Application of an N-(4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoyl)tyrosine-substituted peptide as a heterobifunctional cross-linking agent in a study of protein O-glycosylation in yeast.

In order to investigate the O-mannosyltransferase involved in the initial O-mannosylation of glycoproteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a photoactive hexapeptide, [125I]-N-(4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoyl)-3-iodo-Tyr-Asn-Pro-T hr-Ser-Val ([125I]azidoTyr-peptide), was synthesized by solid-phase techniques using a new photoactive cross-linking reagent, N-(4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoyl)tyrosine, and resin-bound Asn-Pro-Thr(tBu)-Ser(tBu)-Val. When this modified hexapeptide substrate was incubated with O-mannosyltransferase preparations, the hexapeptide was an acceptor of [14C]-mannose from dolichol phosphate-[14C]mannose. After partially purifying the O-mannosyltransferase and photolabeling these enzyme preparations with [125I]azidoTyr-peptide, a ca. 82-kDa protein was shown to be the only apparent photolabeled protein that was protected by unmodified hexapeptide. This ca. 82-kDa protein may be the catalytic subunit of the O-mannosyltransferase. The susceptibility of the N-(4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoyl) moiety to reducing agents in aqueous buffers was also examined.     

Regional distribution of somatostatin receptor affinity states in rat brain: effects of divalent cations and GTP

In the present work, we have characterized by film radioautography the effects of divalent cations and guanine nucleotide on specific receptor for somatostatin (SRIF) using 125I-TyrO-DTrp8-SRIF14 (125I-ToD8-SRIF) as a ligand. The experiments were performed on coronal 20-microM-thick sections cut at the level of the amygdala, thus allowing to study binding sites in several regions enriched in binding sites (frontal cortex, hippocampus CA1 and dentate gyrus, habenula, basolateral nucleus of the amygdala). In a preliminary set of experiments using brain cortical membranes it was found that 3 mM Mg2+ ions doubled the specific binding of 125I-ToD8-SRIF. However, Mg2+ enhanced equally by a factor of 3 affinities of high- and low-affinity binding sites as evidenced by SMS 201.995 displacement curves without modifying the ratio between high and low affinity sites. In radioautographic studies while SRIF14 and SRIF28 elicited monophasic displacement curves, SMS 201.995 displaced 125I-ToD8-SRIF binding in a biphasic manner in all regions tested but the baso-lateral nucleus of the amygdala. Radioautographic distribution of 125I-ToD8-SRIF binding sites was identical whether the sections were incubated with MgCl2 or with MnCl2 and almost undetectable in the absence of ions. In all structures investigated increasing concentrations of GTP totally inhibited 125I-ToD8-SRIF binding with an IC50 value of 3 microM. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that 125I-ToD8-SRIF-binding sites in brain occur on two different affinity states as assessed by a displacement curve using endogenous ligands and SMS 201.995. According to the comparable effects of divalent cations and GTP, the two subtypes of 125I-ToD8-SRIF-binding sites discriminated by SMS 201.995 are likely to correspond to interconvertible forms of the same receptor coupled to a G protein-transducing system.     

Expert consultation for cervical carcinoma smears. Reliability of selected-field videomicroscopy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of videomicroscopy image selection for expert consultation in cervical cytology. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred diagnostically difficult cervical cytologic smears were selected and rescreened by a general pathologist who chose, from each slide, four or five fields featuring abnormal cells. Video images were digitized and stored on a 512 x 512-pixel matrix using an image acquisition and transmission system. Five experts each reviewed 20 of the 100 cases, and a sixth reviewed all 100 cases. Diagnoses based on selected digitized images were compared to those based on conventional examination of whole slides. RESULTS: Intraobserver agreement was fair to excellent for all six experts (kappa value: 0.47-0.81); it was complete or acceptable in 68.4-85% of cases. Compared to the reference diagnosis, interobserver agreement was not significantly different whether cases were examined by screening the entire slide or by videomicroscopy of selected fields. The marked discordance in four cases concerned very small cells the significance of which was misinterpreted on videomicroscopy because of poor image quality due to lack of focus setting. CONCLUSION: This exploratory study showed that selection of videomicroscopy images seems as reliable as conventional examination of slides for expert consultation on diagnostically difficult cervical cytologic smear cases.     

Metabolism of arachidonic acid by caruncular and allantochorionic tissues in cows with retained fetal membranes (RFM)

The metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA) by caruncular and allantochorionic tissues and its regulation was studied in normal cows (n=13) and those with retained fetal membranes (RFM; n=9). Tissues were taken via the vagina about 6 hours postpartum and incubated for 6 hours in minimum essential medium containing tritiated AA alone or in the presence of oxytocin, platelet activating factor (PAF), epidermal growth factor (EGF) or ionophore calcium (A23187). The metabolites of AA were separated by reverse phase-high pressure-liquid chromatography. Tissue concentrations of prostaglandin F_2α (PGF_2α) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and plasma 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF_2α (PGFM) concentration were also measured by radioimmunoassay. For caruncular tissue, less thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂) and more 6-keto prostaglandin F_1α (PGIM) was synthesized in tissue from the animals with RFM than in the controls. Oxytocin, PAF, EGF and A23187 increased only PGIM production in the control animals; A23187 also decreased TBX₂ synthesis. For the allantochorion, more PGE₂, leukotriene B₄ (LTB₄) and PGIM and less TXB₂, PGF_2α and hydroxyecosatetranoic acids (HETE) was synthesized in tissue from cows with RFM than from animals that delivered normally. All of the substances used in this study increased PGIM, PGF_2α and LTB₄ and decreased TXB₂ production by the allantochorionic tissue in control animals. The metabolism of AA by the allantochorionic tissue seems quantitatively under hormonal control. The metabolism of AA at the level of both maternal and fetal components of the placenta in cows with RFM differed from that seen in animals that expelled the membranes normally.     

Seed Priming of Bread Wheat Varieties with Growth Regulators and Nutrients Improves Salt Stress Tolerance Particularly for the Local Genotype

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Salt stress is a main factor limiting the production and productivity of wheat in arid and semi-arid zones. The objectives of this study were to compare the...     

Hemodynamic correlates of effective arterial elastance in mitral stenosis before and after balloon valvotomy

Colin, Patrice, Michel Slama, Alec Vahanian, YvesLecarpentier, Gilbert Motté, and Denis Chemla. Hemodynamiccorrelates of effective arterial elastance in mitral stenosis beforeand after balloon valvotomy. J. Appl.Physiol. 83(4): 1083-1089, 1997.This study hadthe purpose of documenting the hemodynamic correlates of effectivearterial elastance (Ea; i.e., an accurate estimate of hydraulic load)in mitral stenosis (MS) patients. The main hypothesis tested was thatEa relates to the total vascular resistance (R)-to-pulse intervalduration (T) ratio(R/T) in MS patients both before andafter successful balloon mitral valvotomy (BMV). High-fidelity aorticpressure recordings were obtained in 10 patients (40 ± 12 yr)before and 15 min after BMV. Ea value was calculated as the ratio ofthe steady-state end-systolic aortic pressure (ESAP) to stroke volume(thermodilution). Ea increased after BMV (from 1.55 ± 0.63 to 1.83 ± 0.71 mmHg/ml; P < 0.05). Throughout the procedure, there was a strong linearrelationship between Ea and R/T: Ea = 1.09R/T  0.01 mmHg/ml,r = 0.99, P = 0.0001. This ultimately dependedon the powerful link between ESAP and mean aortic pressure [MAP;r = 0.99, 95% confidence interval for the difference (MAP  ESAP) from 18.5 to +4.5 mmHg].Ea was also related to total arterial compliance (area method) and towave reflections (augmentation index), although to a lesser extent. After BMV, enhanced and anticipated wave reflections were observed, andthis was likely to be explained by decreased arterial compliance. Thepresent study indicated that Ea depended mainly on the steady componentof hydraulic load (i.e., R) and on heart period (i.e., T) in MS patients.

     

Decylubiquinol impedes mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I activity

In this study, indirect immunofluorescence labeling was used to examine the cellular dynamic distribution of Thr11 phosphorylated H3 at mitosis in MCF-7 cells. The Thr11 phosphorylation was observed beginning at prophase at centromeres. Upon progression of mitosis, fluorescence signal was enhanced in the central region of the metaphase plate and maintained till anaphase at centromeres. During telophase, the fluorescent signal of Thr11 phosphorylated H3 disappears from centromeres, but the signal appears again at the midbody during cytokinesis, which suggests that the modified histones may take part in the formation of the midbody and play a crucial role in cytokinesis. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was used to confirm that Thr11 phosphorylated H3 is specifically associated with centromere DNA at prophase to metaphase, which is coincident with the results observed by immunofluorescence. In conclusion, there was a precise spatial and temporal correlation between H3 phosphorylation of Thr11 and stages of chromatin condensation. The timing of Thr11 phosphorylation and dephosphorylation in mitosis were similar to that reported for Ser10 phosphorylation of H3. The Thr11 phosphorylated H3 localized at centromeres during mitosis, which was different from the Ser10 phosphorylated H3 localized at telomere regions and Thr3 phosphorylated H3 localized along the chromosome arms. The results suggest that the Thr11 phosphorylation of histone H3 may play a specific role which was different from Ser10 and Thr3 phosphorylation in mitosis.     

Dietary fish oil positively regulates plasma leptin and adiponectin levels in sucrose-fed, insulin-resistant rats

Insulin resistance and adiposity induced by a long-term sucrose-rich diet (SRD) in rats could be reversed by fish oil (FO). Regulation of plasma leptin and adiponectin levels, as well as their gene expression, by FO might be implicated in these findings. This study was designed to evaluate the long-term regulation of leptin and adiponectin by dietary FO in a dietary model of insulin resistance induced by long-term SRD in rats and to determine their impact on adiposity and insulin sensitivity. Rats were randomized to consume a control diet (CD; n = 25) or an SRD (n = 50) for 7 mo. Subsequently, the SRD-fed rats were randomized to consume SRD+FO or to continue on SRD for an additional 2 mo. Long-term SRD induced overweight and decreased both plasma leptin and adiponectin levels without change in gene expression. Dyslipidemia, adiposity, and insulin resistance accompanied these modifications. Shifting the source of fat to FO for 2 mo increased plasma levels of both adipokines, reversed insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, and improved adiposity. These results were not associated with modifications in gene expression. These results suggest that increasing both adipokines by dietary FO might play an essential role in the normalization of insulin resistance and adiposity in dietary-induced, insulin-resistant models.     

In vitro increase of the fluid-phase endocytosis induced by pulsed radiofrequency electromagnetic fields: importance of the electric field component

Nowadays, due to the wide use of mobile phones, the possible biological effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) become a public health general concern. Despite intensive research, there are no widely accepted theories about the interactions between EMFs and living cells, and the experimental data are often controversial. We examined the effects of mobile phones EMF (envelope frequency of 217 Hz, carrier frequency of 900 MHz and pulse duration of 580 micros) or its pure, low-frequency pulsed electric field component on fluid-phase endocytosis. In both cases, with exposures exceeding 10 min, an increase of the fluid-phase endocytosis rate was observed ( approximately 1.5-fold), on three different cell types. This increase is an all-or-nothing type of response that is occurring for threshold values comprised between 1.3 and 2.6 W/kg for the delivered EMF powers and between 1.1 and 1.5 V/cm for the electric fields intensities depending upon the cell type. The electric component of these EMFs is shown to be responsible for the observed increase. Variations of frequency or pulse duration of the electric pulses are shown to be without effect. Thus, EMF, via their electrical component, can perturb one of the most fundamental physiological functions of the cells-endocytosis.