Factors associated with involuntary admission to psychiatric facilities in Newfoundland.

To assess what factors determine the involuntary status of psychiatric patients, we reviewed the case records of 5729 patients consecutively admitted to one of four inpatient psychiatric facilities, including a mental hospital, in St. John''s between October 1975 and October 1978. Of the 5729 patients 5005 (87.4%) were voluntary and 724 (12.6%) involuntary. Involuntary patients were more likely than voluntary patients to be male, single and unemployed and to have been referred by police or transferred from another facility to the mental hospital, where most of the involuntary admissions occurred. They had higher rates of previous admissions to a psychiatric facility and of suicidal and violent behaviour, were more likely to have a diagnosis of schizophrenia or mania and were less likely to be suffering from depression or a neurotic disorder. In correspondence with differences in diagnosis, involuntary patients stayed in hospital more than twice as long as voluntary patients, were less likely to receive electroconvulsive therapy, minor tranquillizers and antidepressants, and were more likely to receive neuroleptics and lithium carbonate. Stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that only the source of referral and a diagnosis of neurotic disorder had an independent effect on admission status. The findings are discussed in the context of the controversy over the parens patriae approach v. the legal approach to involuntary admission of psychiatric patients.     

Analysis of nuclear proteins from silk glands ofBombyx mori

A gentle method for the isolation of nuclei from developing silk glands ofBombyx mori has been standardized. The nuclei, whether isolated or directly visualizedin situ within the silk glands, exhibit complex morphology. The nuclei occupy almost the entire volume of the gigantic silk gland cells. Although the isolated nuclei still retain their ramified morphology, being polyploid they are fragile and often become fragmented. The histone and low-salt-extractable proteins from nuclei isolated from the middle and posterior silk glands on different days of the fourth and fifth instars of larval development have been analysed. The histones did not show any stage- or tissue-specific variations whereas the low-salt-extractable proteins showed some developmental stage specific variation. Using the antibody raised against one such protein, its absence in the early stage of development has been confirmed by Western blotting techniques. This developmental stage specific protein may be functionally linked to some activities responsible for boosting up the production of silk or silk-related proteins during the fifth instar of larval development.     

Isolation and identification ofMicrococcus roseus andPlanococcus sp. from schirmacher oasis,antarctica

Five cultures isolated from soil samples collected in Schirmacher oasis, Antarctica, have been identified as members of the familyMicrococcaceae, with 3 belonging to the genusMicrococcus and two toPlanococcus. The 3Micrococcus isolates (37R, 45R and 49R) were red-pigmented and h a d ∼ 75 mol% G + C in their DNA; they were identified asMicrococcus roseus. The twoPlanococcus isolates (30Y and Lz3OR) were yellow and orange in colour, and had 43.5 and 40.9 mol % G + C in their DNA respectively; they were identified asPlanococcus sp.     

Beneficial interaction between photosynthesis and respiration in mesophyll protoplasts of pea during short light-dark cycles

The respiratory uptake or photosynthetic evolution of oxygen by mesophyll protoplasts of pea ( Pisum sativum L. cv. Arkel) were monitored during successive short. (3–5 min) cycles of darkness and illumination. The rate of respiration was nearly doubled after 3–4 short periods of illumination while there was a 15–20% enhancement in photosynthesis with cycles of illumination and darkness preceding illumination. Such interaction between photosynthesis and respiration was statistically significant when bicarbonate was present in the reaction medium. The inhibitors of photosynthesis [3(3,4–dichlorophenyl)-l,l-dimethylurea (DCMU), glyceraldehyde] decreased respiration after periods of illumination, whereas inhibitors of respiratory electron transport (Rotenone, antimycin A, NaN₃) suppressed photosynthesis, as well. We suggest that a rapid beneficial interaction exists between photosynthesis and respiration in protoplasts, even during short cycles of light and darkness.     

Canopy structures and its effect on shoot growth and flowering in subalpine forests

Changes in foliage density distribution with altitude and its effect on shoot growth and flowering were studied in forest section planes (profiles) of subalpine forests and scrubs (Krummholz) in Nepal and Japan.Patterns of foliage in forest canopy were evaluated by an analysis of variance. Foliage densities were very high at high altitude canopies, but the change in spatial patterns along altitude differs in both areas.The spatial pattern of new shoot production was similar to that of current foliage density and was affected by the amount of foliage above the sample probably through light condition. Flowering of tall trees occurred in the surface of the upper canopy, but a shrub species flowered even under tree canopies.     

Evaluation of the efficacy of albendazole against the larvae of Taenia solium in experimentally infected pigs, and kinetics of the immune response

Cysticercosis, a disease of economic and public health importance, is caused by Cysticercus cellulosae, the metacestode stage of Taenia solium. Experimental induction of cysticercosis was achieved in young pigs by feeding an optimum dose of 20,000 T. solium (Indian strain) eggs after immunosuppression, to assess the effect of albendazole and development of the immune response to cysticercus antigens before and after treatment.

Histopathological studies revealed the presence of cysticerci in liver, lungs and muscles. Treatment with albendazole at 15 mg kg⁻¹ body weight daily for 30 days starting from day 0 or 15 days post-infection resulted in 100% cure rates. Increases in antibody titre to crude soluble extract and a Sephadex G-200 purified antigenic fraction of Cysticercus cellulosae were found on days 25, 40 and 55 post-infection in untreated pigs and those in which treatment started on day 15 post-infection, whereas no increase in antibody response was observed in pigs in which treatment started on day 0.     

Understanding the function of the tumor microenvironment,and compounds from marine organisms for breast cancer therapy

The pathology and physiology of breast cancer(BC),including metastasis,and drug resistance,is driven by multiple signaling pathways in the tumor microenvironment(TME),which hamper antitumor immunity.Recently,long non-coding RNAs have been reported to mediate pathophysiological developments such as metastasis as well as immune suppression within the TME.Given the complex biology of BC,novel personalized therapeutic strategies that address its diverse pathophysiologies are needed to improve clinical outcomes.In this review,we describe the advances in the biology of breast neoplasia,including cellular and molecular biology,heterogeneity,and TME.We review the role of novel molecules such as long non-coding RNAs in the pathophysiology of BC.Finally,we provide an up-to-date overview of anticancer compounds extracted from marine microorganisms,crustaceans,and fishes and their synergistic effects in combination with other anticancer drugs.Marine compounds are a new discipline of research in BC and offer a wide range of anti-cancer effects that could be harnessed to target the various pathways involved in BC development,thus assisting current therapeutic regimens.     

Immobilization of goat brain aminopeptidase B in calcium alginate beads

Aminopeptidase B, an arginyl aminopeptidase, was purified from goat brain with a purification factor of ～280 and a yield of 2.7%. It was entrapped in calcium alginate together with bovine serum albumin. The optimal conditions for immobilization for maximum activity yield were 1% CaCl₂ and 2.5% alginate. The immobilized enzyme retained ～62% of its initial activity and could be used for five successive batch reactions with retention of 30% of the initial activity. The pH and temperature optima of the free and immobilized enzyme were pH 7.4, 45°C and pH 7.8, 50°C respectively, while the pH and thermal stability as well as the stability of the enzyme in organic solvents were improved significantly after entrapment. The K_m value for the immobilized enzyme was about twofold higher than that of the soluble enzyme. Because of this increased stability, the immobilized enzyme may be useful in the meat processing industry.     

Continuous biosorption of cadmium by Moringa olefera in a packed column

The biosorption of Cd(II) by Moringa oleifera using a batch system and a continuous up flow mode in a fixed bed column was studied. Batch adsorption experiments were performed as a function of pH, biosorbent dose, contact time, volume of the solution, and initial metal concentration. The adsorption isotherms obtained fitted well into the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms. The dynamic removal of cadmium by powdered seed of the Moringa oleifera was studied in a packed column. The effect of bed height (4 and 8 cm) and flow rate (2 and 5mL/min) on biosorption process was investigated and the experimental breakthrough curves were obtained. Results showed that by increasing the bed height and decreasing the flow rate, the breakthrough and exhaustion times increased. The break-through time was considered as a measure of the column performance. The maximum break-through time of 320 min was achieved at the operating condition of 2 mL/min influent flow rate and bed height of 8 cm.     

Impact of Cardiovascular Calcifications on the Detrimental Effect of Continued Smoking on Cardiovascular Risk in Male Lung Cancer Screening Participants

Background

Current smokers have an increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk compared to ex-smokers due to reversible as well as irreversible effects of smoking. We investigated if current smokers remain to have an increased CVD risk compared to ex-smokers in subjects with a long and intense smoking history. We in addition studied if the effect of smoking continuation on CVD risk is independent of or modified by the presence of cardiovascular calcifications.

Methods

The cohort used comprised a sample of 3559 male lung cancer screening trial participants. We conducted a case-cohort study using all CVD cases and a random sample of 10% (n = 341) from the baseline cohort (subcohort). A weighted Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratios for current smoking status in relation to CVD events.

Results

During a median follow-up of 2.6 years (max. 3.7 years), 263 fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events (cases) were identified. Age, packyears and cardiovascular calcification adjusted hazard ratio of current smokers compared to former smokers was 1.33 (95% confidence interval 1.00–1.77). In additional analyses that incorporated multiplicative interaction terms, neither coronary nor aortic calcifications modified the association between smoking status and cardiovascular risk (P = 0.08).

Conclusions

Current smokers have an increased CVD risk compared to former smokers even in subjects with a long and intense smoking history. Smoking exerts its hazardous effects on CVD risk by pathways partly independent of cardiovascular calcifications.