Atomic and Molecular Layer Deposition of Chiral Thin Films Showing up to 99% Spin Selective Transport

Spin electronics is delivering a much desired combination of properties such as high speed, low power, and high device densities for the next generation of memory devices. Utilizing chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect is a promising path toward efficient and simple spintronic devices. To be compatible with state-of-the-art integrated circuits manufacturing methodologies, vapor phase methodologies for deposition of spin filtering layers are needed. Here, we present vapor phase deposition of hybrid organic-inorganic thin films with embedded chirality. The deposition scheme relies on a combination of atomic and molecular layer deposition (A/MLD) utilizing enantiomeric pure alaninol molecular precursors combined with trimethyl aluminum (TMA) and water. The A/MLD deposition method deliver highly conformal thin films allowing the fabrication of several types of nanometric scale spintronic devices. The devices showed high spin polarization (close to 100%) for 5 nm thick spin filter layer deposited by A/MLD. The procedure is compatible with common device processing methodologies.

Optimal anatomical location for needle chest decompression for tension pneumothorax: A multicenter prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Tension Pneumothorax (TP) can occur as a potentially life threatening complication of chest trauma. Both the 2nd intercostal space in the midclavicular line (ICS2-MCL) and the 4th/5th intercostal space in the anterior axillary line (ICS 4/5-AAL) have been proposed as preferred locations for needle decompression (ND) of a TP. In the present study we aim to determine chest wall thickness (CWT) at ICS2-MCL and ICS4/5-AAL in normal weight-, overweight- and obese patients, and to calculate theoretical success rates of ND for these locations based on standard catheter length.

METHODS

We performed a prospective multicenter study of a convenience sample of adult patients presenting in Emergency Departments (ED) of 2 university hospitals and 6 teaching hospitals participating in the XXX consortium. CWT was measured bilaterally in ISC2-MCL and ISC4/5-AAL with point of care ultrasound (POCUS) and hypothetical success rates of ND were calculated for both locations based on standard equipment used for ND.

RESULTS

A total of 392 patients was included during a 2 week period. Mean age was 51 years (range 18-89), 52% was male and mean BMI was 25.5 (range 16.3-45.0). Median CWT was 26 [IQR 21-32] (range 9-52) mm in ISC2-MCL, and 26 [21-33] (range 10-78) mm in ICS4/5-AAL (p<0.001). CWT in ISC2-MCL was significantly thinner than ICS4/5-AAL in overweight- (BMI 25-30, p<0.001), and obese (BMI>30, p=0.016 subjects, but not in subjects with a normal BMI. Hypothetical failure rates for 45mm Venflon and 50mm Angiocatheter were 2.5% and 0.8% for ICS2-MCL and 6.2% and 2.5% for ISC4/5-AAL (p=0.016 and p=0.052 respectively).

CONCLUSION

In overweight- and obese subjects, the chest wall is thicker in ICS 4/5-AAL than in ICS2-MCL and theoretical chances of successful needle decompression of a tension pneumothorax are significantly higher in ICS2-MCL compared to ICS 4/5-AAL.

Osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (OOKP) and the testing of three different adhesives for bonding bovine teeth with optical poly-(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) cylinder

AIM

Preparation of the lamina during osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (OOKP) design is complex, and its longevity and watertightness important. To date, only acrylic bone cements have been used for bonding the optical cylinder to the tooth dentine. Our aim was to evaluate different dental adhesives for OOKP preparation.

METHODS

Specimens of bovine teeth were produced by preparing 1.5-mm thick dentine slices with holes having a diameter of 3.5 mm. Each group (n=10 per group) was luted with either classic poly-(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement, universal resin cement or glass ionomer cement. All specimens underwent force measurement using a uniaxial traction machine.

RESULTS

The highest mean force required to break the bond was measured for PMMA bone cement (128.2 N) followed by universal resin cement (127.9 N), with no statistically significant difference. Glass ionomer cement showed significantly lower force resistance (78.1 N).

CONCLUSIONS

Excellent bonding strength combined with easy application was found for universal resin cement, and thus, it is a potential alternative to acrylic bone cement in OOKP preparation.

Potential internalisation of caliciviruses in lettuce

Fresh produce such as lettuce (Lactuca sativa) has often been linked to epidemic viral gastroenteritis. In these cases, it is unknown whether the viral contamination has occurred during the growing or the processing of the implicated product. In this study lettuce was grown in the presence of enteric viruses, and the uptake of viruses via the roots into the edible parts (leaves and stem) of the lettuce plants was investigated, for plants with both intact and damaged roots. The roots of lettuce, growing either in hydroponic culture or in soil, were exposed to canine calicivirus (CaCV) and a human genogroup 2 norovirus (HuNoV) by these being added into the water or soil in which the lettuce was growing. Leaves from lettuce plants and seedlings were examined for viruses by real-time RT-PCR. When the lettuce plants were exposed to very high concentrations of CaCV, the virus was detected in lettuce leaves, indicating contamination via the roots, but the frequency of positive results was low. Internalisation occurred in both seedlings and grown plants, in both hydroponic and soil cultures, and occurred whether the roots were intact or damaged. However, internalisation of HuNoV was not detected in any of the experimental set ups, although the concentrations to which the plants were exposed were relatively high. Based on these results, viral contamination of lettuce plants via roots cannot be excluded, but is apparently not an important transmission route for viruses.

Effect of high-fat diet on KKAy and ob/ob mouse liver and adipose tissue corticosterone and 11-dehydrocorticosterone concentrations

The present study was performed to compare glucocorticoid levels in obese KKA (y) and ob/ob mice with those in normal C57BL/6J mice, and the effect of high-fat diet on glucocorticoids in KKA (y) and ob/ob mice. Liver, mesenteric and epididymal adipose tissue corticosterone and 11-dehydrocorticosterone concentrations as well as circulating corticosterone concentrations were measured. The KKA (y) and ob/ob mice displayed elevated serum corticosterone levels compared to normal mice, 2.0 to 2.8-fold in KKA (y), and 11 to 16-fold in ob/ob mice. Liver corticosterone levels were 3.0 to 5.1 and 6.2 to 8.1-fold, and 11-dehydrocorticosterone levels were 3.4 to 3.6 and 6.7 to 8.2-fold higher in KKA (y) and ob/ob mice compared to normal mice. Mesenteric adipose tissue corticosterone levels were 2.7 to 4.2-fold higher, and 11-dehydrocorticosterone levels were 2 to 4-fold higher in ob/ob than in KKA (y) mice. Epididymal adipose tissue corticosterone levels were 3.0 to 6.2-fold higher, and 11-dehydrocorticosterone levels were 1.8 to 2.0-fold higher in ob/ob than in KKA (y) mice. Circulating, hepatic, and mesenteric and epididymal adipose tissue glucocorticoid concentrations were low in the normal C57BL/6J mouse, high in the ob/ob mouse, and intermediate in the KKA (y) mouse. 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD1) mRNA levels were doubled in ob/ ob compared to KKA (y) mice in all three tissues. Glucocorticoid concentrations correlated with 11beta-HSD1 mRNA levels. High-fat diet had no effect on the tissue glucocorticoid concentrations.

Real-time genotyping of cytochrome P4501A1 A4889G and T6235C polymorphisms

Single nucleotide polymorphisms, such as the cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) A4889G and T6235C variants, have been reported to be associated with an increased cancer risk. In order to study their role in molecular-epidemiological studies, we developed a single-step procedure for genotyping these two CYP1A1 polymorphisms using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent melting curve analysis. Genotypes of 300 unrelated Caucasians, without prior history of cancer, were determined by real-time PCR and compared to genotypes obtained by restriction fragment length polymorphism PCR. In the population examined, the allele frequency of the CYP1A1 G allele at position 4889 was 0.042, and the frequency of the T allele at position 6235 was 0.10. Five percent of samples disagreed between methods. Sequence analysis of discordant samples revealed that the differences are likely attributed to incomplete digestion of amplicons by the RFLP method. These findings confirm the reliability and utility of real-time PCR as a method for large-scale genotyping.

Rapid screening of possible cytotoxic effects of particulate air pollutants by measurement of changes in cytoplasmic free calcium, cytosolic pH, and plasma membrane potential in alveolar macrophages by flow cytometry

BACKGROUND

Inhalable particulate dusts are involved in the genesis of several lung diseases. Besides the well-known toxic dusts, i.e., asbestos and quartz, heavy metal-containing pollutants are considered as possible harmful substances. In the present study, we compared the effect of silica chemically coated with certain metal oxides and dusts from industrial productions on cell physiological parameters of bovine alveolar macrophages (BAM).

METHODS

The cytosolic free calcium concentration, [Ca2+](i), the intracellular pH (pH(i)), and the plasma membrane potential (MP) of BAM were measured by flow cytometry. The dust-induced secretion of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured enzymatically.

RESULTS

Compared with control incubations with pure silica, the dust-induced secretion of ROS by BAM was not affected when the particles were coated with Cr(2)O(3), NiO, and Fe(3)O(4), whereas VO(2)-coated dust induced a marked increase in ROS release. This effect was not correlated to changes in [Ca2+](i), pH(i), or MP. On the other hand, Cr(2)O(3)-coated silica caused alterations in all of the three latter parameters. The same pattern of changes has been reported previously for quartz dusts (Tárnok et al.: Anal Cell Pathol 15:61-72, 1997).

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that cell physiological measurements by flow cytometry could extend the palette of tools to evaluate possible toxic effects of environmental dust samples.

[Snijders-Oomen Nonverbal Intelligence Test: useful for the elderly?]

The feasibility of the SON-R 5 1/2-17, a non-verbal intelligence test for deaf children, was investigated in a group of older adults, with a view to the future use of the test in older neurological patients. In a group of 58 healthy elderly persons intelligence was measured with the SON, the Raven Progressive Matrices and a Dutch reading test. The subjects were also asked for their subjective judgements of the tests. The SON-R 5 1/2-17 appears to be a user-friendly test. The high correlations between the subtests, and between the SON and other measures of intelligence suggest that the SON is a valid test for measuring fluid intelligence in elderly persons. The existing norms are not suitable when the SON is used in elderly people, new norms for adults should therefore be developed.

Have the Cross-Informant Syndromes of the CBCL any practical value in identifying grouped ICD10 diagnoses?

120 children referred to a child and adolescent psychiatric service in a university clinic were studied with the aim of deriving predictors for grouped ICD10 diagnoses using the CBCL Cross-Informant-Syndromes (CISs). CIS7 (Delinquent Behaviour) and CIS8 (Aggressive Behaviour) were shown to significantly separate Disruptive Behaviour Disorders from all other disorders. As cross-validation, a separate clinical sample of 118 children from a similar service in another part of the country was used to see to what extent the CIS predictors from the first sample held up in the second sample. Positive and Negative Predictive Powers, all corrected for chance, confirmed that the Disruptive Behaviour Disorder group could be usefully separated from all other disorders using the Delinquent Behaviour and the Aggressive Behaviour Cross-Informant Syndrome scores. There was no good evidence that Emotional (Anxiety-Mood) Disturbance could be usefully separated in the same way using the Anxious-Depressed Syndrome (CIS3) or any other syndrome. Discriminant Function Analysis showed that there was no significant improvement in prediction when more elaborate linear combinations of the syndromes were used.

Tetrad analysis shows that gene conversion is the major mechanism involved in mutation at the human minisatellite MS1 integrated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Minisatellites are arrays of tandemly repeated DNA sequences which occur at thousands of locations in the human genome. They are frequently hypervariable with respect to allele length as a result of high rates of complex and incompletely understood recombination-based germline mutation events that alter the repeat copy number. MS1 is one of the most variable minisatellites so far isolated from the human genome. We have integrated MS1, flanked by synthetic markers, in the vicinity of a hot spot for meiotic double-strand breaks upstream of the LEU2 locus in chromosome III of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we present the first tetrad analysis of mutations at a human minisatellite locus. The data showed that mutant alleles occur as single mutants in one of the spores in a tetrad, also when the mutant structure was the result of a combination of intra- and inter-allelic rearrangements. The conversional transfer of repeat units from one allele to the other was associated with flanking marker conversion which always involved the same flank of the minisatellite. The results demonstrate that conversion is the predominant mechanism by which minisatellite alleles mutate to new lengths, and also support the assumption that cis-acting elements are involved in the regulation of the mutational process in humans.

Pharmacological activation of the ryanodine receptor in Jurkat T-lymphocytes

1 Recently, we provided evidence for cyclic adenosine 5'-diphosphate-ribose, cADP-ribose, as a second messenger in Jurkat T-lymphocytes upon stimulation of the T-cell receptor/CD3- complex (Guse et al., 1999). cADP-ribose mobilizes Ca2+ from an intracellular Ca2+ store which is sensitive to caffeine and gated by the ryanodine receptor/Ca2+ release channel. In the present study we investigated the ability of the trypanocidal drug, suramin, to activate the ryanodine receptor of T-cells. Since suramin cannot permeate the plasma membrane, it was necessary to microinject the drug into Fura-2 loaded T-lymphocytes. 2 In a dose dependent manner suramin increased the intracellular Ca2+ concentration. The dose-response curve is very steep and calculates for an EC50 of 7. 6+/-2.9 mM suramin in the injection pipette. 3 Co-injection of the selective ryanodine receptor inhibitor ruthenium red completely abolished the suramin induced Ca2+ transient. This finding allows for the conclusion that the IP3-receptor sensitive Ca2+ pool is not the primary target of the suramin induced Ca2+ transient. 4 Furthermore, Ins(1,4,6)PS3, an antagonist of the InsP3-receptor could not suppress the suramin-induced Ca2+ signal. The suramin induced Ca2+ transients declined very slowly; however, in the presence of Ins(1,4,6)PS3 this decay was accelerated. In addition, suramin did not interact with the cADP-ribose binding site of the ryanodine receptor of T-cells. 5 In conclusion, suramin is found to be an agonist for the T-cell ryanodine receptor as previously found for the cardiac and skeletal muscle isoform. Therefore, suramin can be designated a universal ryanodine receptor agonist.

Retrieving familiar people's names in patients with severe closed-head injuries

Patients with closed-head injury frequently complain about difficulties with retrieving the names of familiar people, but very few studies have investigated these complaints by objective measurements. Three experiments are reported that compared personal name retrieval in patients with severe closed-head injuries and normal controls. The patients more frequently failed to produce the names of famous persons, and had longer naming latencies than the controls. Accuracy of recognizing familiar persons was normal in the patients, even though they were slower in this task than the controls. The patients' main problem appeared to involve a disturbance in activating the stored name information. The patients' response pattern shows clear resemblance with simulations of the effects of brain damage in models for person naming.

Regulation of calcium signalling in T lymphocytes by the second messenger cyclic ADP-ribose

Cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) is a natural compound that mobilizes calcium ions in several eukaryotic cells. Although it can lead to the release of calcium ions in T lymphocytes, it has not been firmly established as a second messenger in these cells. Here, using high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, we show that stimulation of the T-cell receptor/CD3 (TCR/CD3) complex results in activation of a soluble ADP-ribosyl cyclase and a sustained increase in intracellular levels of cADPR. There is a causal relation between increased cADPR concentrations, sustained calcium signalling and activation of T cells, as shown by inhibition of TCR/CD3-stimulated calcium signalling, cell proliferation and expression of the early- and late-activation markers CD25 and HLA-DR by using cADPR antagonists. The molecular target for cADPR, the type-3 ryanodine receptor/calcium channel, is expressed in T cells. Increased cADPR significantly and specifically stimulates the apparent association of [3H]ryanodine with the type-3 ryanodine receptor, indicating a direct modulatory effect of cADPR on channel opening. Thus we show the presence, causal relation and biological significance of the major constituents of the cADPR/calcium-signalling pathway in human T cells.

The effect of adverse life events on glycaemic control in children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

Forty-five children aged 6 to 14 years with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus were recruited from a paediatric diabetic clinic. Glycaemic control, child emotional and behavioural problems, and maternal mental state were assessed at recruitment and after 12 months. Life events were measured at 12 months using a standardised semi-structured interview schedule. A between-groups comparison design was used to explore the effect of life events, child emotional and behavioural problems, and maternal mental state on glycaemic control. The children had relatively high rates of emotional and behavioural problems. Overall, the children had a similar number of life events to healthy children in the general population, but proportionally, experienced fewer desirable events. Children who had experienced at least one event in a family setting, or a disappointing event, were more likely to have high glycated haemoglobin levels afterwards than were children who had not experienced such events. Linear regression models showed that only disappointments, family events and glycated haemoglobin at the start of the study made important independent contributions to glycated haemoglobin at 12 months. Child age, emotional and behavioural problems, and maternal mental state, had no effect on glycaemic control.

Rehabilitation of memory for people's names

In a training study, memory-impaired patients were taught strategies to improve the learning of new names and the retrieval of familiar people's names. To improve new name learning, the patients were encouraged to give more meaning to a person's name, without requiring an explicit association between the face and the name. Strategies to improve retrieval of familiar names mainly concerned ways to resolve tip-of-the-tongue states. Learning names to faces improved following training on one of the two target tests and this improvement was maintained six months following training. Retrieval of familiar people's names also improved immediately following the training, although the improvement disappeared at the six-month follow-up. Two control memory tests and a group of normal subjects, who received no training, were used to discriminate an effect of training from the effects of repeated testing and the extensive attention received by the trained group.

Ca2+ entry induced by cyclic ADP-ribose in intact T-lymphocytes

Cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPr) is a potent Ca2+-mobilizing natural compound (Lee, H. C., Walseth, T. F., Bratt, G. T., Hayes, R. N., and Clapper, D. L. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 1608-1615) which has been shown to release Ca2+ from an intracellular store of permeabilized T-lymphocytes (Guse, A. H., Silva, C. P., Emmrich, F., Ashamu, G., Potter, B. V. L., and Mayr, G. W. (1995) J. Immunol. 155, 3353-3359). Microinjection of cADPr into intact single T lymphocytes dose dependently induced repetitive but irregular Ca2+ spikes which were almost completely dependent on the presence of extracellular Ca2+. The Ca2+ spikes induced by cADPr could be blocked either by co-injection of cADPr with the specific antagonist 8-NH2-cADPr, by omission of Ca2+ from the medium, or by superfusion of the cells with Zn2+ or SK-F 96365. Ratiometric digital Ca2+ imaging revealed that single Ca2+ spikes were initiated at several sites ("hot spots") close to the plasma membrane. These hot spots then rapidly formed a circular zone of high Ca2+ concentration below the plasma membrane which subsequently propagated like a closing optical diaphragm into the center of the cell. Taken together these data indicate a role for cADPr in Ca2+ entry in T-lymphocytes.

A cross cultural comparison of French and Dutch disturbed children using the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL)

Parents, mostly mothers, of French and Dutch children who had been referred to Mental Health Services, completed the CBCL to indicate the behaviour problems that their children suffered from. The 85 items which had been found in the USA to measure eight types of disturbed behaviour, called the cross-informant syndromes, were studied to see if a similar set of dimensions of disturbed behaviour would underlie the Dutch and French CBCL scores. Seven types of disturbance were found which corresponded to the equivalent cross informant syndromes, but thought problems had no similar sort of disorder amongst the Dutch and French children. It was found that only 43 items were necessary to measure these seven dimensions. It was concluded that despite differences in language, culture and the pattern of mental health services, the CBCL scores could be used to make meaningful clinical comparisons of psychiatric disturbances.

Silica induces changes in cytosolic free calcium, cytosolic pH, and plasma membrane potential in bovine alveolar macrophages

The mineral-dust induced activation of pulmonary phagocytes is thought to be involved in the induction of severe lung diseases. The activation of bovine alveolar macrophages (BAM) by silica was investigated by flow cytometry. Short-term incubation (< 10 min) of BAM with silica gel and quartz dust particles induced increases in the cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), decreases in intracellular pH (pHi), and increases in plasma membrane potential (PMP). The extent of these changes was concentration dependent, related to the type of dust and was due to Ca2+ influx from the extracellular medium. An increase in [Ca2+]i was inhibited, when extracellular Ca2+ was removed. Furthermore the calcium signal was quenched by Mn2+ and diminished by the calcium channel blocker verapamil. The protein kinase C specific inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide II (GF 109,203 X) did not inhibit the silica-induced [Ca2+]i rise. In contrast, silica-induced cytosolic acidification and depolarization were inhibited by GF 109,203 X but not by removal of extracellular calcium. Addition of TiO2 particles or heavy metal-containing dusts had no effect on any of the three parameters. Our data suggest the existence of silica-activated transmembrane ion exchange mechanisms in BAM, which might be involved in the specific cytotoxicity of silica by Ca(2+)-dependent and independent pathways.

Mechanisms of particle-induced activation of alveolar macrophages

Bovine alveolar macrophages were exposed in vitro to quartz dusts, metal-containing dusts or silica particles coated with a single metal oxide. The release of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) was measured in short-term incubations (90 min). The secretion of both ROI was markedly enhanced by silica particles coated with vanadium oxide and lowered by copper oxide-coated particles. The particle-induced ROI release was significantly decreased by the inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) as well as phospholipase A2, suggesting the involvement of both enzymes in the NADPH oxidase activation. Quartz dusts induced a transient increase of free cytosolic calcium ion concentration, slight intracellular acidification, and depolarization of the plasma membrane. In the presence of EGTA or verapamil the rise of [Ca2+]i was diminished, suggesting an influx of extracellular calcium ions. The PKC inhibitor GF 109203X did not inhibit the quartz-induced calcium rise, while both the cytosolic acidification and depolarization were prevented. BSA-coating of the quartz particles abolished the calcium influx as well as the decrease of pHi, and possibly hyperpolarized the plasma membrane.

Effect of heavy metal ions on the release of reactive oxygen intermediates by bovine alveolar macrophages

Short-term incubations of bovine alveolar macrophages (BAM) with metal-containing dusts induce the release of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI). Incubations of BAM (90 min) with dissolved metal compounds (0.1-100 microM) combined with quartz dusts were performed to investigate the effects of single elements on BAM stimulation. As(III), as well as the calcium antagonists, Ni(II) and Ce(III), inhibited the secretion of superoxide anions (O2-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). O2- concentrations were lowered by Mn(II) and Fe(II). Increased ROI concentrations were observed with V(IV) (O2- and H2O2) and Fe(III) (O2-). The addition of Cd(II), Cr(III) and V(V) showed no effect on the dust-induced respiratory burst. The influence of insoluble heavy metal compounds on ROI secretion by BAM were studied with metal oxide-coated silica particles. In most cases the release of ROI was not affected by the chemical modification of the particle surface. Coating with CuO markedly lowered the concentrations of O2- and H2O2, whereas vanadium(IV) oxide considerably increased both ROIs. Although most of the investigated metal compounds did not alter ROI secretion our present results with V(IV) and Fe(III) confirm our recent statistical evaluation of the effects of heavy metal-containing dusts on ROI secretion (Berg et al., 1993, J. Toxicol. Environ. Health 39, 341).

Assessment of rehabilitation technologies in stroke. Outcomes and costs

Initial functional ability (Barthel Index, mean 57) was found to be an important predictor of functional ability 1 year after stroke (mean 80) and for costs during the period. On average the total cost for a stroke patient was about SEK 200,000; the main expense, accommodation, averaged about SEK 140,000, while assistive devices amounted to SEK 2,600. Those who use assistive devices, although having achieved a high functional ability, perceive and rate their life situation (Nottingham Health Profile) considerably more impaired than those without assistive devices.

DSM-III-R disorders, social factors and management of school attendance problems in the normal population

Eighty 13-15-year-old children who failed to attend one of four schools for more than 40% of a term, without good reason, were studied. A systematic schedule (C.A.P.A.) was used in interviewing parents and children. Twenty-five had DSM-III-R Disruptive Behaviour Disorders and 15 had Anxiety/Mood Disorders. Truancy was associated with the former and school refusal with the latter but both often occurred without any Disorder. Fourteen children had neither school refusal nor truancy. Compared to controls, poor attenders came from materially disadvantaged homes. School refusal with anxiety disorders rarely received psychiatric treatment. Non-disturbed absentees were not usually dealt with appropriately.

Increase of bovine alveolar macrophage superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide release by dusts of different origin

The release of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) from bovine alveolar macrophages (BAM) after stimulation with heavy metal-containing dusts was investigated. BAM were obtained by postmortem lavages of bovine lungs. The dusts were collected from waste incineration, sewage sludge incineration, an electric power station, and from two different factories. Three quartz dusts were used as heavy metal-free controls. The dusts were fractionated by sieving and sedimentation and analyzed by electron microscopy, atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), and atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (AES-ICP). Incubation of BAM with the dusts (12.5-1000 micrograms/ml medium) led to concentration-dependent increases in ROI release. The secretion of ROI was already seen after 15 min and lasted throughout the experiment up to 90 min, with the exception of a waste incinerator ash, which contained the highest contents of some heavy metals and where the release of ROI ceased after 60 min. We suggest that this dust exhibits simultaneously stimulating and inhibiting effects. The ratio of the secreted O2- and H2O2 varied, depending on the dust being investigated. The release of hydrogen peroxide correlated best, in descending order, with the content of iron, manganese, chromium, vanadium, and arsenic in the dusts.

Psychiatric aspects of epilepsy in childhood treated with carbamazepine, phenytoin or sodium valproate: a random trial

Sixty-four new cases of childhood epilepsy were randomly assigned to either carbamazepine, phenytoin or sodium valproate, and were assessed with behavioural measures before medication and after one and six months of treatment. Those treated with carbamazepine and sodium valproate had minor behavioural difficulties after a month of treatment, but these did not persist. Mothers of the epileptic children had unusually high levels of anxiety and depression two months, on average, after epilepsy was diagnosed.

Absence from school and mental health

Severe school attendance problems, which once commanded a great deal of attention in child and adolescent psychiatry, have fallen from favour and are increasingly viewed as varieties of social impairment which may accompany disorders such as anxiety disturbances in the case of school refusal and conduct disturbances in the case of truancy. It is argued that this relegation of school attendance difficulties may have gone too far. As presenting complaints, albeit sometimes masked by apparent physical illness, they still have much to recommend them as indicators of a wide variety of present and future problems: educational, social, family, legal, medical, and, last but not least, psychiatric. Prevalence, features, causative factors, outcome, and management are discussed. Particular attention is paid to DSM and ICD classification. Gaps in present knowledge are indicated.

Identification and characterization of insulin-like growth factor receptors on adult rat cardiac myocytes: linkage to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate formation

Cultured cardiac myocytes from adult Sprague-Dawley rats express both insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) receptors and insulin-like growth factor-II/mannose 6-phosphate (IGF-II/Man6P) receptors and respond to IGF-I with a dose-dependent accumulation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] and inositol 1,4-bisphosphate [Ins(1,4)P2]. Specific binding of [125I]IGF-I to isolated membranes from cultured cardiac myocytes amounted to 1-1.2%. Binding of [125I]IGF-I was inhibited by unlabeled IGF-I at nanomolar concentrations and insulin at much higher concentrations. These data suggest that IGF-I binds to its own receptor on rat cardiac myocytes. Competitive binding studies using isolated membranes from cardiac myocytes and [125I]IGF-II showed 2-4% specific binding. Binding of [125I]IGF-II was inhibited by IGF-II and much less potently by IGF-I and insulin. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) 3637 (an IgG directed against the IGF-II/Man6P receptor) partially inhibited binding of [125I]IGF-II whereas nonimmune IgG did not. Affinity cross-linking studies with [125I]IGF-II and cardiac myocyte membranes and subsequent analysis of the ligand-receptor complex using SDS-PAGE and autoradiography showed a radiolabeled band of approximately 250 kilodalton (kDa). The formation of the [125I]IGF-II-receptor complex was inhibited by incubation with IGF-II and IgG 3637 but not by insulin or nonimmune IgG. Western blotting of protein extracts from cultured cardiac myocytes was performed using IgG 3637 and an immunoperoxidase technique for the visualization of the IGF-II/Man6P receptor protein. A specific band at 220 kDa under nonreducing conditions was detected on the blots, providing further evidence for the expression of the IGF-II/Man6P receptor by cardiac myocytes. The effect of IGFs on the accumulation of inositol phosphates was measured by HPLC analysis of perchloric acid extracts from myo-[3H]inositol-labeled cultured cardiac myocytes. IGF-I (50 ng/ml) stimulated the accumulation both of Ins(1,4,5)P3 and Ins(1,4)P2 after 30 sec by 43% and 63%. IGF-II (up to 500 ng/ml) had no significant effect on inositol phosphate accumulation under the same conditions. However, in the presence of millimolar concentrations of Man6P, IGF-II (500 ng/ml) also increased Ins(1,4,5)P3 accumulation by 59%. We conclude that cardiac myocytes from adult rats express IGF receptors and respond to IGFs with the accumulation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 and Ins(1,4)P2. This effect seems to be mediated by an IGF-I receptor-specific pathway.

Inhibition of alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated inositol phosphate accumulation in cultured cardiac myocytes by cyclic AMP-generating compounds

Exclusive stimulation of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor in cultured cardiac myocytes led to a time-dependent increase of multiple inositol phosphate isomers. However, under physiological conditions, alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation is accompanied by beta-adrenergic stimulation as noradrenaline is a ligand for both receptors. Thus, the aim of our study was to investigate the cross-talk between the alpha 1- and the beta-adrenoceptor on the post-receptor level. When both the alpha 1- and the beta-adrenoceptor were stimulated with noradrenaline for 30 s, a diminished increase in all inositol phosphates and a concomitant increase in cAMP was observed. Similar results were obtained by pre-incubation of the myocytes with forskolin for 2 min and subsequent stimulation of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor for 30 s. In contrast, after 15 min the inhibitory effect of simultaneous beta-stimulation as well as of forskolin pre-treatment upon the alpha 1-mediated inositol phosphate response was abolished, although the concentration of cAMP was still elevated. These data suggest that beta-adrenoceptor- and forskolin-induced cAMP production or a cAMP-activated subsequent signal have a short-term, transient, inhibitory effect on alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated inositol phosphate response.

Cognitive impairment in new cases of epilepsy randomly assigned to carbamazepine, phenytoin and sodium valproate

Sixty-four new cases of childhood epilepsy were randomly assigned to either carbamazepine, phenytoin or sodium valproate, and were assessed with cognitive tests before medication and three subsequent times over a year. Carbamazepine in moderate dosage adversely affected memory, but sodium valproate and phenytoin did not.

[Reference values for blood levels of free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine and thyroxine-binding globulins in euthyroid children. Method: luminescence-enhanced enzyme immunoassay]

Concentrations of free thyroxine (n = 296, male 164, female = 132), free triiodothyronine (n = 273, male 156, female = 117) and thyroxine-binding globulin (n = 273, male 156, female = 117) were determined using the luminescence enhanced enzyme immunoassay method in blood-serum of euthyroid children. Beyond the 30, day of life no significant differences were found in different age groups for the free thyroxine and beyond the 2, day of life for the free triiodothyronine concentration. The free thyroxine values of the infants in the range of 15-39 pg/ml decreased to the range of 9-18.5 pg/ml and the free triiodothyronine values decreased from 3.4-9.3 pg/ml to the range of 2.8-6.5 pg/ml. The values for thyroxine-binding globulin increased in the first month of life up to the range of 18-35 mg/l and decreased afterwards continuously to the range of 14.5-26.5 mg/l.

Effect on cooking time on mutagen formation in smoke, crust and pan residue from pan-broiled pork

The effect of cooking time on mutagenic activity in crust, pan residue and smoke from pan-broiled pork patties was studied in the Ames Salmonella mutagenicity test system. The effect on mutagenicity of reheating the cooked patties and of keeping them warm was also studied. The meat was broiled at 200 degrees C for various times between 2 and 10 min. Broiled meat was reheated up to 5 times at 200 degrees C, each time to a centre temperature of 70 degrees C. Reheating was also performed in a microwave oven for 2 min and in an electric oven at 200 degrees C for 10 min. In addition, broiled patties were kept warm at 60 degrees C in an incubator for up to 9 hr. The mutagenic activity increased rapidly in all fractions except the volatile phase over the first 6 min of cooking, after which time only a slight increase was seen. At cooking times below 4 min no mutagenic activity was detected in the smoke. Reheating or keeping the meat warm for up to 9 hr had very little effect on the mutagenic activity of the meat. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography mutagenicity profiles of the aerosol, crust and pan-residue extracts showed no major qualitative differences in samples cooked at different times. It is concluded that during pan broiling at 200 degrees C the major part of the mutagenic activity is formed during the first 6 min of cooking. Reheating the meat or keeping it warm does not significantly affect the mutagenic activity. No major additional mutagens are formed during continued heating for up to 25 min.

The identification of psychiatric disorders in children who fail to attend school: a cluster analysis of a non-clinical population

Interviews were conducted with parents of 100 children taken to a 'school attendance committee', because of persistent failure to attend school. Clinical assessment of the attendance problem was carried out so that children were categorized as 'school refusers' (N = 24), 'truants' (N = 53), 'both refusers and truants' (N = 9), or as 'neither' (N = 14). Any ICD-9 psychiatric disorder was separately identified. Cluster analysis of information collected in a standard way indicated that there was a group of children with the features of 'school refusal' who often had generalized neurotic disorders as well and who were mostly girls, another group with the features of 'truancy' all of whom had conduct disorders who were mainly boys, and a third cluster of children who were usually 'truants' but less often psychiatrically disturbed. The study provided evidence for the existence of school refusal with and without generalized neurotic disturbance in a non-clinical population.

Influence of creatine, amino acids and water on the formation of the mutagenic heterocyclic amines found in cooked meat

Creatine or one of 15 amino acids were mixed with minced pork before broiling at 200 degrees C. Total mutagenic activity and reversed-phase HPLC-separated mutagenicity profiles were determined for the crust and pan residue of all samples and also in the aerosol fraction of the smoke formed during cooking of the creatine-fortified samples. Addition of 5% (w/w) creatine increased the total mutagenicity 4-fold without changing the mutagenicity profile of either crust, pan residue or aerosol. Amino acid addition (1% w/w) increased the total mutagenicity between 1.5 (lysine) and 43 times (threonine). In most cases the mutagenicity profiles of crust and pan residues were changed by amino acid addition. Dry-heated mixtures of amino acids and creatine were all mutagenic with a 250-fold range between the amino acids. The production of known food mutagens in these mixtures was analyzed by LC-MS of HPLC-fractionated mutagenic peaks. Serine, threonine, phenylalanine, alanine, leucine and tyrosine were all shown to give rise to one of the known food mutagens 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) or 2-amino-trimethylimidazopyridine (TMIP). Lyophilized and subsequently fried meat patties and a heated powder of lyophilized meat juice were both mutagenic, with mutagenicity profiles similar to the regular meat crust, showing that water is not a prerequisite for mutagen formation in meat. MeIQx, 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-di-MeIQx) and PhIP were shown, by LC-MS, to be present in the dry-heated meat juice. It is concluded that creatine and free amino acids are the main reactants of the mutagen-forming reactions that occur during frying of meat. Creatine is probably a necessary part of all of these reactions; what specific compounds are formed in each case therefore depends upon the levels in the meat of certain free amino acids and their interactions with other, as yet unknown, compounds in the meat.

Metabolism of inositol phosphates in alpha 1-adrenoceptor-stimulated and homogenized cardiac myocytes of adult rats

Previous studies demonstrated the accumulation of inositol mono- and poly-phosphates in carbamoylcholine-stimulated cultured cardiac ventricular myocytes of adult rats [Berg, Guse & Gercken (1989) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1010, 100-107]. Stimulation with noradrenaline (50 microM) in the presence of propranolol (10 microM) led to a time-dependent pattern of inositol mono- and poly-phosphates in cultured cardiac-ventricular myocytes. Ins(1,4,5)P3 and Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 increased in a rapid initial phase. The degradation products of Ins(1,4,5)P3, namely Ins(1,4)P2 and Ins(4)P, accumulated between 1 and 15 min. Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 was rapidly dephosphorylated to Ins(1,3,4)P3, which was then metabolized to Ins(1,3)P2 and Ins(3,4)P2. The last two InsP2 isomers and their degradation products, Ins(1)P and Ins(3)P (determined as an enantiomeric mixture), increased at extended stimulation periods. To confirm the pathway of Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 degradation, homogenates of isolated ventricular myocytes were incubated with [3H]INs(1,3,4,5)P4. The subsequent products were Ins(1,3,4)P3, Ins(3,4)P2, Ins(1,3)P2 and InsP. The effect of noradrenaline was antagonized by prazosin (0.1 microM), but not by yohimbine (0.1 microM), indicating phosphoinositidase activation via the alpha 1-adrenoceptor.

Sleep EEG evaluation: a comparison of results obtained by visual scoring and automatic analysis with the Oxford sleep stager

Oxford Medical has introduced an automatic sleep stager based on the stage-scoring criteria by Rechtschaffen and Kales. With our study we intended to examine whether the results of the stager (version 3.0) match those of the visual evaluation by two independent raters. We also wanted to test the reliability of this automatic sleep stage-scoring system. Ten somnopolygrams of subjects without sleep disturbances served as a basis for the comparison. Each sleep recording was scored twice automatically by the stager, twice visually by the first rater, and once by the second rater. The two automatic analyses of the somnopolygrams differed by 4.3% in a total of 13,850 epochs (1 epoch delta 20 s) regarding sleep stage scoring. The difference between the first and the second visual evaluation by the same rater amounted to 5.7%, whereas the results of the two independent raters deviated by 8.7%. Compared with the results of the visual analysis reached as a consensus by both raters--the so-called optimized visual analysis--the stager showed a 26.9% difference. The automatic analysis scored fewer epochs as stages wake, rapid eye movement (REM), and 2 and more as stages 1, 3, and 4. The sleep stager's frequent difficulty in identifying stage wake correctly as well as its incorrect allocation to other stages--mainly stage REM--could lead to misinterpretations of sleep recordings, whereas the increase in stages 1, 3, and 4, as compared with visual scoring, was negligible.

Carbamoylcholine-induced accumulation of inositol mono-, bis-, tris- and tetrakisphosphates in isolated cardiac myocytes from adult rats

The effect of carbamoylcholine on the phosphoinositide cycle in isolated ventricular myocytes from adult rats was studied. Separation of the phosphoinositides by high-performance thin-layer chromatography showed a constant ratio of incorporation of myo-[2-3H]inositol into phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol 4-monophosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate of cultured cardiac myocytes after at least 2 h. Carbamoylcholine caused a dose-dependent and time-dependent accumulation of inositol mono-, bis- and trisphosphates, which was antagonized by atropine. Using anion-exchange HPLC the existence of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate was confirmed in rat ventricular myocytes. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate accumulated within 20 s, while inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate, inositol 1,4-bisphosphate and inositol monophosphate increased within 5 min.

Mutagenic activity in smoke formed during broiling of lean pork at 200, 250 and 300 degrees C

Smoke formed during pan-broiling of lean pork was recovered at 3 different pan temperatures: 200, 250 and 300 degrees C, using an efficient device for collection of aerosol and volatiles. The mutagenicity of the smoke was assayed using the Ames' Salmonella test. A strong temperature dependence of the mutagen concentration in smoke as well as in meat crust and pan residues was shown. The contribution of mutagenic activity from the smoke relative to the total mutagenicity was 3.1, 4.2 and 11.1% at 200, 250 and 300 degrees C, respectively.

Successful management of daytime enuresis using alarm procedures: a randomly controlled trial

Forty four children with daytime wetting were included in a randomly controlled trial of two alarm devices, a contingent one that sounded when wetting occurred and a non-contingent one that went off from time to time unrelated to wetting events. A quota allocation system ensured comparability between treatment groups. Two thirds responded to an alarm by becoming dry. The non-contingent alarm produced as good a response as the contingent one and is recommended for routine use in children with diurnal enuresis. Twenty three per cent of those who responded to treatment relapsed up to two years after completion of the trial.

A color-contingent prism displacement aftereffect

Observers were trained to point with feedback to red and blue dots whose images had been laterally displaced in opposite directions by a reversible prism. On pretraining and posttraining trials the red and blue dots were aligned vertically in the absence of visual orientation cues. The alignment was modified by the pointing training on the posttraining trials. The colors were aligned in the direction of their prior prismatic displacement. One control experiment showed that the alignment aftereffect requires feedback during the pointing task. Another experiment in which observers pointed to the red and blue dots with opposite arms showed that pointing to both dots with the same arm was necessary to produce the alignment aftereffect. Changes in the perceived position of objects in the visual field occur when changes in perceived limb position cannot compensate for a sensorimotor conflict. Eye torsion or fixation displacements are proposed as alternative mechanisms mediating the aftereffect.

Teenage school refusers grow up: a follow-up study of 168 subjects, ten years on average after in-patient treatment

Efforts were made to follow up 168 young teenage school refusers ten years, on average, after they had been treated as inpatients in an adolescent psychiatric unit. Almost half were well or much improved throughout the follow-up period. Outcome was most satisfactory in intellectually bright children treated under the age of 14 and among those who were well or substantially better shortly after discharge. Thirty per cent of the group had received treatment for psychiatric illness, 14% had seen a psychiatrist and 5% had been admitted to hospital for psychiatric treatment during the follow-up period. Thirty per cent appeared to be disturbed at the time that they were reviewed. The 'decennial-inception' and 'point-prevalence' rates for psychiatric disorder appeared unduly high by comparison with local and national rates of disturbance.

Classification of severe school attendance problems

Sixty-four children taken to court for failure to attend school were reliably classified into 4 groups, according to whether they exhibited the features of 'school refusal' and/or 'truancy'. About a fifth of them were found to exhibit 'school refusal'; a third showed 'truancy'; less than a sixth exhibited both 'school refusal' and 'truancy' combined; and over a third had the characteristics of neither condition. Differences between these categories were found in manifestations of psychiatric disturbance and in responsiveness to a court adjournment procedure.

Mental distress in mothers of young children in Harrogate

Two hundred and forty women with young children who were patients in a Harrogate general practice were studied. About a third of them were found to be suffering from 'mental distress'. Younger mothers were more affected. The number of spacing of their children were not related to symptoms of depression and anxiety, but poor personal relationships and difficulties getting out and about were so related, despite relatively affluent circumstances. Children of distressed mothers were more inclined to be disturbed. A controlled trial using amitriptyline involving 25 of the women suggested that this drug can improve depressive symptoms under these circumstances and that the improvement is likely to be maintained over the course of a year.