Factors Associated with Smokeless Tobacco Use among Pregnant Women in Rural Areas of the Southern Terai, Nepal

BACKGROUND

Tobacco use among women during pregnancy leading to poor maternal and child health outcomes has been well documented. However, factors influencing use of smokeless tobacco in Nepal has not yet been well established. This study aims at exploring the factors related to smokeless tobacco use among pregnant women in rural southern Terai of Nepal.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was performed at 52 wards within 6 Village Development Committee in Dhanusha district of Nepal. A total of 426 expectant mothers in their second trimester were selected using a multistage cluster sampling method. Descriptive and regression analyses were done to explore the factors that influence smokeless tobacco use.

RESULTS

In a total of 426 pregnant mothers, one in five used tobacco in any form. Among the users, 13.4% used smokeless tobacco. Pregnant mothers who were smoking tobacco (AOR 6.01; 95% CI (1.88-19.23), having alcohol consumption (AOR 3.86; 95% CI (1.23-12.08), stressed (AOR 5.04; 95% CI (1.81-14.03), non-vegetarian (AOR 3.31;(1.84-13.03), not attending regular mothers' group meetings (AOR 4.63; (1.41-15.19), and not-exposed to mass media (AOR 5.02; (1.89-13.33) were significantly associated with smokeless tobacco use. Similarly, mothers of age group 20-34 years, dalit, aadibasi and janajati, hill origin, no education and primary education were more likely to use smokeless tobacco than their counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

Factors such as smoking tobacco, alcohol consumption, stress, and poor education were found to be significantly associated with smokeless tobacco use among pregnant women in southern Terai of Nepal. This requires an immediate attention develop an effective strategy to prevent and control smokeless tobacco use among pregnant women in southern Terai of Nepal.

The Thermosiphon Cooling System of the ATLAS Experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

The silicon tracker of the ATLAS experiment at CERN Large Hadron Collider will operate around –15°C to minimize the effects of radiation damage. The present cooling system is based on a conventional evaporative circuit, removing around 60 kW of heat dissipated by the silicon sensors and their local electronics. The compressors in the present circuit have proved less reliable than originally hoped, and will be replaced with a thermosiphon. The working principle of the thermosiphon uses gravity to circulate the coolant without any mechanical components (compressors or pumps) in the primary coolant circuit. The fluorocarbon coolant will be condensed at a temperature and pressure lower than those in the on-detector evaporators, but at a higher altitude, taking advantage of the 92 m height difference between the underground experiment and the services located on the surface. An extensive campaign of tests, detailed in this paper, was performed using two small-scale thermosiphon systems. These tests confirmed the design specifications of the full-scale plant and demonstrated operation over the temperature range required for ATLAS. During the testing phase the system has demonstrated unattended long-term stable running over a period of several weeks. The commissioning of the full scale thermosiphon is ongoing, with full operation planned for late 2015.

Novel non-sense GCH1 mutation in a South African family diagnosed with dopa-responsive dystonia

BACKGROUND

Dopa-responsive dystonia (DRD), a movement disorder characterized by onset in early childhood and a dramatic response to low doses of levodopa, has been shown to be caused by a number of different mutations in the GCH1 gene.

METHODS

We identified a South African family which presented with DRD in three family members. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers were designed to span all six exons of GCH1 and the PCR products were screened for pathogenic mutations using direct sequencing.

RESULTS

A novel non-sense mutation (c.233delT; p.I78fsX79) was identified in the DRD patients, which would produce a markedly truncated protein of only 78 amino acids. This mutation was also present in a number of asymptomatic family members.

CONCLUSIONS

A novel non-sense mutation in the GCH1 gene can be associated with DRD and reduced penetrance in South African patients.

Histological evaluation of a topically applied retinol-vitamin C combination

Two double-blind studies versus vehicle were carried out to investigate the effects of a topically applied retinol plus vitamin C combination on epidermal and dermal compartments of aged or photoaged human skin. The two studies were performed on postmenopausal women who were selected for treatment based on the mild level of elastosis of their facial skin. At completion of treatment, skin biopsies were collected and processed for classical histology and immunohistochemistry. In the first study (aged skin), 8 volunteers applied the retinol- and vitamin C-containing preparation on the ventral side of one elbow and the vehicle on the other elbow twice daily for 3 months. After the 3-month treatment we observed histological changes mainly within the epidermis. The stratum corneum was thinner with a compact pattern, whereas the epidermal proliferation increased, resulting in a thickening of the viable epidermis. Moreover, the interdigitation index was increased. In the second study (photoaged skin), 11 volunteers were divided in two groups; one applied the retinol- and vitamin C-containing preparation and the other one the vehicle on their face twice daily for 6 months. Facial skin samples presented histologic hallmarks of photoaging, i.e. accumulation of elastotic material in the papillary dermis. After the 6-month topical treatment, the observed histological changes were mainly concentrated at the dermal level. Both treated and control groups showed the same distribution pattern of type I procollagen, however, the high level of type III procollagen originally observed in photoaged skin was reduced in the retinol- and vitamin C-treated group, resulting in a lower type III-to-type I procollagen ratio. Furthermore, a wide band of eosinophilic material just beneath the epidermis, devoid of oxytalan fibers and forming the 'grenz zone', appeared more frequently and was larger in the retinol- and vitamin C-treated group. In conclusion, our results show that repeated topical application of a preparation containing both retinol and vitamin C is able to reverse, at least in part, skin changes induced by both chronologic aging and photoaging.

Small bowel obstruction secondary to disseminated candidiasis in an immunocompromised patient: radiologic-pathologic correlation

Immunosuppression for therapeutic reasons (e.g. post transplantation, post chemotherapy), as well as pathologic immunodeficiency due to certain pathologic conditions (e.g. AIDS, leukemia), is increasingly encountered in daily medical practice. As a result, the concomitant risk for opportunistic infections is higher and immunocompromised patients may present with uncommon clinical and radiologic conditions. We report on a case of a 33-year-old immunocompromised woman with a history of recurrent T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, which presented with abdominal pain. Computed tomography (CT) images demonstrated significant small bowel dilatation, wall thickening, and high-density intestinal content, with a focal point of transition in the pelvis. Extensive fungal enteritis due to Candida Albicans with partial small bowel obstruction was found on autopsy.

Hyaluronic acid and dermatan sulfate are selectively stimulated by retinoic acid in irradiated and nonirradiated hairless mouse skin

All-trans retinoic acid (RA) has been shown to enhance subepidermal repair in photoaged hairless mice. The current study assesses the effects of RA on the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content in irradiated and nonirradiated mouse skin. Mice were exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) for 10 wk, after which they were treated either with 0.05% RA or with an ethanolpolyethylene glycol 400 vehicle three times a week for 10 or 20 wk. When assessed at the end of 10 wk of UVB irradiation, the GAG content had doubled, without a change in the hyaluronic acid (HA) to dermatan sulfate (DS) ratio. When irradiation was discontinued, the GAG content decreased progressively until the end of the experimental period. This decline was totally inhibited by RA treatment and could be ascribed to a marked increase in hyaluronic acid (78%), whereas no significant change in DS was observed. In nonirradiated skin, however, topical RA increased GAG levels mainly by a pronounced increase in the content (50%) and the synthesis (40%) of DS. In untreated mice, the HA/DS ratio decreased significantly with age in both irradiated and nonirradiated mice. Interestingly, RA maintained this ratio only in animals exposed to UVB. In addition, there was a marked stimulation in the heparin content, up to approximately 20-fold, after irradiation, whereas the amount of heparin in both irradiated and nonirradiated skin increased about 2- to 3-fold with RA treatment. In summary, the alterations induced in HA and DS contents in irradiated and nonirradiated skin indicate the specificity of the RA-induced effects for the various GAGs.

Behavioral community intervention to reduce the risk of skin cancer

Peer leader modeling, posted feedback, posted goals, and a commitment raffle were used at two swimming pools to increase behaviors associated with skin cancer prevention. During the intervention condition, pool lifeguards modeled the protective behaviors by wearing sunglasses, t-shirts, and hats, using zinc oxide and sunscreen, and staying in the shade. Children and adolescents (1 to 16 years old) increased their use of two or more protective behaviors from a baseline mean of 6.5% to 26.9% during the intervention. Adults (older than 16 years) increased their protective behaviors from a baseline mean of 22% to 37.95% during the intervention. The lifeguards increased their use of all the protective behaviors from a baseline mean of 16.7% to 63.5% during intervention. Ways to improve and expand this intervention are discussed.

Altering shoppers' supermarket purchases to fit nutritional guidelines: an interactive information system

This study reports the results of one effort to help supermarket shoppers alter food purchases to make purchases (and meals) that are lower in fat and higher in fiber. A prototype interactive information system using instructional video programs, feedback on purchases with specific goals for change, weekly programs, and the ability to track user interactions and intended purchases was evaluated. The major dependent measure was users' actual food purchases as derived from participants' highly detailed supermarket receipts. After a 5- to 7-week baseline phase, participants were randomly assigned to an experimental or control condition for the 7- to 8-week intervention phase. A follow-up phase began 5 to 8 weeks after participants completed the intervention and discontinued use of the system. The results indicated that experimental participants, when compared to control participants, decreased high fat purchases and increased high fiber purchases during intervention, with evidence for some maintenance of effect in follow-up. Plans for increasing the use and impact of the system are discussed.

Surface glycosyltransferase activities during development of neuronal cell cultures

Neurons in culture obtained from dissociated cerebral hemispheres of 8-day-old chick embryos showed measurable activities of galactosyl-, fucosyl-, and sialyl-transferases at the external surface of their plasma membrane. Important changes in these activities were observed during cell proliferation and maturation, in particular the surface fucosyltransferase activity, and/or the amount of intracellular fucosylated acceptors increased during synaptogenesis, between 3 and 5 days in culture (d.i.c.). A sodium dodecyl sulfate radioelectrophoretic analysis of the fucosylated neuronal acceptors labelled with [14C]fucose showed, during synaptogenesis, the high labelling of two protein bands of 116 and 50 X 10(3) daltons. The fucosylation of glycoconjugates occurred preferentially, in neurons, upon glycoproteins whereas in glial cell cultures glycolipids were more fucosylated. The reasons for such a difference are not yet understood but the results suggest that the surface fucosyltransferase activity and fucosylated proteins in particular may play a role during the synaptogenesis of neurons in culture.

Ectoglycosyltransferase activities at the surface of cultured neurons

Glycosyltransferase activities (ectogalactosyl, ectofucosyl and ectosialyl) were studied at the external surface of exclusively neuronal cultures. An appropriate methodology gave the possibility to eliminate sources of errors due to the hydrolysis of nucleotide sugar substrates or due to cellular uptake of free sugars. Ovomucoid and asialofetuin coupled to Sepharose and Ultrogel beads were used as exogenous substrate to circumvent possible substrates pinocytosis. Ectoglycosyltransferase activities were studied as function of protein concentration, incubation time and amount of bead coupled exogenous acceptors. The data show that these enzymes are present at the external surface of the neuronal membrane; their possible role in cell - cell interactions is suggested.

Lithium treatment of hypothermia caused by electric shock

Prostaglandins have hyperthermic as well as hypothermic effects, and lithium, which inhibits the conversion of dihomogammalinolenic acid to PGE1, can produce hyperthermia. Electroconvulsive shock raises prostaglandin F in rat cerebral cortex and in the case presented here lithium normalized temperature in a patient who became hypothermic after she accidentally received an electric shock.