A Multisite Preregistered Paradigmatic Test of the Ego-Depletion Effect

We conducted a preregistered multilaboratory project (k = 36; N = 3,531) to assess the size and robustness of ego-depletion effects using a novel replication method, termed the paradigmatic replication approach. Each laboratory implemented one of two procedures that was intended to manipulate self-control and tested performance on a subsequent measure of self-control. Confirmatory tests found a nonsignificant result (d = 0.06). Confirmatory Bayesian meta-analyses using an informed-prior hypothesis (δ = 0.30, SD = 0.15) found that the data were 4 times more likely under the null than the alternative hypothesis. Hence, preregistered analyses did not find evidence for a depletion effect. Exploratory analyses on the full sample (i.e., ignoring exclusion criteria) found a statistically significant effect (d = 0.08); Bayesian analyses showed that the data were about equally likely under the null and informed-prior hypotheses. Exploratory moderator tests suggested that the depletion effect was larger for participants who reported more fatigue but was not moderated by trait self-control, willpower beliefs, or action orientation.

Determination of Aflatoxins in Agricultural Products: Use of Aqueous Acetone for Extraction

An analytical procedure originally developed for the determination of aflatoxins in cottonseed products has been modified for application to many agricultural materials. Aflatoxins are rapidly extracted free of lipid contamination with 70% acetone. Many interfering pigments are removed from the crude extract by precipitation as insoluble lead derivatives, transfer of aflatoxins into chloroform, and further purification of the chloroform extract with silica gel.

The procedure was compared with four recently proposed methods for the analysis of peanut products. This technique is capable of detecting as little as 0.3 ppb of aflatoxin Bi in peanuts and peanut butters. Adequate recovery of added aflatoxins was obtained when this method was applied to numerous different agricultural products.

Molar Absorptivity Values for Aflatoxins and Justification for Their Use as Criteria of Purity of Analytical Standards

Measurements of molar absorptivities in methanol were carried out by two laboratories on samples of anatoxins Bi and Gi prepared and purified independently in four laboratories and on samples of aflatoxins B2 and G2 prepared and purified independently in three laboratories. Molar absorptivities of pure aflatoxins Bi, B2, G1, and G2 in benzene-acetonitrile (98 + 2) were determined at two laboratories. With the exception of aflatoxin G2, no significant difference between aflatoxin samples could be demonstrated. Molar absorptivity values and absorbance ratios for each aflatoxin, based on these data, are given. Statistical 95% confidence limits were established for a single determination of molar absorptivity. A statistical study was made of the components of variance which contribute to the accuracy of the determination of molar absorptivity. A comparison of the fluorescence intensities of spots of various aflatoxin preparations, developed on silica gel-coated thin layer plates, with the amount of aflatoxin in each spotting solution as determined by absorbance measurements, demonstrated the validity of using absorbance and fluorescence comparison measurements for aflatoxin quantitation.

Sleep disturbance in patients taking opioid medication for chronic back pain

Poor sleep is an increasingly recognised problem with chronic pain and further increases the effect on daily function. To identify the relationship between chronic pain, opioid analgesia and sleep quality, this study investigated activity and sleep patterns in patients taking opioid and non‐opioid analgesia for chronic back pain. Thirty‐one participants (10 healthy controls, 21 patients with chronic pain: 6 on non‐opioid medication; 15 on opioid medication) were assessed using actigraphy, polysomnography and questionnaires. Patients with chronic pain subjectively reported significant sleep and wake disturbances as shown by decreased overall sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, p < 0.001), increased symptoms of insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index, p < 0.001) and increased fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale, p = 0.002). They also spent increased time in bed (p = 0.016), took longer to get to sleep (p = 0.005) and had high interindividual variability in other measures of activity but no overall irregular rest‐activity pattern. Patients on high doses of opioids (> 100 mg morphine‐equivalent/day) demonstrated distinctly abnormal brain activity during sleep suggesting that polysomnography is necessary to detect sleep disturbance in this population in the absence of irregular rest‐activity behaviour. Night‐time sleep disturbance is common in individuals suffering from chronic pain and may be further exacerbated by opioid treatment. Considerations must be made regarding the appropriate use of combined actigraphy and miniaturised polysomnography for future population‐based studies.

☛ CPD available at http://www.learnataagbi.org

GAD65 autoantibody epitopes in adult patients with latent autoimmune diabetes following GAD65 vaccination

AIMS

Subcutaneous injection of recombinant human GAD65 (rhGAD65) in patients with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) correlates with an increase in C-peptide levels. In this study we analysed the effect of rhGAD65 administration on the GAD65-specific autoimmune response.

METHODS

Longitudinal serum samples obtained from LADA patients (n = 47) who received 4, 20, 100 or 500 microg alum-formulated rhGAD65 or placebo by subcutaneous injection twice (4 weeks apart) were analysed for their epitope recognition using GAD65-specific recombinant Fab and GAD65/67 fusion proteins.

RESULTS

Overall, minor changes in the epitope pattern were observed using either approach. Only in the 500-microg dosage group was an increase in GAD65Ab level associated with a significant increase in the binding to a conformational epitope located at the middle part of GAD65.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that the apparent beneficial effects of 20 microg alum-formulated recombinant human GAD65 is not explained by changes in the GAD65Ab epitope pattern.

Application of electron spin resonance spectroscopy and spin probes to investigate the effect of ingredients on changes in wheat dough during heating

The change in microviscosity of the aqueous and lipid phases of wheat flour dough, during heating and subsequent cooling, has been measured using novel spin probes based on the isoindolin-yloxyl structure. The spin probes, water and/or lipid soluble, were used with combinations of dough ingredients: diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglycerides (DATEM), salt, yeast, and sodium ascorbate. The lipid soluble probe showed that DATEM does not produce a homogeneous phase with endogenous lipids but is found in a separate, less mobile phase. Also, the lipids were shown not to be involved in the baking process, although DATEM may be incorporated into the gelled starch matrix. The water soluble probe enabled starch gelatinization to be investigated in detail and showed that gelatinization produces a reduction of dielectric constant. The technique is appropriate for the detailed examination of the behavior of different ingredients during baking and also potentially to examine interactions between ingredients and flour components in dough.

Precommitment stategies [sic] for disposition of frozen embryos

The question of whether to enforce agreements to implant frozen embryos after divorce has become a major concern for the 300 clinics and thousands of couples who use infertility services every year. Although courts in New York and Tennessee support enforcement, recent decisions by appellate courts in Massachusetts and New Jersey have refused to enforce such agreements on the ground that courts should not force people to reproduce. This article analyzes conflicts over enforcement of agreements for disposition of frozen embryos in terms of the precommitment strategies that persons use to plan their lives. It shows that refusal to enforce contracts for frozen embryos is unfair to the parties who relied on them in undertaking invasive infertility treatments, and possibly unconstitutional. It also addresses the extent to which precommitments for rearing rights and duties in resulting children should be enforced, if agreements to implant embryos are recognized.

Extending preimplantation genetic diagnosis: medical and non-medical uses

New uses of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to screen embryos prior to transfer raise ethical, legal, and policy issues that deserve close attention. Extensions for medical purposes, such as to identify susceptibility genes, late onset disease, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching, are usually ethically acceptable. Whether embryo screening for gender, perfect pitch, or other non-medical characteristics are also acceptable depends upon the parental needs served and the harm posed to embryos, children, and society. Speculations about potential future uses of PGD should not prevent otherwise acceptable current uses of PGD.

Interaction between protein allergens and model gastric emulsions

The observed resistance to pepsinolysis of known food allergens has been suggested as a predictor of their allergenic risk. Consequently, resistance to pepsinolysis has become incorporated into decision tree assessment for potential allergenic risk posed by novel foods. However, existing methods take little account of the interaction between food structure and physiological conditions existing during digestion in vivo. Here we show that a range of protein allergens can adsorb to model stomach emulsions, providing a further means of resisting digestion. We also show that raising the pH and the addition of bile salts to a model stomach emulsion, thereby mimicking the duodenal environment, has the effect of desorbing the adsorbed protein.

Estradiol up-regulates estrogen receptor messenger ribonucleic acid in endometrial carcinoma (Ishikawa) cells by stabilizing the message

Estrogens up-regulate expression of the estrogen receptor alpha (ER) gene in most mammalian tissues studied. Using the ovariectomized ewe as a model, we determined that estradiol (E(2)) acted post-transcriptionally to increase endometrial ER mRNA concentrations by enhancing the stability of the message. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a similar E(2) effect occurs in Ishikawa cells, a well-differentiated human endometrial adenocarcinoma cell line. The presence and function of ER protein in Ishikawa cells was demonstrated by transactivation of a transfected plasmid (ERE(2)tkCAT) in response to 10(-)(9) M E(2), resulting in a 550% increase in reporter gene RNA. Ishikawa cells also responded to E(2) by up-regulating their ER mRNA concentration an average of 100% between 7 and 24 h of treatment. The effect of E(2) on ER mRNA stability was measured after blocking transcription with actinomycin D to find that the half-life increased from 6 to 10 h in control and E(2)-treated cells respectively. These results are consistent with cell-free studies which showed significant enhancement of the half-life of radiolabeled ER 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) RNA in extracts from E(2)-treated cells versus those from control cells. Thus, Ishikawa cells provide a relevant model system for the study of E(2)-regulated endometrial gene expression.

Identification and quantification of ureaplasmas colonizing the respiratory tract and assessment of their role in the development of chronic lung disease in preterm infants

BACKGROUND

The role of Ureaplasma urealyticum in the development of chronic lung disease (CLD) in preterm infants continues to be disputed. Recently U. urealyticum has been found to consist of two species, U. urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum, a finding that has not been considered in previous studies of CLD. This study examined the possible relationships between development of CLD and respiratory colonization by these newly redefined species, their concentrations in lower respiratory secretions and the effect of pulmonary surfactant treatment on these relationships in preterm infants with birth weights < 1500 g.

METHODS

Endotracheal aspirates (ETA) were collected from intubated infants when airway suctioning was medically required. ETA were stored at -80 degrees C until quantitative cultures for ureaplasmas and Mycoplasma hominis were performed. Culture results were correlated with development of CLD.

RESULTS

Of 475 infants (birth weights < 1500 g) admitted during the 2-year study period, 272 were excluded because they were not intubated or were extubated before ETA could be obtained. An additional 28 infants died, were discharged or were transferred before they could be assessed for CLD. From the remaining 175 infants ureaplasmas were isolated from 66 (38%). No statistically significant associations were identified between development of CLD and the Ureaplasma species isolated, or concentration of ureaplasmas in lower respiratory secretions. These findings were not altered by treatment with pulmonary surfactant (Survanta).

CONCLUSION

Lower respiratory colonization by ureaplasmas does not appear to be a contributory cause of CLD in preterm infants.

Third ventricular plasma-cell lesion with delayed intraventricular transudation of contrast medium

We report a patient presenting with hydrocephalus secondary to a posterior third ventricular plasma-cell lesion which exhibited delayed transudation of contrast medium into the adjacent aqueduct and fourth ventricle.

Consent and privacy in pharmacogenetic testing

The clinical use of pharmacogenetic drugs will require that a sample of a patient's DNA be tested before a drug is prescribed. Although pharmacogenetic tests pose fewer risks than genetic tests for disease mutations, they might still reveal personal information that could be used adversely to a patient's interests. Informed consent and privacy of pharmacogenetic test results may be essential in most clinical uses of pharmacogenetic drugs.

ICI 182,780 acts as a partial agonist and antagonist of estradiol effects in specific cells of the sheep uterus

We assessed the ability of ICI 182,780 (ICI) to block the estradiol (E2) responses of genes within the sheep uterus. Ovariectomized ewes in the 'ICI+E2' treatment group received a uterine infusion with 10(-7) M ICI for 14 h, an injection of 50 microg E2 6 h after the infusion started, and were hysterectomized 18 h postinjection. Other groups received only ICI or E2, or neither treatment ('Con'). Both E2 and ICI increased the wet weight of dissected endometrium: averaging 10.0+/-1.2 g for ICI+E2, ICI, and E2 groups compared to 6.8+/-0.6 g for Con. Slot blot analyses of endometrial RNA showed that estrogen receptor-alpha (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), cyclophilin, actin and c-fos mRNAs responded to E2 treatment: the first five increased an average of 60% while the last decreased 38%. In situ hybridization identified more subtle ICI effects: agonistic up-regulation of GAPDH mRNA in superficial endometrial cells, and antagonistic down-regulation of ER and PR mRNAs in the inner layer of the myometrium. Thus, we conclude that the agonist versus antagonist effects of ICI relative to those of E2 are a function of the gene examined as well as the specific cell within the uterus.

Simple method for determining biovar and serovar types of Ureaplasma urealyticum clinical isolates using PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis

Ureaplasma urealyticum has been associated with urethritis in men, obstetric problems in women, and respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants. U. urealyticum can be divided into two biovars comprising 14 serovars. Partial sequences of genes encoding the multiple-banded antigens of the cell surface are known. Using a commercially available precast DNA mutation detection gel system, we have developed a simple and reproducible PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis method for differentiating the biovars of this species that reveals five patterns among the 14 serovars and enables clinical isolates to be typed directly from broth cultures.

Efficacy and side effects of intermittent intravenous and oral doxercalciferol (1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D(2)) in dialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism: a sequential comparison

Most reports on the effectiveness and side effects of oral versus parenteral calcitriol or alfacalcidol in hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism show no advantage of parenteral treatment. The efficacy and safety of intravenous doxercalciferol (1alphaD(2)) were studied in hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (plasma intact parathyroid hormone [iPTH]: range, 266 to 3,644 pg/mL; median, 707 pg/mL). These results were compared with those of a previous trial using intermittent oral 1alphaD(2); the same 70 patients were entered onto both trials, and 64 patients completed both trials per protocol. Twelve weeks of open-label treatment in both trials were preceded by identical 8-week washout periods. Degrees of iPTH suppression from baseline were similar in the two trials, with iPTH level reductions less than 50% in 89% and 78% of patients during oral and intravenous treatment, respectively. Grouping patients according to entry iPTH levels (<750 and >/=750 pg/mL) showed similar but more rapid iPTH suppression in the low-iPTH groups, whereas longer treatment and larger doses were required by the high-iPTH groups. Highest serum calcium levels averaged 9.82 +/- 0.14 and 9.67 +/- 0.11 mg/dL during oral and intravenous 1alphaD(2) treatment, respectively (P: = not significant [NS]). Prevalences of serum calcium levels greater than 11.2 mg/dL during oral and intravenous treatment were 3.62% and 0.86% of calcium measurements, respectively (P: < 0.001). Highest serum phosphorus levels during oral and intravenous treatment averaged 5.82 +/- 0.21 and 5.60 +/- 0.21 mg/dL, respectively (P: = NS). The percentage of increments in serum phosphorus levels during oral treatment exceeded that during intravenous treatment during 5 of 12 treatment weeks. Thus, intermittent oral and intravenous therapy with 1alphaD(2) reduced iPTH levels effectively and similarly, hypercalcemia was less frequent, and serum phosphorus levels increased less during intravenous than oral 1alphaD(2) therapy, suggesting that intravenous 1alphaD(2) therapy may be advantageous in patients prone to hypercalcemia or hyperphosphatemia.

Human embryonic stem cell research: ethical and legal issues

The use of human embryonic stem cells to replace damaged cells and tissues promises future hope for the treatment of many diseases. However, many countries now face complex ethical and legal questions as a result of the research needed to develop these cell-replacement therapies. The challenge that must be met is how to permit research on human embryonic tissue to occur while maintaining respect for human life generally.

Preconception gender selection

Safe and effective methods of preconception gender selection through flow cytometric separation of X- and Y-bearing sperm could greatly increase the use of gender selection by couples contemplating reproduction. Such a development raises ethical, legal, and social issues about the impact of such practices on offspring, on sex ratio imbalances, and on sexism and the status of women. This paper analyzes the competing interests in preconception gender selection, and concludes that its use to increase gender variety in a family, and possible for selecting the gender of firstborn, might in many instances be ethically acceptable.

Intermittent doxercalciferol (1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D(2)) therapy for secondary hyperparathyroidism

Hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia frequently necessitate vitamin D withdrawal in hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. In short-term trials, doxercalciferol (1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D(2) [1alphaD(2)]) suppressed intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) effectively with minimal increases in serum calcium and phosphorus (P) levels. This modified, double-blinded, controlled trial examined the efficacy and safety of 1alphaD(2) use in 138 hemodialysis patients with moderate to severe secondary hyperparathyroidism by using novel dose titration; 99 patients completed the study. Hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism were enrolled onto this study, consisting of washout (8 weeks), open-label 1alphaD(2) treatment (16 weeks), and randomized, double-blinded treatment with 1alphaD(2) or placebo (8 weeks). Oral 1alphaD(2) was administered at each hemodialysis session, with doses titrated to achieve target iPTH levels of 150 to 300 pg/mL. Baseline iPTH levels (897 +/- 52 [SE] pg/mL) decreased by 20% +/- 3.4% by week 1 (P: < 0.001) and by 55% +/- 2.9% at week 16; iPTH levels returned to baseline during placebo treatment but remained suppressed with 1alphaD(2) treatment. In 80% of the patients, iPTH level decreased by 70%, reaching the target level in 83% of the patients. Grouping patients by entry iPTH level (<600, 600 to 1,200, and >1,200 pg/mL) showed rapid iPTH suppression in the group with the lowest level; greater doses and longer treatment were required in the group with the highest level. During open-label treatment, serum calcium and P levels were 9.2 +/- 0.84 (SD) to 9.7 +/- 1.05 mg/dL and 5.4 +/- 1.10 to 5.9 +/- 1.55 mg/dL, respectively. During double-blinded treatment, serum calcium levels were slightly greater with 1alphaD(2) than placebo, but P levels did not differ. During double-blinded treatment, 3.26% and 0.46% of serum calcium measurements exceeded 11.2 mg/dL with 1alphaD(2) and placebo, respectively (P: < 0.01); median level was 11.6 mg/dL during hypercalcemia. Intermittent oral 1alphaD(2) therapy effectively suppresses iPTH in hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism, with acceptable mild hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia.

Effects of heat treatment and dehydration on properties of cauliflower fiber

The effects of heat treatment and dehydration on fiber structure and hydration properties, using cauliflower floret/curd and stem tissues, have been investigated. No major changes in fiber composition resulted from sample treatments, but the degree of esterification of pectic polysaccharides, approximately 60% in fresh cauliflower, decreased by approximately 12% in samples heated at temperatures >40 degrees C. Enzymic activity was considered to be responsible, through pectin methyl esterase activity. De-esterification was temperature and moisture sensitive. Hydration properties were also affected by processing conditions. The solubility of nonstarch polysaccharides in fresh, freeze-dried, and 40 degrees C dried samples was approximately 6% but increased to 12% in boiled samples and decreased in samples dried at 75 degrees C. Similar behavior occurred for swelling and water retention capacity (WRC), with swelling and WRC highest for boiled samples and lowest for samples dried at 75 degrees C. Hence, a decrease in de-esterification was not directly responsible for changes in hydration properties. The results demonstrate the importance of processing history on functional properties and on the preparation of fiber-rich ingredients for successful incorporation into foods.

Ileal effluent as a fermentation substrate: implications for butyrate production in the colon

Fermentation of fiber can lead to an enhanced production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and, hence, contribute to the proposed anticarcinogenic properties of butyrate in the colon. The fermentation of fiber isolates and the corresponding ileal effluents has been compared under in vitro conditions. Yield of SCFA per gram of substrate fermented was similar for isolates and fiber-enriched effluents (approximately 4.9 mmol/g) and it could be inferred that nonfiber components of effluent also generated SCFA. Butyrate production was highest for glucan-based polymers (approximately 30% total SCFA) and, from the measured acidogenic profile, production of SCFA will occur mainly in the proximal colon. The buffering capacity of ileal effluents during fermentation restrict the potential for a reduction in pH during acidogenesis compared to fiber isolates. This buffering capacity could limit the bioavailability of butyrate in the colon and, hence, the ability to satisfy the proposed antineoplastic properties of butyrate in the colon.

Privacy issues in second stage genomics

Research that identifies genes useful in the prevention and treatment of disease will require access to biologic samples and medical records protected by traditional notions of privacy and confidentiality. Resolving conflicts between privacy and genomic research will require articulating the ethical rules that should govern such practices and then implementing those rules in the national, regional, or local health systems in which the data of interest exists. As consensus develops about the ethical rules that should govern such research, attention will shift to the practical and political problems of installing and implementing those rules in the agencies and institutions where such research will occur.

Tamoxifen up-regulates oestrogen receptor-alpha, c-fos and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate-dehydrogenase mRNAs in ovine endometrium

Tamoxifen, the antiestrogen most widely used in medicine, was tested in ewes to determine whether it antagonizes oestradiol up-regulation of ER, PR, and other genes reported to be oestrogen-modulated (c-fos, oxytocin receptor (OTR), glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and apolipoprotein AI (apo AI)) in endometrium and liver. Ovariectomized ewes (n = 6 ewes per group) were injected with 20 mg tamoxifen (Tam) 24 h prior to tissue collection, 50 microg oestradiol (E2) 18 h prior to tissue collection, both drugs (T + E2) or drug vehicle (Con). E2 treatment resulted in 857 +/- 93 pg oestradiol/g endometrium. Gross uterine characteristics of Tam- and T + E2-treated ewes were intermediate to those in Con and E2 groups. In endometrium, Tam treatment mimicked E2 treatment in up-regulating ER, c-fos, and GAPDH mRNAs two- or three-fold. However, neither E2 nor Tam treatments affected concentrations of OTR mRNA in endometrium, or ER, c-fos, GAPDH, OTR and apo AI mRNAs in liver. Like oestradiol, tamoxifen stabilized endometrial ER mRNA more than 3-fold in endometrial explants cultured with the transcription inhibitor 5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB). Thus, tamoxifen acts as an oestradiol agonist in ovine endometrium and shares a posttranscriptional mechanism with oestradiol in the up-regulation of ER gene expression.

Tissue-related changes in methyl-esterification of pectic polysaccharides in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) stems

Pectic substances are a major component of cell walls in vegetable plants and have an important influence on plant food texture. Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) stem sections at different regions of the mature plant stem have been monitored for tissue-related changes in the native pectic polysaccharides. Chemical analysis detected appreciable differences in the degree of methyl-esterification (ME) of pectic polysaccharides. About 65% of galacturonic acid (GalpA) residues were methyl-esterified in floret tissues. Relative ME showed a basipetal decrease, from 94% in the upper stem to 51% in the lower-stem vascular tissues. The decrease was not related to a basipetal increase in glucuronic acid (GlcpA) residues. The monoclonal antibodies, JIM 5 and JIM 7, produced distinct labelling patterns for the relatively low-methylesterified and high-methyl-esterified pectin epitopes, respectively. Labelling was related to cell type and tissue location in the stem. Floret cell walls contained epitopes for both JIM 5 and JIM 7 throughout the wall. Stem vascular tissues labelled more strongly with JIM 5. Whereas pith parenchyma in the upper stem labelled more strongly with JIM 7, in the lower-stem pith parenchyma, JIM 5 labelling predominated. Localization of pectic polysaccharide epitopes in cell walls provides an insight into how structural modifications might relate to the textural and nutritional properties of cell walls.

Development of a monoclonal antibody to a Ureaplasma urealyticum serotype 9 antigen

We produced a monoclonal antibody (MAb) to Ureaplasma urealyticum Vancouver, the serotype 9 standard strain. By immunoblotting, this MAb showed a single, 85-kDa band with the homologous serotype and a minor, 100-kDa band with serotype 2 but did not react with any other serotype standard strain. Clinical isolates of U. urealyticum were tested with this MAb and with two sets of polyclonal antisera against the 14 serotype standard strains. The use of MAb 9-2H9 correctly identified certain serotype 9 strains but did not react with wild-type strains lacking the serotype 9 determinant.

Oocyte cytoplasm transfers and the ethics of germ-line intervention

Author advances the discussion about positive genetic selection by looking at the use of oocyte cytoplasm transfers as a possible means to prevent disease and to overcome fertility, focusing on the issues of family and kinship, commodification of eggs and egg donors, and germ-line alterations.

Release of mixed linkage (1-->3),(1-->4) beta-D-glucans from barley by protease activity and effects on ileal effluent

The behaviour of barley beta-glucans in the upper gut has been assessed using ileal effluents recovered from a barley-based test meal. Results have been compared to in vitro treatments used to extract beta-glucans. In vitro, exposure to endogenous proteases led to a solubilisation of beta-glucan, ranging from 28% in the untreated to 83% following NSP isolation. In ileal effluent 60% of the beta-glucan was solubilised, similar to the in vitro treatment. However, the viscosity of the ileal effluent was low, comparable to a mucin standard. Although beta-glucan can be solubilised in the upper gut its viscosity would appear to have only a limited potential to affect nutrient bioavailability.

Characterisation of the binding capacities and affinities of wheat bran, fruit and vegetable fibres for MeIQx, before and after fermentation

Binding capacities and affinities of dietary fibres and fermented fibre residues for MeIQx are much higher for brans than for fruit and vegetable fibres. Bran residues concentrated distally in the colon would provide a substantial binding matrix. Small intestinal conditions are not so conducive to hydrophobic adsorption.

Mycoplasma felis septic arthritis in a patient with hypogammaglobulinemia

We describe the first documented case of Mycoplasma felis infection in a woman who had common variable immunodeficiency and who presented with septic arthritis of the left hip and right knee. M. felis was isolated from both joints. She had been exposed to cats before the diagnosis of M. felis septic arthritis was made. Both of the patient's joints were surgically debrided, and she was treated with doxycycline for several months. In spite of initial improvement, destruction of her hip was noted. Subsequently, she underwent hip arthroplasty; histopathological examination of the bone at the time of surgery showed chronic osteomyelitis, and doxycycline therapy was continued.