Variation in growth, development, and yield of durum wheat in response to high soil boron. II. Differences between genotypes

This greenhouse study examined the variation in growth, development, and yield between 9 durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum Desf., syn. T. durum) lines in response to high soil boron (B) levels. The lines were selected to represent the range of B-toxicity tolerance in an earlier screening experiment. Three soil B levels (hot-water extractable B concentrations of 0·3, 7·1, and 17·4 mg/kg, designated as B0, B25, and B50, respectively) were set up by mixing different amounts of boric acid with soil. Foliar B-toxicity symptom score, dry weight, and shoot-B concentration were measured at tillering. Agronomic traits and yield were measured. There were differential responses to high soil B levels between the durum lines. The boron×line interaction was significant for B-toxicity symptom score and shoot-B concentration. Based on these 2 characters, and percentage of shoot dry weight and grain yield reduction from B0 to B50, Oued Zenati, Omrabi-5, and Gezira-17 were the most tolerant of the 9 durum lines, yet they were less tolerant to high soil B levels than the tolerant bread-wheat check, Halberd. Nonetheless, until more tolerant materials are developed, these moderately tolerant durum lines could still be useful for areas, like southern Australia, where B toxicity is a problem.

Validation of the combined olfactory test

A new test of olfactory function, the combined olfactory test, has been designed to assess odours easily recognizable by the test population. The test consists of an odour recognition test of nine odours, where an odour in a bottle is chosen from a list of four possible odours in a forced choice manner. This is followed by a threshold test using a series of three-fold dilutions of 1-butanol. The mean of the two scores is the combined olfactory score. The test was subjected to a validation study. It was performed on 133 participants with a normal sense of smell and a normal rhinological examination and on 94 participants who said that they did not have a sense of smell. There was a highly significant difference between the combined olfactory score in the normal and 'anosmic' groups (P < 0.001). This significant difference was the same between the two groups for the threshold and odour recognition arms of the test. There was a highly significant difference (P < 0.001) between the two subgroups of 'completely anosmic' and 'almost anosmic' participants, indicating that the test could grade the degree of olfactory dysfunction.

Woman abuse. The role of nurse-midwives in assessment

When health care providers do not assess routinely for abuse, it most likely is a result of the powerful social myths surrounding domestic violence and a lack of knowledge about incidence, prevalence, and the dynamics of abuse. This article examines commonly held myths as well as personal and social constraints that cause practitioners not to assess for abuse. Additionally, it presents guidelines for the assessment of individual women, as well as professional role development in the area of abuse of women and suggests that nurse-midwives are generally well positioned to assess their clients for the health problems of violence and abuse.

Preconceptual caffeine exposure increases glucose utilization and accelerates development in the preimplantation rat embryo

The present study was designed to investigate whether caffeine administered daily throughout the estrous cycle prior to fertilization affected the development of the subsequent preimplantation day 5 rat embryo. The viability parameters chosen for assessment were glucose utilization, cell number, and stage of embryonic development (morula to hatched blastocyst). Two independently replicated experiments were conducted. Together these experiments demonstrated that after fertilization, a proportion of affected oocytes maturing in a caffeine-perfused ovarian environment used and oxidised glucose at a significantly higher rate and were significantly more advanced developmentally compared with their litter mates or with the control counterparts. Cell number per embryo and the number of embryos recovered (litter size) remained constant, suggesting that caffeine, at the doses used, is unlikely to affect the ovulation rate or prevent fertilization. This study is significant because it demonstrates for the first time that a drug such as caffeine, when administered prior to ovulation and genomic activation, causes a quantitative difference in growth promoting energy utilization in a proportion of susceptible embryos after genome activation. A link between genomic imprinting and changed developmental program in the preimplantation embryos was suggested.

Benzodiazepine prescribing in a Sydney teaching hospital

OBJECTIVES

To determine the pattern of benzodiazepine prescribing in hospital and at discharge in relation to prior benzodiazepine therapy.

DESIGN

Patient interview within 48 hours of admission to determine benzodiazepine, alcohol and other psychotropic drug use before admission and review of medical records after discharge to document drugs prescribed in hospital and at discharge.

SETTING

Tertiary teaching hospital, January to August 1995.

RESULTS

1453 patients (mean age, 60 [SD, 19] years; 52.7% female) were interviewed; 277 patients (19.1%) were taking benzodiazepines regularly (one or more doses per week) before admission. Of these, 28.5% did not have benzodiazepine therapy continued while in hospital and 63.9% did not receive benzodiazepines at the time of discharge. Of the remaining 1176 patients (those not previously taking benzodiazepines), 277 (23.6%) were prescribed them for the first time in hospital and 5.3% received benzodiazepines at the time of discharge. Older age, female sex, marital status (single, divorced or widowed) and the use of antidepressants and Schedule 8 narcotic analgesics were all statistically significant predictors of benzodiazepine use before admission, but alcohol consumption was not.

CONCLUSIONS

A substantial number of patients do not have their benzodiazepine therapy continued in hospital and at the time of discharge, and are thus at risk of developing benzodiazepine withdrawal syndromes, including delirium. A small but clinically significant number of patients who do not usually take benzodiazepines receive them at the time of discharge and may be at risk of becoming long term users.

Cigarette smoking at hire as a predictor of employment outcome

We have reported that cigarette smoking at the time of hire is associated with elevated rates of accidents, injuries, absence, discipline, and firing among US postal workers. We followed this cohort of 2537 for a second year to assess whether these associations would change with time in a workplace with active smoking cessation programs. Smokers' elevated risks for accidents, injuries, and discipline decreased after the first year. Risk for involuntary turnover was slightly higher in the 2-year analysis. The elevation in the rate of absence for smokers remained comparable in both periods. Although it is possible that the decline in the relative risk of accidents, injuries, and discipline may reflect changes in smoking status, we were unable to obtain follow-up data on smoking status to test this hypothesis.

Smooth muscle-derived nitric oxide is elevated in isolated forearm veins in human alcoholic cirrhosis

1. Cirrhosis is often complicated by disturbances in the systemic circulation. We have previously demonstrated decreased vascular responses to vasoconstrictors in forearm resistance arteries in subjects with alcoholic cirrhosis. In the current study we investigate the role of the potent endogenous vasodilator nitric oxide in the peripheral circulation of these patients. 2. Ten patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (Pugh grade A) and 10 age-matched control subjects were studied. The effect of blockade of nitric oxide synthesis was studied both in vivo in forearm resistance arteries using forearm venous occlusion plethysmography and in vitro in veins isolated from the forearm. The role of endothelium-derived nitric oxide was studied in vivo using the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine. 3. Mean arterial pressure and forearm basal flow in vivo were similar in the two groups. The constrictor response (percentage decrease in forearm blood flow) to noradrenaline (100 ng/min) was 26% smaller in patients with cirrhosis (31.65 +/- 2.64%) than in control subjects (42.75 +/- 3.87%, P = 0.037). Constrictor responses to the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine were not different in the two groups. Dilator responses to acetylcholine were significantly attenuated in cirrhotic patients compared with control subjects. 4. To investigate the role of smooth muscle-derived nitric oxide in vitro, all veins were stripped of their endothelium. Responses to noradrenaline were significantly diminished in veins isolated from patients with cirrhosis compared with control subjects. Incubation with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N omega-nitro-L-arginine had no effect on responses to noradrenaline in veins from control subjects but significantly enhanced the maximal response to noradrenaline by 23.95% (range 3.77-100%, P = 0.043) in veins from patients with cirrhosis. 5. Responses to noradrenaline were attenuated in vivo in forearm resistance arteries in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. This impairment was also apparent in forearm isolated veins, stripped of the endothelium. Our data exclude a major role for endothelium-derived nitric oxide but highlight a possible role for smooth muscle-derived nitric oxide.

The expression of stem cell factor and its receptor, c-kit in human endometrium and placental tissues during pregnancy

Stem cell factor (SCF) and its receptor Kit regulate the proliferation and survival of early hematopoietic cell types as well as germ cells and melanocytes. As SCF augments the effects of several hematopoietic growth factors that are produced in reproductive tissues during pregnancy and also plays an important role in cell migration, proliferation, and survival, we studied the expression and localization of this receptor/ligand in human endometrial and placental tissues. Kit was detected by Western blot analysis in early decidual and placental tissues (8-19 weeks gestation) and in term placenta. Immunohistochemistry localized Kit mainly in trophoblast and to a lesser extent in scattered cells in the placental villous core and decidual stroma. Ribonuclease protection assay showed that SCF messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression increased 3-fold in decidua from early pregnancy compared to proliferative and secretory endometrium (P < 0.05). Placental tissues expressed 4- to 8-fold higher levels of SCF mRNA compared to decidus (P < 0.05). Isolated placental villous core expressed 7-fold higher levels of SCF mRNA than did trophoblast (P < 0.05). Thus, SCF and its receptor Kit are expressed in human endometrium and placental tissues during pregnancy, and the pattern of receptor/ligand expression suggests that endometrial and placental villous core SCF may have a paracrine effect on trophoblast through the receptor Kit.

Suicide rate following attendance at an accident and emergency department with deliberate self harm

OBJECTIVE

To determine the risk of suicide in patients attending an accident and emergency (A&E) department with deliberate self harm.

METHODS

Information was obtained on suicides and open verdicts from the coroner's office and cross checked with computerised records in the A&E department.

RESULTS

There was a trend to suicide among younger socially isolated males and older females.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a significant association between suicide and a previous attendance at A&E with deliberate self harm. Appropriate assessment of these patients is an efficient way of managing self harm.

"Fast tracking" patients with a proximal femoral fracture

OBJECTIVE

To assess the management of elderly patients presenting to the accident and emergency (A&E) department with a proximal femoral fracture.

METHODS

A retrospective audit carried out on 30 patients with proximal femoral fracture showed an unacceptably long waiting time in the A&E department. A new "fast track" system for managing these patients, involving the use of a flow chart for expediting admission, was devised. A prospective study of 100 patients > 60 years of age with proximal femoral fracture admitted by fast track system was then carried out.

RESULTS

Implementation of the fast track system resulted in earlier admission to the ward (median time to admission 2.5 h v 4.5 h in the retrospective audit, P < 0.001). Eighteen patients were not admitted by fast track during the study period, in some cases because of inconclusive diagnosis or because there was no identifiable orthopaedic bed; mean admission time for this group was 4 h 8 min.

CONCLUSIONS

The fast track system was of benefit to all involved, including the patient, A&E staff, ward staff, and orthopaedic personnel.

Managing patients with deliberate self harm admitted to an accident and emergency observation ward

OBJECTIVE

To review the case records of patients admitted to an accident and emergency (A&E) observation ward following deliberate self harm.

METHODS

The hospital notes of 568 patients admitted during one year following episodes of deliberate self harm were reviewed. The study was retrospective.

RESULTS

The majority of these patients had taken an overdose and were between 18 and 35 years of age. Most patients were admitted to the observation ward after midnight or in the evening and were subsequently managed by an A&E based deliberate self harm team. Only 20% of admissions required evaluation by a psychiatrist. Most patients were discharged the next day without further follow up.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of a specialised A&E based team and an A&E observation ward is appropriate for the management of many deliberate self harm patients.

Prevalence of adverse reactions in nuclear medicine. Pharmacopeia Committee of the Society of Nuclear Medicine

This investigation sought to determine the prevalence of adverse reactions to radiopharmaceuticals and to nonradioactive drugs used in interventional nuclear medicine. We also tabulated all adverse reactions reported to manufacturers of radiopharmaceuticals commercially available in the United States.

METHODS

A prospective 5-yr study was performed of 18 collaborating institutions using a questionnaire which enumerated monthly the number of procedures used and adverse reactions noted. An algorithm to determine the level of etiologic probability of an adverse reaction from an administered radiopharmaceutical was developed. We reviewed all available literature on adverse reactions in nuclear medicine.

RESULTS

During this period, 783,525 radiopharmaceutical and 67,835 nonradioactive drug administrations were analyzed. Ten of the 18 adverse reactions to radiopharmaceuticals were rashes. No patient experiencing an adverse reaction to a radiopharmaceutical required hospitalization or had significant sequelae. Reproducibility of the adverse reactions algorithm was validated by independent evaluation of 30 adverse reaction reports from the U.S. Pharmacopeia-Society of Nuclear Medicine adverse reaction reporting system. All adverse reactions to 49 commercially available radiopharmaceuticals were tabulated and referenced.

CONCLUSION

Radiopharmaceuticals have an excellent safety record. An algorithm to evaluate putative radiopharmaceutical reactions is highly reproducible.