Effect of pregnancy length on the early development of Bengal kittens

In cat breeding, an important step is reproduction and obtaining healthy offspring. The main factor determining the survival of newborn kittens is the normal course and length of pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of gestation length on the early development of kittens. It was shown that kittens (premature kittens) later double their body weight (p<0.01), have lower daily gains (p<0.01) and higher body weight during eye opening (p<0.01), which occurs later than in kittens born on time.In addition, due to a shorter period of prenatal development, they require more time until the day of eye opening, which, together with the length of pregnancy, was defined as development age (DA).

Understanding the role of religion in shaping cross-national and domestic attitudes and interest in abortion, homosexuality, and pornography using traditional and Google search data

Over the last 20 years, internet usage has increased substantially, providing an inexpensive source of data that may be less prone to bias and could provide a greater number of meso and macro units. However, validating big data and their usefulness has been challenging. This study uses established sources to validate Google Trends' search interest in the "Bible" across US Designated Market Areas and "Ramadan" across nations, establishing a potential new source of religion data. We then use these measures to show that people from religiously conservative US areas and countries are more likely to disapprove of homosexuality, abortion and pornography. Conversely, Americans from conservative religious areas are also more likely to search for these topics; and cross-national interest in Islam is associated with increased interest in pornography. Our study offers insight into Google Trends' potential for social science research and a roadmap on how to use these data.

Online or in Person? Examining College Decisions to Reopen during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Fall 2020

When coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) became a major impediment to face-to-face college instruction in spring 2020, most teaching went online. Over the summer, colleges had to make difficult decisions about whether to return to in-person instruction. Although opening campuses could pose a major health risk, keeping instruction online could dissuade students from enrolling. Taking an ecological approach, the authors use mixed modeling techniques and data from 87 percent of two- and four-year public and four-year private U.S. colleges to assess the factors that shaped decisions about fall 2020 instructional modality. Most notably, the authors find that reopening decisions about whether to return to in-person instruction were unrelated to cumulative COVID-19 infection and mortality rates. Politics and budget concerns played the most important roles. Colleges that derived more of their revenue from tuition were more likely to return to classroom instruction, as were institutions in states and counties that supported Donald Trump for president in 2016.

How and why have attitudes about cannabis legalization changed so much?

Since the late 1990s public opinion about cannabis legalization has become drastically more liberal, and some states have begun to legalize cannabis for recreational use. Why have attitudes changed so much? Prior research has considered a few of the reasons for this change, but this is the first comprehensive and empirically-based study to consider the wide range of potential causes for how and why this happened. We use data from the General Social Survey, National Study of Drug Use and Health, and word searches from the New York Times. We find that attitudes largely liberalized via intracohort changes. Most Americans developed more liberal views, regardless of their race and ethnicity, gender, education, religious or political affiliation, or religious engagement. Changes in cannabis use have had minimal effects on attitudes, and legalization of cannabis has not prompted attitude change in neighboring states. As to root causes, evidence suggests that a decrease in religious affiliation, a decline in punitiveness, and a shift in media framing all contributed to changing attitudes.

„Image 3D” zur Unterschenkelvolumenbestimmung im Vergleich mit der Wasserplethysmographie

Einleitung: Messverfahren zur Bestimmung von Beinvolumina objektivieren im klinischen Alltag Therapieverläufe und werden häufig im Rahmen klinischer Studien benötigt. Als Gold-standard bei der Volumenmessung gilt derzeit die Wasserplethysmographie. Sie ist bei vielen klinischen Studien Mittel der Wahl.

Ziel der Studie war es, ein berührungsloses optisches Messverfahren „Venotrain Image 3D” mit dem Goldstandard, der Wasserplethysmographie, zur Beurteilung von Beinvolumina bzw. der Volumenveränderung im zeitlichen Verlauf zu vergleichen. Wir untersuch-ten, ob sich „Venotrain Image 3D“ als Instrument der Volumenmessung im untersuchten Kollektiv eignet.

Patienten und Methoden: Untersucht wurden 21 schwangere Frauen im Alter von 27 bis 42 Jahren (MW 33,4 ± 4,4 Jahre). Bei Einschluss in die Studie befanden sich die Studienteilnehmerinnen in der 12. bis 28. Schwangerschaftswoche. Sie wurden prospektiv über 16 Wochen untersucht. Bis zur Entbindung wur-den die Patientinnen in 4-wöchigen Abstän-den sowie 3 Monate postpartum bezüglich der Beinvolumina mittels „Venotrain Image 3D” und zur Unterschenkelvolumenbestim-mung mittels Wasserplethysmographie untersucht. Dabei werden folgende Kompartimente erfasst: Wasserplethysmographie: Fuß- und Unterschenkelverdrängung bis zu einer Höhe von 28 cm oberhalb der Fußsohle; „Image 3D“: automatische Auffindung Unterschenkel, Beginn: Extremalstelle cB bis Patellaspalt; Oberschenkel: Beginn: Patellaspalt bis Extremalstelle cG

Ergebnisse: Da unterschiedliche Kompartimente vermessen wurden, eignen sich die gemessenen Absolutvolumina nur bedingt als Parameter zum Methodenvergleich. Die Korrelation der Messergebnisse beider Methoden betrug bei Betrachtung der Volumenveränderung im zeitlichen Verlauf r=0,78, p<0,001. In der Bland-and-Altman-Darstellung zeigen bei der Betrachtung der Volumenveränderung im zeitlichen Verlauf keine systematischen Abweichungen. Bei der Betrachtung der Einflussgröße Unterschenkellänge zeigt sich eine starke Korrelation zur Differenz beider Messverfahren.

Schlussfolgerung: Die „Image 3D“-Methode zur Bestimmung der Beinvolumina korreliert sehr eng mit den Ergebnissen der Wasserplethysmographie hinsichtlich relativer und absoluter Unterschenkelvolumina. Bei den Absolutvolumina kommt es jedoch zur systematischen Abweichung bei großen Unterschenkelvolumina. Dabei stellt die Unterschenkellänge die entscheidende Einflussgröße dar. Beide Methoden messen dabei unterschiedliche Kompartimente des Unterschenkels, sodass je nach Fragestel-lung die eine der anderen Methode überlegen zu sein scheint.

Place matters: Contextualizing the roles of religion and race for understanding Americans' attitudes about homosexuality

As laws and policies related to homosexuality have evolved, Americans' attitudes have also changed. Race and religion have been established as important indicators of feelings about homosexuality. However, researchers have given almost no attention to how county characteristics shape Americans' attitudes. Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling techniques, we examine how personal characteristics and the religious and racial context of a county shape feelings about homosexuality drawing on data from the American National Election Survey and information about where respondents reside. We find that African Americans initially appear less tolerant than other racial groups, until we account for the geographical distribution of attitudes across the nation. Additionally, once we consider religious involvement, strength of belief, and religious affiliation African Americans appear to have warmer feelings about homosexuality than whites. Drawing on the moral communities' hypothesis, we also find that the strength of religiosity amongst county residents heightens the influence of personal religious beliefs on disapproving attitudes. There is also a direct effect of the proportion conservative Protestant, whereby people of all faiths have cooler attitudes towards homosexual individuals when they reside in a county with a higher proportion of conservative Protestants. Finally, we do not find any evidence for an African American cultural influence on attitudes.

Explaining attitudes about homosexuality in Confucian and non-Confucian nations: is there a 'cultural' influence?

The majority of research on attitudes about homosexuality has concentrated on the global North and on Christian and Muslim majority nations. Little research attention has been given to the factors that shape tolerance in societies with a Confucian heritage. Residents of Confucian counties are less tolerant than Europeans and Americans. One reason given for this difference is the emphasis on Confucian values in many Asian societies. Using data from the World Values Survey, we examine whether values that could be described as Confucian influence attitudes in Confucian and non-Confucian nations. We find a unique Confucian cultural effect, which can partially be explained with concerns about keeping the family intact. Conversely, in Confucian societies values related to obedience, conformity, and filial piety are unrelated to attitudes. There is also a small Buddhist contextual effect, resulting in more tolerant attitudes, and the Confucian influence cannot be reduced to an Asian regional effect.

Religiosity and reactions to terrorism

Although many of the world's most serious outbreaks of conflict and violence center on religion, social science research has had relatively little to say about religion's unique role in shaping individuals' attitudes about these events. In this paper we investigate whether Americans' religious beliefs play a central role in shaping attitudes toward the continuing threat of terrorism and their willingness to assist officials in countering these perceived threats. Our analysis of an original data collection of almost 1600 Americans shows that more religious respondents are more likely to express concerns about terrorism. However, this relationship is mediated by their level of conservatism. We also find that more religious respondents are more likely to claim that they will assist government officials in countering terrorism. This relationship remained even after accounting for conservatism, and people's general willingness to help police solve crimes like breaking and entering.

Monitoring of radioactive contamination in Polish surface waters in 2012-2013

The 90Sr and 137Cs contamination in Polish surface waters has been monitoring since 1994. Surface water samples from six lakes and the Vistula and Oder Rivers were collected in spring and autumn 2012 and 2013. The mean 90Sr and 137Cs concentrations were 3.92 ± 0.40 and 4.49 ± 2.00 mBq L-1, respectively. Correlations were identified between the radionuclide concentrations and meteorological conditions and the original fallout distribution from the Chernobyl disaster. The annual average radionuclide concentrations were not significantly different from the concentrations found between 1994 and 2011. The 137Cs and 90Sr concentrations have been decreasing only slowly.

Fumaderm® in daily practice for psoriasis: dosing, efficacy and quality of life

BACKGROUND

Patients with psoriasis suffer from chronic skin disease and impaired quality of life. With a prevalence of 1-3% of the population, psoriasis is one of the most common chronic inflammatory autoimmune diseases. Fumaric acid esters (Fumaderm(®)) are approved for the treatment of psoriasis in Germany, but regular Fumaderm therapy with six tablets per day is often limited due to adverse events.

OBJECTIVES

This observational study recorded data on quality of life, treatment efficacy and drug dosing in patients suffering from psoriasis treated with Fumaderm under conditions of daily practice in 78 dermatological centres.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this prospective, multicentre, noninterventional trial we included adult patients with severe plaque psoriasis under outpatient conditions receiving Fumaderm according to the current summary of product characteristics for systemic treatment of psoriasis. At baseline and after 3, 6 and 12 months the dosing regimen under daily conditions, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and clinical efficacy with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) were documented.

RESULTS

A total of 249 patients were included. The mean DLQI score at study entry was 9·95; the mean PASI was 16·8. The average treatment dose of Fumaderm was 2·8 tablets daily. More than 70% of patients were treated with one to three tablets daily and < 30% were treated with a dose ranging from four to six tablets daily. DLQI and PASI improved in the entire study population by 67·2% and 66·6%, respectively. Specifically, when analysing patients who started Fumaderm within 4 weeks before baseline the mean DLQI score decreased from 11·8 to 2·9 (75% reduction) and the mean PASI score from 19·84 to 7·35 after 12 months (63% improvement).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first field study analysing the use of Fumaderm and the improvement of quality of life in patients with psoriasis under daily outpatient conditions. The improvement of DLQI obtained with Fumaderm was comparable with the improvement observed in patients with psoriasis treated with modern biologics. Importantly, in most patients with good clinical response, the treatment dose was one to three tablets daily.

Extracurricular activities and teens' alcohol use: The role of religious and secular sponsorship

Much research has found that more religious youth are less likely to engage in riskier health-related behaviors. However, very little research has examined the role that religion may play in shaping the health-related behaviors of secular youth. There is reason to think that more and less religious youth may gain some health-related benefits from involvement with religious organizations through activities such as basketball and volunteering. Using two waves of data from the National Study of Youth and Religion, this study finds that involvement in religion-supported secular activities is associated with less alcohol use for all involved teens. The number of friends who belong to a religious youth group, in part, explains the relationship. Conversely, network overlap between parents and teens, the number of friends who drink or use drugs, and having an adult confidant from a religious group are not mechanisms that mediate the relationship.

High-cost religion, religious switching, and health

Previous research has devoted significant attention to understanding the link between health and personal religious beliefs and practices, typically finding that more religious people tend to have better health. However, almost no attention has been given to how switching religious groups or leaving religion altogether is related to self-reported health. Due to selection and causation mechanisms, switching from high-cost groups that are theologically and culturally exclusive could be associated with poor health more than switching from other religious groups. Using data from the 1972 through 2006 General Social Surveys, we examine the relationship between health and religious switching as moderated by the religious tradition of origin. We find that people who are raised and stay in high-cost sectarian groups, such as the Latter-day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses, have better self-reported health than those raised and staying in other religious traditions. However, people who leave such groups are more likely to report worse health than those who leave other groups.

A screen of SLC1A1 for OCD-related alleles

SLC1A1, which encodes the neuronal and epithelial glutamate transporter, is a promising candidate gene for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In this study, we conducted capillary electrophoresis single-strand conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) screen for all 12 identified exons, including all coding regions and approximately 50 bp of flanking introns of the human SLC1A1 in 378 OCD-affected individuals. Full sequencing was completed on samples that showed an aberrant SSCP tracing for identification of the underlying sequence variants. Our aim was to determine if there are differences in the frequencies of relatively common alleles, or rare functional alleles, in 378 OCD cases and 281 ethnically matched controls. We identified one nonsynonymous coding SNP (c.490A > G, T164A) and three synonymous coding SNP (c.81G > C, A27A; c.414A > G, T138T; c.1110T > C, T370T) in case samples. We found no statistical differences in genotype and allele frequencies of common cSNPs in SLC1A1 between the OCD cases and controls. The rare variant T164A was found only in one family. Further investigation of this variant is necessary to determine whether and how it is related to OCD. There was no other evidence of significant accumulation of deleterious coding mutations in SLC1A1 in the OCD cases.

Mechanisms of Dipolar Ortho/Para-H2O Conversion in Ice

In this paper a possible explanation for an unexpected ortho/para-water ratio in the gas clouds of comets is given. The description is based on the quantum-mechanical density matrix formalism and the spin temperature concept. Only the nuclear spin system is treated quantum-mechanically. Employing the model of a four spin system, created by two nearest neighbour water molecules, spin eigenstates and their dynamics under the influence of their mutual dipolar interactions are studied. It is shown that a fast conversion between ortho- and para-states occurs on a msec time scale, caused by the intermolecular homonuclear magnetic dipolar interaction. Moreover the spin eigenstates of water in an ice crystal are determined by magnetic dipolar interactions and are not given by normal ortho- and para-H2O states of gaseous water. As a result of this the spin temperature of gaseous water evaporated from ice depends strongly on its evaporation history and the ortho/para-ratio of water molecules are only an indirect measure of the temperature of ice crystals from where they descend. This result could explain the unexpected experimentally observed ortho/para-ratios in the clouds of comets.

Understanding the effects of personal and school religiosity on the decision to abort a premarital pregnancy

Although much research has examined the relationship between religion and abortion attitudes, few studies have examined whether religion influences abortion behavior. This study looks at whether individual and school religiosity influence reported abortion behavior among women who become pregnant while unmarried. Hierarchical Logistic Models are implemented to analyze two waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Findings show that personal religiosity is unrelated to reported abortion behavior. However, conservative Protestants appear less likely to obtain abortions than mainline Protestants, Catholics, and women of non-Christian faiths. Regardless of personal religious affiliation, having attended a school with a high proportion of conservative Protestants appears to discourage abortion as women enter their twenties. Conversely, women from private religious high schools appear more likely to report obtaining an abortion than women from public schools.

Shaping attitudes about homosexuality: the role of religion and cultural context

Across the globe, the debate over homosexuality continues, with great variation in public opinion about the acceptability of homosexuality, laws regulating same-sex unions and penalties for homosexual sex behaviors. Religion is often seen as an important predictor of attitudes about homosexuality. However, cross-national differences in cultural orientations suggest that the role religion has in explaining homosexual attitudes may depend on a nation's cultural context. In this study, we merge ideas from cultural sociology and religious contextual effects to explain cross-national variation in public opinion about homosexuality. Using data from the fourth wave of the World Values Survey and Hierarchical Modeling techniques, we find support for the micro and macro effects of religion and a survival vs. self-expressive cultural orientation. Moreover, we find that personal religious beliefs have a greater effect on attitudes about homosexuality in countries like the United States, which have a strong self-expressive cultural orientation.

The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA): Online Research Data, Tools, and References

The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) currently archives over 400 local, national, and international data files, and offers a wide range of research tools to build surveys, preview data on-line, develop customized maps and reports of U.S. church membership, and examine religion differences across nations and regions of the world. The ARDA also supports reference and teaching tools that draw on the rich data archive. This research note offers a brief introduction to the quantitative data available for exploration or download, and a few of the website features most useful for research and teaching. Supported by the Lilly Endowment, the John Templeton Foundation, the Pennsylvania State University, and the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion, all data downloads and online services are free of charge.

Religion and Initiation into Marijuana Use: The Deterring Role of Religious Friends

Over the last two decades researchers have begun to look at how personal religious beliefs and behaviors influence substance use, finding that more religious teens are less likely to drink, smoke, and use illegal drugs. This study builds on this previous research, combining it with work on religious contextual effects to develop a theoretical model that explains why friends' religion would influence teens' marijuana use, even if teens are not personally religious. Using two waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study examines whether individual and friends' religiosity (e.g., religious participation and importance) or born-again identity influence marijuana initiation. Individual and friends' born-again identity appear to independently influence marijuana initiation, which is not significantly mediated by the proportion of in-school friends who have tried marijuana. Findings offer support for the role of micro religious contexts for explaining illegal substance use.

The effects of religious contextual norms, structural constraints, and personal religiosity on abortion decisions

Researchers have established that individual religiosity influences abortion attitudes, and that abortion attitudes, in turn, shape abortion restrictions and access. Less clear is whether religion and abortion structural constraints influence abortion decisions. This study examines the several individual, contextual, and structural factors that could shape the abortion decisions of women who conceive before marriage. Special attention is given to the importance of academic aspirations and structural constraints, in contrast to religious beliefs and county religious context, for making an abortion decision. Hierarchical modeling techniques and two waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) are employed. Neither generic religiosity nor conservative Protestant religious context appear to influence women's abortion decisions. Conversely, young women's abortion decisions are shaped by academic ambition, identification with a conservative Protestant denomination, proximity to an abortion clinic and the level of public abortion funding in their county of residence.

Cross-National Moral Beliefs: The Influence of National Religious Context

International surveys have documented wide variation in religious beliefs and practices across nations, but does this variation in the national religious context make a difference? Building on existing theory we explain why religion should have both micro and macro-level effects on morality not sanctioned by the state and why the effects of religion differ from other forms of culture. Using two international surveys and Hierarchical Linear Modeling Techniques (HLM) we sort out the effects of national context and personal beliefs on morality with and without legal underpinnings. We find that national religious context, the respondent's age, and religious beliefs and practices are the most consistent predictors of the sexual morality index. For morality sanctioned by the state, however, the effects for personal beliefs and practices are attenuated and the effects of the national religious context are no longer significant.

Age and bromodeoxyuridine labelling index as prognostic factors in high-grade gliomas treated with surgery and radiotherapy

AIMS

To determine the prognostic value of proliferative potential and DNA ploidy in 72 brain tumours (36 grade III and 36 grade IV astrocytomas) using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) incorporation and flow cytometry.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

All 72 patients underwent excision, mostly incomplete of the tumour. After surgery, eight patients received conventionally fractionated radiotherapy, 11 patients received accelerated radiotherapy, and 53 patients received hypofractionated radiotherapy. Tumour samples taken during surgery from each patient were incubated in vitro for 1 h at 37 degrees C with BrdUrd using the high pressure oxygen method. The percentage of BrdUrd-labelled cells (BrdUrd labelling index [BrdUrd LI]), and the total DNA content were evaluated:

RESULTS

The tumours showed variability in the BrdUrd LI values, which ranged from 0.3 to 19.1%. No difference was observed in mean BrdUrd LI between grade III and grade IV sub-groups. A significantly higher percentage of DNA aneuploidy was observed in grade III gliomas (69.4%) than in grade IV gliomas (52.8%). Univariate analysis showed that younger patients (< or = 51 years) (P = 0.021) with grade III gliomas (P = 0.030) and low tumour proliferation rate (BrdUrd LI < or = 2.7%, P = 0.028) had significantly higher 5-year survival rates. Tumour ploidy had no influence on patients' survival (P = 0.591). However, Cox multi-variate analysis showed that only age over 51 years, and high tumour proliferation rate (BrdUrd LI > 2.7%), were significant unfavourable prognostic factors in patient survival.

CONCLUSION

In this study, independent prognostic factors for patients with high-grade gliomas treated with surgery and post-operative radiotherapy are age and tumour proliferation rate assessed according to the BrdUrd LI.

Mechanism of nuclear spin initiated para-H2 to ortho-H2 conversion

In this paper a quantitative explanation for a diamagnetic ortho/para H2 conversion is given. The description is based on the quantum-mechanical density matrix formalism originally developed by Alexander and Binsch for studies of exchange processes in NMR spectra. Only the nuclear spin system is treated quantum-mechanically. Employing the model of a three spin system, the reactions of the hydrogen gas with the catalysts are treated as a phenomenological rate process, described by a rate constant. Numerical calculations reveal that for nearly all possible geometrical arrangements of the three spin system an efficient spin conversion is obtained. Only in the chemically improbable case of a linear group H-X-H no spin conversion is obtained. The efficiency of the spin conversion depends strongly on the lifetime of the H-X-H complex and on the presence of exchange interactions between the two hydrogens. Even moderate exchange couplings cause a quench of the spin conversion. Thus a sufficiently strong binding of the dihydrogen to the S spin is necessary to render the quenching by the exchange interaction ineffective.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 is a novel nuclear target for cholinergic receptor signaling in the hippocampus

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is a nuclear enzyme involved in DNA repair and transcription regulation. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of PARP-1 in muscarinic cholinergic receptor signaling. Our data indicate that activation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors by carbachol (1mM) in the presence of GTP gamma S evoked a significant enhancement of PARP activity in the adult rat hippocampus. Moreover, TMB-8 (10 microM), an antagonist of inositol 1, 4, 5 trisphosphate (IP(3)) receptor prevented the activation of PARP-1, which indicates that IP(3) /Ca(2+) signaling is involved in this pathway. The diacylglycerol (DAG)-regulated protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor (GF109203X) (1 microM) only slightly enhanced PARP activity in hippocampal nuclear fractions, which suggests that DAG/ PKC is not involved in PARP activation.

Expression of alpha-synuclein in different brain parts of adult and aged rats

The synucleins are a family of presynaptic proteins that are abundant in neurons and include alpha-, beta, and gamma-synuclein. Alpha-synuclein (ASN) is involved in several neurodegenerative age-related disorders but its relevance in physiological aging is unknown. In the present study we investigated the expression of ASN mRNA and protein in the different brain parts of the adult (4-month-old) and aged (24-month-old) rats by using RT-PCR technique and Western blot, respectively. Our results indicated that mRNA expression and immunoreactivity of ASN is similar in brain cortex, hippocampus and striatum but markedly lower in cerebellum comparing to the other brain parts. Aging lowers ASN mRNA expression in striatum and cerebellum by about 40%. The immunoreactivity of ASN in synaptic plasma membranes (SPM) from aged brain cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum is significantly lower comparing to adult by 39%, 24% and 65%, respectively. Beta-synuclein (BSN) was not changed in aged brain comparing to adult. Age-related alteration of ASN may affect the nerve terminals structure and function.

Non A beta component of Alzheimer's disease amyloid and amyloid beta peptides evoked poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-dependent release of apoptosis-inducing factor from rat brain mitochondria

Amyloid beta peptide (A beta) and non-A beta component of Alzheimer's disease amyloid (NAC) are involved in pathomechanism of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and are deposited in the AD brain in the form of senile plaques. However, the mechanism of their neurotoxicity is not fully understood. In this study the sequence of events involved in NAC and A beta peptides evoked toxicity was investigated in brain slices, synaptosomes and in subcellular fractions. Radio-, immunochemical, spectrophotometrical methods and DNA electrophoresis were used in this study. Our data indicated that A beta 1-40 (25 microM) and NAC (10 microM) peptides induced liberation of free radicals and massive DNA damage that lead to activation of DNA bound enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1). In consequence of these processes apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) was released from mitochondria and was translocated to nucleus. The inhibitor of PARP, 3-aminobenzamide significantly decreased AIF release from mitochondria and its translocation. Both peptides under the investigational conditions had no effect on caspase-3 activity. Our data indicated that A beta and NAC peptides stimulate AIF-dependent apoptotic pathway that seems to be caspase independent process. The inhibition of PARP-1 may protect the brain against A beta and NAC toxicity.

Are stromal fibroblasts from cervical tumors suitable to predict normal tissue radiation reaction?

We examined the effect of gamma-irradiation (4 Gy) alone or combined with estrogen (17beta-estradiol 15 microM) treatment on the radiation response of stromal fibroblasts from cervical tumors. The fibroblasts were derived from tumors of 9 younger (<50 years) and 9 older (>50 years) cervical cancer patients. A normal fibroblast GSH+/+ cell strain was used as a reference cell. The end-points examined 2 days after irradiation were cell cycle distribution and apoptosis as measured of the cellular response to gamma-radiation. The response of examined fibroblast groups to gamma-rays alone was comparable but apoptotic death was more marked in fibroblasts derived from the younger patients with TNM 1+2 tumors than from the older ones. There was a considerable estrogen effect on the response to gamma-rays that differed between stromal fibroblasts from the examined age groups and was dependent on the tumor stage. In particular, we found a marked decrease in the number of apoptotic cells and debris after estrogen + irradiation, as compared to irradiation alone, only in younger patients and TNM 1+2 tumors. These results indicate that the response of stromal fibroblasts to gamma-rays to a considerable extent depends on donors age and tumor stage. Since stromal fibroblasts have been used for prediction of normal tissue late effects in patients treated with radiotherapy, we conclude that they may not be an adequate model for this purpose.

Prognostic significance of DNA ploidy and proliferation rate in human astrocytic gliomas

DNA ploidy and the proliferative potential in 75 gliomas were investigated using bromodeoxyuridine labelling index (BrdUrd LI), S-phase fraction (SPF) and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) technique. There were 53 highly malignant (AIII-AIV), and 22 low-grade (AI-AII) gliomas. One fragment of the tumour was fixed in Carnoy's solution for AgNOR test, while the other fragments were used for flow cytometric determination of the labelling index, SPF and DNA ploidy. For the BrdUrdLI, tumour samples from each patient were incubated in vitro for one hour at 37 degrees C with BrdUrd using the high pressure oxygen method. The tumours showed variability in the BrdUrdLI values, SPF and AgNOR counts/cell nucleus. The same percentage of DNA aneuploidy (55%) was found in high-grade as well as in low-grade gliomas. Univariate analysis showed that patients with grade I & II gliomas had significantly higher 3-year survival rate (p = 0.0193) than those with grade III and grade IV gliomas. Also patients with lower proliferation rate of tumours (BrdUrdLI < or =2.3% and AgNOR counts < or =2.6%/cell) had higher 3-year survival rate (p<0.03), which can be helpful in prognosis. Tumour ploidy or SPF had no influence on patients' survival (p = 0.7908). Cox multivariate analysis showed that only patients' age > 45 years and high tumour grade (III and IV) were significant unfavourable prognostic factors in terms of patients' survival.

[Monitoring of bone metastases]

Current knowledge about an incidence of bone metastases, use of bisphosphonates and assessment of response to the treatment are surveyed. The bone metastases are quite frequent in patients with breast and prostate cancers. High doses of intravenous pamidronate are particularly useful in the treatment of these patients. Prior to therapy with bisphosphonate special score elaborated by RE Coleman should be calculated. The new biochemical bone resorption markers especially Ntx i Crosslaps seems to be the most efficient for evaluation metastases response.

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari, Ixodidae) in different Polish woodlands

In 1996-1998, a total of 2285 Ixodes ricinus ticks (1063 nymphs, 637 males, 585 females) were collected from vegetation from 25 different localities in the 8 Polish provinces throughout the country. Ticks inhabited all 25 collection sites. The average number of ticks per collection site was 91.4 +/- 13.7. All 2285 ticks were examined for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) presence, of which 1333 specimens from 3 provinces were tested by routine indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using polyclonal antibody PAB 1B29. The remaining 952 specimens from 5 provinces were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using FL6 and FL7 primers. The overall infection rate in ticks estimated by these 2 methods was 10. 2%. Nymphs showed lower positivity rate (6.2%) as compared to adult ticks (14.9% in females and 12.4% in males). The highest percentage of infected I. ricinus ticks (37.5%) was noted in the Katowice province while the lowest (4.1%) in the Bia ystok province. In particular collection sites, infection rates varied from 0-37.5%. The obtained results confirmed that B. burgdorferi s.l. is present throughout the distributional areas of I. ricinus in Poland and that a prevalence of spirochete-infected ticks may be high in some locations.

[Level of glycosylated hemoglobin in children with newly diagnosed diabetes during their hospitalization]

Percent of HbA1 was determined in 60 children with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus at the beginning and end of their first hospitalization. High levels of HbA1 (over 15%) were found in the majority of children at the admittance which means late diagnosis. A decrease in HbA1 by 0.5-7.5% was noted in 76% of all diabetic children treated at the hospital for 7-24 days. In 54% out of these children HbA1 levels decreased by 1.5-4.5%. Mean HbA1 value was 3.6% following a two-week hospitalization, and 3.7%--after 3 weeks. Mean decrease in HbA1 for all treated children was 0.18% per week. Positive correlation between HbA1 and its percentage and mean glycaemia at the beginning of hospitalization was seen. No correlation between HbA1 values measured at the end of hospitalization and blood glucose levels determined during the whole hospitalization period was found.

[Evaluation of the results of the treatment of children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus fully or partially trained in self care]

The study was aimed at assessing the results of diabetes mellitus therapy in 162 children, who underwent 1) the full programme of diabetes education (114 children) and 2) only the part of it (48 children). The first group was under care of Cracow Medical School Pediatrics Institute since the disease and had 2 weeks of formal diabetes mellitus teaching. The second group was treated in a less unified way in different hospitals and did not have the chance of regular teaching programme. The degree of metabolic control was assessed by series of Hb A1c determinations in whole 1987 year. The levels of Hb A1c were also compared with the children age, diabetes mellitus duration and the period elapsing from the time of last teaching. Children who were fully educated in the problems of their disease achieved significantly better results. In all group a deterioration of diabetes control during puberty was however observed. In children not fully educated such a deterioration was also noted in correlation with diabetes mellitus duration.

The relation between the results of determination of fructosamine and glycosylated proteins of blood serum

Fructosamine concentration (measured by NBT reduction method) and the concentration of glycosylated proteins (measured by a direct UV spectrophotometry upon separation from nonglycosylated proteins by means of affinity chromatography, have been determined simultaneously in 52 samples of blood serum obtained from 42 children with diabetes mellitus and 10 children without metabolic disorders. A highly significant positive correlation (r = 0.96, p < 0.001) was found between the two parameters. It was concluded that fructosamine determination by NBT reduction test reflects the true concentration of glycosylated proteins of blood serum, provided that the proper correction factor derived from the equation of linear regression is used as shown in the following equation: Concentration of glycosylated proteins of blood serum in milligram = 2.78 x (fructosamine concentration in mmol/l + 1.26).

[Treatment of acne with a yeast preparation]

In a randomized, controlled double-blind study involving 139 patients with various forms of acne, the effectiveness and tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hansen CBS 5926 (Perenterol) was studied in comparison with a placebo over a maximum period of five months. The results of therapy were assessed by the physician as very good/good in 74.3% of the patients receiving the preparation, as compared with 21.7% in the placebo group. In more than 80% of the former patients, the condition was considered to be healed or considerably improved, while the corresponding figure for the placebo group was only 26%. Seasonal differences in the effect of treatment with Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hansen CBS 5926 were not observed. Side effects leading to a premature discontinuation of the test were seen neither in the test substance group nor in that receiving placebo. The therapeutic efficacy of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hansen CBS 5926 makes this systemic form of therapy an alternative that is becoming more and more widely accepted by acne patients.