Differences in body temperature regulation during heat stress and seasonal depression in milk yield between Holstein, Brown Swiss, and crossbred cows

It is not clear whether cattle that are genetically superior in regulation of body temperature during heat stress are also better able to sustain milk production during hot conditions. Objectives were to evaluate differences in body temperature regulation during heat stress between Holstein, Brown Swiss, and crossbred cows under semi-tropical conditions and test whether the seasonal depression in milk yield was greater for genetic groups less able to regulate body temperature. For the first objective, conducted during heat stress, vaginal temperature was measured at 15-min intervals for 5 d in 133 pregnant lactating cows. Vaginal temperatures were affected by time and interaction between genetic group and time. Vaginal temperatures were higher for Holsteins for most times of the day. Moreover, the maximum daily vaginal temperature was higher for Holstein (39.8 ± 0.1°C) than for Brown Swiss (39.3 ± 0.2°C) or crossbreds (39.2 ± 0.1°C). For the second objective, 6,179 lactation records from 2,976 cows were analyzed to determine effects of genetic group and season of calving (cool season = Oct to March; warm season = April to Sept) on 305-d milk yield. Milk yield was affected by genetic group and season but not by the interaction of genetic group and season. The difference in average 305-d milk yield between cows calving in cool versus hot weather was 310 kg (4% decrease) for Holstein, 480 kg (7% decrease) for Brown Swiss, and 420 kg (6% decrease) for crossbreds. In conclusion, Brown Swiss and crossbreds regulated body temperature during heat stress better than Holsteins but these breeds were not more resistant to heat stress with respect to milk yield. Thus, genetic differences in thermotolerance are likely to exist that are independent of regulation of body temperature.

Effectiveness of the Australian breeding value for heat tolerance at discriminating responses of lactating Holstein cows to heat stress

Heat stress has negative consequences for milk production and reproduction of dairy cattle. These adverse effects are likely to increase because of climate change and anticipated increases in milk yield. Some of the variation among cows in ability to resist effects of heat stress is genetic. The current objective of this observational study was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian breeding value for heat tolerance (ABVHT) based on the decline in milk yield with heat stress for predicting cow differences in effects of heat stress on regulation of body temperature, milk production, and reproductive function. Genomic breeding values for heat tolerance were calculated for 12,487 cows from a single California dairy farm. Rectal temperature in the afternoon (1100-2045 h) was measured on a subset of 626 lactating cows with ABVHT ≥102 (heat tolerant) or <102 (heat sensitive). Rectal temperature was 0.12°C lower for heat-tolerant cows than heat-sensitive cows. Vaginal temperatures were measured every 15 min for 5 d in 118 cows with ABVHT ≥108 (extreme heat tolerant) or <97 (extreme heat sensitive). Vaginal temperature was 0.07°C lower for extreme heat-tolerant cows than extreme heat-sensitive cows. Lactation records for 4,703 cows with ABVHT were used to evaluate seasonal variation in first 90-d milk yield, fat percent, and protein percent for each ABVHT quartile. Overall, cows with higher ABVHT had lower milk yield, fat percentage, and protein percentage and higher first service pregnancy rate. There was no summer depression in production or reproduction or interactions between season and ABVHT quartile. We observed that ABVHT can successfully identify heat-tolerant cows that maintain lower body temperatures during heat stress. The lack of a pronounced seasonality in milk production or reproduction precluded evaluation of whether ABVHT is related to the magnitude of effect of heat stress on those traits.

GSTO1-1 plays a pro-inflammatory role in models of inflammation, colitis and obesity

Glutathione transferase Omega 1 (GSTO1-1) is an atypical GST reported to play a pro-inflammatory role in response to LPS. Here we show that genetic knockout of Gsto1 alters the response of mice to three distinct inflammatory disease models. GSTO1-1 deficiency ameliorates the inflammatory response stimulated by LPS and attenuates the inflammatory impact of a high fat diet on glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. In contrast, GSTO1-1 deficient mice show a more severe inflammatory response and increased escape of bacteria from the colon into the lymphatic system in a dextran sodium sulfate mediated model of inflammatory bowel disease. These responses are similar to those of TLR4 and MyD88 deficient mice in these models and confirm that GSTO1-1 is critical for a TLR4-like pro-inflammatory response in vivo. In wild-type mice, we show that a small molecule inhibitor that covalently binds in the active site of GSTO1-1 can be used to ameliorate the inflammatory response to LPS. Our findings demonstrate the potential therapeutic utility of GSTO1-1 inhibitors in the modulation of inflammation and suggest their possible application in the treatment of a range of inflammatory conditions.

No evidence for genome editing in mouse zygotes and HEK293T human cell line using the DNA-guided Natronobacterium gregoryi Argonaute (NgAgo)

A recently published research article reported that the extreme halophile archaebacterium Natronobacterium gregoryi Argonaute enzyme (NgAgo) could cleave the cellular DNA under physiological temperature conditions in cell line and be implemented as an alternative to CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology. We assessed this claim in mouse zygotes for four loci (Sptb, Tet-1, Tet-2 and Tet-3) and in the human HEK293T cell line for the EMX1 locus. Over 100 zygotes were microinjected with nls-NgAgo-GK plasmid provided from Addgene and various concentrations of 5’-phosphorylated guide DNA (gDNA) from 2.5 ng/μl to 50 ng/μl and cultured to blastocyst stage of development. The presence of indels was verified using T7 endonuclease 1 assay (T7E1) and Sanger sequencing. We reported no evidence of successful editing of the mouse genome. We then assessed the lack of editing efficiency in HEK293T cell line for the EMX1 endogenous locus by monitoring the NgAgo protein expression level and the editing efficiency by T7E1 assay and Sanger sequencing. We reported that the NgAgo protein was expressed from 8 hours to a maximum expression at 48 hours post-transfection, confirming the efficient delivery of the plasmid and the gDNA but no evidence of successful editing of EMX1 target in all transfected samples. Together our findings indicate that we failed to edit using NgAgo.

Variation in the nuclear effects of infection by different human rhinovirus serotypes

Human rhinovirus (HRV) is a positive sense RNA virus, which, despite replicating in the cytoplasm, has a significant impact on nuclear transport and nuclear localization of host proteins. A number of studies have identified differences between HRV serotypes, with respect to host response, protease activity and replicative ability. Here we report the sero-specific effects of two group-A HRV serotypes, the minor group HRV2 and the major group HRV16, on nuclear transport and nuclear protein localization. Using Western analysis, immunofluorescence and real time PCR, we show that HRV2 replicates at a faster rate than HRV16, which correlates with earlier production of viral proteases and disruption of host nuclear transport. There is significant variation in the nuclear effects of different rhinovirus species, which in turn may impact disease progression and patient response.

The Relative Concentrations of Nutrients and Toxins Dictate Feeding by a Vertebrate Browser, the Greater Glider Petauroides volans

Although ecologists believe that vertebrate herbivores must select a diet that allows them to meet their nutritional requirements, while avoiding intoxication by plant secondary metabolites, this is remarkably difficult to show. A long series of field and laboratory experiments means that we have a good understanding of the factors that affect feeding by leaf-eating marsupials. This knowledge and the natural intraspecific variation in Eucalyptus chemistry allowed us to test the hypothesis that the feeding decisions of greater gliders (Petauroides volans) depend on the concentrations of available nitrogen (incorporating total nitrogen, dry matter digestibility and tannins) and of formylated phloroglucinol compounds (FPCs), potent antifeedants unique to Eucalyptus. We offered captive greater gliders foliage from two species of Eucalyptus, E. viminalis and E. melliodora, which vary naturally in their concentrations of available nitrogen and FPCs. We then measured the amount of foliage eaten by each glider and compared this with our laboratory analyses of foliar total nitrogen, available nitrogen and FPCs for each tree offered. The concentration of FPCs was the main factor that determined how much gliders ate of E. viminalis and E. melliodora, but in gliders fed E. viminalis the concentration of available nitrogen was also a significant influence. In other words, greater gliders ate E. viminalis leaves with a particular combination of FPCs and available nitrogen that maximised the nutritional gain but minimised their ingestion of toxins. In contrast, the concentration of total nitrogen was not correlated with feeding. This study is among the first to empirically show that browsing herbivores select a diet that balances the potential gain (available nutrients) and the potential costs (plant secondary chemicals) of eating leaves. The major implication of the study is that it is essential to identify the limiting nutrients and relevant toxins in a system in order to understand feeding behaviour.

Proteases of human rhinovirus: role in infection

Human rhinoviruses (HRV) are the major etiological agents of the common cold and asthma exacerbations, with significant worldwide health and economic impact. Although large-scale population vaccination has proved successful in limiting or even eradicating many viruses, the more than 100 distinct serotypes mean that conventional vaccination is not a feasible strategy to combat HRV. An alternative strategy is to target conserved viral proteins such as the HRV proteases, 2A(pro) and 3C(pro), the focus of this review. Necessary for host cell shutoff, virus replication, and pathogenesis, 2A(pro) and 3C(pro) are clearly viable drug targets, and indeed, 3C(pro) has been successfully targeted for treating the common cold in experimental infection. 2A(pro) and 3C(pro) are crucial for virus replication due to their role in polyprotein processing as well as cleavage of key cellular proteins to inhibit cellular transcription and translation. Intriguingly, the action of the HRV proteases also disrupts nucleocytoplasmic trafficking, contributing to HRV cytopathic effects. Improved understanding of the protease-cell interactions should enable new therapeutic approaches to be identified for drug development.

A protocol to express and isolate HRV16 3C protease for use in protease assays

Human rhinovirus (HRV) proteases are highly conserved across serotypes and have very similar target specificity. However, there are some serotype-specific differences in their action. It is therefore necessary when performing in vitro protease assays to ensure that the recombinant proteases are specific to the serotype of the HRV under study. We describe a simple method for isolating HRV16 3C protease from a bacterial expression system, including transformation of bacterial cells with a commercially available cDNA plasmid which can be adapted to use for 3C proteases from any other HRV serotypes. The extracted, active 3C protease can then be used for in vitro protease assays.

Four species of arboreal folivore show differential tolerance to a secondary metabolite

The marsupials that eat Eucalyptus in south-eastern Australia provide an example of animals with similar niche requirements occurring sympatrically. They certainly differ in size, ranging from about 1 kg in the greater glider (Petauroides volans) and the closely related common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus), to 4 kg (common brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula) and up to 15 kg in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). All species, however, may eat considerable amounts of eucalypt foliage, often favouring the same species, and thus appear to compete for food. In order to better understand the degree of competition for food, we measured feeding by the greater glider in response to increasing concentrations of a specific group of eucalypt plant secondary metabolites (PSM), the sideroxylonals, and then compared it to results published for the other species. The greater glider was more resilient than the other species to increasing concentrations of sideroxylonals. We suggest this allows gliders to feed on leaves from the eucalypt subgenus, Symphyomyrtus, while its small size and gliding ability allow it to feed where koalas cannot, on the young leaves on top of the canopy. In contrast, the common ringtail possum is well adapted to feeding from species of the subgenus Eucalyptus, which do not produce sideroxylonals but contain less available nitrogen (AvailN) than do the symphyomyrtles. These 'nutritional niches' segregate the forest and along with other factors, such as generalist and specialist feeding strategies and differences in body size and requirements for shelter, presumably minimise competition between the marsupial species.

Strongly interacting Fermi gases with density imbalance

We consider density-imbalanced Fermi gases of atoms in the strongly interacting, i.e., unitarity, regime. The Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations for a trapped superfluid are solved. They take into account the finite size of the system, as well as give rise to both phase separation and Fulde-Ferrel-Larkin-Ovchinnikov-type oscillations in the order parameter. We show how radio-frequency spectroscopy reflects the phase separation, and can provide direct evidence of the FFLO-type oscillations via observing the nodes of the order parameter.

Time course of subjective pain ratings, and wound and leg tenderness after hysterectomy

BACKGROUND

Little information is available on time course of wound tenderness and relationship to subjective pain ratings following surgery. Furthermore, it is not clarified whether surgical procedures may induce hyperalgesia to mechanical stimulation outside the area of the surgical incision. We have therefore assessed postoperative pain and pressure pain thresholds (PPT) adjacent to and remote from the surgical incision in 16 patients undergoing hysterectomy.

METHODS

Pressure pain threshold was assessed with pressure algometry preoperatively, 4 and 6 and 1, 4 and 8 d after surgery on the abdominal wall 0.05, 5, 10 and 15 cm perpendicular to the wound, and on the anterior surface of the left thigh and tuberositas tibia. Furthermore, pain was assessed on a visual analogue scale (VAS) at rest and during cough.

RESULTS

PPT decreased significantly 0.5, 5, 10 and 15 cm from skin incision up to 96 h after surgery (P < 0.01) with a trend towards higher PPT with increasing distance from the wound. There was no significant changes in PPT on the thigh or the tuberositas tibia (P = 0.49 and P = 0.12) and no correlation between changes in PPT near the wound and in remote (areas the legs) (Rs = -0.082, P = 0.53, respectively). VAS at rest increased from 4 to 24 h and the cough values, remained elevated throughout the study (P < 0.05). An inverse relationship was observed between PPT 5 cm from the incision and VAS at rest (Rs = -0.406, P = 0.0002) and during cough (Rs = -0.398, P = 0.0002).

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that wound pressure algometry correlates to postoperative pain at rest and during movement and may be an alternative way of assessing wound pain and tenderness. Increased tenderness to mechanical stimulation remote from the surgical wound could not be demonstrated.

Female urethral diverticulum. Clinical aspects and a presentation of 15 cases

OBJECTIVE

Fifteen patients with female urethral diverticulum (FUD) were referred during nine years. In order to point out the symptomatology and findings and to evaluate the treatment we have reviewed these patients.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 15 women treated with transvaginal diverticulectomy. The technique is described.

RESULTS

The median age was 54 years. All the patients had symptoms of lower urinary tract disorder. The time from the first appearance of symptoms to referral was median 2 years (range, 4 days 30 years). Seventy-five percent of the cases had a pronounced tenderness. In 14 patients a suburethral mass could be found. Purulent material could be expressed in twelve cases. Three patients with symptoms for more than 10 years were characterized by stress incontinence and frequency and recurrent cystitis. No single diagnostic test proved to be specific for FUD. In eight patients (53%) the indication for operation was based only on symptomatology and the presence of a suburethral mass.

CONCLUSION

Diverticulum of the urethra is to be suspected in women with unexplained lower urinary tract symptoms. We recommend a collaboration of the two specialties: Gynaecology and Urology.

Outcome after Colles fracture: the relative responsiveness of three questionnaires and physical examination measures

Clinical evaluation of outcome after Colles fracture has not been standardized. To assess the relative responsiveness of various clinical and questionnaire measures for the assessment of outcome after Colles fracture, 21 patients were surveyed on the day fracture immobilization was discontinued and again 3 months after that date with the following measures: a short form general health survey (SF-36), the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS2), the Brigham and Women's Hospital carpal tunnel questionnaire; pinch strength, grip strength, pressure sensibility, range of motion, and dexterity. Significant changes, all in the direction of improved health status, occurred in the following scales or measures: AIMS2 mobility, hand and finger function, arm function, household tasks, "arthritis" (fracture) pain, self-care, satisfaction, physical health, affect, and tension; Brigham function; SF-36 physical role and mental health; and grip, pinch, dexterity, and range of motion. The impairments that occur after Colles fracture are multidimensional and are only partially captured by traditional physical measures. Questionnaires such as the SF-36, AIMS2, and Brigham and Women's instruments provide a mechanism to capture the function and symptom dimensions objectively.

Outcome assessment for carpal tunnel surgery: the relative responsiveness of generic, arthritis-specific, disease-specific, and physical examination measures

Clinical evaluation of outcome after treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome has not been standardized. To assess the value of various clinical and questionnaire measures for the assessment of outcome after carpal tunnel surgery, we surveyed 22 patients 1 day before and 3 months after carpal tunnel release with the following measures: the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short form health survey, the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale, the Brigham and Women's Hospital carpal tunnel questionnaire, wrist range of motion, power pinch grip strength, pressure sensibility, and dexterity. Significant changes, all in the direction of improved health status postoperatively, were noted in the following scales or measures: the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale pain, satisfaction, health perception, arthritis impact, and symptom scales; the Brigham and Women's Hospital symptom and function scales; the short form health survey's physical role, emotional role, and bodily pain scales; and the measurement of dexterity. In this study, standardized questionnaires were more sensitive to the clinical change produced by carpal tunnel surgery than many commonly performed physical measures of outcome. The condition-specific questionnaire was more sensitive to change than were more generic questionnaires.

The effect of posture on late postoperative oxygenation

Twelve patients had their arterial oxygen saturation measured pre-operatively and on days 1, 4 and 7 after laparotomy. Measurements were performed in the supine, sitting and standing positions on each day. Arterial oxygen saturation was significantly higher during sitting and standing on days 1 and 4 after operation compared with the supine position (p < 0.05). These results give further evidence for the benefits of patient mobilisation after major surgery.

Modulation of the human nociceptive reflex by cyclic movements

During static conditions the nociceptive reflex is known to vary as a function of, for example, the stimulus position, stimulus intensity, and muscle contraction. The aim of the present human study was to investigate whether the reflex and the corresponding perception of pain are modulated by cyclic movements of the limb involved. Reflexes, evoked by nociceptive electric stimulation of the sural nerve, were recorded from the biceps femoris and the rectus femoris muscles in eight volunteers. Four different experiments were performed to compare the nociceptive reflex and pain score elicited during active isometric/dynamic flexion/extension of the knee joint. The amplitudes of the reflexes were largest for the dynamic conditions. The reflexes, evoked during dynamic extension and isometric contraction of the rectus femoris muscle, had the shortest latencies but the recordings from the biceps femoris muscle were larger than from the rectus femoris muscle. Knee joint angle recordings showed that the largest angle variations occurred for the dynamic conditions and were only marginally disturbed for the isometric conditions. A given stimulus intensity evoked the highest pain intensity during isometric contractions. This indicates that there would seem to be no causal relationship between the size of the nociceptive reflex and the pain intensity.

Technology use, cesarean section rates, and perinatal mortality at Danish maternity wards

Fifty-eight Danish maternity units, managing 99% of Danish deliveries, participated in a cross sectional study to assess the relationship between use of birth-related technologies, cesarean section rates and perinatal mortality for births after 35 completed weeks of gestation. A regional technology index (0-10) was calculated for each maternity unit according to its use of ante and intra partum fetal heart rate monitoring (FHM), hormone analysis (human placental lactogen (HPL) and/or estriol (O3)), fetal blood samples (scalp-pH), intrauterine catheter and umbilical cord-pH. Maternity units using FHM had a 15% higher cesarean section rate (not planned) than units not using FHM (p < 0.05). The referral of potentially complicated deliveries to central units, which at the same time relatively often use FHM, is probably responsible for this association. Trying to encounter this selection bias a technology index was calculated for eight regions in Denmark, weighting the index of each unit in a region according to its number of deliveries. There was no association between the technology index in these eight regions in Denmark and their cesarean section rates. Use of FHM, technology index, and unplanned cesarean section rates in the eight regions were all without significant association to the perinatal mortality in the same regions. For births after the 35th completed week of gestation, this study could not confirm a relationship between different degrees of use of birth-related technologies and perinatal mortality.

[Postoperative morbidity after hysterectomy is related to alcohol consumption]

Postoperative morbidity after hysterectomy was studied prospectively in 229 consecutive patients in our departments. The incidence of alcohol abuse (> or = 60 gm of alcohol daily) and moderate drinking (between 25 and 60 gm of alcohol daily) was 6.5% for each. When compared with the moderate drinkers and the control group, the alcohol abusers developed significantly more complications (80% versus 27% and 80% versus 13% respectively). Preoperative history of alcohol consumption may define a group of patients at particular risk for increased postoperative morbidity.

[T/QRS-ratio and cardiotocographic changes in the second stage of labor--related to fetal condition at delivery]

The T/QRS ratio of the foetal electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded from 92 women in labour. Recordings to within 30 min of delivery from 55 women were available for analysis. There was a weak but statistically significant correlation between increasing mean T/QRS ratio and increasing pH/standard base excess (SBE) in the umbilical artery of the 55 foetuses (Spearman, respectively r = 0.28, p = 0.04 and r = 0.29, p = 0.04); the corresponding numbers for the subgroup of 22 where the cardiotocogram was classified as normal being respectively r = 0.51, p = 0.02 and r = 0.61, p = 0.003. The mean T/QRS ratio of foetuses born with an umbilical artery pH of > 7.15 was 0.12 (range -0.05-0.32). There was no significant difference in mean T/QRS ratio between foetuses born with an umbilical artery pH < 7.16 (n = 10) and those born with a pH > 7.15. No trend in T/QRS ratio was found as labour progressed. There were only three cases of metabolic acidose (SBE = -10.3 to -10.6 mmol/l and pH = 7.09-7.14. In two of the cases the CTG was abnormal and in one case intermediate; mean T/QRS ratio was normal in all three cases with metabolic acidosis. Abnormal CTG was able to predict an umbilical artery pH < 7.15 with a sensitivity of 67% and a positive predictive value of 27%. T/QRS ratio (T/QRS = -0.05-0.25: "normal") was not able to predict a low pH. The chance of finding significant changes in T/QRS ratio was limited by the small number of foetuses with clinically significant acidosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Steady-state polypeptide modulations associated with nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced terminal differentiation and NGF deprivation-induced apoptosis in human neuroblastoma cells

Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells differentiate terminally in culture upon exposure to nerve growth factor (NGF) for 4-5 weeks. The neuronal phenotypic properties acquired in response to prolonged NGF treatment include morphological differentiation, cessation of mitotic activity, neuronal marker expression, increased membrane electrical potentials, and a survival dependence upon NGF for trophic support (Jensen, L.M. (1987) Dev. Biol. 120, 56-64). Thus, differentiated cultures survive indefinitely in the continued presence of NGF, however, withdrawal of NGF from differentiated cultures effects the loss of cellular viability within 3-6 days. Here, we show that death of differentiated SH-SY5Y cells caused by NGF deprivation is characteristic of apoptosis. To compare the differentiation promoting and the neurotrophic properties of NGF, whole SH-SY5Y cell extracts were analyzed by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using isoelectric focusing and nonequilibrium pH gradient electrophoresis gels in the first dimension. Steady-state levels of polypeptides extracted from whole-cell lysates of naive (untreated) cells, terminally differentiated cells, and NGF-deprived differentiated cells were compared. Over 1,000 spots from each were analyzed using computer-aided spot matching and densitometry. We noted 25 polypeptides that decreased during differentiation, including 15 that decreased by a factor of 10 or more. The levels of five polypeptides were induced from very low or undetectable levels in naive cells. Withdrawal of NGF from terminally differentiated cells produced alterations in steady-state protein patterns substantially distinct from those occurring during differentiation. While levels of most proteins do not appear affected early after NGF withdrawal, others rapidly return to levels comparable with those of the naive state and some changes occurring with differentiation are enhanced further upon NGF withdrawal. Three polypeptides were regulated uniquely by NGF withdrawal, including two that were induced, on average, 20- and 28-fold and another that was depressed more than 7-fold after NGF deprivation, before cell death. These data indicate that NGF elicits both constitutive and nonconstitutive changes in gene expression and suggest that the differentiation promoting and the neurotrophic properties of NGF correlate with the regulation of different gene products.

Influence of alcohol intake on postoperative morbidity after hysterectomy

Postoperative morbidity after hysterectomy was prospectively studied in 229 consecutive patients in our departments. The incidence of alcohol abuse (greater than 60 gm of alcohol daily) and social drinking (between 25 and 60 gm of alcohol daily) was 6.5% for each. When compared with the social drinkers and the control group, the alcohol abuse group had significantly more complications (80% vs 27% and 80% vs 13%, respectively).

[Analysis of fetal ECG during delivery]

In order to render monitoring of delivery optimal, several new technological methods have found favour during the years. The few randomized investigations of foetal monitoring available do not show any effect on morbidity and mortality. Changes in the foetal ECG have been the object of intense research in the hope of obtaining a better indicator of foetal asphyxia. Experimental and also clinical investigations suggest that detailed analysis of the foetal ECG supplements cardiotocography and improves its diagnostic specificity. Many investigations have demonstrated that changes in the ST-segment, particularly increase in the T-wave are related to foetal hypoxia. The ratio between the height of the T-wave and the QRS complex (T/QRS-ratio) quantities this change in the ST-segment. Registration and quantitating of this change in the ST-segment require a microprocessor monitor to automize ECG analysis. Investigations to date suggest that this monitor can diagnose foetal asphyxia but more extensive investigations are necessary in order to establish the validity of an ECG analysis of this type during delivery.

[Technology use in connection with delivery in Danish maternity departments]

With the object of obtaining information about the technology use employed in Danish maternity departments, a questionnaire was sent to the 58 maternity departments which existed in Denmark in May 1989. These maternity departments covered 99% of the 55,660 births in Denmark (in 1987). Deliveries at home (a total of 511) and delivers in departments with less than four deliveries annually (a total nine) were responsible for the remaining 1%. 100% of the departments returned a completed questionnaire. The following percentages are based on the deliveries included in this investigation. The review revealed that 93.5% of Danish women are delivered in departments with access to carditocographic equipment (CTG), 34% in departments where this is offered routinely to all parturient women. Sixteen departments which did not possess CTG equipment all had fewer than 400 deliveries per annum and 12 of these stated that they wished they had had CTG. Only four of the 58 maternity departments (managing 3.4% of the deliveries in 1987) never employ human placental lactogen (HPL) or oestriol (O3) analyses. The most commonly employed hormone parameter is HPL which is undertaken on appropriate indications in 51 of 54 departments and routinely in the remaining three. Scalp-pH is carried out in 13 of the Danish maternity departments. Thus 41.7% of all the parturient women have access to this analysis. However, only 20% are delivered in maternity departments where this test is employed frequently. Cord-blood-pH is employed routinely in 31.7% of the neonates. Measurement of intrauterine pressure is employed in six out of the 58 maternity departments which are responsible for 25% of Danish deliveries. It is concluded that the slightly increased employment of technology use during delivery in 1989 as compared with practice in 1984 may primarily be due to the closing of several small maternity units during the past five years. In general, the use of technologies are less intensive than in England, Germany, France and the USA.

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the kidney

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma is a primitive mesenchymal tumor which seldom occurs in the genitourinary organs. Despite radical operation, prognosis is generally poor and seems not to be improved by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. We present a case of a malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the renal capsule. The tumor could be removed totally and no signs of metastases were found. Eight months later the patient was readmitted with recurrence of tumor and widespread metastases.

Phenotypic differentiation of aphidicolin-selected human neuroblastoma cultures after long-term exposure to nerve growth factor

Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y (SY5Y) cultures, exposed to murine 7 S nerve growth factor (NGF) for 5 weeks and selected with aphidicolin (Aph) for 1 week, acquire several properties indicative of mature peripheral nerve cells. The mitotic activity of treated cultures decreases prior to Aph selection and ultimately reaches a level approximately 3% that of untreated cultures by Week 4 of treatment. The measured plasma membrane resting potential of the cells increases from -5 mV for untreated cells to -(45-56) mV for NGF/Aph-treated cells. Intracellular stores of monoamines are increased as determined by histochemical staining, and levels of neuron-specific enolase antigen increase as a result of NGF/Aph treatment. The resulting outgrowth of neurites is extensive and large bundles of processes commonly exceed 300 micron in length. NGF/Aph-treated cells acquire a dependence upon NGF for survival; however, with continued administration of NGF, the cultures appear to be capable of surviving indefinitely. Retinoic acid will also promote certain aspects of a differentiated phenotype under similar culture conditions. As judged by these criteria, cells of the SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line have the potential for phenotypic and irreversible differentiation in vitro and can survive for prolonged periods under these culture conditions.

Abiotic formation of particles from extracellular organic carbon released by phytoplankton

(14)C-labeled extracellular organic carbon (EOC) released by the phytoplankton in a Danish Estuary was shown immediately to form particles (>0.2μm) when the products were added to a natural water sample. About 14%-20% of the added activity could be recovered as particles. Any bacterial assimilation of the extracellular products was thus masked. The abiotic origin of the particulate EOC was verified, and it was shown that the particle formation was due to some factors present in the estuarine water with a nominal diameter >0.2μm. Precaution must be taken to avoid misinterpretations in studies concerning carbon flow from algae to bacteria.