Acrylonitrile (ACN) has been shown to cause tumors of the brain, stomach and Zymbal's gland in rats in several bioassays, but it has not been tested in other species. The carcinogenic risk of humans exposed to ACN is unclear. ACN is metabolized in the liver to 2-cyanoethylene oxide (CEO), which is believed to be the proximate or ultimate carcinogenic species. Therefore, the kinetics of CEO formation were studied with liver and lung microsomes from mice and humans using a GC-MS assay for CEO, and the data were compared with previously obtained kinetic parameters for rat microsomal enzymes. The rate of CEO formation by human liver microsomes was comparable to that of rat liver microsomes, but less than that of mouse liver microsomes. Liver microsomes produced more CEO than lung microsomes with all three species. CEO formation by microsomes from mice was approximately 4 times greater than that by microsomes from rats or humans, suggesting that mice would have higher CEO concentrations in blood than rats after ACN exposure. However, after oral administration of ACN, the concentration of CEO in mouse blood was one-third that in rat blood at all doses and time points examined. These results show that CEO circulates via the blood, providing exposure to distant sites. The blood concentrations of CEO do not appear to correlate with rates of microsomal CEO formation. This suggests that species differences in the detoxication of CEO may play an important role in determining circulating CEO concentrations and distant organ exposure.

BACKGROUND

Strategic planning has been presented as a valuable management tool. However, evidence of its deployment in healthcare and its effect on organizational performance is limited in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). The study aimed to explore the use of strategic planning processes in Lebanese hospitals and to investigate its association with financial performance.

METHODS

The study comprised 79 hospitals and assessed occupancy rate (OR) and revenue-per-bed (RPB) as performance measures. The strategic planning process included six domains: having a plan, plan development, plan implementation, responsibility of planning activities, governing board involvement, and physicians' involvement.

RESULTS

Approximately 90% of hospitals have strategic plans that are moderately developed (mean score of 4.9 on a 1-7 scale) and implemented (score of 4.8). In 46% of the hospitals, the CEO has the responsibility for the plan. The level of governing board involvement in the process is moderate to high (score of 5.1), whereas physician involvement is lower (score of 4.1). The OR and RPB amounted to respectively 70% and 59 304 among hospitals with a strategic plan as compared with 62% and 33 564 for those lacking such a plan. No statistical association between having a strategic plan and either of the two measures was detected. However, the findings revealed that among hospitals that had a strategic plan, higher implementation levels were associated with lower OR (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In an LMIC healthcare environment characterized by resource limitation, complexity, and political and economic volatility, flexibility rather than rigid plans allow organizations to better cope with environmental turbulence.

Clinical information systems that provide electronic charting and documentation have been commercially available for over 15 years. These systems provide varying degrees of automation to flowsheets, forms, notes, worklists, care plans, and medication administration records. Although there are many benefits that an electronic system brings, such as accessibility, legibility, process adherence, and data mining, the market has been slow to adopt these systems. A variety of historical factors can explain the lack of widespread system implementations. Survey data of CEOs/CIOs from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) shows promising data that clinically oriented applications will receive high prioritization in near term planning. Will this prioritization materialize in actual implementations? Market drivers appear to be in place to predict an increase in sales and implementations.

The job of chair of a department of medicine, once seen as the apex in the career of an academic internist, has lost much of its allure, in part because of increasing administrative and financial obligations that require more of the time and effort of chairs than formerly. This is the impression the author gathered from interviewing 44 current and former chairs, deans, division chiefs, and hospital directors.He was told that chairs have lost some of their independence as departments have become increasingly dependent on the support of the executives at their university hospitals who, as the source of funds and facilities, can even specify which clinical services the chairs may develop. Conflict over the assignment of resources between dean and hospital CEO, which one interviewee stated can produce "incredible tensions," can complicate efforts of chairs to build clinical and research strength within their departments according to their own preferences. The growing administrative and financial duties of the job have forced some chairs to decrease their dedication to the classic responsibilities of teaching medical students and house officers.Recruiting outstanding leaders for departments of medicine challenges search committees and deans more than in the past because many suitable candidates do not choose to be considered and prefer to lead institutes, centers, or specialty divisions. The author suggests, however, that schools-by providing chairs with adequate administrative support and authority-can structure the job to improve its attractiveness and allow chairs more time to engage in traditional academic pursuits.

Cyanoethylene oxide (CEO), a putative toxic and carcinogenic metabolite of acrylonitrile, is a direct-acting mutagen. The focus of this study was to elucidate potential adducts responsible for the mutagenic effect of CEO by characterizing products from the reaction of CEO with nucleotides. The reaction of CEO with the 5'-monophosphates of deoxyguanosine, deoxyadenosine, deoxycytidine or deoxythymidine resulted in the formation of at least one adduct for each nucleotide. Using two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, CEO-nucleotide adducts (approximately 25% modification) were characterized as 2-cyano-2-hydroxyethyl phosphodiesters. The isolate from the reaction of deoxyguanosine-5'-monophosphate (dGMP) with CEO contained a second adduct, identified as N7-(2-cyano-2-hydroxyethyl)-dGMP. Single and double strand breaks, which were observed in supercoiled pBR322 plasmid DNA exposed to CEO >> 50 mM), may arise following formation of cyanohydroxyethyl phosphotriester adducts. The characterization of these phosphodiester adducts in vitro may provide insight into the intermediates responsible for the genotoxic effect of CEO in vivo.

The influence of the culture medium and energy sources on spontaneous nuclear maturation and inhibition of maturation in bovine cumulus-enclosed oocytes (CEO) was examined. CEO were cultured in Medium 199, minimum essential medium, M16, or synthetic oviduct fluid (SOF), all containing 3 mg/mL bovine serum albumin (BSA), and SOF without BSA, alone or supplemented with hypoxanthine (HYPO, 4 mM) or forskolin (FSK, 100 microM) for 21 h. More CEO remained at the GV stage in M16 compared to other media (P < 0.05). Supplementation with HYPO increased and FSK reduced the percentage of CEO remaining at the GV stage (P < 0.05) only in M16. The effects of energy sources, in the absence or presence of HYPO or FSK, were examined in CEO cultured in M16 salts+PVA. Glucose (0.5 and 5.5 mM), pyruvate (0.32 and 3.2 mM), lactate (3.3 mM) and glutamine (1.3 mM) significantly reduced the percentage of CEO remaining at the GV stage compared to M16 salts alone; only glutamine significantly increased the percentage of CEO at the MII stage compared to M16 salts. In M16 salts+HYPO, glucose (0.5 mM), pyruvate (0.32 mM), lactate (3.3 mM) and glutamine (1.3 mM) significantly reduced the percentage of GV and degenerate oocytes and increased the percentage of CEO at the MI stage. In M16 salts+FSK, the energy sources significantly decreased the percentage of oocytes with condensed chromosomes and increased the percentage of CEO reaching metaphase I. In conclusion, meiotic inhibitors had different effects in different culture media and glucose, pyruvate, lactate and glutamine were stimulatory to nuclear maturation. It was noteworthy that some of the results obtained were contrary to previous findings in mouse oocytes.

Gonadotropic stimulation of meiotic resumption in mice is dependent upon mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in the somatic compartment of the follicle. By contrast, spontaneous resumption of meiosis is independent of MAPK activation. In view of the suggested role of meiosis-activating sterol (MAS) in oocyte maturation we have (i) compared MAPK activation in rat preovulatory follicles stimulated by LH or by accumulation of endogenous MAS by using an inhibitor of MAS conversion, AY9944; (ii) examined whether stimulation of meiosis by MAS is dependent upon MAPK activation using denuded oocytes (DO) of Mos- null mice (hereafter Mos(-/-)) with oocytes unable to activate MAPK. Rat preovulatory follicles responded to LH or AY9944 stimulation by MAPK activation. Inhibition of MAPK phosphorylation blocked both LH- and AY9944 triggered resumption of meiosis. In mouse cumulus-enclosed oocytes (CEOs) and DOs AY9944 stimulated GVB in wild-type and Mos(-/-) mouse CEOs cultured with hypoxanthine (Hx). Addition of MAS or AY9944 to mouse DOs cultured with Hx induced resumption of meiosis only in wild-type and Mos(+/-) oocytes, but they were ineffective in Mos(-/-) oocytes. The observed sluggish activation of MAPK induced by AY9944 in rat follicle-enclosed oocytes (FEO) may cause the delay in meiotic resumption in response to MAS and AY9944 stimulation. Further, it is incompatible with the suggested role of MAS as an obligatory mediator of LH in the induction of meiotic maturation. MAPK/MOS activation, whether in the somatic compartment or in denuded oocytes, is required for MAS- like LH-, FSH-, or EGF-induced resumption of meiosis.

The expression of lanosterol 14alpha-demethylase (LDM) in the mouse ovary after gonadotrophin administration was examined and the action of follicle fluid meiosis activating sterol (FF-MAS), derived from lanosterol by the action of LDM, on oocyte spontaneous maturation was also evaluated in cumulus cell enclosed oocytes (CEOs). Expression of LDM was primarily in oocytes in primordial and secondary follicles prior to administration of gonadotrophins, but obvious LDM expression was apparent in ovarian somatic cells 48 h after administration of equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG), especially in luteal and cumulus cells 54 h after eCG or 48 h after eCG plus 6 h after human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). The LDM expression in oocytes was only slightly elevated in larger growing follicles after eCG treatment. On the contrary, 48 h after hCG treatment, the elevated expression of LDM was only detected in interstitial cells. Therefore, eCG may be the primary gonadotrophin for LDM expression, and furthermore for production of FF-MAS in mouse cumulus cells (which are indispensable for oocyte maturation in vivo). Conversely, inhibitors of LDM, either 40 microM azalanstat or 50 microM RS-21745, significantly inhibited oocyte germinal vesicle breakdown (GVB) after 4h of in vitro culture; GVB rates decreased to 14 or 20%, compared to 90% in spontaneous maturation, respectively. There was no significant increase in GVB in CEOs following specific inhibitor of sterol Delta14-reductase and Delta7-reductase, AY9944-A-7 (5-100 microM), until marked oocytes degeneration appeared (50 microM). The phenomena may be ascribed to slow, passive accumulation of FF-MAS by AY9944-A-7, which cannot be associated with fast spontaneous progression. Furthermore, in spontaneous-matured CEOs, LDM was expressed preferentially in cumulus cells instead of oocytes. Therefore, FF-MAS may have a positive role in the spontaneous maturation of CEOs. In conclusion, there was an eCG-dependent dual LDM expression pattern on both oocytes and somatic cells in growing follicles in vivo, which may increase LDM expression and FF-MAS production in cumulus cells for oocyte maturation. For the first time, the inhibitory effect of LDM inhibitors on spontaneous maturation, together with the strong LDM expression in spontaneous matured CEOs, indicated that FF-MAS produced by cumulus cells might participate in spontaneous maturation of mouse CEOs.

It has been reported that protein kinase C (PKC) activation participated in the porcine and bovine oocyte maturation, but not in mouse oocyte maturation in vitro. In the present study, the activators and inhibitors of protein kinase A (PKA) (forskolin, CDPKI and MDL-12230A) or PKC (PMA, staurosporine and sphingosine) were used to investigate the in vitro effect of PKA or PKC on spontaneous murine oocyte maturation, oocyte resumption of meiosis from HX inhibiting medium (medium+HX), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)-induced oocyte maturation. The results showed that when cumulus cell enclosed oocytes (CEOs) or denuded oocytes (DOs) were cultured for 24 h in the medium supplemented with forskolin (5 microM), an activator of adenylate cyclase, the spontaneous oocyte maturation were inhibited. A transient exposure (2 h) to forskolin (2-10 microM) in the medium+HX, and then transferred to a new medium+HX for the further culture, stimulated CEO resumption of meiosis. CDPKI (10(-10)-10(-6) M), an inhibitor of PKA, also stimulated oocyte meiotic maturation of CEO in the medium+HX, but not on DO. However, MDL-12230A (10(-12)-10(-9) M), an inhibitor of adenylate cyclase, did not promote oocyte maturation in HX arrested CEO. CDPKI (10(-10)-10(-6) M) or MDL-12230A (10(-12)-10(-9) M) had no effect on FSH-stimulated oocyte meiotic resumption, except at high doses of CDPKI (10(-7)-10(-6) M) or MDL-12230A (10(-9) M) which inhibited the FSH-induced formation of the first polar body (PB1). An activator of PKC, PMA (10(-11)-10(-7) M) dose-dependently inhibited spontaneous oocyte maturation of CEO or DO. Inhibitors of PKC, staurosporine (10(-9)-10(-6) M) or sphingosine (10(-8)-10(-5) M) induced oocytes in CEOs to resume meiosis in the presence of HX in a dose dependent manner, but had no effect on DOs. FSH (50IU/L) stimulated mouse oocytes in CEOs to override the arrest of HX and resume meiosis, while PMA, at the level of 10(-8)-10(-6) M, dramatically inhibited the stimulatory effect of FSH. These results indicate that PKC or PKA may be implicated in the regulation of mouse oocyte maturation. Thus while sustained high level of cAMP or PKA inhibit the resumption of meiosis, a transient rise in cAMP or PKA levels promotes oocyte maturation. The activation of PKC can also block oocyte meiotic resumption. Thus the inactivation of PKC, instead of the transient rise of PKA activity, appears to be involved in the process of FSH-mediated oocyte meiotic maturation.

The dose dependence of the urinary excretion of acrylonitrile (ACN) metabolites was studied after oral administration of [2,3-14C]ACN to male F-344 rats (0.09 to 28.8 mg/kg) and male B6C3F1 mice (0.09 to 10.0 mg/kg). Urine was the major route of excretion of ACN metabolites (77 to 104% of the dose), with less than 8% of the dose excreted in the feces. Reverse-phase HPLC analysis of urine from treated animals indicated five major components (1 through 5 in order of elution) that accounted for 75 to 100% of the total urinary radioactivity. Component 4 was observed in the urine of ACN-treated mice but was only present in trace amounts in the urine of ACN-treated rats. Components 1, 2, and 3 were present in the urine of animals administered [2,3-14C]cyanoethylene oxide (CEO), indicating that these components were derived from the epoxide metabolite of ACN. The ACN urinary metabolites were isolated by HPLC and identified by chromatographic and mass spectral analysis. Component 5 was N-acetyl-S-(2-cyanoethyl)cysteine and component 4 was S-(2-cyanoethyl)thioacetic acid, both derived from the glutathione (GSH) conjugate of ACN. Component 3 contained N-acetyl-S-(2-hydroxyethyl)cysteine, N-acetyl-S-(carboxymethyl)cysteine, and N-acetyl-S-(1-cyano-2-hydroxyethyl)cysteine. Component 2 was thiodiglycolic acid. These urinary metabolites are derived from catabolism of the GSH conjugates of CEO. The polar component 1 was not identified. These results demonstrate that GSH conjugation is the major disposition pathway of ACN. The excretion of metabolites derived from CEO was an approximately linear function of dose in both species, whereas the excretion of N-acetyl-S-(2-cyanoethyl)cysteine increased nonlinearly with dose. This nonlinearity indicates the presence of a saturable pathway competing with glutathione for ACN, most likely the cytochrome P450-dependent oxidation of ACN. Thiodiglycolic acid was formed 10-fold more in mice than in rats, but this species difference in the oxidative processing of GSH conjugates is probably not of toxicological significance. The ratio of ACN epoxidation to GSH conjugation was 0.50 in rats and 0.67 in mice. This species difference in ACN oxidation could have important toxicological implications, since CEO is believed to mediate the carcinogenic effects of ACN.

Two-phase (La(0.7)Sr(0.3)MnO(3))(0.5):(CeO(2))(0.5) (LSMO:CeO(2)) heteroepitaxial nanocomposite films were grown on SrTiO(3) (STO) (001) by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results show that LSMO:CeO(2) films epitaxially grow on STO as self-assembled vertically aligned nanocomposite (VAN). Magnetic and magnetotransport measurements demonstrate that the LSMO phase in the VAN structure behaves differently from its epitaxial single-phase counterpart, e.g. greatly enhanced coercivity (H(C)) and low-field magnetoresistance (LFMR). The enhanced properties in the VAN system are attributed to the interaction between the perovskite and the secondary phase or phase boundary. The results suggest that the growth of functional oxide in another oxide matrix with vertical heteroepitaxial form is a promising approach to achieve new functionality that may not be easily realized in the single epitaxial phase.

Release of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) to municipal wastewater from industrial and residential sources could impact biological systems in wastewater treatment plants. Methanogenic inhibition can cause failure of anaerobic waste(water) treatment. This study investigated the inhibitory effect of a wide array of inorganic NPs (Ag(0), Al₂O₃, CeO₂, Cu(0), CuO, Fe(0), Fe₂O₃, Mn₂O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂, and ZnO supplied up to 1500 mgL(-1)) to acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenic activity of anaerobic granular sludge. Of all the NPs tested, only Cu(0) and ZnO caused severe methanogenic inhibition. The 50% inhibiting concentrations determined towards acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens were 62 and 68 mgL(-1) for Cu(0) NP; and 87 and 250 mgL(-1) for ZnO NP, respectively. CuO NPs also caused inhibition of acetoclastic methanogens. Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) salts caused similar levels of inhibition as Cu(0) and ZnO NPs based on equilibrium soluble metal concentrations measured during the assays, suggesting that the toxicity was due to the release of metal ions by NP-corrosion. A commercial dispersant, Dispex, intended to increase NP stability did not affect the inhibitory impact of the NPs. The results taken as a whole suggest that Zn- and Cu-containing NPs can release metal ions that are inhibitory for methanogenesis.

A Au-CeO(2) nanocomposite film has been investigated as a potential sensing element for high-temperature plasmonic sensing of H(2), CO, and NO(2) in an oxygen containing environment. The CeO(2) thin film was deposited by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), and Au was implanted into the as-grown film at an elevated temperature followed by high temperature annealing to form well-defined Au nanoclusters. The Au-CeO(2) nanocomposite film was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). For the gas sensing experiments, separate exposures to varying concentrations of H(2), CO, and NO(2) were performed at a temperature of 500 °C in oxygen backgrounds of 5.0, 10, and ∼21% O(2). Changes in the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption peak were monitored during gas exposures and are believed to be the result of oxidation-reduction processes that fill or create oxygen vacancies in the CeO(2). This process affects the LSPR peak position either by charge exchange with the Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) or by changes in the dielectric constant surrounding the particles. Spectral multivariate analysis was used to gauge the inherent selectivity of the film between the separate analytes. From principal component analysis (PCA), unique and identifiable responses were seen for each of the analytes. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was also used and showed separation between analytes as well as trends in gas concentration. Results indicate that the Au-CeO(2) thin film is selective to O(2), H(2), CO, and NO(2) in separate exposures. This, combined with the observed stability over long exposure periods, shows the Au-CeO(2) film has good potential as an optical sensing element for harsh environmental conditions.

Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) is a severe acute respiratory disease of chickens caused by ILT virus. To better understand the epidemiology of the disease, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay of the glycoprotein E gene has been developed and utilized to characterize vaccine strains and outbreak-related isolates. Enzymes EaeI and DdeI were used to differentiate the tissue culture origin (TCO) vaccine from chicken embryo origin (CEO) vaccines. Two RFLP patterns were observed with enzyme EaeI, one characteristic of the TCO vaccine and a second characteristic of all CEO vaccines. Three RFLP patterns were observed with enzyme DdeI. Patterns A and B were characterized as single patterns, whereas the type C pattern was a combination of patterns A and B. Analysis of vaccine strains showed the presence of patterns A and C. Pattern A was observed for the TCO vaccine and one CEO vaccine, whereas pattern C was observed for five of the six CEO vaccines analyzed. PCR-RFLP analysis of plaque-purified virus from pattern C CEO vaccine preparations demonstrated the presence of two populations (patterns A and B). Identification of molecularly different populations of viruses within currently used ILT vaccine is the first step to develop better molecular epidemiologic tools to track vaccine isolates in the field.

Cinnamon essential oil (CEO) was successfully encapsulated into chitosan (CS) nanoparticles at different loading amounts (1%, 1.5%, 2%, and 2.5% v/v) using oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion and ionic-gelation methods. In order to form active packaging, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was used to fabricate PLA/CS-CEO composite fibers using a simple electrospinning method. The shape, size, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficacy of the CS-CEO nanoparticles were investigated. The composition, morphology, and release behavior of the composite fibers were investigated. PLA/CS-CEO-1.5 showed good stability and favorable sustained release of CEO, resulting in improved antimicrobial activity compared to the other blends. The PLA/CS-CEO fibers showed high long-term inactivation rates against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus due to the sustained release of CEO, indicating that the developed PLA/CS-CEO fibers have great potential for active food packaging applications.

Subchronic inhalation studies were performed with three petroleum lubricants: generic cutting oil (GCO), generic gear oil (GO), and generic commercial engine oil (CEO). Each formulation had a mineral oil base. Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed 6 hours/day, 5 days/week for 13 weeks to aerosol concentrations of 0 (untreated controls), 0 (sham-exposed controls), approximately 50, 150, or 400-520 mg/m3. At necropsy, 15 rats/sex/group were sampled for serum chemistry (18 parameters), hematology, and weights of 13 organs. Testis and epididymis of males in the control and high-dose group were used for number of spermatids and morphology of epididymal sperm. Histopathological slides were evaluated for 22 or more organs. Pulmonary function tests were done on 10 additional males/group. Pulmonary hydroxyproline was measured in these rats for GCO and GO. Residual oil in the lungs was determined for GCO. The primary organ affected by exposures to these three formulations was the lung; the main observed effects were accumulation of foamy macrophages in pulmonary alveoli and alveolar walls, very mild thickening of alveolar walls due to foamy macrophages and a mixed cell infiltrate, and subtle epithelial hyperplasia. The foamy macrophages tended to group together in aggregates, and the aggregates seemed responsible for plaques seen visibly on the surface of the lung. These histological changes were accompanied by concentration-related increases in lung weight and pulmonary hydroxyproline, whereas pulmonary function tests were generally unaffected. Effects distal to the lung were more limited. These results indicated low toxicity of these aerosols in this model.

OBJECTIVE

Some of the neuroprotective effects of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) have been attributed to systemic hypometabolism and hypothermia. However, systemic metabolism may vary more dramatically than brain metabolism after cardiac arrest (CA). The authors investigated the effects of inhaled exogenous hydrogen sulfide on brain metabolism and neurological function in rabbits after CA and resuscitation.

METHODS

Anesthetized rabbits were randomized into a sham group, a sham/H(2)S group, a CA group, and a CA/H(2)S group. Exogenous 80 ppm H(2)S was administered to the sham/H(2)S group and the CA/H(2)S group which suffered 3 min of untreated CA by asphyxia and resuscitation. Effects on brain metabolism (cerebral extraction of oxygen (CEO(2)), arterio-jugular venous difference of glucose [AJVD(glu)] and lactate clearance), S100B, viable neuron counts, neurological dysfunction score, and survival rate were evaluated.

RESULTS

CEO(2), AJVD(glu), and lactate increased significantly after CA. Inhalation of 80 ppm H(2)S significantly increased CEO(2) (25.04 ± 7.11 vs. 16.72 ± 6.12 %) and decreased AJVD(glu) (0.77 ± 0.29 vs. 1.18 ± 0.38 mmol/L) and lactate (5.11 ± 0.43 vs. 6.01 ± 0.64 mmol/L) at 30 min after resuscitation when compared with the CA group (all P < 0.05). In addition, neurologic deficit scores, viable neuron counts, and survival rate were significantly better whereas S100B was decreased after H(2)S inhalation.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study reveals that inhalation of 80 ppm H(2)S reduced neurohistopathological damage and improves early neurological function after CA and resuscitation in rabbits. The increased CEO(2) and decreased AJVD(glu) and enhanced lactate clearance may be involved in the protective effects.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of rosemary (REO, Rosmarinus officinalis L.), turmeric (CEO, Curcuma longa L.), and ginger (GEO, Zingiber officinale R.) essential oils in HeLa cells. Cytotoxicity tests were performed in vitro, using tetrazolium (MTT) and neutral red assays for evaluation of antiproliferative activity by different mechanisms, trypan blue assay to assess cell viability and evaluation of cell morphology for Giemsa to observe the cell damage, and Annexin V to evaluate cell death by apoptosis. CEO and GEO exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells. IC50 obtained was 36.6 μg/mL for CEO and 129.9 μg/mL for GEO. The morphology of HeLa cells showed condensation of chromatin, loss of cell membrane integrity with protrusions (blebs), and cell content leakage for cells treated with CEO and GEO, from the lowest concentrations studied, 32.81 μg/mL of CEO and 32.12 μg/mL of GEO. The Annexin V assay revealed a profile of cell death by apoptosis for both CEO and GEO. The results indicate cytotoxic activity in vitro for CEO and GEO, suggesting potential use as anticancer agents for cervical cancer cells.

The phase behavior and structure of aqueous-in-n-heptane microemulsions, stabilized by surfactant mixtures of di-n-didodecyldimethylammonium bromide, DDAB, and Brij(R)35 were studied by small angle (neutron or X-ray) scattering techniques. The aqueous nanodroplets contain either a precursor reactive salt or a precipitating agent, so that simple mixing induces nanoparticle formation. These formulated microemulsions display good phase stability against added polar additives such as monovalent, divalent, trivalent metal ions, ammonia solution, tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, and their mixtures. Nanoparticle formation was demonstrated via precipitation of metal oxides inside the water nanodroplets, affording control over the resulting particle size. Nanoparticle characteristic size (XRD- and HR-TEM derived sizes) and specific surface areas (S(BET) (m(2)g(-1))) for iron oxide and CeO(2) prepared in these mixed microemulsions, are compared with those stabilized by single surfactants DDAB and Pure AOT.

A 29-year-old man presented with decreased visual acuity in both eyes secondary to exudative retinal detachment resembling Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. Although fluorescein angiographic pictures supported the clinical findings, there was no choroidal thickening evident with ultrasonography. In 3 days he developed increased disc oedema with peripapillary haemorrhages in both eyes. Further evaluation revealed HIV-positive status and a systemic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The patient responded favourably to the treatment for systemic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma confirming our diagnosis of intraocular metastasis. In bilateral exudative detachment, an absence of choroidal thickening on ultrasonography and the presence of peripapillary haemorrhages should prompt a systemic evaluation for causes other than Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease, especially in HIV-positive patients.

PKC modulators were used to investigate the role of the PKC pathway either on the maintenance of meiotic arrest or on FSH-induced maturation of mouse cumulus cell enclosed oocytes (CEOs). (1) Whereas PKC activation (PMA 8 microM) overcomed clearly the HX-maintained meiotic arrest (83.7 +/- 3.6% vs. 16.1 +/- 10.6% GVBD oocytes), PKC inhibition (Calphostin C 100 nM) did not. On the contrary, it better maintained the meiotic arrest than HX alone. (2) No significant effect of PKC activation or inhibition was observed. (3) HX alone maintained PKCbeta1 in the cytoplasm, whereas FSH and PKC activation induced partly its translocation into the nucleus. The results show that whereas the PKC pathway is clearly involved in maintenance of the meiotic arrest through PKCbeta1, it is not involved in FSH-induced meiosis of CEOs.

At the end of 2002 and throughout 2003, there was a severe outbreak of infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) in an intensive production area of commercial hens in the Sao Paulo State of Brazil. ILT virus was isolated from 28 flocks, and 21 isolates were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) using four genes and eight restriction enzymes, and by partial sequencing of the infected cell protein 4 (ICP4) and thymidine kinase (TK) genes. Three groups resulted from the combinations of PCR-RFLP patterns: 19 field isolates formed Group I, and the remaining two isolates together with the chicken embryo origin (CEO) vaccine strains formed Group II. Group III comprised the tissue-culture origin (TCO) vaccine strain by itself. The PCR-RFLP results agreed with the sequencing results of two ICP4 gene fragments. The ICP4 gene sequence analysis showed that the 19 field isolates classified into Group I by RFLP-PCR were identical among themselves, but were different to the TCO and CEO vaccines. The two Group II isolates could not be distinguished from one of the CEO vaccines. The nucleotide and amino acid sequence analyses discriminated between the Brazilian and non-Brazilian isolates, as well as between the TCO and CEO vaccines. Sequence analysis of the TK gene enabled classification of the field isolates (Group I) as virulent and non-vaccine. This work shows that the severe ILT outbreak was caused by a highly virulent, non-vaccine strain.

The use of nanoparticles (NPs) in manufacturing continues to increase despite the growing concern over their potential environmental and health effects. Understanding the interaction of NPs and sewage sludge is crucial for determining the ultimate fate of NPs released to municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as those interactions will determine whether the bulk of the material is retained in the sludge or released in the effluent stream. Analyzing the affinity of aluminum oxide, cerium oxide, and silicon oxide NPs, which are commonly used in semiconductor manufacturing processes, for biosolids used in municipal WWTPs provides a basis for estimating their removal efficiency. Batch studies were performed and the NPs were shown to partition onto the cellular surface. At the maximum equilibrium values tested (75-92 mg nanoparticles/L), the concentration of Al(2)O(3), CeO(2) and SiO(2) associated with the sludge was 137, 238, and 28 mg/g-sludge VSS, respectively. These results suggest that electrostatic interactions play a major role in determining NP association with biosolids.

Literature related to chief information officer (CIO) in the developed countries during the past 20 years has been reviewed to identify the future trends of the position. The literature shows that CIO is a growing position in the healthcare industry that has achieved much popularity because today's healthcare has a great focus on information management and technology and that CIO can be future powerful strategist for healthcare organizations. Therefore, a model for an ideal healthcare CIO based on lesson learned from literature was suggested. It seems that in the developed countries, CIOs will achieve many opportunities to come in the highest executive teams of healthcare organizations and may undertake CEO roles.