In vitro assessment of the DNA damage and senility of CD117+ stem cells collected from diabetic mice.

OBJECTIVE: Angiogenesis impairment is a common feature of diabetes mellitus (DM), whereas CD117+ bone marrow cells (BMCs) injury might be responsible for such complication. In this study, we studied the effect of hyperglycemia on the DNA damage and senility of CD117+ bone marrow cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We isolated CD117+ BMCs from the Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes and healthy control mice. Oxidative stress was detected by flow cytometric analysis. γ-H2AX, which is the DNA damage mark, was detected by using Western blotting and immunofluorescence histochemistry. We also detected the expression of γ-H2AX and p16 by using Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the control mice, the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was increased significantly in the CD117+ BMCs collected from the diabetic mice (p<0.05), and the percentage of γ-H2AX positive cells was higher significantly (p<0.01). The expression of γ-H2AX and p16 was increased significantly in the CD117+ BMCs from the diabetic mice. CONCLUSIONS: Our experiments demonstrated the oxidative stress in CD117+ BMCs under DM conditions, while accelerating the DNA damage and senility in CD117+ BMCs as well.

Effects of selected endophyte and tall fescue cultivar combinations on steer grazing performance, indicators of fescue toxicosis, feedlot performance, and carcass traits.

Five tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.)] pastures [wild-type 'Kentucky-31' with 78.0% of plants infected with ergot alkaloid-producing endophyte Neotyphodium coenophialum (KY31 E+), 'Jesup' AR542 endophyte-infected contaminated with 30.3% tall fescue containing ergot alkaloid producing-endophyte (Jesup AR542 E+); 'GA-186' AR584 endophyte-infected contaminated with 11.8% tall fescue containing ergot alkaloid producing-endophyte (AGRFA 140); 'PDF' AR584 endophyte-infected contaminated with 5.5% tall fescue containing ergot alkaloid producing-endophyte (AGRFA 144); and 'KYFA 9301' AR584 endophyte-infected contaminated with 10.0% tall fescue containing ergot alkaloid producing-endophyte (AGRFA 150)] were compared for steer growth performance, toxicity, feedlot performance, and carcass traits. Steers (mean initial BW=322 kg) grazed pastures for 84 d in spring and 56 d in autumn for 2 yr. Steers were shipped after grazing in Prairie, MS, to Macedonia, IA, for finishing. Mean herbage mass was not different (P=0.15) among pastures. Posttreatment (d 28+) serum prolactin concentrations were depressed (P=0.013) on KY31 E+. Steers grazing KY31 E+ had greater (P<0.01) posttreatment rectal temperatures during spring. Spring hair coat scores were greatest (P<0.01) on KY31 E+ at d 56 and 84. Steer ADG was least (P<0.01) on KY31 E+ in spring and depressed (P=0.014) on KY31 E+ and Jesup AR542 E+ in autumn. Spring grazing ADG was greater (P=0.049) on AGRFA 150 than Jesup AR542 E+ and AGRFA 140. No BW differences (P=0.09) among pastures were seen at reimplant during feedlot finishing. Pasture had no effect on ADG after reimplant (P=0.68), days on feed (P=0.56), or final BW (P=0.55). Exposure to fescue toxicosis did not affect (P≥0.19) carcass traits. Hair coat price discounts applied for spring-grazed steers on KY-31 E+ affected (P<0.01) initial steer monetary values. There were no pasture differences for finishing costs (P≥0.61) or final carcass value (P=0.59). Elite tall fescue cultivar and novel endophyte combinations improve growth performance of grazing calves over KY31 E+. Producers whose calves graze KY-31 E+ tall fescue should consider retaining ownership of these cattle through feedlot finishing to avoid market discounts and capture value from compensatory BW gains during finishing.

Quality of life assessment in MND: development of a social withdrawal scale.

A scale to measure 'social withdrawal,' was developed specifically for use with MND patients. Scale design was based upon patient-focused interviews which were used to explore patients' concerns. The impact the condition had upon their social interactions with others was salient for all patients and affected their overall quality of life. Using issues raised by patients, a 23-item scale was generated to specifically and quantitatively measure social withdrawal and this scale was psychometrically evaluated. The scale was administered to a sample of 23 patients at varied stages of progression of MND, and to a control group of patients with arthritis with similar levels of physical disability. For MND patients withdrawal from the community was found to be closely related to severity of physical symptoms and depression. Specific patients were identified who are particularly susceptible to withdrawal and depression. Comparison of the pattern of withdrawal in the MND and arthritis patient groups suggested that there may be differences between the factors governing social withdrawal in different patient populations.

Building a care and research team.

The provision of high quality care for people with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is challenging. The physical and psychological health needs experienced in this progressively disabling disease necessitate input from many disciplines. In order to integrate the delivery of care, the preferred model for MND is a disease-specific team. Such teams can offer a coordinated range of skills, expertise and clinical experience in a setting of interprofessional support. Teams may adopt several formats; multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary. In multidisciplinary teams the different professions work to individually set goals and meet to discuss their progress. In interdisciplinary teams goals are first agreed by the team, whose members then coordinate their input to the common treatment plan. In transdisciplinary teams, not only goals but skills are shared. Teamwork allows the coordination of input and the sharing of skills and experience in solving complex clinical problems. Greater flexibility and integration of work make best use of resources. Disease-specific teams act as an educational resource and stimulate awareness of the condition. Teams should undertake clinical research, to strengthen their practice and demonstrate their effectiveness. Effective teamwork, whether in a clinical or research team, requires issues of responsibility, leadership, interprofessional rivalry and communication to be addressed.

Assessment of depression in patients with motor neuron disease and other neurologically disabling illness.

Motor neuron disease (MND) is a severely disabling, relentlessly progressive neurological condition with a marked reduction in life expectancy which might be expected to be associated with significant depression and psychological dysfunction following diagnosis. There is very little data on the incidence of depression in MND and most of the published evidence would suggest that depression is rare in patients with MND, especially when compared to other neurologically disabling illnesses. We have studied 40 patients with MND and compared them to a group of 92 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) attending a neurology clinic. Depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Index (BDI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). There was no difference in incidence or severity of depression in these two patient groups. For the whole study group there was no difference in depression scores when compared by age, gender or marital status. Depression scores showed a weak association with increasing physical disability measured by the SF36 Physical Function scale for the MS group but there was no association between depression levels and SF36 physical function for the MND group. The MND group did, however, show a significant association between depression scores and pain measured by the SF36 scale. Anxiety levels (HAD scale) were shown to be significantly higher in females and married (versus single, widowed or divorced) subjects for the group as a whole. We conclude that depression is at least as common in MND patients as other neurologically disabled patients with MS and may often be associated with significant pain. Physicians and others involved in the care of patients with MND should be aware that depression and pain may be significant problems irrespective of the level of physical disability.

Elders' perceptions of the role of group psychotherapy in fostering self-transcendence.

Psychotherapeutic goals and interventions for older adults, like those for children and other age groups, need to be developmentally appropriate. Past clinical research has shown that self-transcendence is a resource for mental health in later life. The effectiveness of group psychotherapy in facilitating self-transcendence in elders was examined, applying a method of analysis in which a small, intact clinical sample could be used to generate data for research purposes. Results, based on a matrix analysis of group members' perceptions, indicated that group psychotherapy enhanced self-transcendence in various ways. Group psychotherapy may be used not only as a cost-effective treatment modality, but also as a theory-based intervention that is developmentally-appropriate for elders.

Are HMO enrollees being attracted by a liberal maternity benefit?

A study of recent birth patterns in the Southern California Region of the Kaiser-Permanente Medical Care Program (KPMCP) suggests that individuals may have been attracted to the Program by a liberal maternity benefit. The attraction is reflected in both the type of members joining KPMCP and the birth rate of those members. Although the KPMCP birth rate has been below that of the general population, new members in their first year of coverage delivered approximatey one third of all KPMCP births in 1977, twice the number of births that would be anticipated from an equal number of members in the plan for one year or more. The maternity copayment of up to $350 did not deter women already pregnant from joining KPMCP. Termination rates for new members who gave birth, however, were no higher than expected. The Pregnancy Disability Amendment of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which became effective April 29, 1979, may alter the maternity benefits offered by alternative insurance carriers. The law could impact KPMCP's enrollment and utilization of obstetric services.