In vitro protective effects of an aqueous extract of Clitoria ternatea L. flower against hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity and UV-induced mtDNA damage in human keratinocytes.

The traditional practice of eating the flowers of Clitoria ternatea L. or drinking their infusion as herbal tea in some of the Asian countries is believed to promote a younger skin complexion and defend against skin aging. This study was conducted to investigate the protective effect of C. ternatea flower water extract (CTW) against hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity and ultraviolet (UV)-induced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage in human keratinocytes. The protective effect against hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity was determined by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium assay, and mtDNA damage induced by UV was determined by polymerase chain reaction. Preincubation of HaCaT with 100, 250, and 500 µg/ml CTW reduced cytotoxicity effects of H2 O2 compared with control (H2 O2 alone). CTW also significantly reduced mtDNA damage in UV-exposed HaCaT (p < .05). CTW was chemically-characterized using high resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The main compounds detected were assigned as anthocyanins derived from delphinidin, including polyacylated ternatins, and flavonol glycosides derived from quercetin and kaempferol. These results demonstrated the protective effects of C. ternatea flower extracts that contain polyacylated anthocyanins and flavonol glycosides as major constituents, against H2 O2 and UV-induced oxidative stress on skin cells, and may provide some explanation for the putative traditional and cosmetic uses of C. ternatea flower against skin aging.

Bio-prospecting endemic Mascarene Aloes for potential neuroprotectants.

The Mascarene Aloes are used in the traditional pharmacopoeia against various ailments including cutaneous diseases and as antispasmodics. Scientific evidence to support these claims is non-existent and mainly based on the scientific repute of A. vera. The antioxidant profile of methanolic leaf extracts of A. purpurea Lam., A. tormentorii (Marais) L. E. Newton & G. D. Rowley, A. lomatophylloides Balf. f., A. macra Haw. and A. vera (L.) Burm. f. was studied using the total antioxidant capacity, copper equivalent and superoxide dismutase assays. In vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated on CAD (Cath.-a-differentiated) neuronal cells by the methyl tetrazolium assay, and the neuroprotective profile was assessed using hydrogen peroxide-induced neurotoxicity with the CAD cells. The aloin and vitexin content were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection. A. purpurea had the highest aloin content (546.6 nmol/g), while A. tormentorii had the highest vitexin content (67.3 nmol/g). A. macra (concentration <0.1 mg/mL) elicited a 10% cytotoxicity effect on CAD cells while other Mascarene Aloes were not cytotoxic. This study validates the antioxidant and neuroprotective potential of Mascarene Aloes focusing on their aloin and vitexin content that are also present in other reputed medicinal Aloes.

In vitro protective effects of Withania somnifera (L.) dunal root extract against hydrogen peroxide and ß-amyloid(1-42)-induced cytotoxicity in differentiated PC12 cells.

Withania somnifera L. Dunal (Solanaceae), also known as 'ashwagandha' in Sanskrit and as 'Indian ginseng', is used widely in Ayurvedic medicine as a nerve tonic and memory enhancer, with antiaging, antistress, immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties. There is a paucity of data on the potential neuroprotective effects of W. somnifera root, as traditionally used, against H(2)O(2)- and Aß((1-42))-induced cytotoxicity which are current targets for novel approaches to treat dementia, especially dementia of the Alzheimer's type (AD). In this study, an aqueous extract prepared from the dried roots of W. somnifera was assessed for potential protective effects against H(2)O(2)- and Aß((1-42))-aggregated fibril cytotoxicity by an MTT assay using a differentiated rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cell line. The results suggest that pretreatments of differentiated PC12 cells with aqueous extracts of W. somnifera root significantly protect differentiated PC12 cells against both H(2)O(2)- and Aß((1-42))-induced cytotoxicity, in a concentration dependent manner. To investigate the compounds that could explain the observed effects, the W. somnifera extract was analysed by liquid chromatography-serial mass spectrometry and numerous withanolide derivatives, including withaferin A, were detected. These results demonstrate the neuroprotective properties of an aqueous extract of W. somnifera root and may provide some explanation for the putative ethnopharmacological uses of W. somnifera for cognitive and other neurodegenerative disorders that are associated with oxidative stress.

Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block for analgesia after Caesarean delivery.

BACKGROUND: The landmark-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is an effective method of providing postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery. We evaluated the analgesic efficacy of the ultrasound (US)-guided TAP block in patients undergoing Caesarean delivery. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed at a tertiary maternity hospital. Fifty women undergoing Caesarean delivery received bilateral US-guided TAP blocks with either ropivacaine 0.5% or saline. All participants received a spinal anaesthetic with bupivacaine and fentanyl, followed by postoperative acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and patient-controlled i.v. morphine without long-acting intrathecal opioids. Each patient was assessed 24 h after delivery for morphine usage, average pain score, nausea, vomiting, pruritus, drowsiness, and satisfaction with pain relief. RESULTS: Forty-seven participants completed the trial, 23 in the active group and 24 in the placebo group. Total morphine use in 24 h was reduced in the active group (median 18.0 mg) compared with the placebo group (median 31.5 mg, P<0.05). The active group reported improved satisfaction with their pain relief measured by visual analogue scale compared with the placebo group (median 96 vs 77 mm, P=0.008). Fewer patients required antiemetics in the active group (P=0.03). There were no local complications attributable to the TAP block, but one participant had an anaphylactoid reaction after ropivacaine injection. CONCLUSIONS: The US-guided TAP block reduces morphine requirements after Caesarean delivery when used as a component of a multimodal analgesic regimen. Registered with the Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12608000540314. URL: http://www.anzctr.org.au/trial_view.aspx?ID=83176.

A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled pilot trial of a combined extract of sage, rosemary and melissa, traditional herbal medicines, on the enhancement of memory in normal healthy subjects, including influence of age.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate for the first time the effects of a combination of sage, rosemary and melissa (Salvia officinalis L., Rosmarinus officinalis L. and Melissa officinalis L.; SRM), traditional European medicines, on verbal recall in normal healthy subjects. To devise a suitable study design for assessing the clinical efficacy of traditional herbal medicines for memory and brain function. METHODS: Forty-four normal healthy subjects (mean age 61 ± 9.26y SD; m/f 6/38) participated in this study. A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled pilot study was performed with subjects randomised into an active and placebo group. The study consisted of a single 2-week term ethanol extract of SRM that was chemically-characterised using high resolution LC-UV-MS/MS analysis. Immediate and delayed word recall were used to assess memory after taking SRM or placebo (ethanol extract of Myrrhis odorata (L.) Scop.). In addition analysis was performed with subjects divided into younger and older subgroups (≤ 62 years mean age n = 26: SRM n = 10, Placebo n = 16; ≥ 63 years n = 19: SRM n = 13, Placebo n = 6). RESULTS: Overall there were no significant differences between treatment and placebo change from baseline for immediate or delayed word recall. However subgroup analysis showed significant improvements to delayed word recall in the under 63 year age group (p < 0.0123) with Cohen's effect size d = 0.92. No adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSION: This pilot study indicates that an oral preparation of SRM at the selected dose and for the period of administration is more effective than a placebo in supported verbal episodic memory in healthy subjects under 63 years of age. Short- and long- term supplementation with SRM extract merits more robust investigation as an adjunctive treatment for patients with Alzheimer's disease and in the general ageing population. The study design proved a simple cost effective trial protocol to test the efficacy of herbal medicines on verbal episodic memory, with future studies including broader cognitive assessment.

Medicinal Mascarene Aloes: An audit of their phytotherapeutic potential.

A phytochemical and biological investigation of the endemic Mascarene Aloes (Aloe spp.), including A. tormentorii (Marais) L.E.Newton & G.D.Rowley, A. purpurea Lam, A. macra Haw., A. lomatophylloides Balf.f and A. vera (synonym A. barbadensis Mill.), which are used in the traditional folk medicine of the Mascarene Islands, was initiated. Methanolic extracts of the Aloes under study were analysed using high resolution LC-UV-MS/MS and compounds belonging to the class of anthraquinones, anthrones, chromones and flavone C-glycosides were detected. The Mascarene Aloes could be distinguished from A. vera by the absence of 2″-O-feruloylaloesin and 7-O-methylaloeresin. GC-MS analysis of monosaccharides revealed the presence of arabinose, fucose, xylose, mannose and galactose in all the Mascarene Aloes and in A. vera. The crude extracts of all Aloes analysed displayed antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Only extracts of A. macra were active against P. aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae, while none of the Aloe extracts inhibited Propionibacterium acnes. A. macra displayed anti-tyrosinase activity, exhibiting 50% inhibition at 0.95mg/mL, and extracts of A. purpurea (Mauritius) and A. vera displayed activity in a wound healing-scratch assay. In vitro cytotoxicity screening of crude methanolic extracts of the Aloes, using the MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) showed that only A. purpurea (Réunion) elicited a modest toxic effect against HL60 cells, with a percentage toxicity of 8.2% (A. purpurea-Réunion) and none of the Aloe extracts elicited a toxic effect against MRC 5 fibroblast cells at a concentration of 0.1mg/mL. Mascarene Aloe species possess noteworthy pharmacological attributes associated with their rich phytochemical profiles.

Uses and abuses of in vitro tests in ethnopharmacology: visualizing an elephant.

Although in vivo models give a more accurate reflection of the activity of substances used in traditional medicine, their use in many countries is severely restricted due to economic and ethical concerns, and this has resulted in the widespread use of in vitro tests in ethnopharmacological studies. Such tests are very useful where the identity of compounds responsible for the biological activity of an extract is being investigated and where limited supplies of material are available, but it is important to consider a variety of factors before making over-predictive claims of that activity in one particular system explains the traditional use. The use of only one bioassay gives a very incomplete picture of the effect of the extract on the whole system involved. A symptom may be due to a number of disease states and, consequently, a variety of mechanisms may serve as targets for bioassays. In a similar way, it is very unusual for there to be only one target for a particular disease so a variety of test systems must be employed. Examples are given of batteries of test systems used to test plants and other materials with a reputation of being useful in wound-healing, diabetes, cancer and to treat cognitive decline associated with old age. In addition, consideration must be given to factors such as absorption into the body and metabolism of any substances present, either to decrease or increase the effect of the 'actives'.

The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID). II. Multisite test-retest reliability.

A test-retest reliability study of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R was conducted on 592 subjects in four patient and two nonpatient sites in this country as well as one patient site in Germany. For most of the major categories, kappa s for current and lifetime diagnoses in the patient samples were above .60, with an overall weighted kappa of .61 for current and .68 for lifetime diagnoses. For the nonpatients, however, agreement was considerably lower, with a mean kappa of .37 for current and .51 for lifetime diagnoses. These values for the patient and nonpatient samples are roughly comparable to those obtained with other structured diagnostic instruments. Sources of diagnostic disagreement, such as inadequate training of interviewers, information variance, and low base rates for many disorders, are discussed.

An international outbreak of salmonellosis associated with raw almonds contaminated with a rare phage type of Salmonella enteritidis.

During the winter of 2000 to 2001, an outbreak due to Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) phage type 30 (PT30), a rare strain, was detected in Canada. The ensuing investigation involved Canadian and American public health and food regulatory agencies and an academic research laboratory. Enhanced laboratory surveillance, including phage typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, was used to identify cases. Case questionnaires were administered to collect information about food and environmental exposures. A case-control study with 16 matched case-control pairs was conducted to test the hypothesis of an association between raw whole almond consumption and infection. Almond samples were collected from case homes, retail outlets, and the implicated processor, and environmental samples were collected from processing equipment and associated farms for microbiological testing. One hundred sixty-eight laboratory-confirmed cases of SE PT30 infection (157 in Canada, 11 in the United States) were identified between October 2000 and July 2001. The case-control study identified raw whole almonds as the source of infection (odds ration, 21.1; 95% confidence interval, 3.6 to infinity). SE PT30 was detected in raw whole natural almonds collected from home, retail, distribution, and warehouse sources and from environmental swabs of processing equipment and associated farmers' orchards. The frequent and prolonged recovery of this specific organism from a large agricultural area was an unexpected finding and may indicate significant diffuse contamination on these farms. Identification of almonds as the source of a foodborne outbreak is a previously undocumented finding, leading to a North American recall of this product and a review of current industry practices.

Fidelity of nucleic acid amplification with avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase and T7 RNA polymerase.

The Nucleic Acid Sequence-Based Amplification (NASBA) process involves alternate steps of DNA synthesis from an RNA template and RNA synthesis from a DNA template, using avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) reverse transcriptase and T7 RNA polymerase, respectively. The overall fidelity of the amplification process was determined by sequence analysis of cloned DNA products of NASBA reactions. An error frequency of less than 0.3% was observed in cloned DNA products from two different segments of the HIV-1 gag gene. Partial substitution of GTP with ITP in the NASBA reaction did not significantly change the fidelity of the process. An error rate of 2 x 10(-4) was calculated for the combined effects of both polymerases.

Early childhood memories: accuracy and affect.

Subjects were asked to report the earliest memories of their lives. Where possible, the memory protocols were submitted to adults present at the time of the original episode for possible confirmation. The majority of memories were characterized by distinct emotion, with a higher count of negative than of positive emotion. The majority of memories proved accurate, with confirmation operating at as high a level in the case of positive or emotionally neutral memories as of negative memories. General memory content showed no differential patterns across negative and positive memories. Thus claims that infantile memories are powered uniquely by trauma, and/or routinely include distortions, were not supported. Evidence was found that some memories recalled as emotionally bland by the subject had involved an originally emotional episode.

Mycobacterium chelonei: report of a case of septicemia and review of the literature.

Mycobacterium chelonei was originally included in group IV of Runyon's classification of "anonymous" or "atypical" mycobacteria. Although a frequent contaminant without clinical significance, this organism has definite pathogenic potential. A compromised host with M. chelonei septicemia and disseminated candidiasis is described. A review of the literature on M. chelonei human infections is also presented.

Primary health care providers' recognition and diagnosis of mental disorders in their patients.

Primary care physicians and nurse practitioners are the initial casefinders of mental health problems and major providers of mental health treatment in the United States. However, past studies suggest that such primary care providers often neither recognize nor correctly diagnose their patients' mental disorders. This study compared an HMO's primary providers' direct assessments of the current emotional disorders of patients just seen for an outpatient medical visit with those of mental health professionals assessing the same patients with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM III R (SCID). Using the SCID-derived diagnosis as the standard, the primary providers failed to recognize almost two-thirds of their patients with a current mental disorder. Although confident in their assessments, the primary providers were also able to correctly identify very few of the specific mental disorders most prevalent in primary medical care practice; they identified only one of the seven depressions, three of the 18 anxiety disorders, and none of the four alcohol or drug abuse disorders. Reasons for these diagnostic discrepancies, comparisons with past studies, and training to improve primary providers' diagnosis of mental disorders in their patients are discussed.

Induction of depressive affect after prolonged exposure to a mildly depressed individual.

Scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were periodically obtained from the roommates of college students who exhibited a persistent mild depression over a 3-month period. For comparative purposes, BDI scores were also obtained from roommates of individuals who were transiently depressed and from subjects with nondepressed roommates. In comparison with control subjects, the roommates of persistently depressed persons displayed a progressive increase in BDI score over the course of the study.

A deficiency in the repair of UV and gamma-ray damaged DNA in fibroblasts from Cockayne's syndrome.

The host-cell reactivation of V antigen production for irradiated adenovirus was examined in fibroblasts from 5 unrelated patients with Cockayne's syndrome (CS) and 2 CS heterozygotes. The fibroblast cultures were infected with either irradiated or non-irradiated adenovirus and subsequently examined for the presence of viral structural antigens using immunofluorescent staining. All CS-homozygous strains showed a reduced host-cell reactivation (HCR) of this viral function for both UV-and gamma-irradiated virus. For UV-irradiation of the virus, D37 values expressed as a percentage of that obtained on normal strains, ranged from 14 to 35%. For gamma-irradiation of the virus these values ranged from 61 to 80%. These results indicate some defect in the repair of both UV- and gamma-ray-induced DNA damage for CS. 1 CS-heterozygote strain tested also showed a reduced HCR for UV-irradiated adenovirus intermediate between that of the patient strain and normal, whereas another CS-heterozygote strain showed apparently normal HCR level.

Assessing quality of life in patients treated for advanced head and neck cancer.

A pilot study was undertaken to determine which measures of Quality of Life (QL) would be of most use in the follow-up of patients participating in clinical trials of treatments for head and neck cancer. A total of 96 non-randomized patients who had been treated for head and neck cancer either by surgery (three patients), radiotherapy (54 patients), or combined modality therapy (39 patients) completed a detailed questionnaire assessing a wide range of QL parameters. All participating patients were clinically disease-free. It was found that questions relating to quality of speech, ability to eat, levels of energy and activity, and aspects of psychological wellbeing detected the largest effects on QL. The level of QL impairment was consistently greater in those patients treated by surgery plus radiotherapy as compared to those treated by radiotherapy alone. Eleven patients were interviewed in their own homes and the findings generally supported the conclusions drawn from the questionnaire responses. The interviews also demonstrated that impairment of arm movement amongst some surgically treated patients detracted from QL by causing difficulties in performing everyday selfcare and domestic tasks. This study has provided the basis for a QL assessment to be incorporated into a randomized trial of radiotherapy alone versus surgery plus radiotherapy in the treatment of advanced head and neck cancer. The findings suggest that QL impairment is greater for patients who have surgery in addition to radiotherapy as primary treatment but this may be acceptable if a clear survival advantage is demonstrated.

Assessment of estrogenic activity in some common essential oil constituents.

Estrogenic responses have not only been associated with endocrine function, but also with cognitive function. Several studies have indicated that estrogen replacement therapy has favourable effects on cognition, and may have potential in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Thus, ligands for the estrogen receptor, that have a better efficacy and adverse-effect profile than drugs currently available, require investigation. This study was undertaken to investigate the potential estrogenic activity of a number of essential oil constituents. Initially, estrogenic activity was determined by a sensitive and specific bioassay using recombinant yeast cells expressing the human estrogen receptor. At high concentrations, estrogenic activity was detected for citral (geranial and neral), geraniol, nerol and trans-anethole, while eugenol showed anti-estrogenic activity. Molecular graphics studies were undertaken to identify the possible mechanisms for the interaction of geranial, neral, geraniol, nerol and eugenol with the ligand-binding domain of the estrogen alpha-receptor, using the computer program HyperChem. Citral, geraniol, nerol and eugenol were also able to displace [(3)H]17beta-estradiol from isolated alpha- and beta-human estrogen receptors, but none of these compounds showed estrogenic or anti-estrogenic activity in the estrogen-responsive human cell line Ishikawa Var I at levels below their cytotoxic concentrations, and none showed activity in a yeast screen for androgenic and anti-androgenic activity. The potential in-vivo estrogenic effects of citral and geraniol were examined in ovariectomized mice, but neither compound showed any ability to stimulate the characteristic estrogenic responses of uterine hypertrophy or acute increase in uterine vascular permeability. These results show that very high concentrations of some commonly used essential oil constituents appear to have the potential to interact with estrogen receptors, although the biological significance of this is uncertain.

Design of a summary screen for an ICU patient data management system.

The paper describes a used-centred design for the summary screen of a computerised ICU patient data management system (PDMS). The screen also forms the resting state display, or default screen, and provides the principal navigation tool to other functionality within the system. The design process identified the most frequent potential users of this screen to be the nurses. Their tasks and the information resources required to perform them were analysed. The analysis identified that the nurses' main task of planning and implementing patient care required an awareness of a set of physiological parameters which provided an overview of the patient's general condition. Novel formats are proposed for displaying the trends in physiological parameters and these have been incorporated into a proposed screen design. These display formats have been evaluated by ICU nurses; they were adjudged to be clear, relevant, easy to learn and simple to use. Nurses considered the content of the screen, and the display formats used, to be suitable for maintaining an awareness of a patient's state during routine patient management.

Ketamine for paediatric sedation/analgesia in the emergency department.

This review investigates the use of ketamine for paediatric sedation and analgesia in the emergency department.