Assessment and selection of the recipient cows' corpus luteum at the time of embryo transfer, and its influence on conception rate.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the influence of physical traits of the corpus luteum (CL), as described by transrectal ultrasonography on day 6 post-oestrus, on the conception rate following embryo transfer (ET) in recipient beef cows. To investigate if higher recipient utilisation rates were achievable, without compromising conception rates to ET. DESIGN/RESULTS: Data were analysed from Holstein Friesian embryos (n = 1075) frozen in ethylene glycol thawed for direct transfer into one herd of Angus recipient cows. For pregnancies achieved in the program (n = 693), no statistically significant effect was found for the physical traits of the recipients' CL on conception rate (CL volume (P = 0.20), CL side (P = 0.14). Conception rates were similar for recipients with a central lacuna (62%, n = 245) and recipients with no central lacuna (66%, n = 448) (P = 0.10). Of the pregnant recipients with a central lacuna (n = 245), 98.3% had no remaining luteal cavity by the 30-day pregnancy ultrasound. No effect on conception rate was found with either the small (<50% of CL diameter) or large (>50% of CL diameter) central lacunae (P = 0.18). For recipients with CLs that did not meet previous industry selection guidelines (n = 172, 16% of study population), the conception rate (63%) was not significantly different to the routinely selected recipient CLs (n = 903, conception rate 65%) (P = 0.83). CONCLUSIONS: The suitability of a potential ET recipient is determined by observing an appropriately timed oestrus and a detectable CL, regardless of size or quality.

Does Body Mass Index Influence the Physiological and Perceptual Demands Associated with Defensive Tactics Training in State Patrol Officers?

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the physiological and perceptual demands associated with defensive tactics (DEFTAC) training among state patrol officers of different BMI (body mass index) categories. Twenty-four male state patrol officers (n = 24, age 36.00 + 7.86 yrs) voluntarily agreed to participate in data collection during a DEFTAC gauntlet. Anthropometric information (height (HT) 182.19 + 7.43 cm and weight (WT) 96.31 + 17.45 kg), body mass index (BMI), peak and average heart rates, duty weight, BLa, and RPE, were recorded. Officers were then divided into two-groups (Healthy BMI (BMI ≤ 25), n = 12, Overweight (BMI ≥ 25), n = 12). Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were conducted to determine the effect of BMI on the outcome variables. Furthermore, a Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient was also conducted to determine if significant relationships between RPE, BLa, and HR existed between groups. Significant mean score differences between healthy and overweight officers were found in measures of age [t(22) 4.12, p< 0.01, R2 = .44], and weight of duty gear [t(21) 3.96, p<0.01, R2 = .33]. When used as a covariate, age also predicted average HR% [ F(1, 21) = 6.19, p < .05, partial η2 = .24]. Significant relationships were found in the healthy group between RPE and DEFTAC time, DEFTAC time and score, as well as score and post BLa. Significant relationships for the overweight group between peak (HR) percentage and post BLa, peak (HR) percentage and RPE, DEFTAC time and duty weight, and between weight and DEFTAC time. The results of this study suggest that overweight officers may have lower DEFTAC scores when compared to their healthy counterparts. Based on the results, it seems reasonable to compare physiological variables from this population to those from combative sports as well as for officers to achieve and maintain a healthy BMI value in order to improve individual DEFTAC performance.

End-of-life decision-making in individuals with locked-in syndrome in the acute period after brainstem stroke.

Locked-in syndrome (LIS) is commonly associated with a poor prognosis, particularly if the aetiology is stroke. Dealing with individuals with LIS and a poor prognosis raises the issue of introducing end-of-life discussions with the patient and/or family in the acute period of the illness. Existing literature regarding LIS provides little guidance about end-of-life decision-making in the acute management phase. We aim to provide some guidance for clinicians holding end-of-life discussions in the acute management period. We report two cases of relatively young individuals with LIS secondary to brainstem stroke. Both cases had a very poor prognosis and end-of-life discussions were commenced by the treating team in the acute phase. Despite the severity of their conditions, in neither case were end-of-life discussions well tolerated by the family in the weeks following admission. We suggest that LIS patients and their families, who have chosen to persist with full medical management after diagnosis of LIS, should be provided with sufficient time to adjust to the catastrophic changes that have occurred before further end-of-life discussions are pursued. Education and support are likely to be highly beneficial in the acute period post stroke as they allow the patient and family to develop a realistic understanding of the likely outcomes of their decisions.

Strong exciton-photon coupling and exciton hybridization in a thermally evaporated polycrystalline film of an organic small molecule.

We demonstrate strong exciton-photon coupling in an optical microcavity containing a thermally evaporated polycrystalline organic thin film. Microcavity polaritons result from coupling between the 0-0 excitonic transition of 3,4,7,8 napthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride and a cavity photon. For thicker films, the 0-1 transition also couples to the cavity mode, as vibronic relaxation is overcome by the short Rabi period for strong coupling. To our knowledge, this is the first report of strong coupling between a cavity photon and multiple vibronic transitions in a single material, made possible by the pronounced vibronic absorption features characteristic of crystalline organic materials.

The interaction of DNA-targeted 9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide platinum complexes with DNA in intact human cells.

As part of an ongoing drug development programme, this paper describes the sequence specificity and time course of DNA adduct formation for a series of novel DNA-targeted analogues of cis-diaminedichloroplatinum(II) (cisplatin) (9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide Pt complexes) in intact HeLa cells. The sequence specificity of DNA damage caused by cisplatin and analogues in human (HeLa) cells was studied using Taq DNA polymerase and a linear amplification/polymerase stop assay. Primer extension is inhibited by a Pt-DNA adduct, and hence the sites of these lesions can be analysed on DNA sequencing gels. The repetitive alphoid DNA sequence was used as the target DNA in human cells. The 9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide Pt complexes exhibited a markedly different sequence specificity relative to cisplatin and other analogues. The sequence specificity of the 9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide Pt complexes is shifted away from a preference for runs of guanines. The 9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide Pt complexes have an enhanced preference for GA dinucleotides. This is the first occasion that an altered DNA sequence specificity has been demonstrated for a cisplatin analogue in human cells. A time course of DNA damage revealed that the DNA-targeted Pt complexes, consisting of four 9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide Pt complexes and one acridine-4-carboxamide Pt complex, damaged DNA more rapidly compared to cisplatin and non-targeted analogues. A comparison of the time taken to reach half the maximum relative intensity indicated that the DNA-targeted Pt complexes reacted approximately 4-fold faster than cisplatin and the non-targeted analogues.

cis-Dichloroplatinum(II) complexes tethered to 9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamides: synthesis and action in resistant cell lines in vitro.

A series of intercalator-tethered platinum(II) complexes PtLCl(2) have been prepared where L are the diamine ligands N-[2-[(aminoethyl)amino]ethyl]-9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide, N-[3-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]propyl]-9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide, N-[4-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]butyl]-9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide and N-[5-[(aminoethyl)amino]pentyl]-9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide and N-[6-[(aminoethyl)amino]hexyl]-9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide. The activity of the complexes was assessed in the CH-1, CH-1cisR, 41M, 41McisR and SKOV-3 cell lines. The compounds with the shorter linker chain lengths are generally the most active against these cell lines and are much more toxic than Pt(en)C1(2). For example, for the n=2 compound the IC(50) values are 0.017 microM (CH-1), 1.7 microM (41M), 1.4 microM (SKOV-3) and the resistance ratios are 51 (CH-1cisR) and 1.6 (41McisR). For the untethered analogue Pt(en)C1(2) the IC(50) values are 2.5 microM (CH-1), 2.9 microM (41M), 45 microM (SKOV-3) and the resistance ratios are 2.8 (CH-1cisR) and 4.1 (41McisR). The very large differential in IC(50) values between the CH-1 and CH-1cisR pair of cell lines for the 9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide tethered platinum complexes indicates that repair of platinum-induced DNA damage may be a major determinant of the activity of these compounds.

Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric studies of competitive pyridine loss from platinum(II) ethylenediamine complexes by the kinetic method.

The competition between pyridine ligand loss in square planar Pt(II) complexes has been examined using the doubly and singly charged ions of complexes consisting of platinum(ethylenediamine) coordinated to two different substituted pyridines. Collision induced dissociation (CID) of [Pt(en)Py(1)Py(2)](2+) (where Py(1) = one of ten different substituted pyridines and Py(2) = pyridine) results in loss of the protonated pyridines to yield the singly charged platinum ions [Pt(en)Py(1)-H](+) and [Pt(en)Py(2)-H](+). In contrast, fragmentation of [Pt(en)Py(1)Py(2)-H](+) results in neutral pyridine loss to yield the ions [Pt(en)Py(1)-H](+) and [Pt(en)Py(2)-H](+). In the latter case, the correlation between relative losses of each pyridine compared to their gas-phase proton affinities is poor. A novel chloride ion abstraction reaction occurs for the fragmentation of [Pt(en)Py(1)Py(2)](2+) when Py(1) = o-C(5)H(4)CIN and Py(2) = C(5)H(5)N, to yield the [Pt(en)(Cl)Py(2)](+) and [o-C(5)H(4)N](+) pair of ions. In order to model this process the competition between nitrogen and chlorine binding in [Pt(NH(3))(3)(o-NC(5)H(4)Cl)](2+) has been examined using density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/LANL2DZ level of theory. Both adducts are minima with the N adduct being more stable than the Cl adduct by 22.7 kcal mol(-1). Furthermore, the Cl adduct exhibits a significant stretching of the C-Cl bond (to 1.935 A), consistent with the observed chloride ion abstraction reaction, which is endothermic by 9.0 kcal mol(-1) (relative to the N adduct).

Voice characteristics in the progression of Parkinson's disease.

This study examined the acoustic and perceptual voice characteristics of patients with Parkinson's disease according to disease severity. The perceptual and acoustic voice characteristics of 30 patients with early stage PD and 30 patients with later stage PD were compared with data from 30 normal control subjects. Voice recordings consisted of prolongation of the vowel /a/, scale singing, and a 1-min monologue. In comparison with controls and previously published normative data, both early and later stage PD patients' voices were characterized perceptually by limited pitch and loudness variability, breathiness, harshness and reduced loudness. High modal pitch levels also characterized the voices of males in both early and later stages of PD. Acoustically, the voices of both groups of PD patients demonstrated lower mean intensity levels and reduced maximum phonational frequency ranges in comparison with normative data. Although less clear, the present data also suggested that the PD patients' voices were characterized by excess jitter, a high-speaking fundamental frequency for males and a reduced fundamental frequency variability for females. While several of these voice features did not appear to deteriorate with disease progression (i.e. harshness, high modal pitch and speaking fundamental frequency in males, fundamental frequency variability in females, low intensity and jitter), breathiness, monopitch and monoloudness, low loudness and reduced maximum phonational frequency range were all worse in the later stages of PD. Tremor was the sole voice feature which was associated only with later stage PD.

Interaction of cisplatin and DNA-targeted 9-aminoacridine platinum complexes with DNA.

Interaction of acridine- and 9-aminoacridinecarboxamide platinum complexes with DNA was investigated with respect to their DNA sequence specificity and kinetics of binding. The DNA sequence specificity of the compounds was quantitatively analyzed using a polymerase stop assay with the plasmid pUC19. The 9-aminoacridinecarboxamide platinum complexes exhibited a different sequence specificity to that of cisplatin, shifted away from runs of consecutive guanines (the main binding site for cisplatin). This alteration was dependent on chain length. Shorter chain length compounds (n = 2, 3) showed a greater difference in sequence specificity, while longer chain length compounds (n = 4, 5) more closely resembled cisplatin. An acridinecarboxamide platinum complex showed a similar sequence specificity to cisplatin, revealing that the major change of sequence specificity was due to the presence of the 9-amino substituent. A linear amplification system was used to investigate the time course of the reaction. The presence of an intercalating group (acridinecarboxamide or 9-aminoacridinecarboxamide) greatly increased the rate of reaction with DNA; this is proposed to be due to a different reaction mechanism with DNA (direct displacement by the N-7 of guanine).

Behavioural and cortisol responses of lambs to castration and tailing using different methods.

Lambs at 4-5 weeks of age were studied during the first 4 hours after castration and/or tailing using three methods in various commonly used combinations. The methods were: cutting with a knife, application of constricting rubber rings and using a heated docking iron (tailing only). Behaviour was monitored by quantifying the incidences of restlessness (during the first hour only), normal and abnormal standing/walking, and normal and abnormal lying. Plasma cortisol concentrations were also measured in samples taken at intervals during the 4 hours after treatment. With the knife, abnormal standing/walking predominated throughout the fist 4 hours and beyond, and restlessness was virtually absent. Plasma cortisol concentrations in knife-treated lambs remained above pretreatment values for at least 4 hours. With rings, high restlessness was invariably present during the first 30-45 minutes, and much of the associated standing/walking and lying was abnormal, but all behaviours had returned to control values within 4 hours of treatment, as had the plasma cortisol concentrations. There were no correlations between the incidences of abnormal behaviours and the plasma cortisol concentrations during the first 4 hour after any treatment, except that when abnormal behaviour was present the cortisol concentrations were greater than pretreatment values, and vice versa. Thus, the presence/absence of the abnormal behaviours reported here allowed an assessment of the duration of distress after castration and/or tailing. However, as the behavioural responses to castration and/or tailing were broadly procedure-specific, so that the responses to the knife and rings were not apparently part of the one behavioural continuum, it is argued that the relative intensities of distress caused by the two procedures cannot be assessed from behaviour alone. Rather, reference must also be made to established physiological indices of distress such as plasma cortisol concentration. On that basis, the knife treatments apparently caused greater and more protracted distress responses than did the ring or docking iron treatments, and should therefore be avoided. However, ring-treated lambs, especially those castrated or castrated and tailed apparently experienced distress, so that more benign alternatives to the use of rings should also be sought.

Surgical treatment of intractable right-sided infective endocarditis in drug addicts: 25 years experience.

During the past 25 years the authors have performed the following operations in the surgical treatment of intractable right-sided endocarditis in drug addicted patients: 1) Excision of the infected tricuspid valve and replacement with a mechanical or bioprosthetic valve during the same operation. In these patients the overall mortality was 100% due to: (a) inability to control the endocarditis in 80%; (b) re-infection due to a return to drug abuse and (c) fatal complications due to non-compliance with anticoagulant therapy. 2) Tricuspid valvulectomy in 53 patients, tricuspid and pulmonary valvulectomy without replacement in two patients. Six patients (11%) died within six weeks. Five due to the endocarditis and one due to low cardiac output. Ten patients (18%) died six months to 13 years later. In nine of these patients, death was related to continued drug abuse. At 22 years the actuarial survival is 64%. This experience supports the authors conclusion that among drug addicts with intractable right-sided endocarditis, tricuspid valvulectomy or tricuspid and pulmonary valvulectomy without replacement is/are the operation(s) of choice.

Tricuspid valvulectomy without replacement. Twenty years' experience.

Since September 1970, we have operated on 55 patients with intractable right-sided endocarditis. All patients were addicted to heroin. Fifty-three underwent tricuspid valvulectomy without replacement and in addition two had pulmonic valve excision. Twenty-four patients (49%) returned to their drug addiction. Six patients (11%) required prosthetic heart valve insertion 2 days to 13 years later for medically refractory right-sided heart failure, and four of these died. Overall, 16 patients (29%) died, six (11%) within 45 days after the tricuspid valvulectomy. One (2%) of these deaths was related to the operation and five were due to uncontrollable infection. Ten (18%) deaths occurred 9 months to 13 years after the tricuspid valvulectomy. Nine were due to drug addiction and one to progressive right ventricular failure 2 months after prosthetic heart valve insertion and 10 years after the initial valve removal. Of the 39 patients who are alive, 37 (67%) have not required prosthetic heart valve insertion. From our observations we reached the following conclusions: (1) Drug addiction is a recurrent and lethal disease. Among these patients, tricuspid valvulectomy without replacement is the operation of choice for the management of intractable right-sided endocarditis; (2) after tricuspid valvulectomy without replacement, only six of 55 patients (11%) had required prosthetic heart valve insertion to control medically refractory right-sided heart failure; (3) in a small percentage of patients the absence of the tricuspid valve may lead to severe and permanent impairment of right ventricular function.

Cortisol responses of young lambs to castration and tailing using different methods.

Lambs at 4-5 weeks of age were studied during the first 4 hours after castration and/or tailing using three methods in various commonly used combinations. The methods were cutting with a knife, application of constricting rubber rings and using a heated docking iron (tailing only). The integrated cortisol response (area under the cortisol curve) was determined for each lamb during the first 4 hours after treatment and was considered to reflect the overall magnitude of the lamb's acute distress response. On that basis, cut lambs (tailing only, castration only, castration plus tailing) experienced more distress than any other groups. Also the distress response (indicated by elevated plasma cortisol concentrations) lasted longer than 4 hours in cut lambs, unlike all other groups. The use of rings apparently caused similar distress when lambs were castrated only, were castrated plus tailed, or were short-scrotumed (testes pressed against the abdominal wall by a distally located scrotal ring) plus tailed. The magnitudes of distress apparently caused by tailing alone with a ring or a docking iron were similar and were lower than the distress caused by any other castration and/or tailing procedure. It is concluded that acute distress responses to these husbandry procedures would be minimised in lambs of this age if rings and/or a docking iron were used in preference to a knife.

Physiological manometric tested tricuspid valvuloplasty.

Tricuspid insufficiency associated with severe left-sided valvular heart disease carries a poor prognosis. Twenty-two patients with severe pulmonary hypertension and tricuspid insufficiency underwent a tricuspid valvuloplasty in addition to left-sided single or double valve replacement. The tricuspid valvuloplasty was performed after weaning the patient from cardiopulmonary bypass. The efficacy of the tricuspid valvuloplasty was gauged by continuous right atrial pressure recordings as the annuloplasty was completed. Obliteration of the peak of the V wave of the right atrial pressure recordings indicated that the tricuspid annuloplasty was secured. Twenty-one patients were long-term survivors, and 19 patients are in good condition for an average follow-up of 6.1 years (1 to 12 years postoperatively).

The induction of parturition in sows using prostaglandin F2alpha.

Intramuscular injections (10 mg) of prostaglandin F2alpha were administered to 19 pregnant sows in one herd on either the 112th or 113th day of gestation and a similar number of untreated sows served as controls. Induced sows for up to 6h after injection generally showed more walking, drinking defaceating and postural changes. Over the last 20 h prepartum they spent more time lying and urinated more frequently. Mean interval from injection to onset of parturition in treated sows was 24.5 h and 16 of them commenced farrowing during the working day, compared with 6 in the control group. Induction of parturition did not influence litter size at birth, piglet body-weights at birth or 14 days of age, the incidence of the mastitis, metrititis agalactae syndrome, re-breeding interval of the sow or size of the subsequent litter at birth. Farrowing time was significantly longer (6.48 h v 4.08 h) for treated sows and litter pre-weaning mortality was higher but not significantly so. Most piglet deaths in each group resulted from overlaying or starvation but mortality from anaemia and septicaemia occurred only in the treated group. It is considered that the technique could have practical application on well-managed intensive pig units.