Pharmacokinetics of carprofen and firocoxib for medication control in racing greyhounds.

Animals used in sport should be treated as required to ensure animal welfare but any such use of medication should also be controlled to ensure integrity. Pharmacokinetic studies on groups of six greyhounds were performed to measure plasma and urine levels of carprofen and firocoxib to inform medication control advice. Using the standard methodology for medication control the Irrelevant Plasma Concentration was determined as 20 and 2 ng/mL for carprofen and firocoxib, respectively. The Irrelevant Urine Concentration was also determined as 0.3 and 2 ng/mL for carprofen and firocoxib, respectively. These Irrelevant Plasma and Urine Concentrations will allow laboratory Screening Limits, Detection Times and Withdrawal Time advice to be determined and publicised by regulators of greyhound racing. The Screening Limits will also inform Recommended Limits of Detection if meat-containing residues of these medications are fed to greyhounds.

Molecular characterization of a cytosolic manganese superoxide dismutase from the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis.

A cytosolic manganese superoxide dismutase gene (Es-cMnSOD) was cloned from the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis, using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and the rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The open reading frame of Es-cMnSOD is 867 bp in length and encodes a 288-amino acid protein without a signal peptide. The calculated molecular mass of the translated protein of Es-cMnSOD is 31.43 kDa, with an estimated isoelectric point of 6.30. The deduced amino acid sequence of Es-cMnSOD has similarities of 90, 89, 84, 87, and 81% to those of white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei MnSOD, black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon MnSOD, giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii MnSOD, blue crab Callinectes sapidus MnSOD, and red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii MnSOD, respectively. Es-cMnSOD contains a manganese superoxide dismutase domain (DVWEHAYY) and 4 conserved amino acids responsible for binding manganese. Es-cMnSOD was expressed in the hemocytes, eyestalk, muscle, intestine, gill, and hepatopancreas. Es-cMnSOD transcripts in hemocytes of E. sinensis increased at 1.5 and 48 h after injection of Aeromonas hydrophila, indicating that the induction of the SOD system response occurred within a short period of time. This study suggests that MnSOD may play a critical role in crab immunity, allowing efficient activation of an early innate immune response in the crab.

A pilot study: locus of control and spiritual beliefs in alcoholics anonymous and smart recovery members.

To investigate whether Alcoholics Anonymous' (AA's) "higher power" concept encourages externally dependent behavior, this pilot study tested whether AA and Self Management and Recovery Training (SR) members are equal on measures of external locus of control. The AA sample (N = 48) and SR sample (N = 33) were similar in age, gender, and education levels, and both required a minimum of 8 weeks group involvement. A modified spiritual beliefs questionnaire (SBQ) was first administered to each sample to compare them on spiritual beliefs, and the drinking-related locus of control scale (DRIE) was then conducted to compare each sample on locus of control. Significant differences were found between both samples on five out of seven spiritual measures, with the AA group scoring consistently higher on these factors (p < .01). In addition, the AA sample was significantly more external on the DRIE scale than the SR sample (p = .00003). These findings suggest that AA members are generally more spiritually oriented and exhibit greater external locus of control relative to SR members. Future controlled trials are necessary to confirm whether these results are caused by particular programs or primarily due to a self-selective process.

Catastrophic failure of a conforming type of total knee replacement: a case report.

A case study is presented to illustrate the concept of femoral component failure secondary to polyethylene wear in a 67 year old man, 13 years after he had conforming type total knee replacements. This case illustrates the theory that this observed problem may be a leading cause of failure in conforming and nonconforming total knee replacements in the future.

The effects of topic and listener familiarity on discourse variables in procedural and narrative discourse tasks.

This study investigated the effects of listener and topic familiarity on procedural and narrative discourse variables. Twenty-two aphasic patients (5 Broca's, 7 conduction, and 10 anomic aphasics) and 10 normal speakers served as subjects. Topic familiarity influenced discourse production in both procedural discourse and story retell situations. In procedural discourse, a greater number of optional steps were provided with familiar topics. During retelling of familiar topic stories, a greater proportion of action and resolution clauses were included. Listener familiarity affected the story retell task only. A greater percentage of subjects provided the setting when the listener was familiar.

The influence of topic and listener familiarity on aphasic discourse.

This study investigated the effects of listener and topic familiarity on verbal output. A total of 32 subjects were included: 5 Broca's, 7 conduction, and 10 anomic aphasics; and 10 normal controls. Subjects performed story retell and procedural discourse tasks containing familiar and unfamiliar topics. Tasks were completed with a familiar listener (spouse) and an unfamiliar listener (examiner). Results indicated that topic familiarity significantly influenced verbal output, however specific findings were dependent on task. In procedural discourse, the amount of verbal output (number of T-units) was significantly greater on familiar topics. In contrast, the complexity (number of words and clauses per T-unit) was significantly greater on unfamiliar topics. On story retell, verbal output (number of T-units) was also greater on familiar topics. However, grammatic complexity did not increase with unfamiliar topics. Words per T-unit remained higher on familiar topics. The variable of listener familiarity was not found to be significant.

An investigation of naming errors following semantic and phonemic cueing.

This study investigated the types of verbal errors produced by aphasic patients following phonemic and semantic cueing. Twenty-eight aphasic patients--10 Broca's, 10 Wernicke's and 8 conduction aphasics--served as subjects. Semantic and phonemic cues were administered on object and action confrontation-naming tasks. When subjects did not respond correctly to phonemic cueing, a significantly greater number of phonemic errors were produced, with a concurrent decline in related words and extended circumlocutions. When subjects failed to respond to semantic cueing on the action task, there was an increase in a number of error categories.

Repetition deficits in three aphasic syndromes.

This study examined the repetition errors of three aphasic subgroups during a repetition task. A total of 95 subjects, including 32 conduction, 38 Broca's, and 25 Wernicke's aphasics, repeated phrases and sentences from the Repeating Phrases Subtest of the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination. Conduction aphasics exhibited a greater number of phonemic attempts, word revisions, and word and phrase repetitions. Broca's aphasics demonstrated more phonemic errors and omissions. Finally, Wernicke's aphasics showed more unrelated words and jargon.

The effects of grammatic class and cue type on cueing responsiveness in aphasia.

This study investigated the effects of two types of cues (semantic and phonemic) and two grammatic classes (noun and verb) on cueing responsiveness. Subjects consisted of 10 Broca's, 10 Wernicke's, 8 conduction, and 8 anomic aphasics. Cues were administered following failure to name on confrontation. Responsiveness to the two types of cues was dependent on aphasic type and grammatic class. Broca's and conduction aphasics responded better to phonemic cueing, while anomic aphasics were more responsive to semantic cueing. With regard to grammatic class, aphasics responded better to phonemic cueing on nouns; however, no significant difference between types of cues was demonstrated on verbs. Neuropsychological implications for the cueing and naming processes are discussed.

The efficacy of PACE in the remediation of naming deficits.

This study compared the effects of PACE and traditional stimulation therapy in the remediation of naming deficits. The subject was a 66-year-old conduction aphasic. An ABCBC time-series design was employed. Greater gains were evidenced during the PACE phases of treatment on two types of probes--confrontation naming and picture description tasks.

An investigation of Luria's hypothesis on prompting in aphasic naming disturbances.

This study investigated Luria's hypothesis that aphasic subgroups would respond differentially to phonemic prompts. Responsiveness to initial-sound cues was examined in 40 aphasics--10 Broca's, conduction, Wernicke's, and anomic aphasics who had naming difficulties. Results, with the exception of the anomic aphasic group, supported Luria's predictions. Broca's aphasics were responsive to phonemic cueing, while Wernicke's aphasics were not. Conduction aphasics tended to respond in a fashion similar to the Wernicke's group. The relationship of cueing responsiveness to underlying naming mechanisms is discussed.

An essential arginine residue in the active-site pocket of glycogen phosporylase.

Phosphorylases a and b (EC 2.4.1.1) were inactivated by selective modification of arginyl residues on reaction with 2,3-butanedione in sodium borate buffer. The rate of inactivation was slightly greater for phosphorylase a than b. The course of inactivation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics with some deviations at low rates or at more than 60% inactivation. The rate of inactivation was first order with respect to butanedione concentration. The inactivation was partially reversible, and ultracentrifugal studies showed no change in subunit association or dissociation. Amino acid analyses indicated that several arginines were modified during inactivation and that no other amino acid was affected. Protection from inactivation was provided by the substrate glucose 1-phosphate (G1P), alone or together with the allosteric activator AMP, as well as by the competitive inhibitor UDP-glucose. The rate of inactivation of phosphorylase b was also retarded by the presence of AMP alone. Glycogen did not have any appreciable effect on inactivation. The Km of G1P for phosphorylase a remained constant over the course of inactivation, while the Km values of G1P and AMP for phosphorylase b increased. The modification of cross-linked tetragonal microcrystals of phosphorylase a followed the same trend as the enzyme in solution, although the rate of inactivation was slower. The X-ray crystallography studies at 6 A (1 A = 0.1 nm) resolution, of butanedione-treated cross-linked tetragonal crystals of phosphorylase a showed a large new peak of electron density at the end of a long side chain in the active-site pocket. The substrates G1P and arsenate, as well as UDP-glucose, had previously been shown to bind in that location. Other, small peaks of electron density were found in locations on the outside of the protein molecule. UDP-glucose failed to bind to the active site of crystals which had been treated with butanedione, while AMP, which also binds in the active-site pocket, showed a lower occupancy. This work indicates the presence of a functional arginine residue at the binding site for G1P in glycogen phosphorylases a and b.