A seafood risk tool for assessing and mitigating chemical and pathogen hazards in the aquaculture supply chain.

Intricate links between aquatic animals and their environment expose them to chemical and pathogenic hazards, which can disrupt seafood supply. Here we outline a risk schema for assessing potential impacts of chemical and microbial hazards on discrete subsectors of aquaculture-and control measures that may protect supply. As national governments develop strategies to achieve volumetric expansion in seafood production from aquaculture to meet increasing demand, we propose an urgent need for simultaneous focus on controlling those hazards that limit its production, harvesting, processing, trade and safe consumption. Policies aligning national and international water quality control measures for minimizing interaction with, and impact of, hazards on seafood supply will be critical as consumers increasingly rely on the aquaculture sector to supply safe, nutritious and healthy diets.

Adherence to Pre-exposure Prophylaxis in Black Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women in a Community Setting in Harlem, NY.

While oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has proven efficacious for HIV prevention, consistent use is necessary to achieve its intended impact. We compared effectiveness of enhanced PrEP (enPrEP) adherence support to standard of care (sPrEP) among Black MSM and TGW attending a community clinic in Harlem, NY. EnPrEP included peer navigation, in-person/online support groups, and SMS messages. Self-reported adherence over previous 30 days, collected in quarterly interviews, was defined as ≥ 57%. Crude and adjusted analyses examined factors associated with adherence. A total of 204 participants were enrolled and randomized; 35% were lost to follow-up. PrEP adherence was 30% at 12-months; no intervention effect was observed (p = 0.69). Multivariable regression analysis found that lower adherence was associated with low education and depressive symptoms. We found that an enhanced adherence intervention did not improve PrEP adherence. Findings point to the need for innovative methods to improve PrEP adherence among Black MSM and TGW.Clinical Trial Registration NCT02167386, June 19, 2014.

Can a peer-based intervention impact adherence to the treatment of latent tuberculous infection?

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of a peer-based intervention on adherence to and completion of latent tuberculous infection (LTBI) treatment. METHODS: Patients prescribed self-administered LTBI treatment were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of an experimental, peer-based adherence support intervention. Primary outcomes were treatment adherence and completion. Adherence was assessed through self-report, electronic monitoring devices and clinic visits. RESULTS: Of 250 participants, 70% were male; 71% were Black and 20% Latino; the mean age was 40 years; 67% were foreign-born and 39% were married. No significant baseline differences were noted between the intervention groups. Treatment completion was 61% in the intervention group compared to 57% in the controls (P = 0.482). The corresponding completion rate for other clinic patients was 44%. Foreign birth, marriage and history of mental illness were associated with non-completion of treatment after controlling for the intervention group; increased completion rates were found among foreign-born married persons and older participants. A substantial difference in adherence rates was observed between the intervention groups. Adherence among non-completers decreased early, while adherence among completers remained constant. CONCLUSIONS: The peer-based intervention was not significantly associated with LTBI treatment completion, but was associated with greater adherence. Findings suggest the importance of interventions to support adherence that target early non-adherence with LTBI treatment, particularly in the first 2 months, when there is a substantial risk of default.

Radical maxillectomy as a successful treatment for gunshot-induced maxillary and nasal cavity trauma in a dog.

OBJECTIVE: To report the successful treatment of gunshot-induced maxillary and nasal cavity damage with total maxillectomy in a two-year-old Labrador retriever dog. METHODS: Radical maxillectomy was performed on highly comminuted maxillary and nasal cavity fractures resulting from gunshot trauma. The procedure was performed to remove the damaged region and reconstruct the remaining tissue. RESULTS: Treatment of the fractures by total maxillectomy was successful in reconstruction of the remaining structures following debridement and in re-establishing return to normal activities and high owner satisfaction. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The outcome in this case suggests that severe maxillary and nasal cavity trauma in other dogs may be treated with radical maxillectomy given appropriate patient and owner selection.

Predictors of latent tuberculosis infection treatment completion in the United States: an inner city experience.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined predictors of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) treatment completion in inner city populations in the United States. OBJECTIVE: To assess LTBI treatment completion rates and predictors in an inner city cohort. METHODS: Data from control groups of two sequentially conducted randomized controlled trials of LTBI treatment were analyzed for treatment completion rates. Participants in Study A (n = 191), conducted in 1996-1999, self administered daily isoniazid (INH) for 6-12 months, while participants in Study B (n = 123), conducted in 2002-2005, self administered daily INH for 9 months. RESULTS: Overall, 44.6% of participants completed therapy, with significantly higher completion rates in Study B than Study A (37.0% vs. 56.1%, P = 0.001). Marriage and alcohol use were significant predictors of completion (aOR = 2.153, 95%CI 1.301-3.562) and non-completion (aOR = 0.530, 95%CI 0.320-0.877), respectively; multivariate analysis indicated increased completion among married persons of foreign birth and among alcohol users who were homeless. Knowledge of and attitudes to tuberculosis were not significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: The design provided an opportunity to assess predictors of LTBI treatment completion in this inner city population. Social circumstances were the strongest predictors of treatment completion, suggesting that tangible social services may be more effective than educational programs in encouraging treatment completion.

Adherence to treatment for latent tuberculosis infection: systematic review of studies in the US and Canada.

BACKGROUND: There is renewed attention to the critical role of successfully treating latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in reducing the overall impact of tuberculosis (TB). However, levels of treatment adherence are consistently low in industrialized countries such as the United States and Canada. OBJECTIVE: A systematic review of studies in the US and Canada was undertaken to analyze measurement of adherence to treatment of LTBI (TLTBI), TLTBI completion rates, predictors of TLTBI adherence and TLTBI adherence interventions. METHODS: PUBMED, MEDLINE and PsycINFO electronic databases were searched for quantitative studies published between 1997 and 2007. Full texts of articles were reviewed for data abstraction and studies were critically examined for their methodology and rigor. The present review presents outcomes from 78 studies. RESULTS: Adherence and completion rates of TLTBI are suboptimal across high-risk groups, regardless of regimen. Associations between adherence and patient factors, clinic facilities or treatment characteristics were found to be inconsistent across studies. Several adherence interventions have been developed to improve TLTBI adherence in the US and Canada; however, no single intervention has shown consistent effectiveness. CONCLUSION: LTBI must be effectively treated if the goal of TB elimination is to be realized. Consistently employing tools for measuring and improving adherence is fundamental. Identifying barriers to adherence and treatment completion will facilitate the development of effective, appropriate interventions. A 'one-size-fits-all' approach to treatment for TLTBI adherence is not likely to succeed across all settings. Innovative approaches can inspire future interventions and suggest solutions for the current problems facing LTBI programs and their patients.

Molecular changes in the polymerase genes (PA and PB1) associated with high pathogenicity of H5N1 influenza virus in mallard ducks.

The highly pathogenic (HP) influenza viruses H5 and H7 are usually nonpathogenic in mallard ducks. However, the currently circulating HP H5N1 viruses acquired a different phenotype and are able to cause mortality in mallards. To establish the molecular basis of this phenotype, we cloned the human A/Vietnam/1203/04 (H5N1) influenza virus isolate that is highly pathogenic in ferrets, mice, and mallards and found it to be a heterogeneous mixture. Large-plaque isolates were highly pathogenic to ducks, mice, and ferrets, whereas small-plaque isolates were nonpathogenic in these species. Sequence analysis of the entire genome revealed that the small-plaque and the large-plaque isolates differed in the coding of five amino acids. There were two differences in the hemagglutinin (HA) gene (K52T and A544V), one in the PA gene (T515A), and two in the PB1 gene (K207R and Y436H). We inserted the amino acid changes into the wild-type reverse genetic virus construct to assess their effects on pathogenicity in vivo. The HA gene mutations and the PB1 gene K207R mutation did not alter the HP phenotype of the large-plaque virus, whereas constructs with the PA (T515A) and PB1 (Y436H) gene mutations were nonpathogenic in orally inoculated ducks. The PB1 (Y436H) construct was not efficiently transmitted in ducks, whereas the PA (T515A) construct replicated as well as the wild-type virus did and was transmitted efficiently. These results show that the PA and PB1 genes of HP H5N1 influenza viruses are associated with lethality in ducks. The mechanisms of lethality and the perpetuation of this lethal phenotype in ducks in nature remain to be determined.

Chimerism in grapevines: implications for cultivar identity, ancestry and genetic improvement.

In the course of DNA profiling of grapevine cultivars using microsatellite loci we have occasionally observed more than two alleles at a locus in some individuals and have identified periclinal chimerism as the source of such anomalies. This phenomenon in long-lived clonally propagated crops, such as grapevine, which contains historically ancient cultivars, may have a role in clonal differences and affect cultivar identification and pedigree analysis. Here we show that when the two cell layers of a periclinal chimera, Pinot Meunier, are separated by passage through somatic embryogenesis the regenerated plants not only have distinct DNA profiles which are different from those of the parent plant but also have novel phenotypes. Recovery of these phenotypes indicates that additional genetic differences can exist between the two cell layers and that the Pinot Meunier phenotype is due to the interaction of genetically distinct cell layers. It appears that grapevine chimerism can not only modify phenotype but can also impact on grapevine improvement as both genetic transformation and conventional breeding strategies separate mutations in the L1 and L2 cell layers.

Verbal working memory storage and processing deficits in HIV-1 asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals.

BACKGROUND: Verbal working memory (WM), which relies on intact functioning of frontostriatal circuits, has been suggested as a cognitive domain that is preferentially affected in HIV-1 infection. Although several studies have found WM impairments in HIV-1 infected patients, Baddeley's classic WM model has not been studied extensively in this population. METHODS: We used two cognitive neuropsychological approaches to examine verbal WM deficits in 18 HIV-1 seronegative, 16 HIV-1 asymptomatic, and 20 HIV-1 symptomatic patients. First, based on Baddeley's WM model of the Phonological Loop, we used the phonological similarity effect and the irrelevant speech effect to evaluate each individual's phonological store, and the word-length effect and the articulatory suppression effect to evaluate the articulatory control process. Secondly, an individual differences approach, which focuses on the capacity limitation of the WM system and potentially integrates the functions of Baddeley's Central Executive component with the Phonological Loop, was adopted. We evaluated each patient's simultaneous storage and processing of auditory material using the Verbal Memory Span test. RESULTS: The HIV-1 symptomatic individuals, but not the HIV-1 asymptomatic subjects, demonstrated impaired short-term storage of verbal material in the phonological store on Baddeley's measures. Although the HIV-1 asymptomatic and symptomatic subjects demonstrated intact rehearsal of speech-based material in the articulatory control process, both groups demonstrated impairment on the Verbal Memory Span test. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that deficits in simultaneous short-term storage and processing occur during both early and later stages of HIV-1 infection.

CpG methylation of promoter region inactivates E-cadherin gene in renal cell carcinoma.

CpG methylation in the promoter region has been shown to be important in the regulation of genes implicated in malignant transformation. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that CpG methylation of the promoter region of the E-cadherin gene may inactivate its expression in renal cell carcinoma. To test this hypothesis, five kidney cancer cell lines and 34 microdissected renal cell carcinoma samples were analyzed for gene and protein expression by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, respectively. CpG methylation in the promoter regions of the E-cadherin gene was analyzed by the sodium bisulfite genome sequencing technique. Our results show that all normal renal tissue expressed the E-cadherin gene and protein. Of the renal cancer tissues analyzed, 67% (23 of 34) lacked E-cadherin expression, with an associated increase in methylation, compared with normal tissue. E-cadherin gene promoter was methylated in all renal cancer cell lines and was accompanied by a loss of E-cadherin gene and protein expression. The treatment of renal cancer cell lines with the demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine restored E-cadherin mRNA expression in all renal cancer cell lines. This is the first report that shows inactivation of the E-cadherin gene and protein in renal cell carcinoma through CpG hypermethylation in the promoter region of this gene. The results of these experiments may contribute to an understanding of the role of E-cadherin inactivation in renal cell carcinoma.

Frequently deleted loci on chromosome 9 may harbor several tumor suppressor genes in human renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Loss of various loci on chromosome 9 has been reported in various cancers. To determine the frequency of deletions at different loci of chromosome 9 in renal cell carcinoma microdissected samples of normal renal epithelium and carcinoma from the same patients were analyzed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DNA was isolated from microdissected sections of normal and tumor cells of 60 renal specimens, amplified by polymerase chain reaction and analyzed for loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 9 using the 16 microsatellite markers D9S178, D9S157, D9S274, D9S168, D9S285, D9S156, D9S1839, D9S162, IFNA, D9S736, D9S171, D9S1749, D9S273D9S270, D9S153 and D9S170. Loss of heterozygosity was analyzed by a polymerase chain reaction based technique developed at our laboratory. RESULTS: This study showed a high incidence of loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 9 in renal cell carcinoma. Of 60 cases 44 (73%), 24 (40%) and 14 (23%) showed loss of heterozygosity at a minimum of 1, at a minimum of 3 and at 4 or more loci, respectively. The main deletion was found on the 9p21 region at loci DS171 in 38% of cases, D9S1749 in 42% and DS270 in 14%. Overall deletion on chromosome 9p21 was noted in 57% of renal cancer cases. Other deleted regions were on chromosome 9p'0022 to 23 at loci D9S157 in 37% of cases, D9S274 in 20%, D9S168 in 27%, D9S285 in 20%, D9S156 in 12%, D9S1839 in 17% and D9S162 in 24%. Overall deletion at chromosome 9q32 to 33 was noted in 46% of renal cell carcinoma cases. Chromosome 9q32 to 33 also showed deletion at locus D9S170 in 22% of renal cell carcinoma cases. When we compared the incidence of deletion at various loci on chromosome 9 according to renal cell carcinoma grade, we found a higher rate of deletion in advanced grades of renal cell carcinoma. A candidate target tumor suppressor gene, p16 (MTS-1/CDKN2), has been identified within the 9p21 deleted region in various cancers. In our study the expression of p16 protein was absent or low in renal cell cancer samples, suggesting that loss of the p16 gene may be involved in renal cell carcinogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates a high incidence of loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 9, mainly 9p21 and 9p22 to 23, in renal cell carcinoma, suggesting several putative tumor suppressor genes on these regions. The identification of other tumor suppressor genes on the 9p21 and 9p22 to 23 regions warrants further studies.

A novel condom policy for young attenders at a sexual health clinic.

OBJECTIVES: To review the uptake of a new service for condom provision in the under 16s. METHODS: A retrospective case note review of attenders at an inner London sexual health clinic. RESULTS: The service was audited over a 3 month period in the spring of 2000. There were 97 individual attendances, 94% (92) male and 6% (5) female. 89% (87) had never attended a sexual health service before. When asked how they had heard of the clinic 88% (86) said a friend had told them about the clinic. 66% (64) claimed not to be sexually active. CONCLUSIONS: A novel policy of condom distribution to groups of boys has been successfully piloted at an inner London sexual health clinic. This policy appears to be overcoming the reluctance of teenage boys to access sexual health services.

Complications common to ventricular assist device support are rare with 90 days of DeBakey VAD support in calves.

The DeBakey VAD is a miniaturized, electromagnetically driven axial flow pump intended for long-term ventricular assist. Safety and performance data from six calves implanted with the complete DeBakey VAD system are reported elsewhere; here we describe complications and necropsy findings for these same six animals, all of which survived 90 days. The study was conducted according to a uniform protocol, which included anticoagulation and antibiotic prophylaxis. Clinical complications tracked included bleeding, cardiovascular abnormalities (e.g., arrhythmias, tachycardia unrelated to pain, bradycardia), hemolysis, hepatic dysfunction, renal dysfunction, thromboembolism (neurologic or peripheral), or infection. Each adverse event was retrospectively categorized with regard to severity (mild, moderate, severe) and relationship to device. Clinical findings were confirmed by necropsy. There was no evidence of systemic infection, thromboembolism, hemolysis, or renal or hepatic dysfunction in these six animals during the study period. A single adverse event was noted in each of two of the calves. Both events were considered mild according to the predefined criteria. Bleeding related to the surgical implantation procedure and requiring reoperation occurred in one animal. The other animal had evidence of a superficial infection at the exit site of the cables on the left lateral thoracic wall; the infection did not extend into the thoracic cavity. Chronic, healed small renal infarct scars were present in several animals. Mild valvular endocardiosis was observed in two calves and mild fibroelastosis was present in the endocardium at the site of the inflow cannula in three calves; however, these lesions were not considered clinically significant. No other gross or histologic abnormalities were noted at necropsy. In conclusion, calves implanted with the complete DeBakey VAD for 90 days demonstrated few complications and had no significant necropsy findings. Complications common to ventricular assist device (VAD) support (i.e., hemolysis, infection, bleeding, thromboembolism) were rare during long-term support (90 days) with the DeBakey VAD.

Memory of psychodiagnostic information: biases and effects of expertise.

Problem-solving expertise has been associated with enhanced memory of domain-specific information. This enhanced memory is thought to play an important role in expert decisions. Meanwhile, research on psychodiagnostic decision making has found consistent limitations in experienced clinicians' ability to make optimal decisions. To what extent are these limitations associated with suboptimal memory processes? We compared memories of expert clinicians and novice graduate students for information learned while viewing a videotaped psychodiagnostic interview. Results of 3 tests suggest that expert clinicians exhibit enhanced memory that is flexible, selective, and accurate but with limitations that might contribute to poor decisions. Experts exhibited superior memory of personal criteria and disconfirmatory information. However, a framing manipulation induced performance in experts consistent with suboptimal decision making, and both groups needed exhaustive prompts for optimal memory search. Implications of these findings for expertise models are discussed.

Transfer-appropriate processing (TAP) and repetition priming.

Transfer-appropriate processing (TAP), as applied to implicit memory, has tended to emphasize general forms of processing (e.g., perceptual or conceptual processing). In the present studies, the TAP principle was employed in a more specific manner in order to more precisely assess the relations between the processing engaged during first exposure and that engaged during second exposure to items. Thirteen experiments used a two-phase, cross-task design in which participants engaged in different combinations of seven specific intentional tasks between Phase 1 and Phase 2. Maximum repetition priming was found when tasks were the same in Phases 1 and 2. When Phase 1 and Phase 2 tasks differed, there were lesser, or no, repetition priming effects, depending on the particular combination of tasks. The results demonstrate the importance of the specific intentional processes engaged during repetition priming and the potential heuristic value of TAP, as a principle and methodology, for exploring the organization of memory and related process models.

Evaluation of transdermal fentanyl patches for analgesia in cats undergoing onychectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate efficacy and safety of using transdermal fentanyl patches (TFP) for analgesia in cats undergoing onychectomy. DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial. ANIMALS: 45 client-owned cats weighing > or = 2.7 kg (5.9 lb) undergoing onychectomy, onychectomy and ovariohysterectomy, or onychectomy and castration. PROCEDURE: Cats were randomly assigned to be treated with a TFP (25 micrograms/h) or butorphanol; TFP were applied a minimum of 4 hours before surgery (approx 8 hours prior to extubation). Rectal temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, force applied by the forelimbs, and serum fentanyl concentration were measured, and temperament, recovery, degree of sedation, severity of pain, severity of lameness, and appetite were scored before and periodically for up to 40 hours after surgery. RESULTS: Cats treated with a TFP had better recovery scores at 2 of 4 evaluation times, lower sedation scores at 2 of 8 evaluation times, and lower pain scores at 6 of 8 evaluation times, compared with cats treated with butorphanol. Use of a pressure-sensitive mat to evaluate force applied by the forelimbs did not reveal any differences between groups but did reveal a significant difference between preoperative and postoperative values. Mean +/- SD serum fentanyl concentrations were 1.56 +/- 1.08, 4.85 +/- 2.38, 4.87 +/- 1.56, and 4.35 +/- 2.97 ng/ml approximately 8, 24, 32, and 48 hours, respectively, after TFP placement. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that use of a TFP (25 micrograms/h) for postoperative analgesia in cats undergoing onychectomy with or without surgical sterilization is safe and effective.

Four earplugs in search of a rating system.

OBJECTIVE: The performance of four insert earplugs was evaluated by determining the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) and the Subject-Fit Noise Reduction Rating [NRR(SF)]. The NRR and NRR(SF) were calculated from real-ear attenuation at threshold (REAT) data collected using the experimenter-fit protocol described in the now-rescinded ANSI S3.19-1974 (American National Standards Institute, 1974) and the subject-fit protocol of the recently revised ANSI S12.6-1997 (American National Standards Institute, 1997) standards for REAT measurement. DESIGN: A comparison of the experimenter-fit and subject-fit REAT performance was conducted using four pools of subjects, one pool per protector. Each device was tested with at least 20 subjects, the minimum size necessary to estimate the NRR(SF) for an earplug. The REAT was measured with third-octave narrowband noise stimuli for center frequencies at 0.125, 0.25,0.5, 1, 2, 3.15, 4, 6.3, and 8 kHz. The REAT means and standard deviations were compared with the manufacturer data. RESULTS: This study showed that the NRR(SF) is typically lower than the NRR and that the NRR(SF) is not well-predicted by the NRR derating schemes recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. CONCLUSION: The difference between the present NRR on hearing protector labels and the NRR(SF) is sufficiently large and unpredictable enough to render the application of derating schemes meaningless even though these schemes attempt to account for the difference between the laboratory and real-world outcomes. The only way to provide a protector noise rating that is predictive of a real-world outcome is to retest the protector according to the subject-fit method of ANSI S12.6-1997 (American National Standards Institute, 1997).

Computed tomographic findings of ceroid lipofuscinosis in a dog.

A two-year and seven-month-old, castrated male border collie was presented for a two-month history of progressive neurological signs including blindness, ataxia, dementia, and partial seizures. A complete blood count, serum biochemical profile, urinalysis, thoracic radiographs, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis were within reference ranges. Computed tomography (CT) of the brain showed dilatation of the ventricles and atrophy of the cerebral cortex. A central nervous system (CNS) storage disease was suspected, and the dog was euthanized due to a poor prognosis. Light and electron microscopic examination revealed neuronal degeneration with pigment accumulation in neurons of the CNS, in ganglia of the peripheral nervous system, and in several non-nervous tissues. Ceroid lipofuscinosis was diagnosed based on the microscopic and ultrastructural lesions detected. This is the second report of CT findings in a canine clinical patient with ceroid lipofuscinosis.

Chronic survival of calves implanted with the DeBakey ventricular assist device.

The DeBakey ventricular assist device (VAD) is a miniaturized, electromagnetically driven axial flow pump capable of generating in excess of 10 L/min output. The VAD was evaluated in 19 calves during experiments designed to test iterative modifications in the system and to determine the safety of the DeBakey VAD for intermediate to long-term implant. Five of the animals died or were euthanized during the perioperative period (i.e., Days 1-5) due to complications associated with bleeding (n = 3), sudden cardiac arrest (n = 1), or pump occlusion due to a muscle remnant associated with coring (n = 1). The remaining 14 animals survived from 7-145 days. Ten of the 14 animals survived 30 or more days, and 2 animals survived 93 and 145 days before elective euthanasia. Pump function was evaluated in the 14 calves that survived beyond the perioperative period. Pump output at implantation averaged 3 L/min while output at 100 days (n = 2) averaged 4.22 L/min. The electrical current did not change across time during the study, indicating normal operation of the bearings. Pumps consumed less than 10.5 W of power for all support durations. Hemolysis did not occur; the average daily plasma free hemoglobin varied from 2.0 to 8.0 mg/dl. Evaluation of serum biochemical data showed that implantation of the DeBakey VAD in calves with normal hearts did not impair end organ function; BUN, creatinine, and total bilirubin varied minimally within the normal range. The white blood cell count of implanted animals remained within the normal range throughout the study.

Lack of effect of flurothyl, a non-anesthetic fluorinated ether, on rat brain synaptic plasma membrane calcium-ATPase.

Plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA), a regulator of intracellular calcium, is inhibited by volatile anesthetics and by xenon and nitrous oxide. Response of a cellular system to anesthetics, particularly to volatile agents, raises the question of non-specific, even toxic, side effects unrelated to anesthetic action. Compounds with chemical and physical properties similar to halogenated anesthetics, but which lack anesthetic effect, have been used to address this question. We have compared the effects of halothane and flurothyl, a non-anesthetic fluorinated ether, on PMCA Ca2+ transport across isolated brain synaptic plasma membranes (SPM). Flurothyl, at concentrations predicted by the Meyer-Overton curve to range from 0.4 to 2.6 MAC (minimum alveolar concentration), had no significant on PMCA activity. In contrast halothane, 1.3 MAC, reduced Ca2+ transport 30 to 40%. These findings provide further evidence for a specific effect of inhalation anesthetics on neuronal plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase.