Embryotoxic Effects of Three Natural Occurring \u3cem\u3eVeratrum\u3c/em\u3e Alkaloids and One Synthetic Analog using In Vitro Produced Bovine Embryos

Three natural occurring plant toxins from Veratrum californicum and one related synthetic analog were screened for embryotoxicity using in vitro bovine embryo production techniques. Bovine oocytes were aspirated from ovaries collected from a local abattoir and embryos were generated through in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro culture (IVC) procedures. The three natural steroidal alkaloids, cyclopamine, jervine and veratramine and the synthetic steroidal derivative of cyclopamine, cyclopamine-4-en-3-one, were added to IVM and IVC media at 12 μM. Oocytes were exposed to the toxins during maturation (IVM) and pre-implantation embryo during culture (IVC). Cleavage rates and embryo growth (morula and blastocyst production) and development through the hatched blastocyst stage were evaluated. Cyclopamine and cyclopamine-4-en-3-one inhibited cleavage rates and embryo growth and development of morulae and blastocysts in culture. Oocytes that were exposed to cyclopamine and cyclopamine-4-en-3-one during IVM only showed reduced cleavage rates and resulted in lower numbers of embryos that developed to the morula, blastocyst, and hatched blastocyst stages. The effects of these steroidal alkaloids on the oocyte during IVM and on the embryo during all stages of development up to and including the hatched blastocyst stage, demonstrates a dramatic cytotoxic effect on oocytes maturation and early pre-implantation embryos. This research also suggests that the Hedgehog signaling pathway may play a role in the maturing oocyte as well as the pre-implantation embryo. These in vitro fertilization techniques provide an economical, rapid through put and effective method to screen natural toxins, especially suspected reproductive toxins for cytotoxicity

Three units in eleventh-grade English

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University, 1938. This item was digitized by the Internet Archive

An Analysis of Gospel Elements in Selected Major Works of Charles Dickens

It is my thesis that Dickens\u27 use of Gospel elements in the works studied is both intentional and fundamental to the themes and structures of the novels. The Gospel elements present are no afterthought or coincidence but significant in Dickens\u27 intent and meaning

Thyroid function in healthy and unhealthy preterm newborns

Background: The thyroid gland and hormonal regulation are among the most important systems to be investigated in pre-term infants. This study sought to investigate thyroid hormone levels of healthy and unhealthy pre-term infants.Methods: The prospective study included 53 consecutive premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit within a duration of one year. Of these preterm babies, 20 were healthy, while 33 had problems such as asphyxia or RDS. Venous blood samples were collected at baseline 0-24 hours, 7 and 14 days and FT3, FT4, and TSH levels were determined. Other data recorded included demographic characteristics of the patients and clinical variables.Results: The most frequent health problems were RDS (87.9%), sepsis (30.3%), and retinopathy of prematurity (24.2%). The mean TSH levels showed a consistent decline at three consequent measurements in both groups, which were always significantly lower in unhealthy pre-terms. In both groups, TSH levels showed significant decreases on Day 7 and Day 14 compared to the baseline levels (p<005). The levels of FT3 and FT4 consistently showed significant correlations with gestational week and birth weight at each of the three measurements.Conclusion: Pre-term infants, especially those having problems, have significant hypothyroxinemia that may require thyroid hormone replacement therapy.Keywords: Prematurity, hypothyroxinemia, thyroid, TSH

Anticoagulant rodenticides on our public and community lands: spatial distribution of exposure and poisoning of a rare forest carnivore.

Anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) poisoning has emerged as a significant concern for conservation and management of non-target wildlife. The purpose for these toxicants is to suppress pest populations in agricultural or urban settings. The potential of direct and indirect exposures and illicit use of ARs on public and community forest lands have recently raised concern for fishers (Martes pennanti), a candidate for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act in the Pacific states. In an investigation of threats to fisher population persistence in the two isolated California populations, we investigate the magnitude of this previously undocumented threat to fishers, we tested 58 carcasses for the presence and quantification of ARs, conducted spatial analysis of exposed fishers in an effort to identify potential point sources of AR, and identified fishers that died directly due to AR poisoning. We found 46 of 58 (79%) fishers exposed to an AR with 96% of those individuals having been exposed to one or more second-generation AR compounds. No spatial clustering of AR exposure was detected and the spatial distribution of exposure suggests that AR contamination is widespread within the fisher's range in California, which encompasses mostly public forest and park lands Additionally, we diagnosed four fisher deaths, including a lactating female, that were directly attributed to AR toxicosis and documented the first neonatal or milk transfer of an AR to an altricial fisher kit. These ARs, which some are acutely toxic, pose both a direct mortality or fitness risk to fishers, and a significant indirect risk to these isolated populations. Future research should be directed towards investigating risks to prey populations fishers are dependent on, exposure in other rare forest carnivores, and potential AR point sources such as illegal marijuana cultivation in the range of fishers on California public lands

Unit organization in the field of English

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University, 1942. This item was digitized by the Internet Archive

A Longitudinal Study of Dietary Intake and Influence of Iron Status on Infants\u27 and Toddlers\u27 Mental and Motor Development

Thirty-two non-anemic children were assessed clinically, biochemically and anthropometrically at six months, one year and two years of age to investigate the relationship of iron status to mental and motor development. Using dietary history and dietary record instruments, dietary iron was estimated and compared to the National Food Consumption Survey (1985) and the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for corresponding age groups. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development (which assess mental and motor development) and the Caldwell Home Inventory (which evaluates the environmental stimuli) were performed and correlated with blood iron parameters, anthropometric measurements and dietary nutrient intakes. Nutrient intakes of these children were similar to those reported in the NFCS (1985) for one- and two-year-olds. Iron intake decreased from 13.2 mg iron daily (88% RDA) at six months to 10.3 mg iron daily (68% RDA) and 7.4 mg iron daily (49% RDA) at two years of age. The correlation between iron intake and development was not statistically significant at any age. Stepwise, multiple regression was employed to investigate the extent to which variation in mental and motor development was explained by dietary variables, blood iron parameters and anthropometric measurements. Hematocrit was the only variable that significantly explained variation in mental development at all three ages. The findings of this study were different from earlier studies in that there was no statistical correlation between iron status and mental development; but, it did confirm the conclusion of more recent experiments that iron status has little effect on infants\u27 and toddlers\u27 development. The finding that infants and toddlers consuming less than the RDA for iron do not display iron deficiency symptoms and were not developmentally delayed or compromised should be comforting to parents who are concerned about iron intake during this critical period of infants\u27 brain growth

Pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain in early postpartum period and risk factorr

Background: Pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain is known as lower back and pelvic girdle pain of unclear etiology, which affects almost half of pregnant women, often starts at 18 weeks and decreases at 6 months postpartum. The purpose of this study is to identify the risk factors in patients with pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain in early postpartum period and determine the factors associated with pain in patients suffering from lumbopelvic pain at 1 month postpartum.Methods: 339 women of 18-40 years of age who were in the 1st month of postpartum period were included in the study. Socio-demographic data, gynecological history and method of delivery were recorded for all subjects. All subjects were evaluated for pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain. The Oswestry disability index was used for functional evaluation and the Beck depression inventory was used for assessment of depression.Results: 114 (33.6%) patients had a history of pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain. 59 (18.9%) patients had ongoing pain at 1 month postpartum. When patients were divided into two groups, consisting of women with and without lumbopelvic pain at 1 month postpartum, no statistical difference was observed between two groups in terms of age, parity, employment status, smoking status, depression score, method of delivery, type of anesthesia, and emergency or elective cesarean section. When the risk factors affecting postpartum lumbopelvic pain were evaluated by using the Stepwise Logistic regression analysis, weight gain during pregnancy, body mass index and presence of lumbopelvic pain during previous pregnancy were found to be independent risk factors (p<0.05).Conclusion: Pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain is a significant cause of disability that affects many pregnant women. Control of weight gain during pregnancy could be important in avoiding the development of lumbopelvic pain. In patients experiencing lumbopelvic pain in previous pregnancies, necessary measures should be taken against development of lumbopelvic pain during a new pregnancy.

Duration of labor with meperidine versus placebo in singleton term pregnancies: A randomized placebo controlled study

Objective: Meperidine, a synthetic opioid analgesic, is used empirically in many birth centers due to its effect on the duration of labor as well as pain relief during labor. In this study, we examine the effect of meperidine administration on the duration of labor. Methods: This study was designed as a prospective randomized placebo-controlled study; 250 patients were randomized into two groups where the study group received 0.5 mL-25 mg i.v. meperidine and the control group received 0.5 mL i.v. saline solution, all at the start of the active phase. The start of the active phase of labor was defined as 4 cm cervical dilatation and 60%-70% cervical effacement. The primary outcome was determined as the duration of the active phase (DAP). This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT01555671). Results: Women randomized to the meperidine group had a shorter total duration of labor (TDL) and shorter duration of the DAP compared to the control group, both in the total patient population women (mean ± standard deviation (SD): 273±129 min vs. 331±177 min, p=0.033; 249±122 min vs. 304±167 min, p=0.029, respectively) and in primiparous (mean ± SD: 372±134 min vs. 400±179 min, p=0.026; 296±126 min vs. 363±170 min, p=0.024, respectively). No statistically significant difference was found between the total patient population and primiparous group in terms of the second stage of labor (DSS) (p=0.930, p=0.229; respectively). Multiparous women in meperidine and control groups, did not show a statistically significant difference in terms of the TDL, DAP and the DSS (p=0.170, p=0.157, p=0.498; respectively). No statistically significant difference was found between the two study groups in terms of age (p=0.126), parity (p=0.427), body mass index (p=0.163), cesarean rates (p=0.511) and mean gestational weeks (p=0.845). Conclusion: Our findings revealed that meperidine administration was associated with a shorter duration of active phase of labor in primiparous women