Pancreatic regenerating protein (regⅠ) and regⅠreceptor mRNA are upregulated in rat pancreas after induction of acute pancreatitis

AIM: Pancreatic regenerating protein (regI) stimulates pancreatic regeneration after pancreatectomy and is mitogenic to ductal and β-cells. This suggests that regIand its receptor may play a role in recovery after pancreatic injury. We hypothesized that regIand its receptor are induced in acute pancreatitis. METHODS: Acute pancreatitis was induced in male Wistar rats by retrograde injection of 3% sodium taurocholate into the pancreatic duct. Pancreata and serum were collected 12, 24, and 36 hours after injection and from normal controls (4 rats/group). RegIreceptor mRNA, serum regIprotein, and tissue regIprotein levels were determined by Northern analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Western analysis, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was used to localize changes in regIand its receptor. RESULTS: Serum amylase levels and histology confirmed necrotizing pancreatitis in taurocholate treated rats. There was no statistically significant change in serum regIconcentrations from controls. However, Western blot demonstrated increased tissue levels of regIat 24 and 36 h. This increase was localized primarily to the acinar cells and the ductal cells by immunohistochemistry. Northern blot demonstrated a significant increase in regIreceptor mRNA expression with pancreatitis. Immunohistochemistry localized this increase to the ductal cells, islets, and acinar cells. CONCLUSION: Acute pancreatitis results in increased tissue regIprotein levels localized to the acinar and ductal cells, and a parallel threefold induction of regIreceptor in the ductal cells, islets, and acinar cells. These changes suggest that induction of regIand its receptor may be important for recovery from acute pancreatitis

High potential for weathering and climate effects of non-vascular vegetation in the Late Ordovician

It has been hypothesized that predecessors of today’s bryophytes significantly increased global chemical weathering in the Late Ordovician, thus reducing atmospheric CO2 concentration and contributing to climate cooling and an interval of glaciations. Studies that try to quantify the enhancement of weathering by non-vascular vegetation, however, are usually limited to small areas and low numbers of species, which hampers extrapolating to the global scale and to past climatic conditions. Here we present a spatially explicit modelling approach to simulate global weathering by non-vascular vegetation in the Late Ordovician. We estimate a potential global weathering flux of 2.8 (km3 rock) yr−1, defined here as volume of primary minerals affected by chemical transformation. This is around three times larger than today’s global chemical weathering flux. Moreover, we find that simulated weathering is highly sensitive to atmospheric CO2 concentration. This implies a strong negative feedback between weathering by non-vascular vegetation and Ordovician climate

Mindfulness in schools: a health promotion approach to improving adolescent mental health.

Between 10 and 20% of adolescents worldwide experience a mental health problem within a given 12-month period. Mental health problems impact on an adolescent’s potential to live a fulfilling and productive life and lead to challenges such as stigma, isolation and discrimination. To address this need, in recent years, there has been growing interest into broad-based school-integrated health promotion interventions that seek to build resilience and augment protective factors in adolescents. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) reflect one such approach that have been administered to adolescent populations in both resilience building and treatment contexts. This paper discusses the utility of school-based MBIs as an adolescent health promotion approach and makes recommendations for intervention design, delivery and evaluation. Emerging evidence indicates that school-integrated MBIs may be a cost-effective means of not only meeting government objectives relating to adolescent mental health, but also for improving the wellbeing of teachers and parents. Furthermore, there is growing evidence indicating that mindfulness can elicit improvements in student learning performance and general classroom behaviour. However, notwithstanding these beneficial properties, there remains a need to conduct large-scale empirical investigations that seek to evaluate the effectiveness of school-integrated MBIs at a regional or national level. A further challenge is the need to ensure that mindfulness instructors are able to impart to adolescents an experiential understanding of this ancient contemplative technique.N

Prevalence, evaluation and management of overactive bladder in primary care

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Patients with overactive bladder (OAB) are under-diagnosed in the primary care setting. Primary care physicians (PCP) approach to the patient and appropriate patient disclosure may contribute to under-diagnosis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An outpatient primary care setting was used to determine the prevalence and characteristics of OAB. Patients who visited the family medicine outpatient clinic were invited to answer a self-administered questionnaire. It included questions on evidence of lower urinary tract symptoms (modified Overactive Bladder-Validated 8-question Screener [OAB-V8]), relevant medical and surgical history, and demographic data. Relationship between OAB and other independent variables were analyzed using chi-square and risk ratio (RR) analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 325 questionnaires distributed, 311 were returned completed. Patients ranged from 18 to 97 years, the majority women (74.0%) and African American (74.3%). OAB was present in 60.5% of men and 48.3% of women (<it>p </it>= 0.058). OAB was significantly associated with obesity (BMI > = 30) in women (<it>p </it>= 0.018, RR = 1.72), specifically obese premenopausal women (age < 55 years) (<it>p </it>= 0.011, RR = 1.98).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>OAB prevalence is more than double and higher in men than previously reported. The relative risk for OAB is significantly greater in obese premenopausal women.</p

Detection of volcanic ash clouds from Nimbus 7/total ozone mapping spectrometer

Measured radiances from the Version 7 reprocessing of the Nimbus 7/total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) 340- and 380-nm channels are used to detect absorbing particulates injected into the atmosphere after the El Chichon eruption on April 4, 1982. It is shown that while the single-channel reflectivity determined from the 380-nm channel is able to detect clouds and haze composed of nonabsorbing aerosols, the spectral contrast between the 340- and 380-nm channels is sensitive to absorbing particulates such as volcanic ash, desert dust, or smoke from biomass burning. In this paper the spectral contrast between these two channels is used to detect the volcanic ash injection into the atmosphere and to track its evolution for several days. The movement of the ash clouds is shown to be consistent with the motions expected from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)-derived balanced wind fields in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. The movement of the volcanic SO2 cloud detected from TOMS data was also in agreement with the NCEP wind at higher altitudes of up to 100–10 mbar. The vertical wind shear in the neighborhood of the eruption site resulted in a clear separation of the ash and SO2 clouds. The location and movement of the ash cloud are consistent with information obtained by the advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) instrument on board the NOAA 7 satellite and to ground reports of ash fall

Gas Dynamic Virtual Nozzle for Generation of Microscopic Droplet Streams

As shown by Ganan-Calvo and co-workers, a free liquid jet can be compressed in iameter through gas-dynamic forces exerted by a co-flowing gas, obviating the need for a solid nozzle to form a microscopic liquid jet and thereby alleviating the clogging problems that plague conventional droplet sources of small diameter. We describe in this paper a novel form of droplet beam source based on this principle. The source is miniature, robust, dependable, easily fabricated, and eminently suitable for delivery of microscopic liquid droplets, including hydrated biological samples, into vacuum for analysis using vacuum instrumentation. Monodisperse, single file droplet streams are generated by triggering the device with a piezoelectric actuator. The device is essentially immune to clogging

Impact of atmospheric CO₂ and galactic cosmic radiation on Phanerozoic climate change and the marine d18O record

[1] A new model is developed and applied to simulate the Phanerozoic evolution of seawater composition (dissolved Ca, Sr, dissolved inorganic carbon, alkalinity, pH, δ18O), marine carbonates (Sr/Ca, 87Sr/86Sr, δ13C, δ18O), atmospheric CO2 and surface temperature. The marine carbonate records (Sr/Ca, 87Sr/86Sr, δ13C) are used to reconstruct changes in volcanic/tectonic activity and organic carbon burial over the Phanerozoic. Seawater pH is calculated assuming saturation with respect to calcite and considering the changing concentration of dissolved Ca documented by brine inclusion data. The depth of calcite saturation is allowed to vary through time and the effects of changing temperature and pressure on the stability constants of the carbonate system are considered. Surface temperatures are calculated using the GEOCARB III approach considering also the changing flux of galactic cosmic radiation (GCR). It is assumed that GCR cools the surface of the Earth via enhanced cloud formation at low altitudes. The δ18O of marine carbonates is calculated considering the changing isotopic composition of seawater, the prevailing surface temperatures and seawater pH. Repeated model runs showed that the trends observed in the marine δ18O record can only be reproduced by the model if GCR is allowed to have a strong effect on surface temperature. The climate evolution predicted by the model is consistent with the geological record. Warm periods (Cambrian, Devonian, Triassic, Cretaceous) are characterized by low GCR levels. Cold periods during the late Carboniferous to early Permian and the late Cenozoic are marked by high GCR fluxes and low pCO2 values. The major glaciations occurring during these periods are the result of carbon cycling processes causing a draw-down of atmospheric CO2 and a coevally prevailing dense cloud cover at low-altitudes induced by strong GCR fluxes. The two moderately cool periods during the Ordovician - Silurian and Jurassic - early Cretaceous are characterized by both high pCO2 and GCR levels so that greenhouse warming compensated for the cooling effect of low-altitude clouds. The very high Jurassic δ18O values observed in the geological record are caused by low pH values in surface waters rather than cold surface conditions

The role of routine post-natal abdominal ultrasound for newborns in a resource-poor setting: a longitudinal study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background-</p> <p>Neonatal abdominal ultrasound is usually performed in Nigeria to investigate neonatal symptoms rather than as a follow up to evaluate fetal abnormalities which were detected on prenatal ultrasound. The role of routine obstetric ultrasonography in the monitoring of pregnancy and identification of fetal malformations has partly contributed to lowering of fetal mortality rates. In Nigeria which has a high maternal and fetal mortality rate, many pregnant women do not have ante-natal care and not infrequently, women also deliver their babies at home and only bring the newborns to the clinics for immunization. Even when performed, most routine obstetric scans are not targeted towards the detection of fetal abnormalities.</p> <p>The aim of the present study is to evaluate the benefit of routinely performing abdominal scans on newborns with a view to detecting possible abnormalities which may have been missed ante-natally.</p> <p>Methods-</p> <p>This was a longitudinal study of 202 consecutive, apparently normal newborns. Routine clinical examination and abdominal ultrasound scans were performed on the babies by their mother's bedside, before discharge. Neonates with abnormal initial scans had follow-up scans.</p> <p>Results-</p> <p>There were 108 males and 94 females. There were 12 (5.9%) abnormal scans seen in five male and seven female neonates. Eleven of the twelve abnormalities were in the kidneys, six on the left and five on the right. Three of the four major renal anomalies- absent kidney, ectopic/pelvic kidney and two cases of severe hydronephrosis were however on the left side. There was one suprarenal abnormality on the right suspected to be a possible infected adrenal haemorrage. Nine of the abnormal cases reported for follow- up and of these, two cases had persistent severe abnormalities.</p> <p>Conclusions-</p> <p>This study demonstrated a 5.9% incidence of genito urinary anomalies on routine neonatal abdominal ultrasound in this small population. Routine obstetric USS is very useful but inadequate availability of skilled personnel and cost implications create great challenges in poor resource settings like Nigeria. However, awareness should be created so that parents who can afford such investigations can make informed decisions.</p