The safety and efficacy of the new 5HT-3 antagonist granisetron as an antiemetic in children with cancer was evaluated in 40 children at a single dose of 40 micrograms/kg. No adverse affects attributable to the granisetron were noted. The overall major and complete response rate was 82.5% and this was highest in the younger children. Only 2 patients showed no response. Pharmacokinetic studies showed associations between some pharmacokinetic parameters and age which were no longer apparent after normalisation for body weight. Granisetron is an effective and very well-tolerated antiemetic and appears to be an important addition to the supportive care available for children with cancer.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Heterozygosity at the b mating-type locus attenuates fusion in Ustilago maydis.

Mating and pathogenesis of the corn smut fungus, Ustilago maydis, are controlled by two unlinked mating-type loci, a and b. Yeast-like haploids that differ at both loci are compatible and fuse to establish a pathogenic dikaryon. Mating is assayed in vitro by co-inoculation on culture medium containing activated charcoal; compatible combinations have a characteristic "fuzzy" appearance caused by the growth of aerial hyphae. In general, this test has not been useful for assaying the mating ability of strains that are already mycelial (e.g., those heterozygous at b or at both mating-type loci). Using an assay for cytoduction involving transfer of a mitochondrial marker during transient cell fusion, and engineered strains with defined genotypes, we examined the mating abilities of strains heterozygous or hemizygous at the mating-type loci. The data (which have not been available from conventional pathogenicity or plate mating tests) show that heterozygosity at b attenuates fusion in haploid and diploid strains, whereas strains heterozygous at a retain the ability to fuse with a compatible haploid partner. It appears, therefore, that subsequent fusion events are attenuated once fusion has occurred to establish the U. maydis dikaryon.

Cell Fusion↗

PubMed1995

The role of work experience and individual beliefs in police officers' perceptions of date rape: an integration of quantitative and qualitative methods.

Surveyed police officers from two police departments in the Midwest on their perceptions of date rape (N = 91). The aim of this research was to examine the influence of officers' work experiences and general beliefs about women on their perceptions of date rape. Two approaches were utilized. First, using quantitative structural-equation modeling, a model that integrated work experiences and individual beliefs was evaluated using LISREL VII. Results suggest a direct path from the work experience variables to perceptions of date rape: Officers with more experience with rape cases held more sympathetic beliefs about date rape and date rape victims. Officers who found their training on rape to be very helpful, and those who reported that their work environment was sexualized and sexual harassment was a problem, were also less victim blaming. An indirect influence of these variables was also supported. Officers with more experience, those who perceived their training as helpful, and those with heightened awareness of sexual harassment in the workplace also held more favorable attitudes toward women, which, in turn, predicted less victim-blaming perceptions of date rape. Second, qualitative methods were used to have the police define and describe in their own words what has shaped their beliefs about date rape. These narratives were content analyzed by two raters. The qualitative results validated the quantitative findings as the officers were most likely to mention professional experience with rape cases and departmental trainings as important factors that changed their opinions. Work climate and personal experiences were also cited as influential. Implications for integrating qualitative and quantitative methods in research, and training interventions with police are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Recognition of parts of famous-face photographs by children: an experimental note.

Children aged between 5 and 10 years were shown photographs of familiar TV personalities, presenters, and celebrities for immediate recognition (naming). The pictures were of whole faces, outer features only (hair, chin, ears), or inner features (eyes, nose, mouth). Only the oldest group (9-10 years) resembled adults in recognising these familiar faces more efficiently from internal than external parts. In the youngest children (5-6 years) there were some indications that the outer face features were more salient, particularly when cartoon characters were included in the array.

Attention↗

PubMed1995

Human follicle-stimulating hormone produced by recombinant DNA technology: a review for clinicians.

Human follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is now produced in vitro by recombinant DNA technology. FSH being a complex heterodimeric protein, a eukaryotic cell line has been selected for expression work (Chinese hamster ovary cells). The pharmaceutical preparation of recombinant human FSH (r-FSH) differs from that of human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG) and the first generation of urinary human FSH (u-FSH) in terms of (i) source of bulk materials, (ii) purity and specific activity, (iii) batch to batch consistency, and (iv) complete absence of luteinizing hormone (LH) activity. Pharmacokinetic characterization of r-FSH has shown an absolute bioavailability of approximately 75% after both s.c. and i.m. administration and an apparent terminal half-life of 37 +/- 25 h. These characteristics are very similar to those of u-FSH. Clinical efficacy and safety are currently demonstrated through several randomized, well controlled studies, comparing r-FSH administered s.c. with u-FSH administered i.m. for stimulating follicular development prior to assisted reproduction treatment and in World Health Organization (WHO) group II anovulation. To date, approximately 1000 patients have been treated with r-FSH. Moreover, r-FSH has recently been used successfully in association with recombinant human LH for inducing ovulation and pregnancy in WHO group I anovulatory patients. At this stage of r-FSH preparation assessment, it is likely that r-FSH will replace all urinary-derived FSH preparations for stimulating ovarian follicular development. For clinicians, current experience with r-FSH indicates that it should be used with the regimes and doses applied to u-FSH.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Client characteristics associated with not keeping appointments for public health nursing home visits.

Home visits have been identified as an intervention strategy for high-risk pregnant women. A necessary component of this intervention strategy is for the women to be home for the visit with the nurse. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with women not keeping their home visit appointments with a public health nurse. Subjects were 232 low-income high-risk pregnant women who received at least one home visit by a public health nurse. Younger age, more stressful life events, receipt of medical assistance, inadequacy of prenatal care, noncompliance with health recommendations, and longer gestational time were associated with not keeping public health nursing appointments. While this study provides some insight into the factors associated with women not keeping their appointments with the public health nurse, further investigation is warranted to identify strategies to reduce the incidence of not-kept appointments.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

TOM, a new aromatic degradative plasmid from Burkholderia (Pseudomonas) cepacia G4.

Burkholderia (Pseudomonas) cepacia PR1(23) has been shown to constitutively express to toluene catabolic pathway distinguished by a unique toluene ortho-monooxygenase (Tom). This strain has also been shown to contain two extrachromosomal elements of < 70 and > 100 kb. A derivative strain cured of the largest plasmid, PR1(23) Cure, was unable to grow on phenol or toluene as the sole source of carbon and energy, which requires expression of the Tom pathway. Transfer of the larger plasmid from strain G4 (the parent strain inducible for Tom) enabled PR1(23) Cure to grow on toluene or phenol via inducible Tom pathway expression. Conjugal transfer of TOM23c from PR1(23) to an antibiotic-resistant derivative of PR1(23) Cure enabled the transconjugant to grow with either phenol or toluene as the sole source of carbon and energy through constitutive expression of the Tom pathway. A cloned 11.2-kb EcoRI restriction fragment of TOM23c resulted in the expression of both Tom and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase in Escherichia coli, as evidenced by its ability to oxidize trichloroethylene, toluene, m-cresol, o-cresol, phenol, and catechol. The largest resident plasmid of PR1 was identified as the source of these genes by DNA hybridization. These results indicate that the genes which encode Tom and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase are located on TOM, an approximately 108-kb degradative plasmid of B. cepacia G4.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

PubMed1995

Tularemia in North Carolina, 1965-1990.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Bedrest compliance for women with pregnancy problems.

Bedrest has long been recommended for high-risk pregnancies, but recent studies question its effectiveness in improving pregnancy outcomes. To be effective, the women for whom bedrest is recommended must practice it. This study examined degree of compliance and reason for noncompliance in women for whom bedrest was recommended, and outcomes of pregnancy among high-risk women who complied compared with those who did not. The subjects were 326 high-risk pregnant women who were prescribed bedrest for preterm labor, blood pressure problems, or bleeding problems. Of that group, one-third did not comply with the bedrest recommendation. These women had more children, were not currently married, had more stress, did not attend prenatal classes, continued drinking alcohol during pregnancy, and were not trying to get pregnant compared with women who complied. Reasons for noncompliance included the need to care for children, not feeling sick, household demands, lack of partner or family support, need to work, and discomfort. The pregnancy outcomes for the women who complied were similar to those of the women who did not comply. These findings support the importance of more research on the practice of prescribing bedrest to improve pregnancy outcomes.

Bed Rest↗

PubMed1994

Maternity services. Baby boon.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Birthing Centers↗

PubMed1994

The scope of dansyl vs fluorescein label in fluorescence postlabeling assay for DNA damage.

The 5'-phosphate groups of the normal nucleotides of DNA (10 nmol) were labeled with two different fluorescent reagents, namely, dansyl chloride and fluorescein-isothiocyanate, via phosphoramidate derivatives of ethylene and hexamethylenediamines. Using a conventional detector, HPLC analysis showed a linear relationship of fluorescence signal as an integrated peak area and the amounts of nucleotide injected from 2 pmol to 200 fmol (r = 0.996, n = 3) for dansyl-labeled dAmp and from 2 pmol to 90 fmol (r = 0.997) for fluorescein-labeled dAmp, respectively. Although fluorescein-labeled nucleotides are more sensitive than dansylated nucleotides (detection limit < 2 times, S/N = 3), the excess labeling reagent from the fluorescein labeling reaction interferes with HPLC resolution of the labeled nucleotides. The phosphoramidate derivatives of the nucleotides require purification prior to labeling with fluorescein isothiocyanate. As a result, the overall assay procedure becomes complicated. The potential of dansylated nucleotides to assay DNA modifications has been demonstrated by HPLC resolution of the labeled nucleotides of both normal and modified bases without further manipulation of the reaction intermediates.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

PubMed1994

An advocacy intervention program for women with abusive partners: six-month follow-up.

Presented the 6-month follow-up findings of an experimental intervention designed to provide postshelter advocacy services to women with abusive partners. The intervention involved randomly assigning half the research participants to receive the free services of an advocate, 4 to 6 hours per week, for the first 10 weeks postshelter. One hundred forty-one battered women were interviewed about their experiences immediately upon their exit from a domestic violence shelter: 95% of the sample were interviewed 10 weeks thereafter (postintervention), and 93% were successfully tracked and interviewed 6 months later. At the 6-month follow-up, participants in both groups reported increased social support, increased quality of life, less depression, less emotional attachment to their assailants, and an increased sense of personal power. Although women in both groups reported some decrease in physical abuse over time, there were no statistically significant differences between those with and those without advocates, and abuse continued to be a problem for many women. Those who were still involved with their assailants continued to experience higher levels of abuse and had been more economically dependent upon the men prior to entering the shelter. Women who had worked with advocates continued to report being more satisfied with their overall quality of life than did the women in the control group.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1994

Interdisciplinary team training in geriatrics: reaching out to small and medium-size communities.

Since 1989, six teams in the state of Michigan have been involved in a team training program designed to promote the development of geriatric services in small to medium-size communities. The program was enthusiastically received by participants, but after 18 months, only half of the teams had implemented clinical services for older adults. Monitoring the progress of the teams over 18 months and analyzing the activities of two teams revealed that financially stable and supportive sponsoring agencies and the community were critical factors in the implementation of interdisciplinary clinical services in geriatrics. Future team training programs trying to promote the development of geriatric services in small to medium-size communities should try to address these issues through community organization interventions.

Community Participation↗