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Biomedical subjects

S L Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to S L Taylor.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Fatty and resin acid analysis in tall oil products via supercritical fluid extraction-supercritical fluid reaction using enzymatic catalysis.

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is combined with supercritical fluid reaction (SFR) in an analytical mode to assess tall oil products for their fatty or resin acid content or both. The SFR consists of an inline enzymatically catalyzed reaction in which a lipase transesterifies specific lipids with methanol. The SFE-SFR sequence is conducted employing commercially available extractors using supported lipases in the extraction cell to form methyl esters. In this study, six different commercially available lipases are screened for activity. The SFE-SFR extracts are analyzed by capillary gas chromatography and supercritical fluid chromatography and then compared with tall oil products derivatized by conventional chemical derivatization techniques.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Prospective study of 125 cases of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia in children in New Zealand.

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia is a common complication of S. aureus infection. There are few pediatric studies defining the incidence and associated morbidity and mortality of S. aureus bacteremia and no such New Zealand studies. We conducted a prospective study of S. aureus bacteremia in children in New Zealand. METHODS: From July 1, 1996 to December 31, 1998, we included all children < 16 years of age with S. aureus bacteremia in Auckland and Christchurch. Relevant information regarding patient demographics, clinical course and outcome and laboratory results was recorded. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-five cases of true S. aureus bacteremia were identified. There were 4 deaths within 30 days of the onset of bacteremia. Fourteen (11%) of the children were < 1 month of age. Maori children (relative risk, 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 3.2) were twice as likely and Pacific Island children (relative risk, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.6 to 3.8) 2.5 times as likely as white children to acquire S. aureus bacteremia. The peak incidence of S. aureus bacteremia was observed in Pacific Island children < 1 year of age (105 cases/100,000 children/year). Twenty-seven percent of cases were related to intravenous catheters. Seventy percent of cases were community-acquired. Ninety-eight percent of non-catheter-related cases in children > 1 month of age were community-acquired. There was a low rate of methicillin resistance (6%). CONCLUSIONS: S. aureus bacteremia is largely community-acquired in children in New Zealand and is more common in Pacific Island and Maori populations. Although there is a low associated mortality, a significant number are potentially preventable cases secondary to intravenous catheters.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Development of a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of egg residues in processed foodst.

Chicken eggs are used extensively as an excellent source of dietary proteins. These proteins have many functional properties, making them valuable food ingredients. However, eggs are a frequent cause of food hypersensitivity, especially in children. Of major concern to food processors is the inadvertent cross-contact of food products with allergenic residues, which could result in potentially life-threatening reactions in those with a food allergy. The aim of the present study was to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of undeclared egg residues in foods. Commercially purified ovalbumin (OVA) and dehydrated egg white solids were used as antigens to induce antibodies in rabbits and goats. Reference pasta standards and various food samples were extracted, then clarified by centrifugation. Goat anti-egg white antibodies were used as the capture reagent, nonspecific sites were blocked with gelatin, then standard and sample extracts were added. Rabbit anti-OVA antibodies were used as detector antibodies, followed by addition of commercial goat anti-rabbit IgG antibody labeled with alkaline phosphatase and subsequent substrate addition. Twenty brands of egg-free pasta (two lots each) were analyzed using the ELISA. Fourteen common pasta ingredients were also evaluated for cross-reactivity problems in the method. The detection limit of the assay was 1 ppm spray-dried whole egg. Fifty-five percent (22 samples) of the egg-free pasta samples tested positive for the presence of undeclared egg residues, with values ranging from 1 to >100,000 ppm. Minimal cross-reactivity was encountered in general, but portobello mushrooms and basil caused some minor matrix effects. This sandwich-type ELISA method can be used to detect undeclared egg residues in processed foods and to evaluate industrial clean-up operations.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Prospective study of 424 cases of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: determination of factors affecting incidence and mortality.

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) is a common complication of S. aureus infection and is associated with a high mortality. AIMS: To document prospectively the pattern of illness associated with SAB in New Zealand and, by recording patient demographic factors and clinical features, to identify risk factors associated with a poor outcome. METHODS: From 1 July 1996 to 31 December 1997, adults with SAB were prospectively studied in six tertiary care hospitals. All information obtained from patients' records was recorded on worksheets and transferred to a computerized spreadsheet for analysis. RESULTS: There were 424 patients with SAB. Maori (relative risk (RR)= 1.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3-2.6) and Pacific Island people (RR = 4.0, 95% CI = 3.1-5.3) were significantly more likely than people of European descent to acquire SAB, but not to die from the infection. Fifty per cent of cases were community acquired. A source was identified for 85%: intravenous catheter (31%), primarily hospital acquired, and skin/soft tissue (22%), primarily community acquired, were the most common foci. The 30-day mortality was 19%, 83% of whom died within 2 weeks. Risk factors for a poor outcome were: increasing age above 60, female sex (RR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.0-2.1), diabetes mellitus (RR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.0-2.4), immunosuppression (RR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.0-2.4), pre-existing renal impairment (RR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.2-2.7), malignancy (RR= 2.2, 95% CI = 1.4-3.5), lung as a source (RR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.9-4.2) and unknown source (RR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.5-3.3). Mortality was also accurately predicted by two multifactor scoring systems. There was a low rate of methicillin resistance (5%). CONCLUSIONS: Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia is more likely to occur in certain ethnic groups, while mortality is associated with other identifiable risk factors and continues to be high. Intravenous catheters remain the most common and most preventable cause of SAB.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Apolipoprotein E variation at the sequence haplotype level: implications for the origin and maintenance of a major human polymorphism.

Three common protein isoforms of apolipoprotein E (apoE), encoded by the epsilon2, epsilon3, and epsilon4 alleles of the APOE gene, differ in their association with cardiovascular and Alzheimer's disease risk. To gain a better understanding of the genetic variation underlying this important polymorphism, we identified sequence haplotype variation in 5.5 kb of genomic DNA encompassing the whole of the APOE locus and adjoining flanking regions in 96 individuals from four populations: blacks from Jackson, MS (n=48 chromosomes), Mayans from Campeche, Mexico (n=48), Finns from North Karelia, Finland (n=48), and non-Hispanic whites from Rochester, MN (n=48). In the region sequenced, 23 sites varied (21 single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, 1 diallelic indel, and 1 multiallelic indel). The 22 diallelic sites defined 31 distinct haplotypes in the sample. The estimate of nucleotide diversity (site-specific heterozygosity) for the locus was 0.0005+/-0.0003. Sequence analysis of the chimpanzee APOE gene showed that it was most closely related to human epsilon4-type haplotypes, differing from the human consensus sequence at 67 synonymous (54 substitutions and 13 indels) and 9 nonsynonymous fixed positions. The evolutionary history of allelic divergence within humans was inferred from the pattern of haplotype relationships. This analysis suggests that haplotypes defining the epsilon3 and epsilon2 alleles are derived from the ancestral epsilon4s and that the epsilon3 group of haplotypes have increased in frequency, relative to epsilon4s, in the past 200,000 years. Substantial heterogeneity exists within all three classes of sequence haplotypes, and there are important interpopulation differences in the sequence variation underlying the protein isoforms that may be relevant to interpreting conflicting reports of phenotypic associations with variation in the common protein isoforms.

Alleles↗
PubMed2000

In vivo activation of tilapia nonspecific cytotoxic cells by Streptococcus iniae and amplification with apoptosis regulatory factor(s).

An important component of immediate innate responses of tilapia to stress is the release within minutes of soluble cytokine-like substances into the peripheral circulation. These cytokine-like stress factors bind nonspecific cytotoxic cells (NCC) and produce 3-4-fold increased cytotoxicity. In the present study, the in vivo responses of tilapia NCC following injection with different isolates of intact killed Streptococcus iniae was investigated. Activated cytotoxicity of NCC in the peripheral blood (PB) was produced by increased specific activity of resident cells rather than increased numbers. Tilapia injected intravenously (i.v.) with killed S. iniae produced different cytotoxicity responses compared to fish injected intraperitoneally (i.p.). In the spleen (S) and anterior kidney (AK), there was no correlation between S. iniae isolate and cytotoxicity response at 4, 8 or 24 h following i.p. injection. The NCC response following i.v. injection of killed bacteria was different. Within minutes following i.v. injection, NCC cytotoxicity from the PB increased 100% compared to naive controls. The existence of subsets of differentiated NCC in the PB was suggested because i.v. injection had no amplification effects on NCC from the AK or S. Likewise, NCC from the PB only appeared to exhibit a degree of antigen specificity. S. iniae strain #173 produced activation of cytotoxicity compared to isolates #164 and ATCC. Evidence for soluble factor (cytokine?) involvement in increased cytotoxicity was obtained by passive activation of NCC with serum from #173 (i.v.) injected fish. Incubation of this serum with control (naïve) NCC produced large increases in the cytotoxicity of labelled HL-60 target cells. Similarly obtained serum from fish injected with ATCC and #164 isolates had no amplification activity. Studies were also performed to study the mechanism(s) of passive activation. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that NCC from the S, AK and PB constitutively expressed cytosolic (not membrane) FasL. Stress serum treated NCC obtained from the peripheral blood produced an increase in the expression of FasL, CAS and FADD by Western blot examination. These data indicated that cytokine like factors in the serum of stressed tilapia activate increased NCC cytotoxicity (possibly) by stimulating the expression of proteins involved in activation of programmed cell death.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

The role of cyclooxygenase 2 in ulcerative colitis-associated neoplasia.

Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) overexpression has been described in sporadic colonic neoplasia, but its role in ulcerative colitis (UC) neoplastic progression remains unexplored. Although the specific role of cyclooxygenase in colonic neoplasia is uncertain, its inhibition by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs decreases the risk of sporadic colonic adenocarcinoma and causes regression of adenomas in familial adenomatous polyposis. To investigate the role of COX-2 in UC-associated neoplasia, we assessed COX-2 protein and mRNA expression throughout the spectrum of UC-associated neoplastic lesions in four total colectomy specimens, using immunocytochemistry and a novel TaqMan reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay. The findings were correlated with DNA ploidy and inflammatory activity. We found COX-2 overexpression throughout the neoplastic spectrum in UC (P: < 0.0001, R:(2)=0.53), even in diploid samples that were negative for dysplasia. Overall, neoplastic change explained 53% of the variation in COX-2 expression, whereas inflammatory activity explained only 11%. COX-2 was overexpressed in all aneuploid samples and in 38% of diploid samples (P: = 0.0074). cDNA representational difference analysis was also performed and revealed that COX-2 mRNA was an up-regulated cDNA representational difference analysis difference product. COX-2 overexpression occurs early in UC-associated neoplasia, and the increase cannot be explained by inflammatory activity alone. The data suggest that COX-2-specific inhibitors may have a chemopreventative role in UC but the possibility that they could exacerbate UC inflammatory activity needs to be tested.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2000

An analysis of breast cancer surgery after free transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Breast reconstruction is currently offered on a more routine basis to patients after mastectomy for breast cancer. This paper analyzes the outcomes of breast cancer surgery, and the results and effects of breast reconstruction using free TRAM flaps. METHODS: A retrospective review of 75 consecutive patients who had free transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap breast reconstruction after breast cancer surgery was performed. A total of 92 free TRAM flaps were performed on 75 patients in Victoria, British Columbia, from January 1992 to May 1999. Thirty-three patients (44%) underwent primary breast cancer surgery and an immediate reconstruction (7 bilateral and 27 unilateral) and 42 patients (56%) had delayed reconstruction (10 bilateral and 32 unilateral). RESULTS: Twenty- one patients (28%) had stage 0 disease, 20 (26.7%) had stage I disease, 17 (22.7%) had stage IIA disease, 12 (15%) had stage IIB disease, and 4 (5.3%) had stage IIIA disease. In 1 patient the stage of disease was unknown. The mean patient age was 49.4 years (range 33 to 73). Of the patients undergoing immediate reconstruction 3 had postoperative chemotherapy and 1 had postoperative radiotherapy. Three patients had combined chemoradiotherapy. In none of these cases was the adjuvant therapy delayed by the reconstructive surgery. Overall mean follow-up time from cancer diagnosis was 56.8 months and from the time of TRAM flap reconstruction, 36.7 months. To date, 5 recurrences have been detected (6.6%). Mean time between reconstruction and detection of recurrence was 22.8 months. Detection of recurrence was achieved clinically and was not impaired in any of the cases by the presence of the free flap. Patient satisfaction was assessed via a telephone survey, with 93% of patients pleased with the cosmetic results of their surgery. CONCLUSIONS: For those patients with breast cancer requiring mastectomy, free TRAM flap reconstruction is a safe, cosmetically acceptable surgical alternative that impairs neither effective breast cancer surgery nor detection of recurrent disease.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Preventing HIV transmission: the perspective of inner-city Puerto Rican adolescents.

PURPOSE: To examine the development of HIV prevention strategies that address the concerns and needs of urban Puerto Rican adolescents. METHODS: The study included 542 Puerto-Rican adolescents, divided into age sets of 12 to 14 years and 15 to 19 years. Participants were recruited from community work programs, recreation centers, schools, drug rehabilitation programs, and directly from neighborhood streets in North Philadelphia. A hierarchical series of peer-facilitated group techniques and interviews allowed adolescents to generate, prioritize and explain strategies. The study question was developed in focus groups. Ideas were generated and prioritized in Nominal Technique Groups. The ideas with the highest priority were used to develop a survey that allowed participants to rank those they believed would be most effective. Participants then clarified the top-ranked ideas in open focus groups. RESULTS: In both age sets, the strategy perceived as the most effective in preventing HIV-risk behaviors was "Have people who are HIV-infected talk to teens." Similar ideas addressing this theme varied in perceived effectiveness. The second and third rated ideas among participants aged 12 to 14 years were "Teach teens how HIV infects them, " and "Show teens how people die from AIDS." The second and third rated ideas among participants aged 15 to 19 years were "Show teens what AIDS does to people " and "Have parents be more supportive of teens, so if they are having sex, they can encourage them to use condoms." Other top-ranked ideas included the development of community programs, increased efficacy and availability of condoms, and assessing partners for the risk of HIV infection. Three items revealed significant gender differences. Males were more likely to rate "Give out more free condoms" and "Educate teens in schools about AIDS." Females aged 15 to 19 years were more likely to rate "Teens should know their partner's background before having sex." CONCLUSIONS: To develop effective prevention strategies for youth, their views of the problems and interpretations of proposed solutions must be understood.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Optimization of the extraction and fractionation of corn bran oil using analytical supercritical fluid instrumentation.

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is combined with supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) in an analytical mode to develop a system for fractionating and enriching high value ferulate-phytosterol esters (FPE) contained in corn bran oil. Corn bran is initially extracted with neat supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) at various pressures (13.8, 34.5, and 69 MPa) and temperatures (40, 60, and 80 degrees C) to see if the FPE can be enriched in the extracts. These initial studies show the greatest percentage of FPE could be extracted under two sets of conditions: 69 MPa at 80 degrees C and 34.5 MPa at 40 degrees C. Both sets of parameters yield an extract containing approximately 1.25% FPE. A stock supply of corn bran oil is then produced by scaled-up SFE at 34.5 MPa and 40 degrees C for subsequent chromatographic fractionation. The SFE-obtained corn bran oil is then applied to the head of a minichromatographic column containing an amino-propyl sorbent. SFC is than commenced using neat SC-CO2 at 69 MPa and 80 degrees C to remove the majority of the triglyceride-based oil. Pressure and temperature are then lowered to 34.5 MPa and 40 degrees C, respectively, and ethanol is added as a modifier. The modifier is added in an increasing stepwise gradient program, and fractions are collected at equal volume intervals. The resultant fractions are analyzed by analytical high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light-scattering detection and show that FPE could be enriched to a 14.5% (w) level.

Carbon Dioxide↗
PubMed2000

Sequence diversity and large-scale typing of SNPs in the human apolipoprotein E gene.

A common strategy for genotyping large samples begins with the characterization of human single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by sequencing candidate regions in a small sample for SNP discovery. This is usually followed by typing in a large sample those sites observed to vary in a smaller sample. We present results from a systematic investigation of variation at the human apolipoprotein E locus (APOE), as well as the evaluation of the two-tiered sampling strategy based on these data. We sequenced 5.5 kb spanning the entire APOE genomic region in a core sample of 72 individuals, including 24 each of African-Americans from Jackson, Mississippi; European-Americans from Rochester, Minnesota; and Europeans from North Karelia, Finland. This sequence survey detected 21 SNPs and 1 multiallelic indel, 14 of which had not been previously reported. Alleles varied in relative frequency among the populations, and 10 sites were polymorphic in only a single population sample. Oligonucleotide ligation assays (OLA) were developed for 20 of these sites (omitting the indel and a closely-linked SNP). These were then scored in 2179 individuals sampled from the same three populations (n = 843, 884, and 452, respectively). Relative allele frequencies were generally consistent with estimates from the core sample, although variation was found in some populations in the larger sample at SNPs that were monomorphic in the corresponding smaller core sample. Site variation in the larger samples showed no systematic deviation from Hardy-Weinberg expectation. The large OLA sample clearly showed that variation in many, but not all, of OLA-typed SNPs is significantly correlated with the classical protein-coding variants, implying that there may be important substructure within the classical epsilon 2, epsilon 3, and epsilon 4 alleles. Comparison of the levels and patterns of polymorphism in the core samples with those estimated for the OLA-typed samples shows how nucleotide diversity is underestimated when only a subset of sites are typed and underscores the importance of adequate population sampling at the polymorphism discovery stage. [The sequence data described in this paper have been submitted to the GenBank data library under accession no. AF261279.]

Alleles↗
PubMed2000

Hyperbilirubinemia and cholestatic liver injury in hepatitis C-infected liver transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVE: A cholestatic pattern of liver injury has been observed in liver transplant recipients with rapidly progressive hepatitis C. We assessed the frequency and causes of cholestasis in hepatitis C-infected liver transplant patients, and evaluated the clinical and pathological course of those with cholestatic hepatitis C. METHODS: Sixty-nine sequential liver transplant recipients who had detectable hepatitis C viremia were studied retrospectively. Records and diagnostic tests were examined from patients who developed hyperbilirubinemia. RESULTS: Hyperbilirubinemia occurred in 33 of 69 (48%) hepatitis C-infected liver transplant patients. A thorough evaluation including review of clinical and laboratory data, ultrasound with Doppler, cholangiogram, and liver biopsy identified causes of hyperbilirubinemia other than hepatitis C in 26 of 33 patients. Seven patients developed cholestatic hepatitis C characterized by histological features of recurrent hepatitis C and cholestatic liver injury with ballooning of centrilobular hepatocytes, bile ductular proliferation, and canalicular cholestasis, in the absence of other causes of cholestasis. Five progressed rapidly to bridging fibrosis and two died of complications related to liver failure. Four patients with cholestatic hepatitis C showed extended survival after the onset of hyperbilirubinemia. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Hepatitis C is a relatively infrequent cause of cholestasis in liver transplant recipients. 2) The diagnosis of cholestatic hepatitis C requires a multimodality approach to exclude other causes of cholestasis. 3) Cholestatic hepatitis C ranges in severity and is not always associated with rapid development of graft failure, although significant histological abnormalities are frequent.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

In situ distribution of hepatitis C virus replicative-intermediate RNA in hepatic tissue and its correlation with liver disease.

Liver failure from chronic hepatitis C is the leading indication for liver transplantation in the United States. However, the pathogenesis of liver injury resulting from chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is not well understood. To examine the relationship between HCV replication in liver tissue and hepatocellular injury, a strand-specific in situ hybridization procedure was developed. The sensitivity and specificity of digoxigenin-labeled riboprobes were optimized by analyzing Northern blots and cell lines expressing HCV RNAs. For the current study, both genomic (sense) and replicative-intermediate (antisense) HCV RNAs were detected and quantified in 8 of 8 liver tissue specimens from infected patients versus 0 of 11 liver tissue specimens from noninfected controls. The distribution pattern for HCV replicative-intermediate RNA in liver was different from that for HCV genomic RNA. HCV genomic RNA was variably distributed throughout infected livers and was located primarily in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes, with some signal in fibroblasts and/or macrophages in the surrounding fibroconnective tissue. However, HCV replicative-intermediate RNA showed a more focal pattern of distribution and was exclusively localized in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes. There was no significant relationship between the distribution pattern for HCV genomic RNA and any indices of hepatocellular injury. However, a highly significant correlation was observed between the percentage of cells staining positive for replicative-intermediate RNA and the degree of hepatic inflammatory activity (P, < 0.0001). Furthermore, the ratio of cells staining positive for HCV replicative-intermediate versus genomic RNA correlated with the histological severity of liver injury (P, 0. 0065), supporting the hypothesis that active replication of HCV in liver tissue may be a significant determinant of hepatocellular injury.

5' Untranslated Regions↗
PubMed2000

Understanding the bariatric surgical patient: a demographic, lifestyle and psychological profile.

BACKGROUND: Although improved recently, the public is generally unaware of current scientific knowledge in bariatrics and the availability of surgery for massive obesity. As bariatric professionals we recognize the need for this education. Understanding the patientís socio-economic, demographic and psychological make-up and lifestyle preferences is a crucial element. METHODS: 1200 obesity surgery patients were sent questionnaires to assess a variety of personal parameters. 395 (33%) were returned and tabulated. A literature review of the obese person's psychological profile was also summarized. RESULTS: An overview of these patients' height, weight, age, ethnicity, marital, educational and employment status, number of children, residential population, and income are presented. Their television and movie viewing, radio listening, social event participation, print media and Internet habits are described. The psychological profile is outlined so that the whole person is understood. CONCLUSION: Understanding the obese person is primary to effectively educating the public. There are many appropriate and much-needed applications of this information to the public, the obese population, other health-care providers, legislators, and insurers.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of almonds in foods.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed to detect almonds as potential allergenic contaminants in food. Polyclonal antibodies directed against roasted almonds were partially purified from immunized sheep and rabbits and used as capture and secondary antibodies, respectively, in a sandwich-type, 96-well plate format. Food samples and almond-spiked samples were extracted 1:10 in phosphate-buffered saline at 60 degrees C for 2 h, centrifuged, and applied to wells coated with sheep anti-almond antibody. After incubation, washing, and the addition of rabbit anti-almond antibody, the amount of almond present was detected with the subsequent addition of goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin G-alkaline phosphatase conjugate and p-nitrophenyl phosphate substrate. Plate absorbances were read at 410 nm, and standard curves were developed in all matrices to quantify unknowns. Antibodies developed were specific for almond; however, some cross-reactivity was observed with extracts of some tree nuts and sesame seeds. Sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western immunoblotting indicated that sheep anti-almond antibody recognized proteins extracted from black walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, and sesame seeds in addition to those from almond. The assay was optimized to detect less than 1 ppm of almond and was used successfully to determine almond residues in cereal and chocolate without cross-reacting interferences. A retail survey of 20 brands of cereal demonstrated that the assay produced statistically consistent results. This assay provides a useful quality control tool for the food industry for the protection of consumers allergic to almonds.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Regulatory effects of fever-range whole-body hyperthermia on the LPS-induced acute inflammatory response.

The thermal component of fever is one of the most poorly understood aspects of inflammation. To evaluate the role of fever-range hyperthermia on acute inflammation, BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were exposed to mild, long-duration whole-body hyperthermia (WBH), and serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1beta, and the acute phase proteins (APPs) alpha1-acid glycoprotein and haptoglobin were analyzed. WBH alone did not affect serum concentrations of these cytokines or APPs when compared with controls. In contrast, when WBH was applied just after intraperitoneal administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), serum concentrations of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were greater than or equal to threefold higher in BALB/c mice compared with LPS-treated controls. LPS-induced IL-6 levels were also enhanced in WBH-treated C57BL/6 mice. However, APP levels were prolonged only in WBH-treated BALB/c mice. It is interesting that in vitro hyperthermia treatment of LPS-stimulated peritoneal cells resulted in decreased cytokine production compared with controls. These results suggest that fever-range hyperthermia regulates acute inflammation in a mouse strain-specific manner that is more complex than that observed in vitro.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗