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LPS-binding protein (LBP) mediates the pro-inflammatory effects of bacterial LPS by enhancing LPS-induced cytokine production by monocytic cells. LBP binds specifically to LPS to generate a complex that interacts with the CD14 receptor on the surface of responsive cells. To identify the biologically active regions of the protein responsible for mediating these activities, we cloned and expressed human rLBP (456 amino acids) as well as a truncated form encoding amino acids 1-197 (rLBP25). Both forms of LBP bound to LPS with the same affinity, and similarly inhibited LPS activity in the Limulus amebocyte lysate assay. These results demonstrate that the LPS-binding domain of LBP resides entirely within the N-terminal 197 amino acids of the protein. rLBP and rLBP25 were compared for their ability to mediate CD14-dependent LPS effects on cells. rLBP was effective in mediating uptake of LPS and stimulation of TNF production by human monocytic THP-1 cells, whereas rLBP25 had no significant activity in these assays. Similarly, rLBP was able to mediate LPS-induced TNF production by human PBMC whereas rLBP25 was essentially inactive. These results suggest that the structural features of LBP required for mediating LPS effects via CD14 are probably located in the C-terminal region of the protein. Thus, the LPS-binding activity of LBP can be separated from the CD14-stimulatory activity, suggesting these activities are mediated by structural elements residing in different regions of the protein.

Antibody immunoconjugates were made with native and recombinant forms of the type-I ribosome inactivating protein from barley (BRIP) and with three recombinant BRIP (rBRIP) analogs engineered to contain a unique cysteine residue near the C terminus (at amino acid 256, 270, or 277). rBRIP and all three cysteine analogs (rBRIPc256, rBRIPc270, and rBRIPc277) were produced in E. coli, with yields of soluble protein as high as 1 g/L, and were as active as native BRIP in inhibiting protein synthesis in vitro. Interestingly, the position of the engineered cysteine influenced not only the efficiency of conjugation to antibody but also the efficacy and disulfide bond stability of the immunoconjugates. Anti-CD5 antibody conjugates prepared with native and rBRIP were relatively inactive against antigen-positive target cells, while the conjugate made with rBRIPc277 was 5-fold more cytotoxic. Anti-CD7 antibody conjugates made with rBRIPc277 or rBRIPc270 also exhibited improved potency and stability compared to the conjugate with native BRIP. These results indicate that engineering a cysteine residue into selected positions near the C-terminus of a type-IRIP such as BRIP can improve immunoconjugate yield, disulfide bond stability, and potency.

A sensitive sandwich ELISA has been developed to measure levels of native bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) as well as two recombinant forms of BPI (rBPI and rBPI23) in human body fluids. The linear range for the rBPI and rBPI23 standard curves were 100-6000 pg/ml and 25-800 pg/ml respectively. Recovery of different concentrations of rBPI spiked into pooled human plasma samples averaged 83% and ranged from 65% at 300 ng/ml to 97% at 3 ng/ml. Recovery of rBPI23 averaged 56% and ranged from 30% at 0.5 ng/ml to 90% at 50,000 ng/ml. Because LBP is present in normal human plasma and shares sequence homology with BPI, the effects of rLBP on the BPI ELISA were also evaluated. Under standard assay conditions, rLBP caused minimal interference with BPI detection. At 100 micrograms/ml, rLBP generated a signal equivalent to 3 ng/ml of rBPI and 0.6 ng/ml of rBPI23. Matched serum and plasma samples were collected from 20 healthy adults to measure endogenous levels of BPI. The range of BPI concentrations was0.2-2.1 ng/ml in plasma and 4.9-72.1 ng/ml in serum. Western blot analysis indicated that the BPI ELISA immunoreactivity in plasma and serum correlated with the presence of a protein doublet (M(r) approximately 60,000), which comigrated with native BPI extracted from human neutrophils. These data demonstrate that low levels of holo-BPI are present in plasma, and suggest that additional quantities of BPI were released from neutrophils during the process of coagulation.

WOS: 000298017700004, PubMed ID: 22129397, Juniperus communis leaf oil, J. chinensis wood oil, and Cupressus funebris wood oil (Cupressaceae) from China were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We identified 104 compounds, representing 66.895.5% of the oils. The major components were: a-pinene (27.0%), a-terpinene (14.0%), and linalool (10.9%) for J. communis; cuparene (11.3%) and d-cadinene (7.8%) for J. chinensis; and a-cedrene (16.9%), cedrol (7.6%), and beta-cedrene (5.7%) for C. funebris. The essential oils of C. funebris, J. chinensis, and J. communis were evaluated for repellency against adult yellow fever mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti (L.), host-seeking nymphs of the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.), and the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, and for toxicity against Ae. aegypti larvae and adults, all in laboratory bioassays. All the oils were repellent to both species of ticks. The EC95 values of C. funebris, J. communis, and J. chinensis against A. americanum were 0.426, 0.508, and 0.917 mg oil/cm2 filter paper, respectively, compared to 0.683 mg deet/cm2 filter paper. All I. scapularis nymphs were repelled by 0.103 mg oil/cm2 filter paper of C. funebris oil. At 4 h after application, 0.827 mg oil/cm2 filter paper, C. funebris and J. chinensis oils repelled =80% of A. americanum nymphs. The oils of C. funebris and J. chinensis did not prevent female Ae. aegypti from biting at the highest dosage tested (1.500 mg/cm2). However, the oil of J. communis had a Minimum Effective Dosage (estimate of ED99) for repellency of 0.029 +/- 0.018 mg/cm2; this oil was nearly as potent as deet. The oil of J. chinensis showed a mild ability to kill Ae. aegypti larvae, at 80 and 100% at 125 and 250 ppm, respectively., Deployed War-Fighter Protection (DWFP) Research Program; U.S. Department of Defense through the Armed Forces Pest Management Board (AFPMB), This study was supported in part by a grant from the Deployed War-Fighter Protection (DWFP) Research Program and the U.S. Department of Defense through the Armed Forces Pest Management Board (AFPMB). We thank J. L. McCrary and A. S. Khan, USDA, ARS, Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, for carefully performing many of the tick bioassays. We are grateful to USDA, ARS, Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, Kerrville, TX, for providing A. americanum for bioassays.

Open burning for waste disposal is, in many countries, the dominant source of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins, dibenzofurans and biphenyls (PCDD/PCDF/PCB) release to the environment. To generate emission factors for open burning, experimental pile burns of about 100 kg of household waste were conducted with emissions sampling. From these experiments and others conducted by the same authors it is found that less compaction of waste or active mixing during the fire--"stirring"--promotes better combustion (as evidenced by lower CO/CO(2) ratio) and reduces emissions of PCDD/PCDF/PCB; an intuitive but previously undemonstrated result. These experiments also support previous results suggesting PCDD/PCDF/PCB generation in open burning - while still highly variable - tends to be greater in the later (smoldering) phases of burning when the CO/CO(2) ratio increases.

Animal studies have provided direct evidence that dietary factors induce changes in DNA methylation patterns. In humans, studies on diet and DNA methylation have yielded inconsistent findings. Because humans tend to consume foods and nutrients that are highly interrelated, study of dietary patterns may have improved the power of detecting the effect of diet on DNA methylation. Using data collected from 149 participants aged 45-75 y in the North Texas Healthy Heart Study, we examined the relationship between dietary patterns and levels of genomic DNA methylation in peripheral blood leukocytes. Dietary data were collected from study participants using the Block FFQ. Genomic DNA methylation was measured using bisulfite conversion of DNA and real-time PCR (MethyLight) for LINE-1. Two dietary patterns were identified using factor analysis: a "prudent" dietary pattern characterized by a high intake of vegetables and fruits, and a "Western" dietary pattern characterized by a high intake of meats, grains, dairy, oils, and potatoes. The prudent dietary pattern was associated with a lower prevalence of DNA hypomethylation (Q(4) vs. Q(1); OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.12-0.92) and the association was dose dependent (P-trend = 0.04). There was no apparent association between the Western dietary pattern and global leukocyte DNA methylation (Q(4) vs. Q(1); OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 0.47-3.47; P-trend = 0.55). Thus, a dietary pattern characterized by a high intake of vegetables and fruits may protect against global DNA hypomethylation. Future studies with a larger sample size need to confirm that this association holds longitudinally.

Changes in DNA methylation may represent an intermediate step between the environment and human diseases. Little is known on whether behavioral risk factors may modify gene expression through DNA methylation. To assess whether DNA methylation is associated with different levels of physical activity, we measured global genomic DNA methylation using bisulfite-converted DNA and real-time PCR (MethyLight) for LINE-1 in peripheral blood of 161 participants aged 45–75 years enrolled in the North Texas Healthy Heart Study and levels of physical activity using an accelerometer (Actigraph GT1M Monitor). We found that individuals with physical activity 26–30 min/day had a significantly higher level of global genomic DNA methylation compared to those with physical activity ≤10 min/day (β = 2.52, 95% CI: 0.70, 4.35). However, the association was attenuated and became statistically insignificant after multivariate adjustment (β = 1.24, 95% CI: −0.93, 3.40). There were some suggestions of a positive association between physical activity and global genomic DNA methylation in non-Hispanics (β = 1.50, 95% CI: −0.08, 3.08) that warrants further investigation.

Open burning of waste is the most significant source of polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF) in many national inventories prepared pursuant to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. This is particularly true for developing countries. Emission factors for POPs such as PCDD/PCDF, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCB) and penta- and hexachlorobenzenes (PeCBz/HCB) from open burning of municipal solid waste in China and Mexico are reported herein. Six different waste sources were studied varying from urban-industrial to semi-urban to rural. For PCDD/PCDF, the emission factors to air ranged from 3.0 to 650 ng TEQ kg(-1)waste and for dl-PCB from 0.092 to 54 ng TEQ kg(-1)waste. Emission factors for PeCBz (17-1200 ng kg(-1)waste) and HCB (24-1300 ng kg(-1)waste) spanned a wide but similar range. Within the datasets there is no indication of significant waste composition effect on emission factor with the exception of significantly higher Mexico rural samples.

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews monomer synthesis, types of resin and their manufacturing methods, additives, compounding, and processing into the myriad finished products of the vinyl industry. Polyvinylchloride, otherwise known as PVC or “vinyl,” is a thermoplastic and the third largest production polymer in the world. PPVC resin applicability is defined mainly by particle size and molecular weight. Small-particle PVC made by emulsion or dispersion polymerization is typically compounded into a liquid or paste formulation and spread coated, sprayed, or molded by a number of techniques. Large particle PVC made by suspension or mass polymerization is typically extruded, calendered, or injection molded. The melt viscosity and tensile properties of PVC are generally a function of its molecular weight. PVC forms a fairly viscous melt; thus, to avoid degradation from shear heating, lower molecular weight resin or plasticized higher molecular weight resin is typically required. PVC is a versatile polymer, whose utility in a wide range of applications is made possible by the use of additives that impart impact strength, flexibility, or thermal stability. At the same time, it is quite dependent upon these additives to provide the processability and stability required to transform the resin into usable items. The most common additives used include stabilizers, plasticizers, impact modifiers/processing aids, fillers, pigments, and lubricants.

Much attention has been focused recently on the stability of immunotoxin (antibody-toxin) conjugates linked by a disulfide bridge. Conflicting reports have appeared regarding the in vivo stability of such conjugates prepared with the two most commonly used cross-linking reagents, SPDP and 2-iminothiolane. We have developed (i) a series of reagents based on 2-iminothiolane substituted at the 4- and/or 5-positions (X2ITs) which, based on model studies with simple amines, should show enhanced disulfide stability when conjugated with antibodies or other proteins and (ii) a real-time method for monitoring the rate and extent of conjugation of these reagents with amino groups. Depending upon the substituent, the stability of model-activated disulfides relative to unsubstituted 2-iminothiolane was increased from 5- to 4000-fold as measured by glutathione-induced release of thionitrobenzoic acid. This family of cross-linking reagents should allow the construction of disulfide cross-linked toxin, drug, or enzyme conjugates with enhanced stability in vivo.

A synthetic gene for the Aspergillus protein toxin mitogillin has been synthesized and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant mitogillin is a potent inhibitor of protein synthesis in vitro with an IC50 of 9.7 pM. Immunoconjugates of recombinant mitogillin derivatized with S-acetylmercaptosuccinic anhydride and 5-methyl-2-iminothiolane modified H65 antibody kill T cell lines and peripheral blood mononuclear cells expressing the human CD5 surface antigen. Native mitogillin contains 4 cysteine residues which form two disulfide pairs (Fernandez-Luna, J. L., Lopez-Otin, C., Soriano, F., and Mendez, E. (1985) Biochemistry 24, 861-867). Three derivatives of mitogillin have been assembled which substitute alanine residues for cysteine residues 5, 147, or 5 and 147. Each of these molecules retains the ability to inhibit protein synthesis in vitro with at most a 2-fold reduction in activity. The derivative mitogillinC147A can be conjugated to 5-methyl-2-iminothiolane- modified H65 antibody directly without pretreatment with S-acetylmercaptosuccinic anhydride, and the immunoconjugate is active against HSB2 cells. Genetic manipulation of toxin genes to expose an accessible cysteine residue into a recombinant product can thus be used to generate immunotoxins without initial derivatization by nonspecific cross-linking reagents.

From January 1989 through December 1990, 74 patients were admitted to our urban level I trauma center with injuries inflicted by baseball bats. We investigated the demographics and dynamics of injury in these patients by retrospective analysis of the patient's medical record and Trauma Registry data. The average victim was 30 years old. Ninety-two percent of the patients were male, and approximately 89% tested positive for substance abuse. Injury to both the head and body occurred in 80% of our patients, isolated head injury occurred in 42%. Twenty percent suffered injury to the body only. On admission, 7% went directly to the operating suite, 16% were admitted to the trauma ICU, one patient was admitted to the pediatric ICU, and the remainder were admitted to the floor shock/trauma unit. These patients had a length of stay (LOS) that was not significantly different than the LOS for patients with penetrating trauma or the general trauma population. The mean Trauma Score was 13.8 (range, 6-16), and the average Injury Severity Score was 10.5 (range, 1-34). The mortality in our study was 3%. Four percent of the patients were left with some degree of permanent disability. Intentionally inflicted injury is most commonly seen in the thorax and abdomen. In contrast, head injury was evident in 80% of our patients with baseball bat injury. This represents a departure from classic patterns of violent injury.

The use of Parafilm membranes for in-vitro feeding of northern fowl mites, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini & Fanzago), is described. A membrane stretched in two perpendicular directions, folded, heat-sealed, inflated, and twisted at the ends to form a sphere allowed a high percentage (greater than 80%) of surviving adult female mites to feed on whole chicken blood. A high percentage (7 of 10) of protonymphs also fed through the membrane. Mites were able to feed from the same sac for 3 d and oviposited on the sac. This technology has potential applications for use in rearing O. sylviarum and other hematophagous arthropods, and for physiological experimentation.

Autoimmune diabetes was induced with an established model in which 3 daily injections of 95 mg/kg body wt/day streptozocin (STZ) and 2 x 10(4) U interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were administered to C57BL/6 mice. Diabetes onset was accompanied by precipitous increases in serum glucose levels and validated by immunoperoxidase studies showing diminished islets in pancreatic tissue sections. Administration of two to three doses of a monoclonal antibody (MoAb) or an immunotoxin (IT) directed against the CD3 epsilon-chain before STZ/IFN-gamma treatment prevented increases in serum glucose and protected islets from damage. IT was made by crosslinking anti-CD3 to a low oligosaccharide-containing fraction of purified ricin toxin A chain (RTA; a catalytic inhibitor of protein synthesis) with a stabilized derivative of 2-iminothiolane. Protection was complete, long-lived, and selective because two different control ITs did not prevent diabetes onset. A second pan T-cell-reactive IT was synthesized by linking the MoAb anti-Ly1 to the same RTA toxin. Anti-Ly1 reacts with the murine homologue of human CD5. Anti-Ly1 RTA also protected against diabetes onset in a dose-dependent manner requiring higher doses and a longer schedule than anti-CD3 or anti-CD3 RTA. These studies demonstrate for the first time the importance of CD3+ and CD5+ cells in diabetes onset in the low-dose STZ/IFN-gamma model and show that anti-CD3, anti-CD3 RTA, or anti-CD5 RTA may be useful in vivo for the treatment of diabetes or perhaps other T-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. These data may have important therapeutic implications for early autoimmune diabetes in humans.

B-mode ultrasound was used to measure fat and muscle thicknesses on 30 subjects (17 men, 13 women, age = 20-37 yr) at 14 sites (triceps, biceps, forearm, chest [males only], subscapular, axilla, abdomen, suprailium, lumbar, quadriceps, suprapatellar, hamstrings, medial calf, and posterior calf) on two different days. Quadruplicate photographic images (trials) were printed from a single measurement at each site on each day. Two investigators each measured two of the images from each site. Each thickness was measured to the nearest 0.05 mm with a vernier caliper. Generalizability theory was used to determine the relative contribution of subjects, investigators, days, and trials to the total measurement variability. Subjects accounted for 84-96% of the variance in the muscle measurements and for 79-97% of the variance in the fat measurements. A subjects-by-day interaction accounted for 2-13% of the variance in muscle measurements and 2-12% of the variance in fat measurements. The contribution by investigators and trials to the variance was less than 1%. Generalizability coefficients (G) exceeding 0.92 were obtained for all sites for muscle measurements, while G for fat measurements exceeded 0.90 for all but the axilla site (G = 0.88). These results indicate that B-mode ultrasound is a highly reliable method for the measurement of both fat and muscle thicknesses in young males and females. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The essential oil from Amyris balsamifera (Rutaceae) and elemol, a principal constituent of the essential oil of Osage orange, Maclura pomifera (Moraceae) were evaluated in in vitro and in vivo laboratory bioassays for repellent activity against host-seeking nymphs of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, and the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum. Both bioassays took advantage of the tendency of these host-seeking ticks to climb slender vertical surfaces. In one bioassay, the central portion of a vertical strip of filter paper was treated with test solution and ticks placed or allowed to crawl onto the untreated lower portion. In the other bioassay, a strip of organdy cloth treated with test solution was doubly wrapped (treatment on outer layer) around the middle phalanx of a forefinger and ticks released on the fingertip. Both amyris oil and elemol were repellent to both species of ticks. Elemol did not differ significantly in effectiveness against A. americanum from the widely used repellent deet. At 2 and 4 h after application to filter paper, 827 microg amyris oil/cm(2) paper repelled 80 and 55%, respectively, of A. americanum nymphs. Ixodes scapularis was repelled by lower concentrations of amyris oil and elemol than A. americanum.

Ternary piezoelectric crystals Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2 )O 3 -Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 -PbTiO 3 (PIN-PMN-PT) have improved thermal and electrical stability than binary PMN-PT. To better understand crystal system and optimize crystal properties, we systematically investigated crystal growth for compositions between the two binary end-members, PMN-PT and PIN-PT. The ternary system has a compositional window where crystals can be grown directly from stoichiometric melt. PIN-PMN-PT crystals exhibited excellent piezoelectric properties (e.g., k 33 ∼0.87–0.92, d 33 ∼ 1000–2200 pm/V). Higher PIN content further stabilized piezoelectric performance by ∼ 40°C increase in T R/T and more than doubling E C (∼7.0 kV/cm). Such improvements are important for applications at elevated temperature and/or high-drive conditions.

Background Accruing evidence supports the hypothesis that psychosocial factors are related to cardiovascular disease. However, a limited number of studies have investigated the pathophysiologic pathways through which these associations occur. The purpose of this study was to assess whether experiences of self-reported racial discrimination and reactions to unfair treatment were associated with coronary artery calcification (CAC), an indicator of subclinical coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods This cross-sectional study recruited 571 subjects (45 years and older) who were asymptomatic of CHD from Fort Worth, Texas from 2006 to 2008. Subjects completed a questionnaire, a multi-slice computed tomography scan to assess for CAC presence (measured as Agatston score >0), and serum chemistries. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between self-reported discrimination and CAC. Results were stratified by response to unfair treatment as it was found to significantly modify the relationship between discrimination and CAC. Results Among those who passively responded to unfair treatment, the odds of having CAC present were approximately 3 times higher for those experiencing discrimination (OR, 2.95; 95% CI, 1.19-7.32) after adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, body mass index, hyperlipidemia, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, and first degree relative with heart disease. Conclusions This is the first multi-racial/ethnic study to find racial discrimination associated with CAC, which differs based on how one responds to unfair treatment.

From 1998-2002 twenty-five deer self-treatment devices (4-Posters), using 2% amitraz, were operated at three locations in Maryland to determine their effectiveness in controlling blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say, and lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum (L.). Each treatment site was approximately 518 ha and paired with a similar site lacking 4-Posters. Locations varied in deer density, tick abundance, and land use. Flagging for host-seeking ticks showed declines in tick populations at all treatment sites compared to control sites by the third year. By 2002, control of I. scapularis nymphs attributable to the 4-Poster intervention at the three sites was 69.0%, 75.8%, and 80%. Control of A. americanum nymphs at the two sites where they occurred was 99.5% and 95.3%. In 2003, the first posttreatment year, control of I. scapularis remained around 2001-2002 levels, but by 2004, an upward trend in nymphal numbers was detectable. Populations of A. americanum showed no increase posttreatment. These results demonstrate that control of these tick species is locally possible with 4-Poster intervention.

We evaluated the effects of tick control by acaricide self-treatment of white-tailed deer on the infection prevalence and entomologic risk for three Ixodes scapularis-borne bacteria in host-seeking ticks. Ticks were collected from vegetation in areas treated with the "4-Poster" device and from control areas over a 6-year period in five geographically diverse study locations in the Northeastern United States and tested for infection with two known agents of human disease, Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and for a novel relapsing fever-group spirochete related to Borrelia miyamotoi. Overall, 38.2% of adults and 12.5% of nymphs were infected with B. burgdorferi; 8.5% of adults and 4.2% of nymphs were infected with A. phagocytophilum; and 1.9% of adults and 0.8% of nymphs were infected with B. miyamotoi. In most cases, treatment with the 4-Poster device was not associated with changes in the prevalence of infection with any of these three microorganisms among nymphal or adult ticks. However, the density of nymphs infected with B. burgdorferi, and consequently the entomologic risk for Lyme disease, was reduced overall by 68% in treated areas compared to control areas among the five study sites at the end of the study. The frequency of bacterial coinfections in ticks was generally equal to the product of the proportion of ticks infected with a single bacterium, indicating that enzootic maintenance of these pathogens is independent. We conclude that controlling ticks on deer by self-application of acaricide results in an overall decrease in the human risk for exposure to these three bacterial agents, which is due solely to a reduction in tick density.

From 1997 to 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Northeast Area-wide Tick Control Project used acaricide-treated 4-Poster Deer Treatment Bait Stations in five eastern states to control ticks feeding on white-tailed deer. The objectives of this host-targeted technology were to reduce free-living blacklegged (Ixodes scapularis Say) and lone star (Amblyomma americanum [L.]) tick populations and thereby to reduce the risk of tick-borne disease. During 2002 to 2004, treatments were suspended, and tick population recovery rates were assayed. Subsequently, the major factors that influenced variations in efficacy were extrapolated to better understand and improve this technology. Treatments resulted in significant reductions in free-living populations of nymphal blacklegged ticks at six of the seven sites, and lone star ticks were significantly reduced at all three sites where they were present. During the study, maximal significant (p < or = 0.05) efficacies against nymphal blacklegged and lone star ticks at individual sites ranged from 60.0 to 81.7 and 90.9 to 99.5%, respectively. The major environmental factor that reduced efficacy was the occurrence of heavy acorn masts, which provided an alternative food resource for deer. Although the 4-Poster technology requires 1 or more years to show efficacy, this host-targeted intervention was demonstrated to be an efficacious, economical, safe, and environment-friendly alternative to area-wide spraying of acaricide to control free-living populations of these tick species.

Background Acculturation is a continuous, firsthand contact with other cultures functioning at both group and individual levels and is reflected in our culturally diverse society, calling for a greater understanding of the environmental and cultural impact on health. Self-reported health (SRH), a robust and well validated predictor of future mortality for all racial/ethnic groups, has been differentially reported by Hispanics compared to whites, especially based on their acculturation status. This study investigated the relationship between acculturation and SRH among Hispanics. An adapted Andersen framework was used to develop logistic regression models to assess for an association between acculturation and general health status. Methods Hispanic participants (n = 135), as part of the North Texas Healthy Heart Study, were administered standardized questionnaires on acculturation, psychosocial measures which included sense of control, stress, depression and social support and a single item SRH measure. In addition, physiological measurements and demographic characteristics including age, gender, body mass index, medical history, and socioeconomic status were also obtained. Results Bivariate analyses found Mexican-oriented participants 3.16 times more likely to report fair/poor SRH compared to Anglo-oriented Hispanics. Acculturation was also associated with SRH in multiple regression models controlling for enabling, need, and predisposing factors together (OR: 3.53, 95% CI: 1.04, 11.97). Conclusions Acculturation status was associated with SRH after accounting for other underlying factors. Medical and public health professionals should promote the use of acculturation measures in order to better understand its role in Hispanic behaviors, health outcomes and health care use. Such research findings will contribute to the design of culturally sensitive prevention and treatment strategies for diverse and immigrant populations.

We tested whether mild adiposity alters responsiveness of the kidney to activation of the renal sympathetic nerves. After rabbits were fed a high-fat or control diet for 9 wk, responses to reflex activation of renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) with hypoxia and electrical stimulation of the renal nerves (RNS) were examined under pentobarbital anesthesia. Fat pad mass and body weight were, respectively, 74% and 6% greater in fat-fed rabbits than controls. RNS produced frequency-dependent reductions in renal blood flow, cortical and medullary perfusion, glomerular filtration rate, urine flow, and sodium excretion and increased renal plasma renin activity (PRA) overflow. Responses of sodium excretion and medullary perfusion were significantly enhanced by fat feeding. For example, 1 Hz RNS reduced sodium excretion by 79 ± 4% in fat-fed rabbits and 46 ± 13% in controls. RNS (2 Hz) reduced medullary perfusion by 38 ± 11% in fat-fed rabbits and 9 ± 4% in controls. Hypoxia doubled RSNA, increased renal PRA overflow and medullary perfusion, and reduced urine flow and sodium excretion, without significantly altering mean arterial pressure (MAP) or cortical perfusion. These effects were indistinguishable in fat-fed and control rabbits. Neither MAP nor PRA were significantly greater in conscious fat-fed than control rabbits. These observations suggest that mild excess adiposity can augment the antinatriuretic response to renal nerve activation by RNS, possibly through altered neural control of medullary perfusion. Thus, sodium retention in obesity might be driven not only by increased RSNA, but also by increased responsiveness of the kidney to RSNA.

A naturally occurring sesquiterpene, isolongifolenone, derivatives of which have been used extensively as ingredients in the cosmetics industry, was discovered to effectively repel blood-feeding arthropods that are important disease vectors. We show that (-)-isolongifolenone deters the biting of the mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti (L.) and Anopheles stephensi Liston, more effectively than the widely used synthetic chemical repellent, N,N-diethyl-3-methyl benzamide (DEET), in laboratory bioassays. The compound also repelled blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say, and lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum (L.), as effectively as DEET. Isolongifolenone is easily synthesized from inexpensive turpentine oil feedstock. We are therefore confident that the compound has significant potential as an inexpensive and safe repellent for protection of large human populations against blood-feeding arthropods.

During the latter half of the twentieth century, fungal pathogens such asCryptococcus neoformanswere increasingly recognized as a significant threat to the health of immune compromised populations throughout the world. Until recently, the closely related speciesC. gattiiwas considered to be a low-level endemic pathogen that was confined to tropical regions such as Australia. Since 1999,C. gattiihas emerged in the Pacific Northwest region of North America and has been responsible for a large disease epidemic among generally healthy individuals. The changing epidemiology ofC. gattiiinfection is likely to be a consequence of alterations in fungal ecology and biology and illustrates its potential to cause serious human disease. This review summarizes selected biological and clinical aspects ofC. gattiithat are particularly relevant to the recent North American outbreak and compares these to the Australian and South American experience.

SUMMARY Several in vitro assays have indicated that anti-T cell immunotoxins (IT), composed of monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs)conjugated to ricin A chain (RTA), are maximally effective against T cells only in the presence of potentiators. It was thought that such IT might not be sufficiently cytotoxic to deplete T cells in vivo upon administration to patients. Therefore, we have re-evaluated the in vitro assays and report herein that even with a short exposure lime (2 h), the two anti-T cell IT, H65-RTA (anti-CD5 MoAb coupled to RTA) and 4MRTA (anti-CD7 MoAb coupled to RTA30), were specifically cytotoxic for peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)in the absence of potentiators. Moreover, as has been reported for IT when tested against T cell lines, prolonging the exposure lime of the IT with PBMC from 2 h to as long as 90 h, without added potentiators, enhanced their cytotoxicity from 2- to 40-fold. In contrast, most T cell lines were more sensitive to IT in the presence of potentiator, and IT cytotoxicity was much less enhanced by prolonging the exposure time. Thus, T cell lines may not serve as accurate models to determine the efficacy of IT against PBMC in vitro or in vivo. We conclude that IT-induced cytotoxicity of PBMC can be demonstrated in vitro at pharmacologically achievable concentrations in the absence of added potentiators.

We have investigated the effects of the in vitro depletion of LFA1 positive cytolytic T lymphocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, and monocytes on the afferent phase of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Lethal GVHD was induced across the murine major histocompatibility complex by injecting C57BL/6 (H-2b) bone marrow (BM) cells (a source of stem cells) and splenocytes (S) (a source of T cells) into lethally irradiated B10.BR (H-2k) recipients. Because anti-LFA1 does not bind complement (C′) effectively, we conjugated anti-LFA1 alpha chain monoclonal antibody (MoAb) to ricin toxin A chain (RTA) as a means of facilitating target cell elimination. A 2-hour preincubation of C57BL/6 bone marrow/spleen (BMS) with anti-LFA1-RTA in the presence of ammonium chloride (a potentiator of immunotoxin toxicity), but not a control immunotoxin (IT), reduced CTL activity by greater than 2 logs, significantly reduced NK cell activity, and prevented B10.BR mice from developing GVHD. Depletion of target cells by toxin-labeled-MoAb and not the blockade of the LFA1 molecule by the anti-LFA1 MoAb accounted for our results, because incubating cells with IT in the absence of a potentiator had no effect on GVHD prevention. In contrast, C57BL/6 recipients of C3H BMS grafts only partially benefited from anti-LFA1- RTA preincubation, demonstrating that in this system, different cells not expressing LFA1 were involved in GVHD generation. The same findings observed with anti-LFA1-RTA preincubation were observed with preincubation with L-leucyl-L-leucine methyl ester, a chemical compound eliminating cytolytic cells, providing further support that GVHD induction in the C3H/HeJ into C57BL/6 system is not entirely mediated by classical cytolytic T cells. We next tested anti-LFA1-RTA in a model devised to measure its effect on alloengraftment (B10.BR recipients given lower doses of irradiation). Anti-LFA1-RTA BM preincubation selectively reduced alloengraftment in the model. This observation, combined with experiments showing that LFA1-RTA preincubation, but not anti-Thy 1.2 + C' or control IT preincubation, reduced colony-forming unit-spleen formation, indicates that anti-LFA1 alpha chain IT may remove accessory cells or stem cells critical to engraftment. Still, anti-LFA1-RTA may be useful for clinical GVHD prevention when combined with positive selection techniques designed to enrich for stem cells.

We have investigated the effects of the in vitro depletion of LFA1 positive cytolytic T lymphocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, and monocytes on the afferent phase of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Lethal GVHD was induced across the murine major histocompatibility complex by injecting C57BL/6 (H-2b) bone marrow (BM) cells (a source of stem cells) and splenocytes (S) (a source of T cells) into lethally irradiated B10.BR (H-2k) recipients. Because anti-LFA1 does not bind complement (C′) effectively, we conjugated anti-LFA1 alpha chain monoclonal antibody (MoAb) to ricin toxin A chain (RTA) as a means of facilitating target cell elimination. A 2-hour preincubation of C57BL/6 bone marrow/spleen (BMS) with anti-LFA1-RTA in the presence of ammonium chloride (a potentiator of immunotoxin toxicity), but not a control immunotoxin (IT), reduced CTL activity by greater than 2 logs, significantly reduced NK cell activity, and prevented B10.BR mice from developing GVHD. Depletion of target cells by toxin-labeled-MoAb and not the blockade of the LFA1 molecule by the anti-LFA1 MoAb accounted for our results, because incubating cells with IT in the absence of a potentiator had no effect on GVHD prevention. In contrast, C57BL/6 recipients of C3H BMS grafts only partially benefited from anti-LFA1- RTA preincubation, demonstrating that in this system, different cells not expressing LFA1 were involved in GVHD generation. The same findings observed with anti-LFA1-RTA preincubation were observed with preincubation with L-leucyl-L-leucine methyl ester, a chemical compound eliminating cytolytic cells, providing further support that GVHD induction in the C3H/HeJ into C57BL/6 system is not entirely mediated by classical cytolytic T cells. We next tested anti-LFA1-RTA in a model devised to measure its effect on alloengraftment (B10.BR recipients given lower doses of irradiation). Anti-LFA1-RTA BM preincubation selectively reduced alloengraftment in the model. This observation, combined with experiments showing that LFA1-RTA preincubation, but not anti-Thy 1.2 + C' or control IT preincubation, reduced colony-forming unit-spleen formation, indicates that anti-LFA1 alpha chain IT may remove accessory cells or stem cells critical to engraftment. Still, anti-LFA1-RTA may be useful for clinical GVHD prevention when combined with positive selection techniques designed to enrich for stem cells.

We conducted a mark–recapture study in which drag-collected ticks were removed from some park trails weekly from April to July. Weekly survival rates (probability of surviving and remaining on the trails) were significantly lower on trails used heavily by hikers, horses, and pets than on trails used less frequently. Although usage was the only obvious difference among these trails, differences in weekly survival rate estimates may be attributable to differential success in acquiring hosts. The estimated probability of capturing a host-seeking tick located along a trail on a single drag was 0.20 on the drag alone, and 0.25 including the person dragging. When routes parallel to the trails and of equal lengths were dragged immediately after sampling the trails, only ≍5% as many ticks (including ticks on the person dragging) were found off the trails as on them. We found no evidence of reduced tick numbers on removal trails, but this result should be considered inconclusive because the power of the discerning test was low. However, the data reported here provide insights into turnover rates of the adult Dermacentor variabilis population and effectiveness of the drag as a sampling device.

Despite industry protests to the contrary, in September, 1989, few people believed that PVC bottles were recyclable in the same sense that PET soft drink bottles and HDPE milk bottles were. At that time, however, OxyChem announced its post-consumer recycling initiative, offering to buy bottles back from anywhere in the United States. By paying prices comparable to that of PET ($0.06–$0.10/1b) and paying the freight from the recycler's dock, recycled PVC has begun to appear. Collection is handled by existing waste haulers and recyclers as an addon to their overall program. Promotional materials were generated to aid in visual separation of PVC from other plastics; in addition, automated sortation is being engineered by two laboratories with financial assistance from the Vinyl Institute. In general, PVC is reprocessed in the same fashion as other plastics: it must be ground, washed, and pulverized or repelletized. Care must be taken to minimize heat history and in some cases to boost stability and lubricity before pelletization. Material is resold into permanent, semi-permanent and packaging applications.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was induced across the murine major histocompatibility complex by injecting C57BL/6 (H-2b) bone marrow and splenocytes into lethally irradiated B10.BR (H-2k) murine recipients. An immunotoxin (IT) composed of a pan T-cell monoclonal antibody called anti-Ly1 (the murine homologue to human anti-CD5) was conjugated to ricin toxin A chain (anti-Ly1-RTA) and used to treat recipient mice. In vitro, IT was as active as free RTA, bound selectively, and inhibited T- cell proliferation even in the absence of potentiators. Mice administered anti-Ly1-RTA in vivo during ongoing GVHD, at a dose of 10 micrograms/d for 5 days, showed lower numbers of splenic Thy1.2+ T cells and significantly improved survival as compared with mice given phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or irrelevant control RTA IT. Protection was transient because GVHD and weight loss occurred when injections ceased. Survival could not be enhanced by crosslinking RTA30, a low oligosaccharide-containing fraction of purified RTA. Treatment with anti-Ly1-RTA caused a significant elevation in neutrophils, and higher doses were associated with mild hepatotoxicity. In contrast, infusion of identical doses and schedules of another pan T- cell immunotoxin, anti-Thy1.2-RTA, caused a significant decrease in lymphocytes, but not neutrophils; a precipitous increase in weight; a decrease in total plasma protein (TPP); and an increase in pleural and peritoneal effusions reminiscent of vascular leak syndrome (VLS). Although the toxic effects of anti-Thy1.2-RTA were too severe to show a survival advantage in a GVHD model, histopathologic studies showed a definite anti-GVHD effect. The most significant decline in GVHD as compared with the PBS-treated controls was observed in skin, and to a lesser extent, in liver and lung. To investigate the cause of IT toxicity, anti-Thy1.2-RTA was administered intraperitoneally to lethally irradiated B10.BR (H-2k) recipients of syngeneic bone marrow. These recipients showed the same weight gain, hypoproteinuria, and VLS observed in the GVHD model. Death occurred at higher anti-Thy1.2-RTA doses (30 or 50 micrograms/daily injections administered days 8 through 12 posttransplant). Anti-Thy1.2-RTA had a negligible effect on renal function, but histologic studies showed patchy dropout of the renal tubules. Treatment resulted in pulmonary vascular congestion, but there was no pathologic evidence of liver, brain, or colon toxicity. Weight gain was enhanced by irradiation because nonirradiated normal mice did not undergo such a precipitous weight increase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Lead indium niobate-lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate single crystals of 33 mol% PIN (PIN33-PMN-PT) were grown by a modified Bridgman method. Properties were characterized along the crystal-growth direction. We find that compared with PMN-PT, the properties of PIN33-PMN-PT are significantly improved, with increases in coercive field strength (3x) and thermal depoling temperature (> 40degC) to 6.8 kV/cm and 137degC, respectively. These improvements in electrical and thermal stability expand the operating conditions for PIN-PMN-PT crystals in higher-performance ultrasound applications.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a major cause of fungal pneumonia, meningitis and disseminated disease in the immune compromised host. Here we have used a clinically relevant model to investigate the genetic determinants of susceptibility to progressive cryptococcal pneumonia in C57BL/6J and CBA/J inbred mice. At 5 weeks after infection, the lung fungal burden was over 1000-fold higher in C57BL/6J compared to CBA/J mice. A genome-wide scan performed on 210 male and 203 female (CBA/J x C57BL/6J) F2 progeny using lung colony-forming units as a quantitative trait revealed a sex difference in genetic architecture with three loci (designated Cnes1-Cnes3) associated with susceptibility to cryptococcal pneumonia. Single locus analysis identified significant loci on chromosomes 3 (Cnes1) and 17 (Cnes2) with logarithm of the odds (LOD) scores of 4.09 (P=0.0110) and 7.30 (P

Objective: BMI and waist circumference are used to define risk from excess body fat. Limited data in women suggest that there may be racial/ethnic differences in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) at a given BMI or waist circumference. This study tested the hypothesis that racial/ethnic differences exist in both men and women in the relationship of anthropometric measures of body composition and computed tomography (CT)-determined VAT or subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). Methods and Procedures: Subjects included 66 African American, 72 Hispanic, and 47 white men and women, aged ≥45. Waist circumference and BMI were measured using standard methods. Total abdominal and L4L5 VAT and SAT were measured using CT. Results: Among both men and women, groups did not differ in waist circumference or BMI. White men had greater L4L5 VAT than African-American men, and both white and Hispanic men had greater total VAT than African-American men. Among women, Hispanics and whites had greater L4L5 VAT than African Americans, and Hispanics had greater total VAT than African Americans. The slope of the linear relationship between BMI or waist circumference and VAT was lower in African Americans than in Hispanics and/or whites. Discussion: Middle-aged and older African-American men and women had lower VAT despite similar BMI and waist circumference measurements. Altered relationships between anthropometric measures and VAT may have implications for defining metabolic risk in different populations. Different waist circumference or BMI cutoff points may be necessary to adequately reflect risk in different racial/ethnic groups.

Potassium sodium bismuth titanate (KNBT) ceramics have useful dielectric and piezoelectric properties, and are candidates for higher temperature (>200_C) applications than possible with PZT. A diffuse transformation to the cubic state occurs above 500_C. At lower temperatures, relaxor-type behavior is observed around 200_C. We report ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties for poled ceramics as a function of temperature, from room temperature through the relaxor transition, into the higher-temperature anti- ferroelectric region. Topics to be covered, include, mixed contributions to the overall field-induced strain at high temperatures in the AF region, i.e., from field-induced piezoelectricity and electrostriction; and how the lower-temperature region can be extended K substitution, for higher-temperature applications

Objective: Influences of gender and body weight on the hormonal response to eating are not well understood. This study was conducted to determine a convenient time-point to evaluate peak postprandial hormone responses and to test the hypothesis that gender and BMI interact to produce differences in postprandial secretion of selected humoral markers implicated in hunger and satiety. Research Methods and Procedures: Fasting blood glucose, insulin, leptin, ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide-1, and glucagon were measured in normal-weight (20 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m2) men (n = 10) and women (n = 9) and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) men (n = 9) and women (n = 11). A standard liquid meal was consumed, and humoral measurements were repeated every 10 minutes for 1 hour. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA with BMI and gender as main effects. Results: Obese subjects had delayed peak insulin responses (p = 0.004), whereas obese men had a delayed nadir ghrelin response (p = 0.05). Obese subjects had higher and more sustained postprandial glucose (p = 0.02), and greater fasting (p = 0.0004) and postprandial insulin (p = 0.0001). Ghrelin decreased after the meal (p = 0.003); the percent change from fasting tended to be reduced in obese subjects (p = 0.07). Men had greater fasting (p = 0.02) and postprandial (p = 0.03) glucagon and a subtle postprandial decline in plasma leptin (p = 0.01). Discussion: Peak hormone responses occurred 20 to 40 minutes after eating. Measurements made during this interval may be useful in evaluating postprandial response magnitude. Peak/nadir responses and time courses of postprandial responses are influenced by gender and BMI. Nutritional studies need to account for variability introduced by these factors.