Significant Difference In Development Research Articles

No Evidence for Multiple-Drug Prophylaxis for Tuberculosis Compared with Isoniazid Alone in Southeast Asian Refugees and Migrants: Completion and Compliance Are Major Determinants of Effectiveness

Background. The use of multiple-drug prophylaxis for tuberculosis (TB) has not been shown to be more effective than prophylaxis with isoniazid alone. The boundary between inactive pulmonary TB (class 4 TB) and culture-negative “active” pulmonary TB (class 3 TB) is often unclear, as is the intention to treat such patients as a preventive measure or as a curative measure.Methods. We compared the effectiveness of single drug preventive therapy with isoniazid to the effectiveness of multiple drug preventive therapy for patients with asymptomatic, inactive TB, in a retrospective cohort study of 984 Southeast (SE) Asian migrants and refugees who received prophylaxis between 1978 and 1980.Results. The rate of TB developing in this cohort was 122 per 100,000 person-years. There was no significant difference in development of TB between people who received isoniazid only and those who received multiple drugs. The only significant predictor of TB was noncompletion of prophylaxis [relative risk (RR) = 62, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 20–194]. Subgroup analysis on people who had completed therapy showed noncompliance as a significant predictor of TB (RR = 16, 95% CI = 1.4–179). The risk of noncompletion (RR = 4.7, 95% CI = 2.37–9.39, P < 0.0001) and noncompliance (RR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.03–4.7, P = 0.03) was higher for patients who received multiple drugs compared with isoniazid alone. Multiple-drug therapy cost 30 times more than isoniazid alone.Conclusions. We did not find evidence in support of the empirical practice of giving multiple drugs for prevention of TB. This practice is also more costly and more likely to result in noncompliance and adverse drug reactions.

The Effect of Donor Cell Serum Starvation and Oocyte Activation Compounds on the Development of Somatic Cell Cloned Embryos

Two experiments, one comparing nuclear transfer (NT) embryo activation compounds, the other donor cell treatments, were conducted with a goal of identifying factors that improve the in vitro development of cloned bovine embryos. In experiment 1, 539 NT embryos were produced by combining serum starved bovine fetal fibroblasts with enucleated in vitro matured oocytes, activated with ionomycin, then randomly allocated to be incubated for 4 hours in either Butyrolactone-I (BL-I) or 6-dimethylaminopurine (DMAP). There was no significant difference in development to blastocyst or compact morula of fused embryos at Day 6.5 between BL-I and DMAP activated embryos (22.4% vs. 20.2%; p = 0.18). Karyotyping of 20 blastocysts and compact morula from each group determined that 65% of BL1 and 63% of DMAP embryos were diploid with the remainder mixoploid (2n + 4n). In Experiment 2, the development of 389 NT embryos reconstructed from either serum starved or serum fed fetal fibroblasts was assessed. More Day 7 blastocysts and compact morula developed in the serum starved group (34.5% vs. 18.8%; p = 0.008). To verify the viability of BL-I activated embryos, 10 blastocytes from experiment 2 were transferred into 4 recipient cows. Two morphologically normal fetuses, genetically identical to the original fetal cell line, were surgically recovered at day 45 of gestation. In summary, serum starvation of bovine fetal fibroblasts prior to NT significantly improved development to blastocyst. Additionally, we have shown that BL-I is a novel alternative compound for use in combination with ionomycin to activate NT embryos.

Clinical evaluation of cimetidine, sucralfate, and misoprostol for prevention of gastrointestinal tract bleeding in dogs undergoing spinal surgery

SUMMARY Objective To determine the incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) tract bleeding in dogs undergoing spinal surgery with adjunct corticosteroid treatment, and to determine the protective efficacy of cimetidine, sucralfate, and misoprostol against such bleeding in these dogs. Animals 40 dogs that underwent spinal surgery. Procedures Myelography and surgery were performed on the first or second day of hospitalization. Methylprednisolone sodium succinate was given at a dosage of 30 mg/kg of body weight prior to myelography, followed by a second full or half dose 2 to 4 hours later at clinician discretion. Spinal surgery was performed in conventional manner, postoperative administration of analgesics was done, and dogs were fed a diet lacking red meat. Dogs were assigned at random to 1 of the 3 treatment groups or to the control group. Dogs of the treatment groups received cimetidine, sucralfate, or misoprostol. Physical examination and determination of PCV and serum total protein values were performed daily. A fecal sample was examined daily for gross and occult blood. Results 36 of 40 dogs had GI tract bleeding during a hospitalization period of 3 to 6 days. There was no significant difference in development of bleeding between the control group and any of the treatment groups. Conclusions Gastrointestinal tract bleeding occurred in 90% of dogs undergoing spinal surgery combined with administration of methylprednisilone sodium succinate, a higher rate than that found in previous studies. This bleeding was not life-threatening. Prophylactic benefit from any of the GI protectants tested was not found. (Am J Vet Res 1997;58:1320–1323)

The effect of coculture on the postfertilization development of in vitro-matured monkey oocytes

To determine if the developmental potential of embryos resulting from in vivo- and in vitro-matured monkey oocytes could be increased through the use of a coculture system. Randomized prospective comparison of embryos resulting from either in vitro- or in vivo-matured oocytes cocultured with Vero cells or cultured in medium alone (control). Basic research laboratory. In vitro embryo development to the blastocyst stage and blastocyst hatching. No significant difference in development was noted between coculture and control groups with embryos resulting from in vivo-matured oocytes. However, coculture was found to improve significantly the development of monkey embryos resulting from in vitro-matured oocytes. These results demonstrate that primate embryos resulting from in vitro-matured and in vitro-fertilized oocytes differ in their culture requirement when compared with embryos resulting from in vivo-matured oocytes.

Development, hatching, and infectivity of Echinostoma caproni (Trematoda) eggs, and histologic and histochemical observations on the miracidia.

Light microscopy studies were done on the eggs and miracidia of the intestinal trematode Echinostoma caproni. Eggs were obtained by homogenizing adult worms derived from ICR mice in artificial spring water (ASW). To study egg development and to obtain miracidia, eggs were incubated in ASW in either a light or a dark environment for 10 days at 28 degrees C. Egg development was characterized and staged at 2-day intervals from day 0 to day 10 postembryonation. No significant difference in development was seen in eggs maintained under conditions of light or darkness. Eggs maintained in darkness for 10 days and exposed to incandescent light produced a large synchronous hatch of miracidia within 3 h of exposure to light. As expected, miracidia used to expose Biomphalaria glabrata snails produced patent infections at 5-7 weeks postinfection (p.i.). Embryonated eggs aged from 0 to 10 days that had been fed to B. glabrata snails also produced infections within 4 weeks of infection. Miracidial longevity studies showed that 50 newly hatched miracidia maintained at either 4 degrees, 12 degrees, 22 degrees, or 38 degrees C lived for 6, 28, 14, and 5 h, respectively. Histology studies were done on whole miracidia stained in 0.01% neutral red and in Schneider's acetocarmine. Histochemistry studies of miracidia stained with alcian blue (pH 2.5) showed the presence of acid mucopolysaccharides in the epidermal plates; miracidia treated with periodic acid-Schiff plus 0.5% malt diastase showed the presence of glycogen in the body and in the epidermal/subepidermal region. Miracidia stained with Lillie's Oil Red O showed the presence of sparse neutral fat droplets in the body.

Factors Affecting the Efficiency of Chimera Production by Coculture of Zona-Free Embryos with Frozen-Thawed Embryonic Stem Cells in Mice.

Zona-free uncompacted 8-cell (8C) or partially compacted 8-cell (8-M) stage embryos were cocultured with frozen-thawed TT2 embryonic stem (ES) cells at a density of either 5.5 × 105 or 5.5 × 106 cells/ml. When zona-free embryos at the 8C and 8-M stage were cocultured with frozen-thawed ES cells at a density of 5.5 × 105 cells/ml, 5% and 32% of the embryos developed to the blastocyst stage after overnight culture, respectively. At a density of 5.5 × 106 cells/ml, however, developmental rates to the blastocyst stage of 8C and 8-M were only 12% and 15%, respectively. When the 8C and 8-M embryos were cocultured with frozen-thawed ES cells at a density of 5.5 × 105 cells/ml, there was no difference in the number of ES cells attached to either of them. The 8-M showed no significant difference in development to blastocyst stage in spite of the number of attached ES cells. However, the development rate to blastocyst was significantly reduced when the 8C aggregated with high numbers of ES cells. When the blastocysts were transferred into recipients, the percentage of chimeric mice in newborns ranged between 0-25%. In comparison, the percentage of newborn chimeric mice after transfer of the morula to small blastocyst ranged between 13-60%. One cause of this high frequency of chimerism after transferring morula derived from 8C was delayed preimplantation development of the embryos with high numbers of attached ES cells.

Oral candidiasis and immune status of HIV‐infected patients

A total of 84 HIV-infected homosexual men having either normal oral mucosa (NOM), erythematous candidiasis (EC) or pseudomembranous candidiasis (PsC) were included in the study. The patients were evaluated by median number of peripheral CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells and by lymphocyte function assessed by poke-weed mitogen test. There was a significant difference between CD4+ counts among patients with the two subtypes of candidiasis (95% CI of median difference: 10-240/mm3; P = 0.03), but not for pokeweed mitogen response. Survival analysis showed that after 2 y there was no significant difference in development of AIDS between patients with EC and PsC (P = 0.29). If patients with both types of oral candidiasis were pooled and compared with patients with NOM, a significant difference in development of AIDS was found (P = 0.04). It is concluded that HIV-infected patients with oral candidiasis of any subtype (EC or PsC) are significantly more immune suppressed and show a faster development of AIDS than HIV-infected patients with NOM. However, in this cohort, EC and PsC are of equal importance as predictors for immune suppression and AIDS development.

Effect of oxygen concentration in the incubator's gas phase on the development of cultured preimplantation rabbit embryos

Development of rabbit preimplantation embryos cultured under 20, 5 or 1% oxygen was studied. Three-day-old morulae were cultured in a protein-free medium (BSM II supplemented with 5 mg PVP/ml medium) for 24 and 48 h. Embryonic development was evaluated by gross morphology and by incorporation of tritiated thymidine as an indicator of cell proliferation. The lower oxygen concentrations yielded significantly better embryo development at 24 and at 48 h than the 20% concentration. There was no significant difference in development between 5% and 1% oxygen. Addition of the radical scavanger superoxiddismutase (SOD), either alone or in combination with catalase or reduced glutathione, did not improve embryo development even in the 20% oxygen group. Our data suggest the need to reduce in vitro oxygen levels from 20% to more physiological concentrations.

Evaluation of physical therapy service for severely mentally impaired students with cerebral palsy.

The effects of two types of physical therapy service were studied over a five-month period in 19 severely mentally impaired cerebral palsied students aged 3 to 22 years. The students were paired and assigned to either a direct therapy treatment group or a supervised therapy management group. Ten similar students in a comparison group received no physical therapy. The study showed no significant difference in development of mature developmental reflexes, improvement of gross motor skills, or increase of passive joint motion among similar students placed in the direct, supervised, and comparison groups. This pilot study is not intended to decide the issue of physical therapy for these students. It does, however, indicate that objective tests may be used reliably to measure three major areas of sensory motor development. More extensive and longer-term studies are needed to determine the most beneficial form of physical therapy for this double-disability population.

EVALUATION OF SURVIVORS OF RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME AT 4 YEARS OF AGE

AMBRUS, CLARA M.; WEINTRAUB, DAVID H.; NISWANDER, KENNETH R.; FISCHER, LISELOTTE; FLEISHMAN, JOYCE; BROSS, IRVING D. J.; AMBRUS, JULIAN L.Author Information

Evaluation of survivors of Respiratory Distress Syndrome at 4 years of age.

At 4 years of age, two groups of prematurely born children were compared in relation to physical, mental, and behavioral development—24 children who had been afflicted with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and 53 who had not. Those who had suffered from RDS had been treated with urokinase-activated human plasmin or received placebo; oxygen was administered only for relief of cyanosis, the maximum concentration being 38%. Statistical evaluation did not show a significant difference in development between the RDS and control groups. A significant negative correlation was found, however, between birth weight and degree of disability. These findings seem to indicate that RDS does not increase the handicaps associated with prematurity. Chest roentgenograms revealed possible pulmonary fibrosis in only one child who had survived RDS.

Seed-vernalization of the cabbages (Brassica oleracea spp.). I

1. During 1959_??_1960, an experiment was conducted for examining the response of a cabbage variety (Yoshin) to seed-vernalization. 2. Seeds vernalized at 1 ± 1°C for 20 days were sown along with untreated control seeds four times at 10-day intervals from March 14 to April 13, 1959. Further on December 2, an autumn sowing was made under the same treatment scheme. 3. In the plot seeded March 14, all plants grown from vernalized seeds (V20) bolted, flowered and in September produced viable seeds, whereas only one out of ten control plants (Vo) managed to flower but never went to seeds, the remainder producing heads. In the plot seeded March 24 and April 3, neither vernalized nor control plants bolted but headed normally, yet the microscopic observation demonstrated that the flower-bud differentiation was remarkably accelerated in the vernalized plants. In the plot seeded April 13, no flower-bud differentiation was observed in the plants as a whole. In August, both of vernalized and control plants produced normal heads. In the autumn sowing, December 2, any significant difference in development was not seen with respect to vernalization treatment. In the plants grown from vernalized and control seeds initiated floral differentiation concomitantly at the beginning of February in the next year, though the further development was greatly variegated with individual plants in both lots, some of which never flowered by the end of June. 4. The cabbages (Brassica oleracea spp.) are known to have to reach a certain minimum age before they can be made to flowering by cold. In other words, they must pass a “juvenile phase” before flowering can be induced. Our present experiment, however, suggested that at least a certain of cabbage varieties is sensitive to cold even in its earliest stage of growth just after the germination. The results of our work still exhibited that the effect of seed-vernalization in itself is never sufficient for complete induction. Seed-vernalization leads to flowering only when interacting with plant-vernalization given to the plants in their growing period. So, the effect of seed-vernalization is visualized in so far as plant-vernalization has a suboptimal results owing to age of plant or to too short a cold period.