TL Group Research Articles

Medium-chain triglyceride-rich enteral nutrition is more effective than low-fat enteral nutrition in rat colitis, but is equal in enteritis.

Although enteral nutrition (EN) therapy for Crohn's disease has been confirmed to be as effective as steroid therapy, the precise mechanism responsible for the effects of EN remains unclear, although some of the therapeutic effects of EN are believed to be due to a low dietary fat content. In order to elucidate the influence of fat in EN, it is important to investigate not only the quantity of fat, but also the source of the fat. We compared two enteral nutritional formulae: Elental (Ajinomoto) (elemental diet; ED), which contains only 1.5% fat, provided as long-chain triglycerides (LCT), versus Twinline (Snow Brand Milk Products) (TL), which contains a high percentage of fat (20.4%), provided mainly as medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). These formulae were tested on rat enteritis and rat colitis induced by trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). Both ED and TL reduced the manifestations of enteritis. TL had a stronger anti-inflammatory effect than ED for colitis. TL also had nutritional advantages as compared with ED, as shown by the total serum protein in the TL group being significantly higher than that in the ED group. The results indicate that intraluminal MCT is suitable as a fat energy source during intestinal inflammation in rats. We suggest that Twinline may be more useful to improve nutritional status and to reduce the mucosal inflammation in rat colitis, but that Twinline is equal in effect to Elental for rat enteritis.

Tracheal ligation: The dark side of in utero congenital diaphragmatic hernia treatment

Currently there are two in utero procedures that have been proposed for the treatment of Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH); reduction of the herniated viscera with repair of the diaphragmatic defect (CDH repair) and stimulation of lung growth by ligation of the fetal trachea (CDH + TL). Recent studies have shown that CDH + TL may result in a significant surfactant deficiency. The aim of this study was to compare the postnatal lung function of these two interventions using the fetal lamb model of CDH. CDH was created in 14 lambs at 78 days' gestation. At 110 days, seven lambs had their trachea ligated through a transverse neck incision and seven had repair of their diaphragmatic defect via a left subcostal incision. At term the lambs were instrumented with the umbilical circulation intact, then delivered and ventilated to a standard protocol for 4 hours. Pulmonary hemodynamics and blood gas levels were measured and compared every 30 minutes. Four lambs in the CDH repair group and five lambs in the CDH + TL group survived to be studied. After the initial data were analyzed, a further group of CDH + TL lambs (n = 4) were studied. In this group a replacement dose of surfactant (Infasurf, Ony Inc, Buffalo, NY) was administered. These initial results cast doubt on tracheal ligation as an in utero therapy for CDH, and indicate that the lung produced by this intervention is not physiologically normal as previously thought. However, the function of these lungs can be normalized if the surfactant deficiency is corrected. If this improvement can be maintained and there is recovery of the endogenous surfactant system, then in utero tracheal ligation may become a viable treatment for fetal CDH.

Does Multiple Risk Factor Reduction Explain the Reduction in Fall Rate in the Yale FICSIT Trial?

In a recent study of fall prevention in 301 community-living older persons (the Yale FICSIT Trial, 1990-1993), participants in the multifactorial targeted intervention (TI) group experienced significantly fewer falls than participants in the social visit (SV) control group. In the present paper, the authors explore the relation between changes in the studied risk factors and the occurrence of falling. In comparison with SV participants, TI participants showed significantly greater improvements in postural blood pressure change (p = 0.01), step length (p = 0.004), use of > or = 4 medications (p = 0.003), and unsafe tub and toilet transfers (p = 0.05), while change in balance was of borderline significance (p = 0.08). Reduction in the occurrence of falling, in turn, was at least marginally associated with improvements in balance, postural blood pressure change, step length, lower extremity strength/range of motion, and transfers. When participants were divided into tertiles based on a composite risk factor change score, a significantly higher percentage of TI participants (42%) than SV participants (22%) were in the greatest risk factor reduction tertile. Among TI participants, there was a progressively lower fall rate per person per year in the tertiles with the least, intermediate, and greatest risk reduction (0.832, 0.624, and 0.260), respectively. A similar but weaker relation between risk factor reduction and fall rate was seen in the SV group. When compared within tertiles, essentially adjusting for the amount of risk factor reduction, the fall rates among TI and SV participants in the greatest risk factor reduction tertile were identical (0.260 falls per person per year), and the rates in the least reduction tertile were similar (0.832 vs. 1.040 falls per person per year); this suggests that risk factor reduction at least partially mediated the treatment effect. These results support the feasibility of implementing and analyzing the effectiveness of a multiple risk factor reduction strategy in the aged.

Effect of intestinal tapering and lengthening on intestinal structure and function

Intestinal lengthening (TL) is increasingly performed for the short bowel syndrome. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of TL on canine intestinal structure and function. Two groups of 5 dogs had 75% distal intestinal resection. Twelve weeks later, serosal electrodes were placed in one group (RO) and tapering and lengthening of 10 to 15 cm distal intestine and electrode placement was performed in the other group (TL). Nutritional status and intestinal absorption, motility, and hormone release were assessed every 4 weeks for 12 weeks after the second procedure. The animals with the lengthening had diminished body weight (75% +/- 2% versus 81% +/- 4%, P < 0.05) and albumin levels (2.4 +/- 0.2 g/dL versus 2.9 +/- 0.5 g/dL, P < 0.05) and impaired absorption (stool fat 18% +/- 6% versus 10% +/- 3%, P < 0.05) compared with those that had undergone resection alone. The intestinal adaptive response was blunted in the TL group (villus height 328 +/- 90 microns versus 410 +/- 36 microns, P < 0.05). Transit time was prolonged 4 and 8 weeks (19 +/- 6 min and 18 +/- 5 min, respectively, versus 11 +/- 3 min, P < 0.05) after TL. Myoelectrical recordings showed a drop in slow wave frequency and impaired migration of Phase III of the migrating motor complex within the tapered and lengthened segments (P < 0.05). Both fasting and postprandial serum gastrin levels were two times greater in the TL group (P < 0.05). Enteroglucagon levels were increased after resection alone; this increase was attenuated by more than 50% in the TL group (P < 0.05). The somatostatin response to feeding was substantially greater in the TL animals. TL impairs nutritional status and intestinal absorption and adaptation following massive resection. The changes in absorption and transit may be related, in part, to motor disruption and hypergastrinemia. The impaired adaptation is possibly related to decreased enteroglucagon and increased somatostatin levels.

Kinematic and dynamic axial computed tomography of the patello-femoral joint in patients with anterior knee pain.

Thirty-eight knees of 26 patients with anterior knee pain (12 bilateral) were included in the study. There were 22 women and 4 men, and their average age was 29 years. Axial computed tomography (CT) examination of both knees were done at 0 degrees, 10 degrees, 20 degrees, 30 degrees, 40 degrees and 60 degrees of flexion with and without muscle contraction. Images were always taken at the mid-patellar level. Patellar tilt angle (PTA), congruence angle (CA) and sulcus angle (SA) were measured at each knee position. Normal values were also obtained from 14 healthy volunteers (28 knees). Thus, the types of patello-femoral incongruence were determined at each knee position: 1, tilt + lateralisation (TL: 12 knees); 2, lateralisation (L: 4 knees); 3, medialisation (M: 5 knees); 4, lateral to medial instability (LM: 1 knee); 5, tilt (T: 1 knee). Fifteen knees were classified as normal. When the groups were analysed separately, in the TL group the T or L component would have been missed in nine cases if the images were taken only at 30 degrees or only in the first 30 degrees of flexion. In the L group two patellae were reduced at 30 degrees. In three knees in the M group, medialisation began at 10 degrees, 20 degrees and 30 degrees. One patella was reduced at 40 degrees. In the LM case, the patella was lateralised at 0 degrees, 10 degrees, 20 degrees and medialised at 30 degrees and 40 degrees. In the T case, the patella was tilted only at 20 degrees, 40 degrees and 60 degrees.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Influence of the number of suckling young and the feed level on foetal survival and growth in rabbit does

Summary — This study was undertaken to determine the influence of various degrees of nutritional deficit on foetal survival and growth in pregnant and lactating does. All females were mated within 12 h of parturition (d 0) and slaughtered at d 28. For around half of them, lactation was terminated at parturition and does were fed ad libitum throughout gestation (CNL group, n = 28) or feeding was restricted from d 15-28 (RNL group, n = 27). Other females were allowed to nurse 4 (FL group, n = 27) or 10 young (TL group, n = 27), and were fed ad libitum. Live-weight variation between d 14 4 and 28 (8p1428) varied highly between groups (CNL: +194 g; RNL: +112 g; FL: -113 g; TL: -197 g; P d 15) was significantly increased in lactating groups (FL: 10.4%, TL: 15.5%) compared with non-lactating groups (CNL: 5.4%; RNL: 3.6%) without any influence of 8p1428. The weight of the foetuses was significantly lower in the lactating groups (CNL: 39.7 g; RNL: 39.3 g; FL: 37.5 g; TL: 34.9 g; P < 0.001 ) and was negatively related to 8p1428 (r= 0.47; P < 0.001 The concentrations of progesterone were lower in’lactating than in non-lactating does (TL + FL vs CNL + RNL; P < 0.01) on d 7 and 17, but similar on d 28. These results suggest that the detrimental effect of lactation on foetal survival and growth can be decreased by reducing the number of suckling young.

Thermoluminescence spectra of minerals

AbstractThermoluminescence (TL) studies of insulators, including crystals of minerals such as calcite, quartz or zircon, have resulted in the development of a wider range of applications in the fields of radiation dosimetry and archaeological and geological dating. Most conventional TL measurements are made by recording light emission during heating by means of broad-band optical filters and blue-sensitive photomultiplier tubes. Much more information may be gained by monitoring the details of the emission spectrum during thermoluminescence. TL spectra of minerals exhibit changes as a result of crystal purity, radiation dose, dose rate and thermal history. This paper exemplifies the additional information available as a result of spectral studies, and focuses on investigations undertaken by the University of Sussex TL group. Examples include work on calcite, fluorite, zircon and feldspars.

Acquired agraphia caused by focal brain damage

Motor and linguistic aspects of writing were evaluated in 31 subjects with focal damage in 1 of 3 regions of the left hemisphere: (1) dorsolateral frontal lobe sparing primary motor cortex (group FL), (2) parietal lobe (group PL), or (3) temporal lobe (group TL). A standard procedure was used to evaluate writing for grapheme formation, spatial arrangement, spelling, word selection, grammar, and perseveration. It was predicted that agraphia would be observed in all 3 groups, and that the most severe impairments would be associated with frontal lobe damage, particularly in aspects of writing dependent on sequencing (grapheme formation, spelling, and grammar). It was found that agraphia was common in all groups, particularly in the acute epoch, and that all groups showed considerable recovery of writing by the chronic epoch. Few differences were found between groups. However, the FL group was impaired on spelling and grammar relative to the PL group in the acute epoch and impaired on grammar relative to the TL group in the chronic epoch. The findings are consistent with the notion that writing relies on a distributed neuroanatomical network, which acts in concert to link fragments of visuomotor activity with component linguistic elements.

Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase in rainbow trout following dichlorvos treatment at different water oxygen levels

This study was designed to investigate the influence of water oxygen level on the degree of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition in rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) treated with dichlorvos against salmon lice. Two groups of rainbow trout weighing 135±40 g were subjected to a normal dichlorvos treatment (1.136 ppm for 60 min) at a water temperature of 9°C. During treatment, the water oxygen levels were 15 mg/l (TH) and 3 mg/l (TL), respectively. Afterwards both groups were kept at 6 mg/l O 2. Samples (five fish) were taken immediately afteer treatment, and after 2, 4, 7, 14 and 21 days. Control samples were taken at day 0, 7 and 21 in the same period. Brain, plasma, and liver samples were analysed for AChE activity. Immediately after treatment, the TH group showed significantly higher AChE activity in brain tissue than the TL group. The average degree of AChE inhibition was 45% (TH) and 58% (TL). Average TH values were above TL values for more than 14 days. However, both groups reached normal values at about the same time. No differences between groups could be demonstrated in plasma and liver, probably due to low AChE activity in these tissues. The results show that oxygen deficiency increases the AChE-inhibitory effect of dichlorvos, and that satisfactory oxygenation during delousing reduces the risk of intoxication of fish. They also show that the AChE activity may be inhibited for more than 14 days. Repeat treatment within this period might involve a higher mortality risk.

Effect of immunization on reproducvive performance, embryo quality and progesterone in Rasa Aragonesa ewes actively immunized against androstenedione or passively immunized against testosterone

A total of 217 Rasa Aragonesa ewes were used to test two immunization treatments: 1.Active immunization against androstenedione: ewes immunized in previous matings (androstenedione, reimmunized; AR groups, n=58) or not (first immunization; AF groups n=64) were boosted either 2 or 4 wk before mating. 2.Passive immunization against testosterone: antisera were injected either at sponge withdrawal (zero time; T0 group, n=21) or 1 wk previously (Tl group, n=22). We used 52 ewes as controls (C group). Half of each group was used either to record reproductive performance or to embryo viability assessment. Prolificacy was significantly increased in ewes which reached a moderate antibody level, independently of the treatment. Fertility was lower in AR ewes that attained a high antibody titre (P<0.01). The percentage of viable embryos recovered was lower in AF ewes (P<0.01), and in ewes whose testosterone antibody titre was high (P<0.05), compared to C group. It was proven that similar or lower antibody levels were more harmful for ewes from AF and Tl than for ewes from AR or T0 groups. The proportion of nonfertilized recovered ova was not significant. Progesterone levels were notably increased in AR ewes (P<0.001) independently of ovulation rate and were positively correlated to antibody titre at mating (P<0.01) but these events were not observed in T ewes. These findings indicate that after androgen immunoneutralization, only those ewes having antibody titres within a limited range at mating had improved reproductive performance. Further research is needed in order to understand the role that progesterone plays in immunized ewes.

THE SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING: ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW1

The present research tested the hypothesis that predictions concerning second language (SL) achievement and use would be improved by considering the motivational support the learner expects from the target language group (TL) in addition to considering the learner's own motivations for learning the language. The hypothesis was tested by asking adolescent English‐speaking Canadian students why they were learning French as a second language and why French‐speaking Canadians wanted them to learn French. Regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between the motivational predictors and the respondents' SL proficiency and use. In support of the hypothesis, it was found that the respondents' expectations of motivational support from the TL group emerged as significant and in some cases unique predictors of SL performance. It is concluded that social psychological models of SL learning need to consider the role of intergroup factors more seriously.

Chemical composition of Mars

The composition of Mars has been calculated from the cosmochemical model of Ganapathy and Anders (1974) which assumes that planets and chondrites underwent the same 4 fractionation processes in the solar nebula. Because elements of similar volatility stay together in these processes, only 4 index elements (U, Fe, K and Tl or Ar 36) are needed to calculate the abundances of all 83 elements in the planet. The values chosen are U = 28 ppb, K = 62 ppm (based on K U = 2200 from orbital γ-spectrometry and on thermal history calculations by Toksöz and Hsui (1978) Fe = 26.72% (from geophysical data), and Tl = 0.14 ppb (from the Ar 36 and Ar 40 abundances measured by Viking). The mantle of Mars is an iron-rich [ Mg/( Mg + Fe) = 0.77] garnet wehrlite ( ρ = 3.52−3.54 g/ cm 3), similar to McGetchin and Smyth's (1978) estimate but containing more Ca and Al. It is nearly identical to the bulk Moon composition of Morgan et al. (1978b). The core makes up 0.19 of the planet and contains 3.5% S—much less than estimated by other models. Volatiles have nearly Moon-like abundances, being depleted relative to the Earth by factors of 0.36 (K-group, T cond = 600–1300 K) or 0.029 (Tl group, T cond < 600 K). The water abundance corresponds to a 9 m layer, but could be higher by as much as a factor of 11. Comparison of model compositions for 5 differentiated planets (Earth, Venus, Mars, Moon, and eucrite parent body) suggests that volatile depletion correlates mainly with size rather than with radial distance from the Sun. However, the relatively high volatile content of shergottites and some chondrites shows that the correlation is not simple; other factors must also be involved.

SOCIAL DISTANCE AS A FACTOR IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

This paper examines a series of societal factors that promote either social distance or proximity between two groups and thus affect the degree to which a second language learning group (2LL group) acquires the language of a particular target language group (TL group). It is argued that social distance and hence a bad language learning situation will exist where the 2LL group is either dominant or subordinate, where both groups desire preservation and high enclosure for the 2LL group, where the 2LL group is both cohesive and large, where the two cultures are not congruent, where the two groups hold negative attitudes toward each other and where the 2LL group intends to remain in the target language area only for a short time. It is also argued that social solidarity and hence a good language learning situation will exist where the 2LL group is non‐dominant in relation to the TL group, where both groups desire assimilation for the 2LL group, where low enclosure is the goal of both groups, where the two cultures are congruent, where the 2LL group is small and non‐cohesive, where both groups have positive attitudes toward each other, and where the 2LL group intends to remain in the target language area for a long time. Examples of both good and bad language learning situations are drawn from actual contact situations: Americans living in Saudi Arabia, American Indians in the US. and American Jewish immigrants in Israel.