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BackgroundFor 15 months in 1981-1982, the commercial milk supply on the Hawaiian island of Oahu was contaminated with heptachlor epoxide, a metabolite of the insecticide heptachlor, resulting in gestational and/or lactational exposure to offspring of women who drank cow milk during that period.ObjectiveTo determine whether gestational and lactational exposure to heptachlor epoxide alters reproductive function and age at puberty in men or women.Methods457 participants were recruited from a prior high school enrollment sampling frame of 20,000 adults born during 1981-1982 who lived on Oahu since at least first grade. Number of glasses of cow milk consumed weekly by the mother during the participant's gestation was used as a surrogate measure of heptachlor epoxide exposure. Reproductive function measures included semen analyses; reproductive hormones or their metabolites in daily urine specimens for one menstrual cycle; serum reproductive hormone levels in both sexes; and reported ages of onset for pubertal milestones.ResultsWe observed no strong associations of heptachlor epoxide exposure during gestation and lactation with reproductive endpoints. In females, heptachlor epoxide exposure was associated with longer luteal phase length and slower drop in the ratio of estradiol to progesterone metabolites after ovulation. In males, heptachlor epoxide exposure was weakly associated with higher serum follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone concentrations, but no dose-response relationship was apparent.ConclusionsThe results provide limited evidence that gestational and lactational exposure to heptachlor epoxide, due to milk contamination on Oahu in 1981-1982, resulted in clinically significant disturbances of reproductive function in men or women.

Animal-vehicle collisions affect human safety, property and wildlife, and the number of animal-vehicle collisions has substantially increased across much of North America over the last decades. Systematically collected animal-vehicle collision data help estimate the magnitude of the problem and help record potential changes in animal-vehicle collisions over time. Such data also allow for the identification and prioritization of locations that may require mitigation. Furthermore, systematically collected animal-vehicle collision data allow for the evaluation of the effectiveness of mitigation measures in reducing the number of animal-vehicle collisions. In the United States and Canada, animal-vehicle collision data are typically collected and managed by transportation agencies, law enforcement agencies and/or natural resource management agencies. These activities result in two types of data: data from accident reports (AR data) and data based on animal carcass counts (AC data). Here we report on a survey that examined the extent to which AR and AC data are collected across the United States and Canada. While a substantial percentage of the DOTs and DNRs collect and manage AR and/or AC data, many of them do not. Furthermore, DOTs and DNRs that do collect or manage AR or AC data typically do this for different or only partly overlapping reasons. In addition, DOTs and DNRs use different reporting thresholds, have varying search and reporting effort, and only have partial overlap in the parameters recorded. These differences also occur between DOTs and between DNRs, and oftentimes one and the same organization collects inconsistent data as certain parameters may only be recorded ‘sometimes’. These differences and inconsistencies affect the comparability and ultimately the usefulness of the data. Before an AR or AC program is initiated or improved, it is important to illustrate the needs and benefits of such data collection. We list the most important needs and benefits and provide considerations for the initiation or improvement of AR and AC data collection programs.

Objective: This study was undertaken to identify blood markers of juvenile dermatomyositis (DM) disease activity (DA), which are needed to improve disease management. Methods: The study comprised a total of 123 juvenile DM patients and 53 healthy controls. Results of laboratory tests (aldolase, creatinine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], aspartate aminotransferase) and clinical measures of DA in patients with juvenile DM, including the Manual Muscle Testing in 8 muscles (MMT‐8), Childhood Myositis Assessment Scale (CMAS), and disease activity scores (DAS) (total DAS for juvenile DM, the muscle DAS, and the skin DAS), were recorded when available. Surface phenotype of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was assessed using flow cytometry. Whole blood transcriptional profiles were studied using either RNA‐sequencing or microarrays. Differential gene expression was determined using DESeq and compared by pathway and gene ontology analyses. Results: Conventional memory (CD27+IgD–) B cells expressing low CXCR5 levels (CXCR5low/– CM B cells) were significantly increased in frequency and absolute numbers in 2 independent cohorts of juvenile DM patients compared with healthy controls. The frequency of CD4+ Th2 memory cells (CD45RA–CXCR5–CCR6–CXCR3–) was also increased in juvenile DM, especially in patients who were within <1 year from diagnosis. The frequency of CXCR5low/– CM B cells correlated with serum aldolase levels and with a blood interferon‐stimulated gene transcriptional signature. Furthermore, both the frequency and absolute numbers of CXCR5low/– CM B cells correlated with clinical and laboratory measures of muscle DA (MMT‐8, CMAS, aldolase, and LDH). Conclusion: These findings suggest that both CM B cells lacking the CXCR5 follicular marker and CXCR5– Th2 cells represent potential biomarkers of DA in juvenile DM and may contribute to its pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical Scenario: Acute patellar dislocations during adolescence often lead to future patellar instability. Two common treatment options include nonoperative treatment or operative repair of injured structures. Focused Clinical Question: In adolescents with acute patellar dislocation, how does operative stabilization compare with nonoperative treatment for reducing dislocation recurrence? Summary of Key Findings: Three studies were included: 2 randomized controlled trials and 1 nonrandomized study. All studies compared operative and nonoperative treatment outcomes in adolescents who experienced an acute patellar dislocation. Each study included nonoperative treatment such as patellar bracing and quadriceps strengthening. The operative treatments utilized in each study included lateral retinacular release and medial retinacular repair. All 3 of the studies included a follow-up of at least 6 years. Two of the studies concluded there to be no significant difference between treatment groups regarding redislocation rate, pain, and function. The third study reported a lower redislocation rate following operative treatment. Clinical Bottom Line: Reviewed evidence suggests that outcomes are similar when comparing operative and nonoperative treatment approaches with little agreement as to which is the optimal plan of action. Strength of Recommendation: One level II randomized controlled trial and a level III nonrandomized study suggest that patellar dislocation recurrence rates are similar among operative and nonoperative treatment approaches, while another level II randomized controlled trial suggests that an operative approach is superior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The survival, reproduction and birth rates of bison in Yellowstone National Park to study their overabundance in the park are examined. It is suggested that eradication of brucellosis by vaccination would result in an increase in their population, thus facilitating their movement outside the park.

The present study investigated processes by which job stress and satisfaction unfold over time by examining the relations between daily stressful events, mood, and these variables. Using a Web-based daily survey of stressor events, perceived strain, mood, and job satisfaction completed by 14 university workers, 1,060 occasions of data were collected. Transfer function analysis, a multivariate version of time series analysis, was used to examine the data for relationships among the measured variables after factoring out the contaminating influences of serial dependency. Results revealed a contrast effect in which a stressful event associated positively with higher strain on the same day and associated negatively with strain on the following day. Perceived strain increased over the course of a semester for a majority of participants, suggesting that effects of stress build over time. Finally, the data were consistent with the notion that job satisfaction is a distal outcome that is mediated by perceived strain.

A study was conducted to compare three sources of population samples being used in various research investigating the characteristics of children with alcoholic parents. Records of convicted drunk drivers and data from a survey conducted by the Health Maintenance Organization were evaluated together with telephone survey samples to determine the recruitment rate and efficiency of using these three sources. Results show that there are several effective methods for obtaining reliable community samples in studying children of alcoholic people.

The density-dependent changes in population growth rates for bison during 1970 to 2000 were detected as numbers increased from to more than 3000 animals. Results concluded that pulses of climate-induced dispersal of bison from the central herd to the northern range during winter could create a source-sink dynamic that worsens the current controversy about management of bison.

Codependency has been defined as an extreme focus on relationships, caused by a stressful family background (J. L. Fischer, L. Spann, & D. W. Crawford, 1991). In this study the authors assessed the relationship of the Spann-Fischer Codependency Scale (J. L. Fischer et al., 1991) and the Potter-Efron Codependency Assessment (L. A. Potter-Efron & P. S. Potter-Efron, 1989) with self-reported chronic family stress and family background. Students (N = 257) completed 2 existing self-report codependency measures and provided family background information. Results indicated that women had higher codependency scores than men on the Spann-Fischer scale. Students with a history of chronic family stress (with an alcoholic, mentally ill, or physically ill parent) had significantly higher codependency scores on both scales. The findings suggest that other types of family stressors, not solely alcoholism, may be predictors of codependency., THE CONCEPT OF CODEPENDENCY has been approached primarily from a qualitative and clinical standpoint. Many researchers have criticized the ambiguity of studies of codependency (Chiazzi & Liljegren, 1993; Frank & [...]

A novel heterobinuclear mixed valence complex [FeIIICuII(BPBPMP)(OAc)2]ClO4, 1, with the unsymmetrical N5O2 donor ligand 2-bis[{(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl}-6-{(2-hydroxybenzyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)}aminomethyl]-4-methylphenol (H2BPBPMP) has been synthesized and characterized. A combination of data from mass spectrometry, potentiometric titrations, X-ray absorption and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, as well as kinetics measurements indicates that in ethanol/water solutions an [FeIII–( μ)OH–CuIIOH2]+ species is generated which is the likely catalyst for 2,4-bis(dinitrophenyl)phosphate and DNA hydrolysis. Insofar as the data are consistent with the presence of an FeIII-bound hydroxide acting as a nucleophile during catalysis, 1 presents a suitable mimic for the hydrolytic enzyme purple acid phosphatase. Notably, 1 is significantly more reactive than its isostructural homologues with different metal composition (FeIIIMII, where MII is ZnII, MnII, NiII, or FeII). Of particular interest is the observation that cleavage of double-stranded plasmid DNA occurs even at very low concentrations of 1 (2.5 μM), under physiological conditions (optimum pH of 7.0), with a rate enhancement of 2.7×107 over the uncatalyzed reaction. Thus, 1 is one of the most effective model complexes to date, mimicking the function of nucleases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]