Are material safety data sheets (MSDS) useful in the diagnosis and management of occupational contact dermatitis?

This study assesses both the success of medical practitioners in accessing hazardous substances' information from product manufacturers and the accuracy and clinical usefulness of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) presented by workers with suspected occupational contact dermatitis (OCD). 00 consecutively presented MSDS were collected from 42 workers attending an occupational dermatology clinic. Product manufacturers were contacted to verify ingredients. MSDS were evaluated for compliance with the Australian criteria for listing of OCD relevant information (sensitizers present at a concentration > or =1%, irritants present at a concentration > or =20%), and for clinical usefulness. All sensitizers were checked for clinical relevance to the worker's dermatitis. Manufacturers supplied product constituents for 77/100 MSDS. 58 MSDS satisfied the Australian standard. 57/58 MSDS were deemed clinically useful. Irritants were listed for 19/23 MSDS and sensitizers were listed for 30/68 MSDS (P = 0.001). 3 MSDS contained sensitizers, which were clinically relevant to the presenting worker's dermatitis, 1 appropriately listed, 1 present at > or =1% but not listed, and 1 present at <1% in the product and therefore, not required to be listed. Sensitizers are frequently omitted from MSDS and clinicians are often unsuccessful in obtaining crucial information from manufacturers. MSDS are inadequate for the protection and diagnosis of workers with suspected OCD.

Effect of retinal image defocus on the thickness of the human choroid

PURPOSE: To describe the time-course and amplitude of changes to sub-foveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) induced by imposed hyperopic and myopic retinal defocus and to compare the responses in emmetropic and myopic subjects. METHODS: Twelve East Asian subjects (age: 18-34 years; six were emmetropic and six had myopia between -2.00 and -5.00 dioptres (D)) viewed a distant target (video movie at 6 m) for 60 min on two separate occasions while optical coherence tomography (OCT) images of the choroid were taken in both eyes every 5 min to monitor SFCT. On each occasion, one eye was optimally corrected for distance with a contact lens while the other eye wore a contact lens imposing either 2.00 D hyperopic or 2.00 D myopic retinal defocus. RESULTS: Baseline SFCT in myopic eyes (mean ± S.D.): 256 ± 42 μm was significantly less than in emmetropic eyes (423 ± 62 μm; p < 0.01) and was correlated with magnitude of myopia (-39 μm per dioptre of myopia, R(2) = 0.67: p < 0.01). Repeated measures anova (General Linear Model) analysis revealed that in both subject groups, 2.00 D of myopic defocus caused a rapid increase in SFCT in the defocussed eye (significant by 10 min, increasing to approximately 20 μm within 60 min: p < 0.01), with little change in the control eye. In contrast, 2.00 D of hyperopic defocus caused a decrease in SFCT in the experimental eye (significant by 20-35 min. SFCT decreased by approximately 20 μm within 60 min: p < 0.01) with little change in the control eye. CONCLUSIONS: Small but significant changes in SFCT (5-8%) were caused by retinal defocus. SFCT increased within 10 min of exposure to 2.00 D of monocular myopic defocus, but decreased more slowly in response to 2.00 D of monocular hyperopic defocus. In our relatively small sample we could detect no difference in the magnitude of changes to SFCT caused by defocus in myopic eyes compared to emmetropic eyes.

The effect of marine and non-marine phospholipid rich oils when fed to juvenile barramundi (Lates calcarifer)

An experiment was conducted to assess the response of juvenile barramundi (Lates calcarifer) to four diets containing either marine- or non-marine derived neutral lipid (NL) or polar lipid (PL) sources for eight weeks in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The four diets contained 8.2% added lipid composed of a 1% fish oil base with 7.2% test lipid (n - 3 NL: Fish oil, n - 3 PL: Krill oil, n - 6 NL: Soybean oil, n - 6 PL: Soybean lecithin). The results demonstrated that the different lipid sources (either n - 3 or n - 6 omega series from either NL or PL class) had significant effects on growth performance and feed utilisation with some interaction terms noted. Growth was negatively affected in the n - 6 NL fish and the feed conversion (FCR) was highest in the n - 6 PL fish. Digestibility of total lipid and some specific fatty acids (notably 18:2n - 6 and 18:3n - 3) were also negatively affected in the n - 6 PL fish. Analysis of the whole body neutral lipid fatty acid composition showed that these mirrored those of the diets and significant interaction terms were noted. However, the whole body polar lipid fatty acids appeared to be more tightly regulated in comparison. The blood plasma biochemistry and hepatic transcription of several fatty acid metabolism genes in the n - 6 PL fed and to a lesser extent in the n - 6 NL fed fish demonstrated a pattern consistent with modified metabolic function. These results support that there are potential advantages in using phospholipid-rich oils however there are clear differences in terms of their origin. Statement of relevance: Juvenile barramundi may benefit from dietary phospholipid.

Endurance training in early life results in long-term programming of heart mass in rats

Being born small for gestational age increases the risk of developing adult cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. This study aimed to examine if early-life exercise could increase heart mass in the adult hearts from growth restricted rats. Bilateral uterine vessel ligation to induce uteroplacental insufficiency and fetal growth restriction in the offspring (Restricted) or sham surgery (Control) was performed on day 18 of gestation in WKY rats. A separate group of sham litters had litter size reduced to five pups at birth (Reduced litter), which restricted postnatal growth. Male offspring remained sedentary or underwent treadmill running from 5 to 9 weeks (early exercise) or 20 to 24 weeks of age (later exercise). Remarkably, in Control, Restricted, and Reduced litter groups, early exercise increased (P < 0.05) absolute and relative (to body mass) heart mass in adulthood. This was despite the animals being sedentary for ~4 months after exercise. Later exercise also increased adult absolute and relative heart mass (P < 0.05). Blood pressure was not significantly altered between groups or by early or later exercise. Phosphorylation of Akt Ser(473) in adulthood was increased in the early exercise groups but not the later exercise groups. Microarray gene analysis and validation by real-time PCR did not reveal any long-term effects of early exercise on the expression of any individual genes. In summary, early exercise programs the heart for increased mass into adulthood, perhaps by an upregulation of protein synthesis based on greater phosphorylation of Akt Ser(473).

Foam rolling for delayed-onset muscle soreness and recovery of dynamic performance measures

Context: After an intense bout of exercise, foam rolling is thought to alleviate muscle fatigue and soreness (ie, delayed-onset muscle soreness [DOMS]) and improve muscular performance. Potentially, foam rolling may be an effective therapeutic modality to reduce DOMS while enhancing the recovery of muscular performance. Objective: To examine the effects of foam rolling as a recovery tool after an intense exercise protocol through assessment of pressure-pain threshold, sprint time, change-of-direction speed, power, and dynamic strength-endurance. Design: Controlled laboratory study. Setting: University laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 8 healthy, physically active males (age = 22.1 ± 2.5 years, height = 177.0 ± 7.5 cm, mass = 88.4 ± 11.4 kg) participated. Intervention(s): Participants performed 2 conditions, separated by 4 weeks, involving 10 sets of 10 repetitions of back squats at 60% of their 1-repetition maximum, followed by either no foam rolling or 20 minutes of foam rolling immediately, 24, and 48 hours postexercise. Main Outcome Measure(s): Pressure-pain threshold, sprint speed (30-m sprint time), power (broad-jump distance), change-of-direction speed (T-test), and dynamic strength-endurance. Results: Foam rolling substantially improved quadriceps muscle tenderness by a moderate to large amount in the days after fatigue (Cohen d range, 0.59 to 0.84). Substantial effects ranged from small to large in sprint time (Cohen d range, 0.68 to 0.77), power (Cohen d range, 0.48 to 0.87), and dynamic strength-endurance (Cohen d = 0.54). Conclusions: Foam rolling effectively reduced DOMS and associated decrements in most dynamic performance measures.

Well-being achievement in Pacific Asia

The world has undergone rapid and tremendous change in recent decades. While many nations have achieved ever-higher per capita incomes, and higher well-being according to traditional measures, they have also experienced profound internal change. This change has lead to widespread concerns regarding social exclusion, human security, levels of personal satisfaction and happiness. Other countries have faired much less well, as according to many well-being measures they are worse off than they were 10 or 20 years ago. Life expectancies, for example, have fallen dramatically in many countries and are likely to fall substantially in others. The incidence of income poverty is higher today in many countries than it was ten years ago. Worldwide, more than a billion people currently live on less than one dollar per day. Social science research on living standards, human well-being and quality of life has come a long way over recent years, altering in response to changing global conditions, new research priorities, new conceptualisations and improved data resources. Twenty five years ago, national well-being achievement comparisons relied very heavily, and in some circles exclusively, on measures of income per capita. The same exercise would today be based a range of indicators, including summary measures of human well-being such as the well-known Human Development Index (UNDP, 2005). This is consistent with the commonly accepted view that human well-being is best treated as a multidimensional concept along the lines advocated by Sen (1985, 1993), Stewart (1985), Doyal & Gough (1991), Ramsay (1992), Cummins (1996), Narayan et al. (2000) or Nussbaum (2000) and others, as summarised in Alkire (2002). This view tends not to reject the relevance of income based or economic measures per se, simply positing that there is more to well-being achievement than simply increasing incomes. The widespread acceptance that well-being is multidimensional has more recently been accompanied by another important recognition. This relates not so much to current levels of well-being, but to the likelihood of declines in future levels. This recognition has spawned a rapidly growing literature on what is now termed as ‘vulnerability’. The vulnerability literature has primarily been concerned with the likelihood of individuals falling below the poverty line, be it defined in terms of income, consumption or health. Among the influential early vulnerability studies are Ravallion (1998), Jalan & Ravallion (1998) and Dercon & Krishnan (1999), each of which distinguished between transient and chronic poverty.

Insulin-regulated aminopeptidase : analysis of peptide substrate and inhibitor binding to the catalytic domain

Peptide inhibitors of insulin-regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP) accelerate spatial learning and facilitate memory retention and retrieval by binding competitively to the catalytic site of the enzyme and inhibiting its catalytic activity. IRAP belongs to the M1 family of Zn2+-dependent aminopeptidases characterized by a catalytic domain that contains two conserved motifs, the HEXXH(X)18E Zn2+-binding motif and the GXMEN exopeptidase motif. To elucidate the role of GXMEN in binding peptide substrates and competitive inhibitors, site-directed mutagenesis was performed on the motif. Non-conserved mutations of residues G428, A429 and N432 resulted in mutant enzymes with altered catalytic activity, as well as divergent changes in kinetic properties towards the synthetic substrate leucine β-naphthalamide. The affinities of the IRAP inhibitors angiotensin IV, Nle1-angiotensin IV, and LVV-hemorphin-7 were selectively decreased. Substrate degradation studies using the in vitro substrates vasopressin and Leu-enkephalin showed that replacement of G428 by either D, E or Q selectively abolished the catalysis of Leu-enkephalin, while [A429G]IRAP and [N432A]IRAP mutants were incapable of cleaving both substrates. These mutational studies indicate that G428, A429 and N432 are important for binding of both peptide substrates and inhibitors, and confirm previous results demonstrating that peptide IRAP inhibitors competitively bind to its catalytic site.

Impact of a rub and rinse on solution-induced corneal staining

Purpose. To investigate whether the inclusion of a rub and rinse step before contact lens disinfection has an impact on solution-induced corneal staining.

Methods. This was a prospective, double-masked, single investigator study. Twenty participants were recruited for two visits, where balafilcon-A lenses were worn bilaterally for 2 h. Each pair of lenses was prepared using two different methodologies. The &ldquo;control&rdquo; lens was transferred from the blister pack directly into a storage case containing polyhexamethylene biguanide-based lens care solution. The contralateral &ldquo;test&rdquo; lens was rubbed and simultaneously rinsed using the same polyhexamethylene biguanide-based care solution, for either 60 s (visit 1) or 20 s (visit 2). Both lenses were then soaked in the solution overnight. After baseline corneal staining assessments, the lenses were inserted following a randomized contralateral model. After 2 h, lenses were removed, corneal staining was regraded, and comfort scores were obtained.

Results. Rubbed and rinsed test lenses induced significantly less corneal staining than control lenses for all participants during visit 1 (mean ± SD: 516 ± 843 vs. 2170 ± 902; p < 0.001) and visit 2 (522 ± 417 vs. 2091 ± 965; p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the test lenses during visits 1 and 2 (p = 0.72) or controls (p = 0.50). Comfort scores did not differ between eyes (p > 0.05).

Conclusions. Corneal staining induced after 2 h of lens wear with the combination of balafilcon-A and polyhexamethylene biguanide-based lens care solution can be significantly reduced by including a rub and rinse step before overnight soaking. Further work is required to establish the longevity of this effect during the monthly wearing cycle.

Interobserver reliability of classification and characterization of proximal humeral fractures: a comparison of two and three-dimensional CT

Interobserver reliability for the classification of proximal humeral fractures is limited. The aim of this study was to test the null hypothesis that interobserver reliability of the AO classification of proximal humeral fractures, the preferred treatment, and fracture characteristics is the same for two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) computed tomography (CT). Members of the Science of Variation Group--fully trained practicing orthopaedic and trauma surgeons from around the world--were randomized to evaluate radiographs and either 2-D CT or 3-D CT images of fifteen proximal humeral fractures via a web-based survey and respond to the following four questions: (1) Is the greater tuberosity displaced? (2) Is the humeral head split? (3) Is the arterial supply compromised? (4) Is the glenohumeral joint dislocated? They also classified the fracture according to the AO system and indicated their preferred treatment of the fracture (operative or nonoperative). Agreement among observers was assessed with use of the multirater kappa (κ) measure. Interobserver reliability of the AO classification, fracture characteristics, and preferred treatment generally ranged from "slight" to "fair." A few small but statistically significant differences were found. Observers randomized to the 2-D CT group had slightly but significantly better agreement on displacement of the greater tuberosity (κ = 0.35 compared with 0.30, p < 0.001) and on the AO classification (κ = 0.18 compared with 0.17, p = 0.018). A subgroup analysis of the AO classification results revealed that shoulder and elbow surgeons, orthopaedic trauma surgeons, and surgeons in the United States had slightly greater reliability on 2-D CT, whereas surgeons in practice for ten years or less and surgeons from other subspecialties had slightly greater reliability on 3-D CT. Proximal humeral fracture classifications may be helpful conceptually, but they have poor interobserver reliability even when 3-D rather than 2-D CT is utilized. This may contribute to the similarly poor interobserver reliability that was observed for selection of the treatment for proximal humeral fractures. The lack of a reliable classification confounds efforts to compare the outcomes of treatment methods among different clinical trials and reports.

Independent and joint associations of TV viewing time and snack food consumption with the metabolic syndrome and its components; a cross-sectional study in Australian adults

Background</b>:
Television (TV) viewing time is positively associated with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adults. However, the mechanisms through which TV viewing time is associated with MetS risk remain unclear. There is evidence that the consumption of energy-dense, nutrient poor snack foods increases during TV viewing time among adults, suggesting that these behaviors may jointly contribute towards MetS risk. While the association between TV viewing time and the MetS has previously been shown to be independent of adult’s overall dietary intake, the specific influence of snack food consumption on the relationship is yet to be investigated. The purpose of this study was to examine the independent and joint associations of daily TV viewing time and snack food&nbsp;consumption with the MetS and its components in a sample of Australian adults.

Methods:
Population-based, cross-sectional study of 3,110 women and 2,572 men (>35 years) without diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Participants were recruited between May 1999 and Dec 2000 in the six states and the Northern Territory of Australia. Participants were categorised according to self-reported TV viewing time (low: 0-2 hr/d; high: >2 hr/d) and/or consumption of snack foods (low: 0-3 serves/d; high: >3 serves/d). Multivariate odds ratios [95% CI] for the MetS and its components were estimated using gender-specific, forced entry logistic regression.

Results:
OR [95% CI] for the MetS was 3.59 [2.25, 5.74] (p≤0.001) in women and 1.45 [1.02, 3.45] (p = 0.04) in men who jointly reported high TV viewing time and high snack food consumption. Obesity, insulin resistance and&nbsp;hypertension (women only) were also jointly associated with high TV viewing time and high snack food&nbsp;consumption. Further adjustment for diet quality and central adiposity maintained the associations in women. High snack food consumption was also shown to be independently associated with MetS risk [OR: 1.94 (95% CI: 1.45, 2.60), p < 0.001] and hypertension [OR: 1.43 (95% CI: 1.01, 2.02), p = 0.05] in women only. For both men and women, high TV viewing time was independently associated with the MetS and its individual components (except hypertension).

Conclusion:
TV viewing time and snack food consumption are independently and jointly associated with the MetS and its components, particularly in women. In addition to physical activity, population strategies targeting MetS prevention should address high TV time and excessive snack food intake.

Inhibition of the secretion of LH in ovariectomised pigs by sustained but not repeated acute elevation of cortisol in the absence but not the presence of oestradiol

Prolonged stress is known to impair reproduction. It has been proposed that reproduction will also be impaired when a severe acute stress occurs during a period of elevated plasma concentrations of oestradiol, such as during the follicular phase of the oestrous cycle. In this experiment, we hypothesised that repeated acute and sustained elevation of cortisol would suppress the secretion of LH in ovariectomised pigs and that these effects would be enhanced in the presence of oestradiol negative feedback. Cortisol (or vehicle) was administered 12 hourly to ovariectomised pigs (n=6/treatment) for 8 days in the absence of oestradiol treatment and for a further 8 days during treatment with oestradiol. Vehicle was administered to 'control' pigs, 10 or 20 mg cortisol was administered i.v. to pigs to produce 'repeated acute' elevation of cortisol and 250 mg cortisol was administered i.m. to pigs to give a 'sustained' elevation of cortisol. Both before and during treatment with oestradiol, plasma concentrations of LH were monitored on the day before treatment, on the 4th and 8th days of treatment and following an i.v. injection of GnRH at the end of the 8th day of treatment. The repeated acute elevation of cortisol did not impair any parameters of LH secretion (i.e. mean plasma concentrations of LH, pulse amplitude or frequency, pre-LH pulse nadir or the LH response to GnRH) in the absence or in the presence of oestradiol. In contrast, when the elevation of cortisol was sustained, the mean plasma concentrations of LH and the pre-LH pulse nadir were significantly (P<0.05) lower on the 8th day of treatment than on the day before treatment and on the 4th day of treatment. Nevertheless, no other parameters of LH secretion were affected and these effects only occurred in the absence (not in the presence) of oestradiol. In conclusion, cortisol needed to be elevated for more than 4 days to impair the secretion of LH, and oestradiol did not enhance the impact of cortisol on LH secretion in ovariectomised pigs.

Potential degrading effect of sodium hypochlorite on exhibits containing DNA

The use of a sodium hypochlorite solution as a cleaning reagent is common practice among many laboratories for contamination minimisation purposes. Whilst its effectiveness in the decontamination of tools and surfaces has been verified at specific concentrations, it has not yet been established whether any residual sodium hypochlorite potentially remaining on tools/surfaces following cleaning has a detrimental effect if direct contact is made with an exhibit containing DNA. To investigate the effect of residual hypochlorite, surfaces were treated with 10% hypochlorite (air-dried or wiped dry), 1% hypochlorite (air-dried or wiped dry), or 1% hypochlorite (wiped dry) followed by the application of water (wiped dry). Treated surfaces came into contact with surfaces carrying 200. ng of DNA within 100. μL, or 20. ng within 20. μL. To observe the potential degrading effects of sodium hypochlorite, the quantity and quality of DNA within DNA deposits following contact with treated and untreated surfaces were compared. Overall, no degrading effect on DNA quantity/quality was observed, with the exception of DNA deposits that came into contact with surfaces treated with 10% hypochlorite and air-dried. It is therefore recommended that surfaces cleaned with high concentrations of hypochlorite be wiped dry or rinsed with an appropriate agent (water) following application.

Arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid metabolism in juvenile Atlantic Salmon as affected by water temperature

Salmons raised in aquaculture farms around the world are increasingly subjected to sub-optimal environmental conditions, such as high water temperatures during summer seasons. Aerobic scope increases and lipid metabolism changes are known plasticity responses of fish for a better acclimation to high water temperature. The present study aimed at investigating the effect of high water temperature on the regulation of fatty acid metabolism in juvenile Atlantic salmon fed different dietary ARA/EPA ratios (arachidonic acid, 20:4n-6/ eicosapentaenoic acid, 20:5n-3), with particular focus on apparent in vivo enzyme activities and gene expression of lipid metabolism pathways. Three experimental diets were formulated to be identical, except for the ratio EPA/ARA, and fed to triplicate groups of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) kept either at 10&deg;C or 20&deg;C. Results showed that fatty acid metabolic utilisation, and likely also their dietary requirements for optimal performance, can be affected by changes in their relative levels and by environmental temperature in Atlantic salmon. Thus, the increase in temperature, independently from dietary treatment, had a significant effect on the β-oxidation of a fatty acid including EPA, as observed by the apparent in vivo enzyme activity and mRNA expression of pparα -transcription factor in lipid metabolism, including β-oxidation genes- and cpt1 -key enzyme responsible for the movement of LC-PUFA from the cytosol into the mitochondria for β-oxidation-, were both increased at the higher water temperature. An interesting interaction was observed in the transcription and in vivo enzyme activity of &Delta;5fad-time-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis pathway of EPA and ARA. Such, at lower temperature, the highest mRNA expression and enzyme activity was recorded in fish with limited supply of dietary EPA, whereas at higher temperature these were recorded in fish with limited ARA supply. In consideration that fish at higher water temperature recorded a significantly increased feed intake, these results clearly suggested that at high, sub-optimal water temperature, fish metabolism attempted to increment its overall ARA status -the most bioactive LC-PUFA participating in the inflammatory response- by modulating the metabolic fate of dietary ARA (expressed as % of net intake), reducing its β-oxidation and favouring synthesis and deposition. This correlates also with results from other recent studies showing that both immune- and stress- responses in fish are up regulated in fish held at high temperatures. This is a novel and fundamental information that warrants industry and scientific attention, in consideration of the imminent increase in water temperatures, continuous expansion of aquaculture operations, resources utilisation in aquafeed and much needed seasonal/adaptive nutritional strategies.

Dependence of deformation behavior on grain size and strain rate in an ultrahigh strength-ductile Mn-based TRIP alloy

A novel ultra-high strength TRIP (transformation induced plasticity) steel, with ~1.5. GPa strength and good ductility of ~26% has been produced. The microstructure consists of ultrafine ferrite, and a large volume fraction of austenite. The flow stress was significantly increased by a reduction in the grain size, but the effect of strain rate on the flow stress was negligible. The formation of stress induced martensite was found to increase linearly with strain, and a reduction in the grain size correlated with an increase in the stress required to form the martensite.