Response in nematocyst uptake by the nudibranch Flabellina verrucosa to the presence of various predators in the Southern Gulf of Maine.
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Aeolid nudibranchs maintain nematocysts sequestered from their cnidarian prey for protection against predators. Selection for nematocyst incorporation is a function of diet and prey choice, but ratios vary among nudibranchs feeding on a given diet, indicating that other factors may be involved. It is proposed that the presence of predators influences nematocyst incorporation. Nematocyst uptake in the nudibranch Flabellina verrucosa collected from the southern Gulf of Maine was examined in response to various potential predators, including Crossaster papposus, Tautogolabrus adspersus, and Carcinus maenas. Nudibranchs in individual flow-through containers feeding on a diet of the hydroids Tubularia spp. and Obelia geniculata were subjected to tanks containing a predator, then their nematocyst distribution was examined. Although most of the changes over the experimental period were attributable to diet, F. verrucosa responded to both T. adspersus and C. papposus by significantly increasing microbasic mastigophore incorporation. No differential uptake was seen with C. maenas. Response was evident in the nudibranchs both for predators present in the collection area and for those with which they had no previous exposure, indicating that F. verrucosa modulates nematocyst incorporation in response to the presence of predators as well as to diet. A coevolution of nudibranchs and potential predators may govern changes in nematocyst uptake. (+info)
Snowmobile fatalities--Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, 2002-2003.
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During the 2002-2003 winter season in northern New England, 28 deaths in three states were associated with the use of snowmobiles, more than reported during any of the previous 12 winter seasons. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services conducted a study to characterize these fatal injuries. This report describes the results of that study, which indicated that the leading contributors to snowmobile fatalities were excessive speed, inattentive or careless operation, and inexperience. Efforts to reduce snowmobile fatalities should focus on improving safety measures, including establishing speed limits, strengthening enforcement of snowmobile operating rules, and promoting safety education. (+info)
Alcohol use among adolescents and adults--New Hampshire, 1991-2003.
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Alcohol abuse is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Because binge and heavy drinking increase the risk for cirrhosis, cancer, heart disease, stroke, injury, and depression, public health efforts have focused on reducing these patterns of alcohol use. The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, the Association of State and Territorial Chronic Disease Program Directors, and CDC developed Indicators for Chronic Disease Surveillance, which provides a standard set of measures for alcohol surveillance. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services used these measures to facilitate statewide trend analysis of alcohol use among adolescents and adults. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that, in 2003, a total of 30.6% of adolescents reported binge drinking. In 2001, a total of 15.8% of adults reported binge drinking, and 6.3% reported heavy drinking. Interventions are needed to prevent adolescent drinking and to reduce excessive alcohol use among adults. (+info)
Adaptable defense: a nudibranch mucus inhibits nematocyst discharge and changes with prey type.
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Nudibranchs that feed on cnidarians must defend themselves from the prey's nematocysts or risk their own injury or death. While a nudibranch's mucus has been thought to protect the animal from nematocyst discharge, an inhibition of discharge by nudibranch mucus has never been shown. The current study investigated whether mucus from the aeolid nudibranch Aeolidia papillosa would inhibit nematocyst discharge from four species of sea anemone prey. Sea anemone tentacles were contacted with mucus-coated gelatin probes, and nematocyst discharge was quantified and compared with control probes of gelatin only. Mucus from A. papillosa inhibited the discharge of nematocysts from sea anemone tentacles. This inhibition was specifically limited to the anemone species on which the nudibranch had been feeding. When the prey species was changed, the mucus changed within 2 weeks to inhibit the nematocyst discharge of the new prey species. The nudibranchs apparently produce the inhibitory mucus rather than simply becoming coated in anemone mucus during feeding. Because of the intimate association between most aeolid nudibranchs and their prey, an adaptable mucus protection could have a significant impact on the behavior, distribution, and life history of the nudibranchs. (+info)
Radiologist uncertainty and the interpretation of screening.
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OBJECTIVE: To determine radiologists' reactions to uncertainty when interpreting mammography and the extent to which radiologist uncertainty explains variability in interpretive performance. METHODS: The authors used a mailed survey to assess demographic and clinical characteristics of radiologists and reactions to uncertainty associated with practice. Responses were linked to radiologists' actual interpretive performance data obtained from 3 regionally located mammography registries. RESULTS: More than 180 radiologists were eligible to participate, and 139 consented for a response rate of 76.8%. Radiologist gender, more years interpreting, and higher volume were associated with lower uncertainty scores. Positive predictive value, recall rates, and specificity were more affected by reactions to uncertainty than sensitivity or negative predictive value; however, none of these relationships was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Certain practice factors, such as gender and years of interpretive experience, affect uncertainty scores. Radiologists' reactions to uncertainty do not appear to affect interpretive performance. (+info)
Enhanced enforcement of laws to prevent alcohol sales to underage persons--New Hampshire, 1999-2004.
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In 1984, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act (Public Law 98-363) was passed, requiring states to raise to 21 years the minimum age to purchase and publicly possess alcohol. Although the law has contributed to substantial reductions in underage drinking and alcohol-related motor-vehicle crashes, alcohol use and binge drinking rates among youths remain high in the United States, and efforts by youths to purchase alcohol from licensed establishments frequently are successful. To reduce alcohol sales to persons aged <21 years in Concord (2000 population: 40,687), New Hampshire, the Concord Police Department (CPD) and New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC) conducted a pilot program of enhanced law enforcement with quarterly compliance checks of alcohol licenses during March 2002-February 2004. This report summarizes the results of that program, which indicated that enhanced enforcement 1) resulted in a 64% reduction in retail alcohol sales to underage youths and 2) was temporally associated with declines in alcohol use and binge drinking among Concord high school students. These findings emphasize the potential effectiveness of enhanced enforcement of minimum drinking age laws to reduce consumption of alcohol by underage youths. (+info)
Anatomic characteristics of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm on conventional CT scans: Implications for rupture risk.
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OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze anatomic characteristics of patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), with conventional two-dimensional computed tomography (CT), including comparison with control subjects matched for age, gender, and size. METHODS: Records were reviewed to identify all CT scans obtained at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center or referring hospitals before emergency AAA repair performed because of rupture or acute severe pain (RUP group). CT scans obtained before elective AAA repair (ELEC group) were reviewed for age and gender match with patients in the RUP group. More than 40 variables were measured on each CT scan. Aneurysm diameter matching was achieved by consecutively deleting the largest RUP scan and the smallest ELEC scan to prevent bias. RESULTS: CT scans were analyzed for 259 patients with AAAs: 122 RUP and 137 ELEC. Patients were well matched for age, gender, and other demographic variables or risk factors. Maximum AAA diameter was significantly different in comparisons of all patients (RUP, 6.5 +/- 2 cm vs ELEC, 5.6 +/- 1 cm; P <.0001), and mean diameter of ruptured AAAs was 5 mm smaller in female patients (6.1 +/- 2 cm vs 6.6 +/- 2 cm; P =.007). Two hundred patients were matched for diameter, gender, and age (100 from each group; maximum AAA diameter, 6.0 +/- 1 cm vs 6.0 +/- 1 cm). Analysis of diameter-matched AAAs indicated that most variables were statistically similar in the two groups, including infrarenal neck length (17 +/- 1 mm vs 19 +/- 1 mm; P =.3), maximum thrombus thickness (25 +/- 1 mm vs 23 +/- 1 mm, P =.4), and indices of body habitus, such as [(maximum AAA diameter)/(normal suprarenal aorta diameter)] or [(maximum AAA diameter)/(L3 transverse diameter)]. Multivariate analysis controlling for gender indicated that the most significant variables for rupture were aortic tortuosity (odds ratio [OR] 3.3, indicating greater risk with no or mild tortuosity), diameter asymmetry (OR, 3.2 for a 1-cm difference in major-minor axis), and current smoking (OR, 2.7, with the greater risk in current smokers). CONCLUSIONS: When matched for age, gender, and diameter, ruptured AAAs tend to be less tortuous, yet have greater cross-sectional diameter asymmetry. On conventional two-dimensional CT axial sections, it appears that when diameter asymmetry is associated with low aortic tortuosity, the larger diameter on axial sections more accurately reflects rupture risk, and when diameter asymmetry is associated with moderate or severe aortic tortuosity, the smaller diameter on axial sections more accurately reflects rupture risk. Current smoking is significantly associated with rupture, even when controlling for gender and AAA anatomy. (+info)
Lead poisoning associated with ayurvedic medications--five states, 2000-2003.
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Although approximately 95% of lead poisoning among U.S. adults results from occupational exposure, lead poisoning also can occur from use of traditional or folk remedies. Ayurveda is a traditional form of medicine practiced in India and other South Asian countries. Ayurvedic medications can contain herbs, minerals, metals, or animal products and are made in standardized and nonstandardized formulations. During 2000-2003, a total of 12 cases of lead poisoning among adults in five states associated with ayurvedic medications or remedies were reported to CDC. This report summarizes these 12 cases. Culturally appropriate educational efforts are needed to inform persons in populations using traditional or folk medications of the potential health risks posed by these remedies. (+info)