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C Carrington

Publications and source records attributed to C Carrington.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

A quantitative risk assessment for fumonisins B1 and B2 in US corn.

Quantitative risk analysis permits modifying risk estimates with changes in variables such as exposure. This analysis for exposure to the mycotoxin fumonism describes the magnitude of adverse effects, variability in the population and uncertainty of models as a range of possible outcomes. The most sensitive adverse response in rats, nephrotoxic lesions, was used for the dose-response analysis. Dietary intake of corn products was estimated from a 3-day consumption survey. Levels of corn in each product were estimated by standard methods. Fumonisin levels in corn products were estimated from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) surveillance data and distributions of fumonisin consumption were modelled for each eater in the survey population. Uncertainty for predictions made from each model and uncertainty resulting from model selection were described. Results of the dose-response and exposure analyses were assimilated in a two-dimensional Monte-Carlo simulation. Distributions representing variability and uncertainty were iteratively selected to form an array of estimates of the risk. On the basis of this analysis, current dietary levels of fumonisin would not result in renal lesions even at upper levels of exposure. To avoid toxicity at much higher doses, limiting corn intake would be more effective than would limiting the level of fumonisin in corn.

Animals↗

Use of quality-adjusted life year weights with dose-response models for public health decisions: a case study of the risks and benefits of fish consumption.

Risks associated with toxicants in food are often controlled by exposure reduction. When exposure recommendations are developed for foods with both harmful and beneficial qualities, however, they must balance the associated risks and benefits to maximize public health. Although quantitative methods are commonly used to evaluate health risks, such methods have not been generally applied to evaluating the health benefits associated with environmental exposures. A quantitative method for risk-benefit analysis is presented that allows for consideration of diverse health endpoints that differ in their impact (i.e., duration and severity) using dose-response modeling weighted by quality-adjusted life years saved. To demonstrate the usefulness of this method, the risks and benefits of fish consumption are evaluated using a single health risk and health benefit endpoint. Benefits are defined as the decrease in myocardial infarction mortality resulting from fish consumption, and risks are defined as the increase in neurodevelopmental delay (i.e., talking) resulting from prenatal methylmercury exposure. Fish consumption rates are based on information from Washington State. Using the proposed framework, the net health impact of eating fish is estimated in either a whole population or a population consisting of women of childbearing age and their children. It is demonstrated that across a range of fish methylmercury concentrations (0-1 ppm) and intake levels (0-25 g/day), individuals would have to weight the neurodevelopmental effects 6 times more (in the whole population) or 250 times less (among women of child-bearing age and their children) than the myocardial infarction benefits in order to be ambivalent about whether or not to consume fish. These methods can be generalized to evaluate the merits of other public health and risk management programs that involve trade-offs between risks and benefits.

Adolescent↗

TM domain swapping of murine leukemia virus and human T-cell leukemia virus envelopes confers different infectious abilities despite similar incorporation into virions.

We investigated the influence of transmembrane protein (TM) domains on incorporation of retroviral envelopes into virions and on infectivity. We introduced complete, truncated, or chimeric Friend murine leukemia virus (F-MuLV) and human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) envelopes into an MuLV particle-producing complementation cell line. As shown previously for HTLV-1 envelopes containing extracellular domains of F-MuLV TM (C. Denesvre, P. Sonigo, A. Corbin, H. Ellerbrok, and M. Sitbon, J. Virol. 69:4149-4157, 1995), reverse chimeric F-MuLV envelopes containing the extracellular domain of HTLV-1 TM were not processed. In contrast, a chimeric MuLV envelope containing the entire HTLV membrane-spanning and cytoplasmic domains (FHTMi) was efficiently processed, fusogenic as tested in a cell-to-cell assay, and efficiently incorporated into MuLV particles. However, these MuLV particles bearing FHTMi envelope proteins could not infect mouse or rat cells which are susceptible to wild-type F-MuLV. Therefore, envelopes which are readily fusogenic in cell-to-cell assays and also efficiently incorporated into virions may not necessarily confer virus-to-cell fusogenicity. HTLV envelopes, whether parental, chimeric (containing the MuLV cytoplasmic tail) or with a truncated cytoplasmic domain, were incorporated into MuLV particles with equal efficiencies, indicating that the cytoplasmic tails of these envelopes did not determine their incorporation into virions. In contrast to FHTMi envelope, HTLV-1 envelopes with F-MuLV membrane-spanning and cytoplasmic domains, as well as wild-type HTLV-1 envelopes, conferred virion infectivity. These results help to define requirements for envelope incorporation into retroviral particles and their cell-free infectivity.

3T3 Cells↗

The detection of lipase activity in bacteria using novel chromogenic substrates.

The propionate (Pro), decanoate (Dec) and laurate (Lau) esters of 5-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenylmethylene)-2-thioxothiazoline++ +-3-acetic acid were assessed as substrates for lipase and esterase. On hydrolysis these substrates yield an intensely red coloured phenol which could be assayed at 505 nm. The Pro ester was an effective substrate for porcine esterase and was hydrolysed at a rate 20 times greater than the Lau and Dec esters. Conversely, Pseudomonas lipase had a high activity towards the Lau and Dec esters, especially in the presence of bovine serum albumin, but little activity towards the Pro ester. The Dec and Lau were used to detect lipolytic activity in Pseudomonas strains associated with milk spoilage. For this purpose, the substrates were absorbed onto filter paper disks, which were placed over bacterial colonies growing on agar plates; activity was indicated by bright red colouration of discs within 2 h. Escherichia coli colonies hydrolysed the Pro but not the Lau or Dec esters.

Benzoates↗

A nurse-led clinic for managing venous leg ulcers.

There is no shortage of research on wound care, particularly the care and management of venous leg ulcers. However, care is often fragmented and patients do not always receive treatment based on the latest evidence. This paper describes the establishment of a nurse-led leg ulcer clinic in a day hospital. The author has found reflective practice helpful in setting up this service.

Humans↗