The aim was to investigate the factors influencing light emission from Photobacterium phosphoreum in the Microtox test to interpret bioassay results for urine. Four reference urines were assessed as reference materials for the bioassay. Nicotine and cotinine were investigated as urinary markers for tobacco exposure. The optimum luminescence conditions were: 1.85%-3.25% NaCl, 0.33-0.58 mol/L ionic strength, and pH 5.8-6.7. Low pH values and high concentration of toxic trace metals were important factors in this study. Unexpected toxicity for a Standard Reference Material was attributed to zinc contamination. Nicotine and cotinine together exhibited antagonistic effects in 2% saline but this could not be observed in the urines because of substantial urine toxicity. Thus practical urinary biological monitoring with the Microtox test necessitates excretion of metabolites and compounds that are much more toxic than the urine components. Also, separation of the effects of physical factors like pH, ionic strength and dilution is essential before chemical toxicity effects can be assigned. This is the first report of Microtox EC50 values for nicotine and cotinine. The results have application to environmental samples since analyses are often uncontrolled relative to pH, ionic strength and dilution.

Biological Assay↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Nutrient-induced changes in intestinal blood flow in the dog.

The cardiovascular response to feeding consists of two phases. The anticipation/ingestion phase is a brief, generalized cardiovascular response mediated by sympathetic neural activity. The digestive/absorptive phase is a longer, locally mediated vascular response to luminal nutrients. This post-prandial hyperaemia is localized primarily to the intestinal segment and tissue layer (mucosa) exposed to chyme. The stimuli for this hyperaemia are the digested products of food, and bile. Micellar fatty acids induce the greatest hyperaemia, followed by glucose. Individual amino acids have little effect, but by-products of protein digestion may increase blood flow. Bile enhances the glucose-induced hyperaemia and renders fatty acids and amino acids vasoactive. The mechanisms involved in the initiation and maintenance of the hyperaemia are complex and involve numerous factors that may vary with the type of nutrient. The factors involved include intestinal activity such as absorption, motility and secretion, tissue oxidative metabolism, adenosine, tissue oxygen tension, the enteric nervous system, gastrointestinal peptides such as vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and paracrine substances such as histamine and prostanoids. The post prandial intestinal hyperaemia is probably the net result of the complex interaction of all these factors on the intestinal vascular smooth muscle.

Animal Feed↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Fungus allergens inside and outside the residences of atopic and control children.

Airborne fungi were collected during the peak fungus season, using the N6 Andersen sampler inside and outside the homes of 46 asthmatic children, 20 atopic children, and 26 nonatopic control children in the Taipei area. The geometric mean fungus concentrations of the asthmatic, atopic, and control groups were found to be 565, 411, and 608 colony-forming units (CFU) per m3 in the living rooms; 659, 464, and 602 CFU m3 in the bedrooms; and 547, 449, and 668 CFU m3 outdoors; respectively. Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium were observed to be the most common microfungi, both indoors and outdoors. High correlations between indoor fungus levels (living rooms or bedrooms) and the corresponding outdoor levels were observed for these predominant genera. With regard to the Aspergillus species composition, A. flavus and A. niger were observed to be predominant and are, therefore, recommended to be included on a skin test panel. Moreover, among these three groups, there were statistically significant concentration differences for Cladosporium and Penicillium.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Inhibition of pulmonary eosinophilia and hyperreactivity by antibodies to interleukin-5.

Eosinophils infiltrate into the lungs during asthma and may cause the damage associated with pulmonary inflammation. In allergic animal models, antibodies to interleukin (IL)-5 inhibit pulmonary eosinophilia, tissue damage and hyperreactivity. Sch 55700, a humanized antibody against human IL-5, inhibits eosinophilia in these models with an extended biological duration. On the basis of this dosing regimen and the humanized nature of Sch 55700, it is anticipated that the host response leading to tolerance would be minimized.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of hypoallergenic formula on the occurrence of allergic diseases in high risk infants.

To study the influence of hypoallergenic milk on the occurrence of allergic diseases, thirty-three high risk, normal full-term newborns were divided into two groups with comparable family allergy score (FAS) and cord serum IgE. Group A consisted of 18 babies fed since birth with regular formula, while group B included 15 babies fed breast milk and/or NAN H.A. (Hypoallergenic infant formula) for the first 6 months of life. Close clinical observations for the appearance of atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and wheezing as well as serial examination of total serum IgE and milk-specific IgE antibodies were done during the first year of life. The results showed: 1) Infants fed regular formula had a higher incidence of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) and allergic rhinitis (AR) than those fed NAN H.A. (39% vs 13% for AD; and 33% vs 13% for AR), but the difference was not significant. There was no difference in the incidence of wheezing between these two groups; 2) There was no relationship between cord blood IgE and FAS; 3) Neither the cord blood IgE nor FAS influenced the occurrence of allergic diseases and total serum IgE at one year of age; 4) Hypoallergenic milk (NAN H.A.) could support normal growth and development. In conclusion, a higher incidence of moderate to severe AD and AR was found in high risk infants fed regular formula than in those fed hypoallergenic milk. However, a study with a larger number of babies and a longer period of follow-up is needed to obtain a solid conclusion.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[A case report of fatal asthma in children].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Asthma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Childhood leukemia mimicking juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis is a known manifestation of childhood leukemia. When it is the sole clinical finding, diagnosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) may be impressed initially and hence delay diagnosis of the underlying malignancy. This review analysed the clinical pictures of six such patients whose acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was diagnosed after a variable period of delay, ranging from 2 weeks to 44 months. In general, initial articular and extra-articular symptoms, and responses to conventional treatment, are not helpful in differentiating leukemic arthropathy from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. However, the six ALL patients did have significantly less leukocytosis (6834 +/- 1586 vs 13365 +/- 8039/mm3, p < 0.05) and relative lymphocytosis (61 +/- 17% vs 30 +/- 13%, p < 0.05) on the initial hemograms when compared with JRA patient findings. JRA patients with initial hemograms showing less leukocytosis and relative lymphocytosis should be followed up with a high index of suspicion. Work-up for leukemia should be performed in any JRA patient with an evolving hemogram showing anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia and lymphocytosis. Those who have an intractable clinical course necessitating immunosuppressive therapy should also receive bone marrow examination to obviate confusion in interpreting follow-up laboratory data. It can not be overemphasized that the differential diagnosis of acute leukemia should be made before JRA is impressed.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse therapy on children with severe active lupus nephritis.

We conducted a preliminary study of monthly intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVCY) therapy on children with active lupus nephritis to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of IVCY pulse therapy. From June 1993 to May 1994, 13 patients (mean age: 14 +/- 0.9 years old; female: male = 11:2) with active lupus nephritis were treated with intermittent IVCY in addition to their regular corticosteroid therapy. Criteria for patients who received intermittent IVCY therapy were associated with any one of the following conditions: 1) with renal biopsy-proved diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis; 2) with nephrotic syndrome and are inert to high dose of prednisolone therapy; and 3) with severe side effect of steroid therapy. Cyclophosphamide (CY) was administrated monthly for the first 6 doses, and at 2 to 3-month interval afterward for 2 years. The mean IVCY pulses per patient was 6.5 +/- 0.5 times. The initial dose of CY was 0.5 gm/mm2, then gradually increased to 1 gm/mm2 with a monthly increment of 0.25 gm/mm2. After 6 months, cyclophosphamide treatment was associated with significant improvement in mean levels of serum C3 (41.6 +/- 5.1 vs. 96.7 +/- 11.3 mg/dl), C4 (11.7 +/- 1.1 vs. 35.3 +/- 5.0 mg/dl) and anti-DNA titer (65.4 +/- 17.1 vs. 9.1 +/- 2.8 IU/ml) (all p < 0.01), despite a significant reduction in mean prednisolone dosage (48.5 +/- 4.8 vs. 15.6 +/- 3.2 mg/day; p < 0.01). The mean creatinine clearance also improved significantly from 44.7 +/- 5.7 to 81.9 +/- 2.7 ml/min/1.73 mm2 (p < 0.01) after 6 months of therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Phenotypic and functional analysis of natural killer cells in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) manifested with multiple autoantibodies production and glomerulonephritis, is the best example of systemic autoimmune diseases. To further elucidate the role of cytokines and the potential involvement of natural killer cells (NK cells) in the pathogenesis of lupus, phenotypic analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), NK cells cytotoxicity and cytokines production pattern of SLE patients and normal controls were examined. In addition, the effect of a variety of cytokines on anti-dsDNA antibodies production was also investigated. Our results showed that: (a) there was an increased percentage of memory T cells and decreased percentage of NK cells in SLE patients when compared to normal controls (p < 0.05); (b) a decreased production of cytokines like gamma-IFN in mitogen-stimulated PBMCs was also noted in SLE patients; (c) cytolytic activity of NK cells was markedly reduced in SLE patients (p < 0.05); (d) spontaneous secretion of IgG anti-dsDNA antibodies by B cells isolated from SLE patients could be inhibited by gamma-IFN, but not by IL-2, IL-4 and IL-5. These data suggested that decreased functions of NK cells and related type 1 T helper cells be closely related to the immune dysregulation and autoantibodies production in SLE.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Change of chemokines during immunotherapy in asthmatic children.

Histamine-releasing factor (HRF) consists of a group of cytokines that can cause basophil/mast cell to release histamine, however, the composition of HRF still remains undefined. This study was designed to measure the concentrations of chemokines in asthmatic children receiving immunotherapy. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells culture supernatants were obtained from six asthmatic children before and four, eight months after immunotherapy (IT). The levels of monocyte chemotactic and activating factor (MCAF), macrophage inflammatory protein-1a (MIP-1a), regulated on activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) spontaneously and after stimulation with PHA and mite allergen in the supernatants. The data showed: 1) The levels of MCAF and MIP-1a increased four months, and decreased eight months, after IT; 2) By contrast, the level of RANTE increased after IT; 3) The level of IL-8 also tended to increase after IT. Abnormal chemokine production may contribute to the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma and restoration of normal chemokine production may be used to partially explain the clinical efficacy of immunotherapy.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Impaired immune function in a premature infant with zinc deficiency after total parenteral nutrition.

The report describes a premature infant with necrotizing enterocolitis who developed symptoms of zinc (Zn) deficiency after three to four weeks of total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Clinical presentations included characteristic skin rash, alopecia, retarded growth, generalized edema and decreased serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Immune function studies revealed impaired neutrophil adhesion and mitogen-induced lymphoproliferation, whereas phagocytosis, chemotaxis and lymphocyte subsets remained normal. A high dose of elemental Zn (2.5 mg/kg/day), administered orally, improved the clinical symptoms and restored the immune function. In patients with Zn deficiency, impaired neutrophil adhesion and lymphocyte function may contribute to immunodeficiency which can be reversed with adequate Zn supplementation.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in juvenile dermatomyositis.

To investigate the effects of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) on patients of juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), seven children with JDM were given monthly IVIG in conjunction with other treatments. The indications included disease exacerbation, inability to reduce dose of steroid, replacing cytotoxic drug because of complication and remission-induction for those with severe initial manifestations. Two patients were reported to improve slowly and maintained improved status while on a markedly reduced dose of steroid. One patient responded favorably to the first three courses only. Three patients had evident and quick responses, which could be seen as early as two or three days after the infusion. One patient failed to experience any beneficial effect by IVIG. Four initial responders had an aggravation some time after discontinuing the monthly regimen. The untoward reactions included only two occasions of fever, and another two occasions of fever associated with transient proteinuria. In conclusion, IVIG may be of value in terms of its quick, pulsatile effect and the adjuvant potential to reduce the side effect resulting from exposure to steroid or other immunosuppressive agents as well. However, its long-term efficacy is doubtful, based on this observation.

Activities of Daily Living↗