Loxosceles deserta Spider Venom Induces the Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in Keratinocytes

Evenomation by arachnids of the genus Loxosceles frequently results in disfiguring necrotic skin lesions. The cellular and molecular mechanisms which contribute to lesion development are incompletely defined but appear to involve participation of several pro-inflammatory mediators. We have recently observed that Loxosceles deserta venom induces the production of chemokines in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human pulmonary epithelial cells. In the present study we observed that Loxosceles deserta venom induces the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human keratinocytes but little in smooth muscle cells and none in pulmonary epithelial cells. A potent endothelial cell-specific mitogen, VEGF induces angiogenesis and vascular permeability in vivo. RNase protection assay data indicate that VEGF mRNA concentrations in keratinocytes are significantly increased at 2 h following venom exposure. These data suggest that keratinocyte-derived VEGF may contribute to the vasodilation, edema and erythema which occur following Loxosceles evenomation.     

Effects of alcohol dependence comorbidity and antipsychotic medication on volumes of the thalamus and pons in schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: Postmortem and in vivo brain imaging studies have identified abnormalities in the thalamus and the pons in both schizophrenia and alcoholism. The authors sought to determine whether patients with both schizophrenia and alcohol dependence would manifest exaggerated volume deficits in either structure. METHOD: Volumetric measures of the left and right thalamus and the pons were derived from magnetic resonance imaging scans obtained from 27 patients with schizophrenia, 19 patients with schizophrenia and comorbid alcohol dependence, 25 patients with alcohol dependence without comorbid axis I disorders, and 51 healthy comparison subjects. RESULTS: The alcohol-dependent patients had significant volume deficits in both the thalamus and the pons. Among patients with schizophrenia, there were no differences in thalamus volumes between those with and without comorbid alcohol dependence. However, patients with schizophrenia who were taking atypical antipsychotic medications had bilateral thalamic deficits, whereas those taking typical neuroleptics did not. Patients with schizophrenia and comorbid alcohol dependence had deficits in the pons. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with schizophrenia and comorbid alcohol dependence are at risk for alcohol-related reduction of pontine structures that are not necessarily affected by schizophrenia per se. The effect of alcohol dependence on the thalamus in schizophrenic patients may be mitigated by the type of neuroleptic medication they receive.     

People's perception of leprosy--a study in Delhi

Leprosy is considered to cause more social than medical problems. The present study focussed on this aspect in order to investigate the level of awareness among people--about their attitude towards the disease and the afflicted. The results are based on interviews with 104 persons in Delhi. The sample data revealed that the level of knowledge of leprosy was inadequate. The cause of the disease was known to 44.2% of those interviewed, while 31.7% were completely ignorant; 6.7% believed it to be the consequence of an individual's past misdeeds, and 1.9% believed it to have been caused by divine curse. 63.1% were aware that the disease is curable. 73.1% of the persons interviewed sympathised with leprosy-afflicted beggars. 61.5% favoured leprosy patients to stay with their families and within their communities. 67.3% felt that the cured could marry, while 25% felt that the leprosy-afflicted should stay in leprosy colonies away from the society. 54.8% were reluctant to employ the leprosy-afflicted as domestic help, and 31.7% were reluctant to establish matrimonial relationship with a family having a leprosy-afflicted person. The data call for intensification ofpublic awareness regarding the aetiology of leprosy. Positive and scientific information should be disseminated to minimize the social prejudices associated with the disease.     

Monoclonal antibodies to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) inhibit binding of the hormone to its receptor

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) were obtained using different strategies of conjugation of the peptide to carrier protein and immunization. Of several antibodies obtained, two, namely F1D3C5 and E2D2 bound GnRH in solution phase. Though the epitopes corresponding to the two overlapped, there was a one amino acid shift in the core epitope. These two antibodies were characterized with respect to inhibition of GnRH induced responses in rat pituitary cultures and alpha-T3.1 mouse gonadotrope cell line.     

Occupational injury proneness in Indian women: A survey in fish processing industries

A cross sectional survey was initiated to understand the frequency of occupational injury occurrence and the associated factors in the fish processing industries of western India involving 185 randomly selected women subjects. All the subjects were interviewed with the help of an interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect information regarding their personal, occupational and work related morbidity details (including details of occupational injuries). Logistic regression method was used to analyze the data in order to obtain the contribution of individual factors on occupational injuries. This study has shown that work related morbidity like blanching of hand (OR; 2.30, 95%CI; 1.12–4.74) and nature of job like grading (OR; 3.99, 95%CI; 1.41–11.27) and packing (OR; 5.68, 95%CI; 1.65–19.57) had a significant impact on injury causation. This study eventually concludes that apart from nature of job of fish processing workers occupational hazards prevailing in the work environment contribute significantly to the occurrence of work related injuries and prevention of such occupational hazards may help in protecting workers from occupational injuries also.     

Local recurrence in head and neck cancer: relationship to radiation resistance and signal transduction.

PURPOSE: Locoregional recurrence is the dominant form of treatment failure in head and neck (H&N) cancer. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is frequently amplified in this disease (相似文献