Indoor environment in three North European cities in relationship to atopy and respiratory symptoms

Background: In the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) I, the lowest prevalence of asthma and atopy was found in Reykjavík (Iceland) and Tartu (Estonia). The aim of this study was to compare home environments in Reykjavík and Tartu to a town with a higher prevalence of asthma and atopy (Uppsala, Sweden) in an attempt to identify factors in the indoor environment that could explain these differences. Method: A random sample of 129 ECRHS II participants was included in this analysis at each of the three study centres. The subjects answered a questionnaire, blood was analysed for specific immunoglobulin E, a methacholine test was performed and home indoor measurements were taken. Results: The prevalence of atopy was 11.9% in Reykjavík, 35.5% in Uppsala and 28.2% in Tartu (P < 0.04). The level of indoor cat allergen was significantly lower in Reykjavík compared with Uppsala (P = 0.05). No mite allergens were identified in the 41 homes investigated in Reykjavík, while this was the case in 16% and 72% of the households in Uppsala and Tartu, respectively (P = 0.001). A positive association was found between asthma symptoms and cat allergen levels [odds ratio 1.53 (95% confidence interval 1.04–2.24)], while the levels of viable moulds were significantly associated with increased bronchial responsiveness. Conclusions: Indoor exposure to allergens, moulds and bacteria was lower in Reykjavík than in the Swedish and Estonian centres. This finding indicates that the lower prevalence of allergic sensitization in Reykjavík may partly be related to lower indoor allergen exposure. Please cite this paper as: Gunnbjörnsdóttir MI, Norbäck D, Björnsson E, Soon A, Jarvis D, Jõgi R, Gislason D, Gislason T and Janson C. Indoor environment in three North European cities in relationship to atopy and respiratory symptoms. The Clinical Respiratory Journal 2009; 3: 85–94.     

Human granulosa cell tumor: stimulation of steroidogenesis by gonadotropins in vitro.

A 59-year-old previously oophorectomized woman underwent surgery for a recurrent malignant granulosa cell tumor. Specimens and dispersed cells from the tumor tissue were incubated for 2 hr and cultured for 48 hr, respectively, with and without gonadotropins. Steroids and cyclic AMP (cAMP) concentrations were measured in the incubation and culture media. Incubated specimens from the tumor tissue released measurable amounts of cAMP, progesterone, and estradiol into the medium. Human follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) 1 microgram/ml significantly stimulated the formation of cAMP and both steroids. Human luteinizing hormone (LH) 1 microgram/ml stimulated cAMP and progesterone but not estradiol release. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) 10 micrograms/ml stimulated cAMP and progesterone formation in tumor tissue but was totally devoid of effect on estradiol release. In the tissue culture experiments progesterone and estradiol were formed in considerable amounts, with a higher capacity for progesterone than for estradiol. Progesterone formation was stimulated by FSH and hCG, while estradiol release was stimulated only by hCG. The addition of testosterone significantly enhanced estradiol formation in both incubation and culture experiments. It is concluded that the steroidogenesis of this granulosa cell tumor is sensitive to gonadotropins.     

Spontaneous abortion following mid-trimester amniocentesis. Clinical significance of placental perforation and blood-stained amniotic fluid

Summary. The clinical significance of placental perforation and bloodstained amniotic fluid was studied in a group of 7238 Danish women undergoing mid-trimester amniocentesis for prenatal diagnosis under ultrasound guidance. The risk of spontaneous abortion was significantly increased both in pregnancies where the placenta was perforated and in those with blood-stained amniotic fluid. The risk estimate nearly doubled after placental perforation and more than doubled with a bloody tap. It is concluded that for women at relatively low risk of a fetal genetic abnormality, the indication of the amniocentesis should be reconsidered if a placental perforation is unavoidable.     

Discovery of aminopyridine-based inhibitors of bacterial enoyl-ACP reductase (FabI)

Bacterial enoyl-ACP reductase (FabI) catalyzes the final step in each cycle of bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis and is an attractive target for the development of new antibacterial agents. Our efforts to identify potent, selective FabI inhibitors began with screening of the GlaxoSmithKline proprietary compound collection, which identified several small-molecule inhibitors of Staphylococcus aureus FabI. Through a combination of iterative medicinal chemistry and X-ray crystal structure based design, one of these leads was developed into the novel aminopyridine derivative 9, a low micromolar inhibitor of FabI from S. aureus (IC(50) = 2.4 microM) and Haemophilus influenzae (IC(50) = 4.2 microM). Compound 9 has good in vitro antibacterial activity against several organisms, including S. aureus (MIC = 0.5 microg/mL), and is effective in vivo in a S. aureus groin abscess infection model in rats. Through FabI overexpressor and macromolecular synthesis studies, the mode of action of 9 has been confirmed to be inhibition of fatty acid biosynthesis via inhibition of FabI. Taken together, these results support FabI as a valid antibacterial target and demonstrate the potential of small-molecule FabI inhibitors for the treatment of bacterial infections.     

Class II treatment effects of the Fränkel appliance

The objective of this work was to evaluate prospectively and cephalometrically the effects of the function regulator (FR) on dentoskeletal components during a treatment period of 28 months. The subjects consisted of 18 patients presenting with a Class II division 1 malocclusion, with a mean chronological age of 9 years 3 months at the beginning of treatment. The treated group was compared with a compatible control group of 23 untreated subjects observed during the same time period. Lateral cephalometric head films were obtained for the treated group at the beginning and after 28 months of treatment. The subjects in the control group belonged to a serial growth study sample from the Orthodontic Department at Bauru Dental School, University of S?o Paulo, for whom cephalometric head films were obtained annually from 4 to 18 years of age. The data for the control group were calculated from these head films. A student's t-test was used to compare the changes observed in the treated group with those in the control group. Differences were considered statistically significant at P < 0.05. The results demonstrated that the FR produced a statistically significant increase in the mandibular body, in the proportional size of the mandible to the maxilla and in lower anterior face height (LAFH); induced greater vertical development of the mandibular molars; reduced the overjet and overbite and produced an improvement in the molar relationship. Retrusion and palatal tipping of the maxillary incisors was also observed. However, the appliance did not produce any changes in maxillary development, in the growth pattern, or any improvement in the basal relationship. Therefore it was concluded that the effects of the FR in the correction of Class II malocclusions are primarily dento-alveolar, with a smaller participation of skeletal changes.     

Repair of full-thickness defects in alimentary tract wall with patches of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene

OBJECTIVES: To test the efficacy of patches of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) for the repair of full-thickness defects in alimentary tract wall. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: A recent report of successful replacement of duodenal wall with patches of ePTFE was met with skepticism and clearly warranted confirmation as well as evaluation in repair of other segments of the abdominal intestinal tract. METHODS: Defects of 4 cm2 were created in various segments of canine abdominal alimentary tract (stomach, duodenum, small bowel, and colon) as well as in bladder dome. For the duodenum in 13 dogs, three different ePTFE fabrications were used: CVX (cardiovascular), PDX (preclude dura membrane), and DLM (dual mesh plus). In repair of the other areas in six dogs, the PDX patch was used. When the animals were killed, both gross inspection of the parietes and tissue for histologic study became the basis for evaluation. Peritoneal and intraluminal cultures of the specific study viscera were also taken. RESULTS: There were no patch failures. Only six significant adhesions were noted in 3 of the 19 dogs. Serosal surface healing was complete without exception by 1 week in all animals. Patches of CVX and PDX had heaping mucosa at the margin of well-sealed patch edges in the study involving duodenum. However, the DLM patch had an undergrowth of mucosa with partial patch separation by 1 week, beginning patch extrusion into gut lumen at 3 weeks, and total separation of patch with complete mucosal repair at 6 weeks. The fate of the PDX patches at 6 weeks in stomach, small bowel, colon, and bladder was identical to what had been observed for the PDX patch in the duodenum. All peritoneal and bladder cultures had no growth, whereas the contents of the alimentary tract grew expected flora. CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest that ePTFE may well be an acceptable membrane for at least temporary replacement of full-thickness hollow viscus defects, even in the face of heavy bacterial contamination, and that certain structural configurations of ePTFE may provide a base for increasing absorptive mucosal surface area.