Histamine and tryptase modulate asthmatic airway smooth muscle GM-CSF and RANTES release.

Degranulating mast cells are increased in the airway smooth muscle (ASM) of asthmatics, where they may influence ASM function. The aim of the present study was to determine whether histamine and tryptase modulate ASM cell granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted) release and also to examine which receptors are involved in this release. Confluent, quiescent ASM cells from asthmatic and nonasthmatic donors were treated with histamine (1 microM-100 microM) with and without histamine receptor antagonist pre-treatment, or the protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 agonists tryptase (0.5-5 nM) and SLIGKV (100 and 400 microM). The cells were then stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1beta and/or tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha (10 ng.mL(-1)) or left unstimulated for 24 h. Release of GM-CSF and RANTES was determined by ELISA and prostaglandin (PG)E(2) measured by enzyme immunoassay. Neither histamine nor tryptase induced ASM GM-CSF or RANTES secretion. However, histamine increased IL-1beta-induced GM-CSF release and markedly reduced TNF-alpha-induced RANTES release by both asthmatic and nonasthmatic cells to a similar extent, but did not modulate PGE(2) release. All changes involved activation of the histamine H1 receptor as they were partially or fully blocked by chlorpheniramine, but not ranitidine. Tryptase, via its proteolytic activity, also potentiated GM-CSF, but not RANTES, release from asthmatic and nonasthmatic ASM cells induced by both cytokines. PAR-2 involvement in the tryptase potentiation was unlikely because SLIGKV had no effect. In conclusion, mast cells, through histamine and tryptase, may locally modulate airway smooth muscle-induced inflammation in asthma.     

Who is served by programs for the homeless? Admission to a domiciliary care program for homeless veterans

Demographic and clinical data are presented on 4,138 veterans assessed in the 20-site Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans program during its first year of operation. More than two-thirds of the veterans who were screened had been hospitalized in VA medical centers during the year before assessment, and 34 percent were hospitalized at the time of assessment. Compared with veterans who were not admitted for residential treatment, veterans who were admitted were more likely to be previously involved in mental health treatment, literally homeless rather than at risk for homelessness, and without public financial support. Specialized service programs for the homeless such as the VA domiciliary care program may also be called on to play a broader role in the discharge and rehabilitative efforts of public mental health service systems.     

A preliminary study of the changes in the direct-acting mutagenicities of several nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons after exposure under sunlight

Five commercially available nitropolyclyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAH), namely, 4-nitrobiphenyl, 2-nitrofluorene, 9-nitroanthracene, 1-nitropyrene, and 2,7-dinitrofluorene, were exposed under restricted sunlight in the open air. The direct-acting mutagenicities of the samples after an exposure of 45 days were measured in order to compare them with those of the original samples in the Ames Salmonella typhimurium bioassay. It was found that the mutagenicities of some nitro-PAH do not change significantly while the mutagenicities of others increase or decrease after exposure. A preliminary study of nitro-PAH reaction products after exposure using GC, GC/MS, and FT-IR is also reported.     

Hereditary characteristics of enzyme deficiency and dermatoglyphics in congenital color blindness

The hereditary characteristics of enzyme deficiency and dermatoglyphics in congenital color blindness (CCB) were studied. We propose that there is a linkage between the two loci on the X-chromosome determining CCB and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), based on our study of a high incidence of G6PD deficiency in 156 male cases with CCB. The CCB gene is closely linked with that of G6PD deficiency from our pedigree investigations. The rise in the frequency of eight or more whorls, the low value of atd angle and the presenting rate of real palmar patterns of the thenar, hypothenar and I, areas presented the hereditary traits of congenital color blindness.     

Clinical and experimental study of xiao er ke cuan ling oral liquid in the treatment of infantile bronchopneumonia]

Xiao Er Ke Chuan Ling Oral Liquid (KCL) is a Chinese herbal preparation consisted of 10 herbs such as Prunus armeniacae, Scutelaria baicalensis, Lonicera japonica etc. 30 children suffering from bronchopneumonia and/or acute bronchitis were treated with KCL (treated group) and another 30 cases were treated with penicillin and aminophylline (control group). Results: cure rate and effective rate in treated group was 26.6%, and 93.3% respectively. While in control group was 30% and 96.6% respectively. No significant differences were seen between them(P > 0.05). The pharmacodynamic experiment showed KCL had potent pharmacological action. The experiment on tracheal fragment of Guinea pig in vitro showed it caused moderately strong smooth muscle relaxation, through inhibition the effect of histamine and acetylcholine. Asthma induction experiment of Guinea pig in vivo showed KCL could significantly prolong the latent period of asthma and alleviate asthmatic symptom. Ammonium water cough induction experiment in mice showed it may apparently prolong cough latent period and reduce times of cough relapse and alleviate cough symptom. KCL had potent antipyretic effect on fever model induced by triple vaccine in rabbits. Bacteriostatic and antiviral experiment in vitro showed the drug had quite strong inhibitory effects for Streptococcus hemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Flexners Dysentery bacillus, Diplococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and it could potently inhibit the respiratory syncytial virus. KCL is an effective drug in treating bronchopneumonia and acute bronchitis.