Long-lasting protective effect of slow-release theophylline on asthma induced by ultrasonically nebulized distilled water

We investigated the intensity and duration of the effect of a single dose of slow-release theophylline on bronchial hyperresponsiveness to ultrasonically nebulized distilled water in asthma. In six subjects with a history of mild asthma, we measured airway responsiveness to ultrasonically nebulized distilled water and serum theophylline at 4, 8, and 12 hours after treatment with placebo or slow-release theophylline (10 +/- 1 mg/kg, orally). To assess bronchial responsiveness, dose-response curves were established by plotting the baseline value of FEV1 and the largest FEV1 after each doubling dose of nebulized distilled water against the dose of nebulized water. The degree of bronchoconstriction induced by ultrasonically nebulized distilled water was significantly inhibited at 4, 8, and 12 hours after treatment with theophylline, at serum levels of 14.8 +/- 4.6, 14.4 +/- 2.8, and 12.0 +/- 2.5 micrograms/mL theophylline (mean +/- SD). Tremor occurred in three patients and was associated with nausea, epigastric pain, and tachycardia in one of them. We conclude that a single dose of slow-release theophylline has a prolonged protective effect on bronchoconstriction induced by ultrasonically nebulized distilled water, but in some subjects is associated with side effects that limit its clinical usefulness.     

Health seeking behavior by families of children suspected to have malaria in Kabale: Uganda

Background

Malaria is common among communities of Kabale district, and many young children die of the illness. Despite a good distribution of health facilities, able to handle malaria patients, families and individuals tend to depend on self-treatment, or private clinics where drugs used may be of doubtful quality. This study reports on health seeking behaviour by families with children suspected to have malaria.

Methodology

A community-based, cross-sectional survey among 209 rural peasant families living in 12 villages, chosen from the 5 most malaria-affected sub-counties was done. Using a questionnaire, respondents'' reactions to the disease and what decisions they took were recorded. Reasons for choices such as drugs used, location of treatment and malaria control methods were recorded.

Results

Ninety seven percent lived within easy reach of a public health facility. Over 2/3 knew how malaria was transmitted and how it presented. They believed it was best treated at public heath facilities using western type of medicine. Fifty percent of the children, who attended public health units, were treated within 24 of illness. Thirty eight percent of the caretakers knew how to correctly use chloroquine. The caretakers relied on fever, vomiting and refusal to feed as the main symptoms for their diagnosis of malaria. Only 31% of the families sought treatment from government health facilities.Fifty three percent of the families sought treatment from drug shops/vendors. Unfortunately only 38% of the families knew the correct regimen of chloroquine, 4.3% for sulpha-doxine pyrimethamine and 0.5% for quinine. One quarter could afford malaria treatment, and one out of five missed treatment because of poverty. Concerning prevention, 90% stated at least one method but only 21.2% used them.

Conclusions

Despite reasonable knowledge for diagnosis of malaria, awareness of correct treatment is limited. Paradoxically government health units appear to play a minor role in the treatment of malaria.     

Identification of tumor suppressor loci on the long arm of chromosome 15 in primary small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) frequently shows a loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 15q. In order to define the commonly affected region on chromosome 15q, we tested 23 primary SCLCs by microsatellite analysis. By analyzing 43 polymorphic microsatellite markers located on chromosome 15q, we found that 14 (60.8%) of 23 tumors exhibited a LOH in at least one of the tested microsatellite markers. Two (14.3%) of the 14 tumors were found to have more than a 50% LOH on chromosome 15q. LOH was observed in five commonly deleted regions on 15q. Of those regions, LOH from D15S1012 to D15S1016 was the most frequent (47.8%). LOH was also observed in more than 20-30% of tumors at four other regions, from D15S1031 to D15S1007, from D15S643 to D15S980, from D15S979 to D15S202, and from D15S652 to D15S642. Four of the 23 tumors exhibited shifted bands in at least one of the tested microsatellite markers. Shifted bands occurred in 3.2% (29 of 914) of the loci tested. Our data suggests the presence of at least five tumor suppressor loci on chromosome 15q in SCLC, and further that these may play an important role in SCLC tumorigenesis.     

Involution and regeneration of the thymus in mice,induced by bacterial endotoxin and studied by quantitative histology and electron microscopy

Lipopolysaccharide from S. typhosa, injected intraperitoneally into Swiss albino mice, produced acute thymic involution—maximal at 48 hours after injection, followed by regeneration that was complete within 5 to 7 days. Using tissues fixed and embedded for electron microscopy, cell counts were made with the light microscope and cytological details were examined in electron micrographs. The cellular events of involution and regeneration were similar to those produced by injection of adrenal glucocorticoids, but it remains to be determined whether or not endotoxin acts on the thymus by inciting adrenal cortical secretion. Involution appeared to be the result of both the death of small lymphocytes and reduced lymphopoiesis in the thymus. Within 48 hours, macrophages had cleared away the cellular debris and medullary epithelial cells showed signs of hypertrophy and increased putative secretory activity. Subsequently, large lymphocytes proliferated at an accelerated rate in the subcapsular cortex, the cortex grew in width by the accumulation of small lymphocytes, and regeneration ceased when the thymus had reached its former size. These observations provide circumstantial evidence for the hypothesis that in regeneration, medullary epithelial cells increase their production of a lymphopoietic hormone which stimulates mitotic proliferaton of cortical lymphocytes.     

Solute-free water excretion and electrolyte-free water excretion are better terms than solute-free water clearance and electrolyte-free water clearance

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