Nitric oxide and prostaglandin response to group B streptococcal infection in the lung.

Group B streptococcus (GBS) causes a complex inflammatory process that involves prostaglandins (PG) and nitric oxide (NO). The goal of this study was to examine the inflammatory response to GBS in the lung and the co-regulation of the PG and NO pathways, if any, both in vitro and in vivo. Sprague Dawley rats were treated with various combinations of GBS, aminoguanidine (AG), a selective inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor, and L-arginine (LA), a NO donor.

Neonatal facial coding system scores and spectral characteristics of infant crying during newborn circumcision.

Objective: To determine the relations between Neonatal Facial Coding System (NFCS) scores and measures of infant crying during newborn circumcision.

Methods: Video and audio recordings were made of infant facial activity and cry sounds, respectively, during the lysis phase of circumcisions of 44 healthy term males (<3 d of age). All infants received topical analgesia before circumcision.

Combined treatment with a nonselective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (l-NMMA) and indomethacin increases ductus constriction in extremely premature newborns.

Studies in premature animals suggest that 1) prolonged tight constriction of the ductus arteriosus is necessary for permanent anatomic closure and 2) endogenous nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandins both play a role in ductus patency. We hypothesized that combination therapy with an NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor [N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA)] and indomethacin would produce tighter ductus constriction than indomethacin alone. Therefore, we conducted a phase I and II study of combined treatment with indomethacin and L-NMMA in newborns born at <28 weeks' gestation who had persistent ductus flow by Doppler after an initial three-dose prophylactic indomethacin course (0.

Nitric oxide-dependent regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines in group B streptococcal inflammation of rat lung.

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection leading to sepsis and lung injury is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Lung injury may result from overproduction of pro-inflammatory mediators (cytokines), caused by nitric oxide (NO). Our objective was to characterize the molecular signaling events involving the pro-inflammatory mediators interleukin-6 (IL-6) and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-2) in the presence of aminoguanidine (AG), an inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) specific inhibitor, in lung tissue from GBS-treated young rats.

A rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography assay for rofecoxib in human serum.

Rofecoxib is a selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitor that is approved for the treatment of acute pain and osteoarthritis in adults. A sensitive and rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method of determining rofecoxib in human serum is described. Alkalinized plasma samples are extracted into an organic solvent containing an internal standard and evaporated under nitrogen.