Ozone Inhalation Attenuated the Effects of Budesonide on -Induced Airway Inflammation and Hyperreactivity in Mice.

Inhaled glucocorticoids form the mainstay of asthma treatment because of their anti-inflammatory effects in the lung. Exposure to the air pollutant ozone (O) exacerbates chronic airways disease. We and others showed that presence of the epithelial-derived surfactant protein-D (SP-D) is important in immunoprotection against inflammatory changes including those induced by O inhalation in the airways.

Oxidative damage of SP-D abolishes control of eosinophil extracellular DNA trap formation.

The asthmatic airways are highly susceptible to inflammatory injury by air pollutants such as ozone (O ), characterized by enhanced activation of eosinophilic granulocytes and a failure of immune protective mechanisms. Eosinophil activation during asthma exacerbation contributes to the proinflammatory oxidative stress by high levels of nitric oxide (NO) production and extracellular DNA release. Surfactant protein-D (SP-D), an epithelial cell product of the airways, is a critical immune regulatory molecule with a multimeric structure susceptible to oxidative modifications.

Cutting Edge: Role of NK Cells and Surfactant Protein D in Dendritic Cell Lymph Node Homing: Effects of Ozone Exposure.

The roles of NK cells, surfactant protein D (SP-D), and IFN-γ, as well as the effect of ozone (O3) inhalation, were studied on recirculation of pulmonary dendritic cells (DC) to the mediastinal lymph nodes. O3 exposure and lack of SP-D reduced NK cell IFN-γ and lung tissue CCL21 mRNA expression and impaired DC homing to the mediastinal lymph nodes. Notably, addition of recombinant SP-D to naive mononuclear cells stimulated IFN-γ release in vitro.

Group 2 innate lymphoid cells mediate ozone-induced airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in mice.

Background: Asthmatic patients are highly susceptible to air pollution and in particular to the effects of ozone (O3) inhalation, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Objective: Using mouse models of O3-induced airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), we sought to investigate the role of the recently discovered group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s).

Methods: C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were exposed to Aspergillus fumigatus, O3, or both (3 ppm for 2 hours).

Properdin Contributes to Allergic Airway Inflammation through Local C3a Generation.

Complement is implicated in asthma pathogenesis, but its mechanism of action in this disease remains incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the role of properdin (P), a positive alternative pathway complement regulator, in allergen-induced airway inflammation. Allergen challenge stimulated P release into the airways of asthmatic patients, and P levels positively correlated with proinflammatory cytokines in human bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL).

The effect of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 deficiency on pulmonary allergic responses in Aspergillus fumigatus sensitized mice.

Background: Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2)/platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. A therapeutic targeting of this enzyme was challenged by the concern that increased circulating platelet activating factor (PAF) may predispose to or increase the severity of the allergic airway response. The aim of this study was to investigate whether Lp-PLA2 gene deficiency increases the risk of PAF and IgE-mediated inflammatory responses in vitro and in vivo using mouse models.

Cleft surgery in rural Bangladesh: reflections and experiences.

Purpose: The authors review their experiences during multiple cleft surgical missions to rural Bangladesh from 2006 to 2008. A significant number of patients who underwent primary palatoplasty or cheiloplasty were of adult age or size. Adult primary cleft lip and palate repair is often more challenging than repair at the standard age of fewer than 2 years.

The role of the anesthesiologist in management of obstetric hemorrhage.

Hemorrhage after childbirth, whether the delivery is vaginal or operative, is a clinical situation where knowledge, communication, and the availability and utilization of resources all play prominent roles. In this article we describe the thought processes and decisions that should occur, and the actions that should be taken by the anesthesiologist in the face of suspected, expected, or unexpected hemorrhage in the labor and delivery suite.

Anesthetic considerations during liver surgery.

This article demonstrates the broad range of considerations that affect the outcome of patients undergoing hepatectomy. The progressive improvements in survival, despite the increasing complexity of the surgery, area testament to advances in both surgery and anesthesia. The key elements include careful patient selection, appropriate monitoring, and mechanical and pharmacologic protection of the liver and other vital organs.

Anti-CD86 (B7.2) treatment abolishes allergic airway hyperresponsiveness in mice.

Allergic sensitization in asthma develops as a consequence of complex interactions between T cells and antigen-presenting cells. We have developed several in vivo models to study allergen-specific T cell and B cell function and their relevance to allergic airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), focusing on the role of the costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86. Treatment of mice with anti-CD86, but not anti-CD80, significantly inhibited increased serum levels of ovalbumin (OA)-specific IgE and IgG1, airway eosinophilia, and AHR both after 10 d of OA aerosol exposure (in the absence of adjuvant) and after intraperitoneal sensitization followed by repeated airway challenges.

Is rocuronium an exception to the relation between onset and offset? A comparison with pipecuronium.

A general relation between the rate of onset and rate of recovery from non-depolarizing blockade has been demonstrated, with recovery consistently about ten times slower than onset. This observation has led to the suggestion that non-depolarizing agents share a common mechanism of action. Rocuronium, a recently introduced steroidal non-depolarizing agent, is claimed to have a very rapid onset but an intermediate duration and appears to test this hypothesis.

The influence of cold on the recovery of three neuromuscular blocking agents in man.

The Arrhenius hypothesis suggests that change in temperature has a less marked effect on the rate of physical processes than on biological reactions. We have investigated the process underlying recovery from neuromuscular block in man by studying the effect of cooling on the rate of recovery from depolarising and non-depolarising block. Vecuronium, rocuronium and decamethonium (C10) neuromuscular block were investigated using the isolated forearm technique on awake human volunteers.

Interaction of decamethonium with hexamethonium or vecuronium in the rat: an isobolographic analysis.

We used isobolographic analysis to investigate the interaction of decamethonium with either hexamethonium or vecuronium in the rat phrenic nerve hemidiaphragm preparation. EC50 values of decamethonium, hexamethonium, and vecuronium were (mean +/- SEM) 47.36 +/- 9.

Priming studies with rocuronium and vecuronium.

We studied the effects of rocuronium and vecuronium as priming agents before both vecuronium and rocuronium neuromuscular blockade. Rocuronium is ineffective at priming rocuronium. Vecuronium is effective at priming rocuronium, producing an approximate 33% reduction in onset time.

Clinical significance of amniotic fluid bacteriological cultures taken at caesarean section.

To predict postoperative infection after Caesarean section by bacteriological examination of amniotic fluid samples a prospective analysis was performed on amniotic fluid bacteriological results and infectious morbidity in 266 consecutive Caesarean sections. Culture and sensitivity results were analysed in relation to postoperative febrile complications and their antibiotic treatment. One hundred and twelve samples grew bacteria.

[Experience with peflacine in the treatment of osteomyelitis].

Authors report on the treatment of 20 chronic osteomyelitis patients in whom direct antibiotic therapy was performed using the preparation Péflacine. The infected area was exposed in every case, the bony focus was excised and the wound was drained. During the operation, as an induction 800 mg Péflacine in slow drop infusion was given.

A comparative study on growth in soft-agar, adherence to glass and haemolysis types of coagulase-negative staphylococci.

Growth properties of coagulase-negative staphylococci in the presence and in the absence of human and rabbit serum in soft-agar prepared in modified Staphylococcus 110 broth were studied. The adherent growth was examined in modified Staphylococcus 110 broth and 1% glucose-meat broth. Of 100 strains examined 69% exhibited diffuse, 18% compact, 7% transient and 6% mixed growth.

[Effect of acute aprotinin (Gordox) therapy on hemostasis in heart surgery patients, with special reference to hyperfibrinolysis].

Authors have studied the effect of Gordox-therapy on haemostasis after open heart surgery in a prospective clinical trial. Thirty seven patients (pts) undergoing cardiac surgery due to their valve disease were randomly assigned either to control-group (20 pts) or to Gordox-group (17 pts). The patients in the Gordox group were given Gordox according the following scheme: 2 M IU within 20 min.

Light-induced permeabilization and merocyanine 540 staining of mouse spleen cells.

Merocyanine 540 (M540) is a potential-sensitive, hydrophobic dye that preferentially incorporates into the 'fluid' domains of cellular membranes, distinguishing between hemopoietic cells according to their differentiation state. A bright staining with M540 is usually achieved by UV illumination of the cells during staining. We show by flow cytometric analysis that: (1) staining is greatly enhanced by UV illumination of mouse spleen cells before addition of the dye; (2) UV treatment causes an increased permeability toward propidium iodide and intracellular fluorescein as well; (3) the increment in M540 fluorescence precedes permeabilization to propidium iodide, while the latter precedes leakage of fluorescein.