Expression of cytokine mRNA and activation markers by activated peripheral blood CD4 and CD8 T-cells in childhood asthma: correlation with bronchial hyperreactivity

Bronchial hyper-reactivity is a key feature of asthma. Activated CD4 as well as CD8 T cells contribute to the production of childhood asthma. To study the percentages of peripheral blood CD4 and CD8 T cells expressing activation markers [HLA-DR, CD25], as well as mRNA-encoding interleukin-4 [IL-4] and interleukin-5 [IL-5] in children with bronchial asthma and in controls [n = 20]. Also, this research aims to study the correlation between bronchial hyper-reactivity [BHR] and T cell activation markers and cytokine mRNA in asthmatic children. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from 40 asthmatic children, 25 atopic and 15 nonatopic, aged 7 to 14 years with mild to moderate asthma and from controls. Activation markers on CD4 and CD8 T cells were measured by flowcytometry, and expression of cytokine mRNA by RT-PCR. Bronchial hyperreactivity was measured by methacholine inhalation challenges in the studied children. The percentages of both CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes expressing HLA-DR and CD25 were elevated in the asthmatics as compared with controls and correlated with BHR. The percentages of CD4 T cells expressing mRNA encoding IL-4 and IL-5, and CD8 T lymphocytes expressing IL-5, were elevated in asthmatics as compared with the controls and correlated with BHR. Both activated CD4 and CD8 T cells play an important role in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. Also, activated CD4 and CD8 T cells, as well as CD4 expressing mRNA encoding IL4 and IL5 and CD8 expressing mRNA encoding IL5 correlated positively with BHR

Synthesis, characterization and electrial properties of poly N-Phenyl 2-Naphthyl amine and poly N-Ethyl aniline

Poly n-phenyl-2-naphthyl amine [PNPNA] and poly N-ethyl aniline [PNEA] have been prepared using potassium persulphate as an oxidizing agent. The polymers were characterized by various methods using spectrophotometric measurements, e.g., I.R. and UV-visible. Thermal gravimetric analysis [TGA] for PNEA indicated its great thermal stability up to 430 degree. A.C. resistivity and capacitance measurements have been used to characterize the electrical properties of the prepared polymers in the temperature ranges from 25 degree to 160 degree for and from 25 degree to 240 degree for PNEA. Log p, capacitance, Ea and dielectric constant values were obtained at different frequency ranges from 5OHz up to 100 kHz. The results suggest hopping conduction mechanism for the PNPNA pellets, the increase in conductivity being governed by the interchain hopping of polarons acting as charge carriers. The PNEA pellets, on the other hand, showed higher resistivity values at all frequency ranges than those of PNPNA. Also the A.C. resistivity tends to become temperature independent. Accordingly, the conductivity increased with increasing frequency. This behaviour is attributed to the presence of ethyl groups in the polymer chain that introduce new trap levels within the localized states

Co2 laser in treatment of laryngoscleroma: preliminary study

Twelve patients proved histopathologically to have rhinoscleroma were treated with CO2 laser. They were five patients in the fibrotic stage, six in the granulomatous stage and one patient in the healed fibrotic stage in one side of the nose and granulomatous in the other. In fibrotic lesions, pulsed and superpulsed modes were used with 18 to 20 watts, while in granulomatous lesions continuous mode with 20 to 25 watts were used. All patients complained of bilateral complete persistent nasal obstruction. All patients were operated upon under general anesthesia apart from one with cardiac ischemia who was operated upon under local anesthesia. The procedure could be well tolerated. Three patients with extensive lesions involving the choanae needed two sitting. No immediate complications were met with apart of insignificant burns to the vestibule unilaterally in only three patients. No bleeding apart of slight bleeding in one granulomatous lesion was found. Nasal patency was achieved bilaterally in all patients who were followed up for at last one year except of a girl with extensive granulomatous lesion involving the choana and nasopharynx. CO2 laser is a valid and safe adjuvant to the treatment of scleroma in the fibrotic stage. In patients with extensive granulomatous lesions with involvement of the choana and nasopharynx, CO2 laser could be used to debulk the lesions in combination to conventional surgery. This could shorten the time and limit laser use

Equilibrium study on the complex formation of Cobalt [II], Nickel [II] and Copper [II] with some ephedrines

There is an increasing biochemical interest in ephedrines due to their well-known application as sympathomimetic agents with pronounced stimulating effects on the central nervous system [1] Transition metal complexes of ephedrine and norephedrine find wide application as antiallergic drugs; their medical activities are closely related to their free energy of formation. In a previous study [2] the process of complex formation between copper, [II] and ephedrine and norephedrine, as investigated by spectrophotometric I methods showed that those complexes possessed geometries depending on I the experimental conditions. In the present communication, in continuation | of our previous study, we will determine the formation constants of complexes of ephedrine and norephedrine with Ni [II], and Co [II] at 30 degree and fixed ionic strength of 0.1 M [KCIO [4]] using Bjerrum-Calvin's [3,4 pH- titration technique as modified by Irving and Rosotti [5]

Anatomical observations on the origin of the long head of biceps brachii and its relation to the glenoid cavity of the scapula in Egyptians

In this study 372 dry adult Egyptian scapulae were examined for distribution of facets around the margins of the glenoid cavity and to correlate between them and the origin of the long head of biceps brachii muscle. 78% of scapulae showed absence of facets on the margins of glenoid cavity; 15% had facets on the posterosuperior margin; 3% on the anterosuperior margin; 2% on both posterosuperior and anterosuperior margins and 2% had a small triangular facet on the apex of the glenoid cavity. The supraglenoid tubercle was prominent in 98% of the cases and it was located on the posterior aspect of the glenoid cavity by about 1-5 mm from its apex. The tubercle gave origin to the long head of biceps in 79% of the cases. The dissected shoulder joints revealed that the glenoid cavity was surrounded by a complete layer of labrum and the slips from the tendon were attached to it, giving more stability to the shoulder joint

Kinetics of the resin catalysed hydrolysis of formamide in aquo-acetone and aquo-dioxane media

The kinetics of acid resin catalyzed hydrolysis of formamide in aquo- acetone and aquo-dioxane mixtures is studied at varying composition of the organic solvent [0-80%] and at temperatures ranging from 25C to 45C. Rate constant values showed that the dipolar aprotic and non- hydrogen bond donor solvents like acetone and dioxane exert a rate enhancing effect above 45% composition of the organic cosolvent. Rate constant values in aquo-dioxane are higher than those in aquo acetone medium at all temperatures studied, dioxane being a stronger hydrogen bond acceptor than acetone. This isocomposition activation energy [E exp] and the thermodynamic activation parameters were evaluated. Both delta H* and delta S* values decreased with increasing percentage of acetone or dioxane above 45% indicating solvation changes

Election microscopy of the splenic capsule

The Capsule of normal adult Wistar albino rat spleen was investigated by transmission electron microscopy. The capsule was lined by a single layer of flat mesothelial cells resting on a continuous basement membrane. The cellular content of the capsule was formed mainly of fibroblasts and few amount of smooth muscle cells embedded in abundant amount of collagenous and elastic fibers. The myofibroblasts were absent in the rat capsule. An unmyelinated nerve fibers with dense cored and noncored synoptic vesicles were scattered among the capsule. The ultrastructure of the subcapsular venous sinus with its endothelial cells was also described