Interleukin-8 expression in normal nasal epithelium and its modulation by infection with respiratory syncytial virus and cytokines tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1, and interleukin-6

Inflammation in nasal and airway tissue caused by allergens, microbial infection, and air pollution are likely to be regulated by inflammatory mediators produced by airway epithelial cells. We have therefore investigated the baseline expression of a number of cytokine genes known to be important inducers and modulators of inflammation, in freshly isolated human nasal epithelium. Cells were obtained by superficial scraping of turbinate tissue, and cDNA for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was reverse-transcribed directly from lysates of 3 x 10(3) to 5 x 10(3) epithelial cells using random hexamers. Constitutive expression of relatively high levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8) mRNA but undetectable levels (< 1 mRNA copy/cell) of granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IL-6, IL-1, or tumor necrosis factor (TNF) mRNA were found after PCR amplification of the cDNA. IL-8 protein, but not IL-6, was identified in the nasal epithelial cells by immunocytochemistry. Infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or stimulation of nasal epithelium for 4 h with TNF or IL-1 in vitro resulted in a 4- to 10-fold increase in IL-8 mRNA expression but not in the expression of detectable levels of mRNA for the other cytokines. IL-8 was secreted by RSV-, IL-1-, and TNF-stimulated as well as unstimulated nasal epithelial cells after 6 to 20 h of culture. Neither IL-6, GM-CSF, nor TNF activity/immunoreactivity was detectable in the culture supernatants. Thus, it appears that IL-8 is a major cytokine of human nasal epithelium, constitutively expressed and readily secreted upon virus infection or stimulation with IL-1 and TNF.     

Induction of hapten-specific tolerance by interleukin 10 in vivo

Interleukin 10 (IL-10) is released during the induction phase of contact sensitivity and was shown in prior functional studies to convert epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) from potent inducers of primary immune responses to specifically tolerizing cells in vitro. To investigate whether IL-10 also subserves the function of a tolerizing agent in vivo ears of BALB/c or C3H mice were injected intradermally with 1-2 micrograms of recombinant mouse (rm)IL-10 8 h before epicutaneous application of 3% trinitrochlorobenzene (TNCB; a contact allergen). As a control, mice were injected with phosphate-buffered saline or IL-10 plus neutralizing amounts of anti-IL-10 mAb. 5 d later, mice were challenged with 1% TNCB on contralateral ears and ear swelling response was measured 24 h later. Whereas control-treated mice showed a normal ear swelling response to epicutaneous challenge (delta mm-2 = 25 +/- 5), ear swelling response of IL-10-treated animals was significantly inhibited (delta mm-2 = 3 +/- 2). Coinjection of IL-10-specific mAb together with rmIL-10 completely abrogated this effect. To differentiate between a state of nonresponsiveness and induction of tolerance by IL-10, mice initially treated with IL-10 and TNCB were resensitized with 3% TNCB in the absence of any treatment after 14 d of rest (group 1). Again mice were challenged 5 d later and ear swelling responses were tested. Whereas control mice treated with allergen alone (group 2) showed a good swelling response (delta mm-2 = 28 +/- 6), IL-10-treated mice (group 1) showed a minimal response towards application of allergen (delta mm-2 = 4 +/- 2). To show that anergy induction by IL-10 was antigen-specific, mice initially treated with IL-10 plus TNCB were exposed to 0.5% dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) 14 d later (group 1). After challenge with 0.1% DNFB, IL-10-treated mice showed an ear swelling response (delta mm-2 = 13 +/- 3; group 1) similar to that of control mice only sensitized with DNFB (delta mm-2 = 14 +/- 3; group 3). In an attempt to show the induction of antigen-specific tolerance in these mice in vitro, regional lymph nodes of mice initially treated with TNCB plus IL-10 (group 1) and control-treated mice (groups 2 and 3) were prepared and cultured in the presence of TNBS, dinitrobenzene sulfonate (DNBS), or medium to measure antigen-specific proliferation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Effect of not breastfeeding on the risk of diarrheal and respiratory mortality in children under 2 years of age in Metro Cebu, The Philippines

The effects of not breastfeeding on mortality due to diarrhea and acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) in children under 2 years of age were examined using data from a 1988-1991 longitudinal study of 9,942 children in Metro Cebu, The Philippines. Cox regression methods were used to study the magnitude of the risks, possible interactions with birth weight and nutritional status, and the effect of additional confounding factors. Not breastfeeding had a greater effect on diarrheal mortality than on ALRI mortality. In the first 6 months of life, failing to initiate breastfeeding or ceasing to breastfeed resulted in an 8- to 10-fold increase in the rate of diarrheal mortality. The rate of mortality associated with both ALRI and diarrhea was increased nearly six times by not breastfeeding, but the rate of ALRI mortality alone was not increased. The data also suggested that the risk of mortality associated with not breastfeeding was greater for low birth weight infants and infants whose mothers had little formal education. After age 6 months, the protective effects of breastfeeding dropped dramatically. These findings underscore the importance of promoting breastfeeding, especially during the first 6 months of life, and of targeting high risk groups such as low birth weight babies and those of low socioeconomic status.     

Investigation of iodine as a donor in MBE grown Hg1−xCdxTe

N-type Hg_1−xCd_xTe layers with x values of 0.3 and 0.7 have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy using iodine in the form of CdI₂ as a dopant. Carrier concentrations up to 1.1 × 10¹⁸ cm⁻³ have been achieved for x = 0.7 and up to 7.6 × 10¹⁷ cm⁻³ for x=0.3. The best low temperature mobilities are 460 cm²/(Vs) and 1.2 × 10⁵ cm²/(Vs) for x=0.7 and x=0.3, respectively. Using CdI₂ as the dopant modulation doped HgTe quantum well structures have been grown. These structures display very pronounced Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations and quantum Hall plateaus. Electron densities in the 2D electron gas in the HgTe quantum well could be varied from 1.9 × 10¹¹ cm⁻² up to 1.4 × 10¹² cm⁻² by adjusting the thicknesses of the spacer and doped layer. Typical mobilities of the 2D electron gas are of the order of 5.0 × 10⁴ cm²/(Vs) with the highest value being 7.8 × 10⁴ cm²/(Vs).     

Stochastic correlative learning algorithms

This paper addresses stochastic correlative learning as the basis for a broadly defined class of statistical learning algorithms known collectively as the algorithm of pattern extraction (ALOPEX) family. Starting with the neurobiologically motivated Hebb's rule, the two conventional forms of the ALOPEX algorithm are derived, followed by a modified variant designed to improve the convergence speed. We next describe two more elaborate versions of the ALOPEX algorithm, which incorporate particle filtering that exemplifies a form of Monte Carlo simulation, to exchange computational complexity for an improved convergence and tracking behavior. In support of the different forms of the ALOPEX algorithm developed herein, we present three different experiments using synthetic and real-life data on binocular fusion of stereo images, on-line prediction, and system identification.     

Loss of control, self-blame, and depression: An investigation of spouse caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients.

Tested several predictions derived from the reformulated learned helplessness (RLH) depression model developed by L. Y. Abramson et al (see record 1979-00305-001) and from recent critiques of that model, in a longitudinal study of spouses caring for a husband or wife with Alzheimer's disease. During initial interviews, 68 caregivers (aged 37–85 yrs) rated the uncontrollability of important upsetting events related to their spouse's disease and were scored on an index of internal–external causal attribution (CATN) for those events. In addition, at both the initial and follow-up interviews (n?=?38) about 10 mo later, caregivers were rated for depression, anxiety, and hostility. Results indicate that the indices of loss of control and CATN were more consistently related to depression than to anxiety or hostility, although hostility was related to CATNs. Correlations of the loss of control and CATN variables with depression remained significant after controlling for a measure of the spouse's objective disability. In hierarchical regression analyses, perceived loss of control and its interaction with CATN significantly predicted follow-up depression after controlling for initial depression. The interaction showed that loss of control combined with an internal attribution predicted higher depression than did either one alone. The importance of including specific uncontrollable events when studying the RLH model is emphasized. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Immersive electronic books for surgical training

Immersive electronic books (IEBooks) for surgical training will let surgeons explore previous surgical procedures in 3D. The authors describe the techniques and tools for creating a preliminary IEBook, embodying some of the basic concepts.