Asymmetrical hemispheric activation and emotion: the effects of unilateral forced nostril breathing

Relative nostril efficiency is associated with greater activation of the hemisphere contralateral to the more efficient (dominant) nostril and with improved performance on cognitive tasks which reflect the functions of that hemisphere (see Shannahoff-Khalsa, 1993, for review). In this experiment we demonstrate a similar relationship between nasal efficiency and the emotional functions of the cerebral hemispheres. Following left nostril forced breathing through the dominant nostril, subjects report a more negative emotional state, score higher on the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory, and tell stories about an ambiguous picture that are more negative in emotional tone. These results are similar to those found with unilateral muscle contractions and therefore support the hypothesis that unilateral contractions are effective because of contralateral hemispheric activation.     

Preparing tomorrow's health sciences librarians: feasibility and marketing studies

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is devising and evaluating five curricular models designed to improve education for health sciences librarianship. These models fit into a continual learning process from the initial professional preparation to lifelong learning opportunities. Three of them enhance existing degree and certificate programs in the School of Information and Library Science (SILS) with a health sciences specialization, and two are new programs for working information professionals. The approaches involve partnerships among SILS, the Health Sciences Library, and the program in Medical Informatics. The planning process will study the feasibility of the proposed programs, test the marketability of the models to potential students and employers, and make recommendations about implementation.     

Cerebrospinal fluid cytokines in pediatric neuropsychiatric disease

This study examines cerebrospinal fluid from patients with three neuropsychiatric diseases of childhood for the presence and levels of several cytokines relevant to cell-mediated (type 1) and humoral (type 2) immunity. The patient groups include childhood-onset schizophrenia (n = 22), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (n = 24), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (n = 42). The cytokines examined include IL-2, IFN-gamma, TNF-beta/LT, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and TNF-alpha. Patients with OCD had a preponderance of type 1 cytokines. IL-4 was detectable only in samples from patients with schizophrenia. IL-10 was rarely detected and never in patients with OCD. Few patients with schizophrenia had detectable amounts of IFN-gamma in CSFL. We conclude that there is a relative skewing of CSFL profiles toward type 1 cytokines in patients with OCD, whereas in schizophrenia the relative preponderance is toward type 2 mediators. Patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder exhibited profiles intermediate between OCD and schizophrenia. We infer that cell-mediated immunity may be involved in the etiopathogenesis of OCD, whereas a relative lack of cell-mediated immunity and involvement of humoral immunity may be present in schizophrenia. These data provide a rationale for immune-based strategies of study and therapeutics in childhood neuropsychiatric disease.     

Importance of MEK in neutrophil microbicidal responsiveness

Exposure of neutrophils to inflammatory stimuli such as the chemoattractant FMLP leads to activation of responses including cell motility, the oxidative burst, and secretion of proteolytic enzymes. A signaling cascade involving sequential activation of Raf-1, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK), and extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) is also rapidly activated after agonist exposure. The temporal relationship between these events suggests that the kinases may be involved in triggering the effector functions, but direct evidence of a causal relationship is lacking. To assess the role of the MEK/ERK pathway in the activation of neutrophil responses, we studied the effects of PD098059, a potent and selective inhibitor of MEK. Preincubation of human neutrophils with 50 microM PD098059 almost completely (>90%) inhibited the FMLP-induced activation of MEK-1 and MEK-2, the isoforms expressed by neutrophils. This dose of PD098059 virtually abrogated chemoattractant-induced tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of ERK-1 and ERK-2, implying that MEKs are the predominant upstream activators of these mitogen-activated protein kinases. Pretreatment of neutrophils with the MEK antagonist inhibited the oxidative burst substantially and phagocytosis only moderately. In addition, PD098059 antagonized the delay of apoptosis induced by exposure to granulocyte-macrophage CSF. However, the effects of PD098059 were selective, as it failed to inhibit other responses, including chemoattractant-induced exocytosis of primary and secondary granules, polymerization of F-actin, chemotaxis, or activation of phospholipase A2. We conclude that MEK and ERK contribute to the activation of the oxidative burst and phagocytosis, and participate in cytokine regulation of apoptosis.     

Swallow recovery in an oral cancer patient following surgery, radiotherapy, and hyperthermia

BACKGROUND: No study has examined the nature and extent of swallowing impairment in oral cancer patients following treatment with combined hyperthermia and interstitial radiotherapy. Few studies have examined the effects of voluntary swallow maneuvers (supersupraglottic and Mendelsohn) on pharyngeal phase swallowing in the oral cancer patient treated with surgery or radiotherapy. This study examined the effects of combined radiotherapeutic salvage treatments of hyperthermia and interstitial implantation and swallow recovery using swallow maneuvers in a surgically treated and irradiated oral cancer patient. METHODS: The patient under study, a 51-year-old man, underwent radiotherapy, according to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) protocol #8419, consisting of a combination of interstitial irradiation and hyperthermia to the base of tongue, for a recurrent squamous cell cancer. He underwent videofluorographic (VFG) examination of his swallowing, a modified barium swallow at three time points: 2 days following radiotherapy treatment (VFG1), 4 weeks later (VFG2), and 8 months later (VFG3). Temporal and biomechanical analyses of swallows were performed at each time point. RESULTS: Swallow maneuvers and time resulted in improved laryngeal elevation and laryngeal vestibule closure during the swallows on VFG2. Maximum upper esophageal sphincter (UES) opening width and duration were more normal. Fewer swallows were required for bolus clearance through the pharynx. Base of tongue tissue necrosis occurred as a complication of radiotherapy between VFG2 and VFG3, with resultant severe reduction in posterior movement of the tongue base, incomplete tongue base contact to the posterior pharyngeal wall, reduced laryngeal elevation, and incomplete laryngeal vestibule closure during swallowing at VFG3. UES opening became less normal and a greater number of swallows were required for bolus clearance through the pharynx. CONCLUSIONS: Combined interstitial irradiation and hyperthermia can cause oropharyngeal swallowing problems. Time and swallow therapy can improve these swallow disorders. Tongue base tissue necrosis can cause further swallow impairment, emphasizing the importance of the tongue base in normal deglutition. Further studies are needed to examine the impact of combined hyperthermia and interstitial implantation for treatment of tongue base tumors on swallow functioning in a larger group of patients.     

The effect of fillers on chloropolyester blend CPB 4 and inhibition of double-base propellants

A direct bonding inhibition system based on chloropolyester blend CPB 4 has recently been developed for inhibition of double-base rocket propellants. The effect of alumina trihydrate (Al₂O₃ · 3H₂O) and antimony trioxide (Sb₂O₃) on various properties of CPB 4 has been studied, such as effect on gel time, exotherm peak temperature, tensile strength, per cent elongation, water absorption, nitroglycerine absorption, heat resistance, and flame retardant characteristics. The data on flame retardance and other characteristics indicate that CPB 4 with 30% Al₂O₃ · 3H₂O and CPB 4 with 20% Sb₂O₃ are suitable for inhibition of double-base propellants. The double-base propellant sustainers (containing 2-NDPA) have been inhibited with CPB 4 containing 30% Al₂O₃ · 3H₂O and CPB 4 containing 20% Sb₂O₃ separately (without the application of any barrier coating), and statically fired at ambient, sub-zero (after conditioning at ?40°C for 18 h) and high (after conditioning at +50°C for 18 h) temperatures. The pressure—time profiles were found to be smooth and flat in all cases, indicating that the pressure level was the same throughout the combustion duration, inferring the suitability of these systems for inhibition of double-base propellants without the application of any barrier coating.     

Adenosine A1 receptors mediate hypoxia-induced inhibition of electrically evoked transmitter release from rat striatal slices

We have examined the role of adenosine in mediating effects of mild hypoxia on electrically evoked transmitter release. Rat striatal slices, preincubated with [3H]dopamine and [14C]choline, were superfused continuously and stimulated electrically. Before and during the second stimulation, some slices were superfused with Krebs' solution with lowered oxygen. This mild hypoxia caused a significant increase of the electrically evoked outflow of endogenous adenosine, hypoxanthine and inosine into the superfusion buffer, whereas electrically evoked release of [3H]dopamine and [14C]acetylcholine was significantly decreased. The addition of 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine, a selective adenosine A1 receptor antagonist, blocked the hypoxia-induced inhibitory effect on the evoked release of these two transmitters in a concentration-dependent manner. In summary, the results show that reduction of the oxygen supply to striatal slices results in an increased release of endogenous adenosine, which, by acting on adenosine A1 receptors, decreases the electrically evoked release of dopamine and acetylcholine.