The location and tracking of swallowed dental appliances: the role of radiology

BACKGROUND: The effects of beta 2 adrenergic agonists on chemoreceptors remain controversial. This study was designed to examine whether fenoterol, a beta 2 adrenergic agonist, increases the ventilatory responses to hypercapnia (HCVR) and hypoxia (HVR) in normal subjects. METHODS: HCVR was tested with a rebreathing method and HVR was examined with a progressive isocapnic hypoxic method in 11 normal subjects. Both HCVR and HVR were assessed by the slope of occlusion pressure (P0.1) or ventilation (VE) plotted against end tidal carbon dioxide pressure and arterial oxygen saturation, respectively. Respiratory muscle strength, spirometric values and lung volume were measured. After a single oral administration of 5 mg fenoterol or placebo HCVR and HVR were evaluated. RESULTS: Fenoterol treatment did not change the specific airway conductance or forced expiratory volume in one second. Respiratory muscle strength did not change. Fenoterol increased the slope of the HCVR of both P0.1 (from 0.251 (0.116) to 0.386 (0.206) kPa/kPa, average increase 71%) and VE (from 10.7 (3.4) to 15.1 (4.2) l/min/kPa, average increase 52%), and shifted the response curves to higher values. For the HVR fenoterol increased the slopes of both P0.1 and VE (from -4.06 (2.00) x 10(-3) to -7.99 (4.29) x 10(-3) kPa/%, an average increase of 83%, and from -0.221 (0.070) to -0.313 (0.112) l/min/%, a 44.5% increase, respectively), and shifted the response curves to higher values. CONCLUSION: Acute administration of fenoterol increases the ventilatory responses to both hypercapnia and hypoxia in normal subjects.     

Evidence for the involvement of protein kinase C isoforms in alpha-1 adrenergic activation of phospholipase A2 in FRTL-5 thyroid cells

BACKGROUND: FRTL-5 thyroid cells are a cell line extensively used for the investigation of thyroid functions. Activation of alpha-1 adrenergic receptors stimulates both arachidonic acid (AA) release and cytosolic Ca2+ increase in this cell line. Cytosolic Ca2+ and arachidonic acid are known to be important second messengers regulating a variety of thyroid functions. The generation of these messengers is regulated primarily by two different types of phospholipases, phospholipase C (PLC) and phospholipase A2 (PLA2). METHODS: Norepinephrine (NE, 10 mumol/L) was used as an alpha-1 adrenergic activator, and cytosolic-free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was determined using the fluorescent dye indo-1. Arachidonic acid release was measured as an indicator of PLA2 activation, and protein kinase C (PKC) activity determination and isoforms identification were performed using commercial kits. RESULTS: Norepinephrine increased [Ca2+]i and AA release. Prevention of NE-induced cytosolic Ca2+ influx, either by removal of extracellular Ca2+ or by use of Ca2+ channel blockers, NiCl2 or CoCl2, inhibited AA generation entirely. Inhibition of NE-induced increase in [Ca2+]i by the Ca2+ chelator, 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA), also significantly suppressed NE-induced AA release. Inhibition of PKC activity by PKC inhibitors (H-7 or staurosporine) or downregulation induced by prolonged treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or thyleametoxin (TX) significantly blocked the NE-induced AA release, which indicates PKC is involved in mediating NE-induced AA release. Protein kinase C activity measurement indicated that NE induced an activation of PKC in 5 minutes. To further characterize the role of PKC or Ca2+ in regulation of AA release, we identified PKC isoforms by immunoblotting with specific antibodies against 8 different Protein kinase C isoforms. PKC-alpha, -beta I, -beta II, -gamma, delta, -epsilon, -zeta, and -eta isoforms were identified. Norepinephrine induced translocation of PKC-alpha, -beta I, -beta II, -gamma, -delta, and -epsilon isoforms but not -zeta and -eta from cytosol to membrane. Chelation of intracellular Ca2+, prevention of Ca2+ influx, or prolonged treatment with thymeleatoxin (TX) completely blocked the NE-induced translocation of PKC-alpha. CONCLUSIONS: These results, taken together with data obtained from AA experiments, suggest that PKC plays a critical role in alpha-1 adrenergic receptor mediated PLA2 activation and subsequent AA release. Extracellular Ca2+ influx is a prerequisite for both PKC-alpha translocation and AA release. Whether Ca2+ acts directly upon the PLA2, or via PKC-alpha, to regulate AA generation is an intriguing question that remains to be clarified.     

Glomerular and tubular function in glycogen storage disease

Urinary protein and calcium excretion were assessed in 77 patients with the hepatic glycogen storage diseases (GSD): 30 with GSD-I (median age 12.4 years, range 3.2-32.9 years), 25 with GSD-III (median age 10.5 years, range 4.2-31.3 years) and 22 with GSD-IX (median age 11.8 years, range 1.2-35.4 years). Inulin (Cinulin) and para-aminohippuric acid (CPAH) clearances were also measured in 33 of these patients. Those with GSD-I had significantly greater albumin (F = 15.07, P < 0.001), retinol-binding protein (RBP) (F = 14.66, P < 0.001), N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) (F = 9.41, P < 0.001) and calcium (F = 7.41, P = 0.001) excretion than those with GSD-III and GSD-IX. GSD-I patients (n = 18) also had significantly higher Cinulin (F = 5.57, P = 0.009), but CPAH did not differ (F = 0.77, NS). Renal function was normal in GSD-III and GSD-IX patients. In GSD-I, Cinulin (r = -0.51, P = 0.03) and NAG excretion (r = -0.40, P = 0.03) were inversely correlated with age, whereas albumin excretion was positively correlated with age (r = +0.41, P = 0.03). RBP and calcium excretion were generally high throughout all age groups. Hyperfiltration in GSD-I is associated with renal tubular proteinuria that occurs before the onset of significant albuminuria. Deficiency of glucose-6-phosphatase within the proximal renal tubule may primarily cause tubular dysfunction, glomerular hyperfiltration being a secondary phenomenon.     

A simple and inexpensive method for the identification of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus hominis

Eight hundred and ninety-two strains of Staphylococcus species were identified by means of desferrioxamine susceptibility and fermentation results of three carbohydrates, with the API Staph system (bioMérieux, France) as reference method. No identification could be obtained for 34 strains with API Staph. Of the remaining 858 strains, identical identification was obtained with 842 (98.1%). All 707 strains identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis or Staphylococcus hominis by the API Staph system were found to be desferrioxamine susceptible, and all but 5 (3.3%) of 151 strains identified as other staphylococcal species were found to be resistant, yielding an identification correlation of 99.4% for desferrioxamine. The five additional strains which were susceptible to desferrioxamine were identified as Staphylococcus capitis (2 strains), Staphylococcus lugdunensis (2 strains), and Staphylococcus warneri (1 strain) by API Staph, and as Staphylococcus epidermidis (1 strain), Staphylococcus hominis (3 strains), and one other staphylococcal species by the experimental system.     

Distal dorsal forearm flap

Reinstatement and spontaneous recovery of previously extinguished nicotine-taking behavior were examined in rats. Male subjects were trained to self-administer nicotine (30 microg/kg per infusion, IV; one 60-min session per day for 3 weeks). Extinction sessions were then given for 5-10 days during which saline was substituted for nicotine. Subsequently, in the first set of tests for nicotine seeking, the reinstatement of lever presses that previously delivered nicotine was examined after priming injections of saline and nicotine (75, 150 and 300 microg/kg, SC; and 30 and 60 microg/kg, IV). In the second set of tests for nicotine-seeking, rats were tested after an additional 21-day drug-free period during which they were not exposed to the self-administration chambers (a test for the spontaneous recovery of drug seeking), and after priming injections of nicotine (150 and 300 microg/kg, SC). Reinstatement of extinguished food-reinforced behavior after exposure to nicotine was also determined. Priming injections of nicotine reinstated nicotine seeking regardless of the route of administration. In addition, previously extinguished nicotine seeking recovered spontaneously after a 21-day period during which rats were not exposed to the drug-taking environment. Nicotine also reinstated extinguished food-reinforced behavior in rats with a history of nicotine self-administration, but not in drug-naive rats. The present results extend previous work with opioid and stimulant drugs on reinstatement of drug seeking by the self-administered drug. It also appears that, as with other positive reinforcers, the mere passage of time is a sufficient condition for the spontaneous recovery of extinguished nicotine seeking.