Maternal asthma and idiopathic preterm labor

Previous studies suggest that women with asthma are at increased risk of preterm birth. Moreover, drugs (especially beta-agonists) used to treat asthma are also used to treat preterm labor. The authors carried out a case-control study of 555 women from three hospital centers with idiopathic preterm labor (< 37 weeks), including two overlapping (i.e., non-mutually exclusive) subsamples: cases with early idiopathic preterm labor (< 34 weeks) and cases with idiopathic recurrent preterm labor (< 37 weeks plus a previous history of preterm delivery or second-trimester miscarriage). Controls were matched to cases according to race and smoking history prior to and during pregnancy. All subjects responded in person to questions about atopic, respiratory, obstetric, and sociodemographic histories. Subjects in the early and recurrent preterm labor subsamples were also asked to undergo spirometric testing with methacholine challenge 6-12 weeks after delivery. Cases were significantly more likely to report histories of asthma symptoms and physician-diagnosed asthma (matched odds ratios of 2-3) than controls, particularly those cases with recurrent preterm labor. No significant associations were observed, however, with methacholine responsiveness. These results could not be explained by residual confounding by smoking or other variables, nor by selective recall of asthma symptoms and histories by cases. Women with asthma are at increased risk of idiopathic preterm labor. The fact that no such association was seen with methacholine responsiveness suggests that nonatopic, noncholinergic mechanisms may link bronchial and uterine smooth muscle lability.     

Neurotransmitter receptors in the developing cerebral cortex

This review deals with several aspects of neurotransmitter receptor development in the primate cerebral cortex. It describes the presence of multiple neurotransmitter receptors in the transient zones of the fetal cerebral wall. These zones are involved in the production and migration of cortical neurons and the establishment of appropriate innervation of the cortex. It also suggests functions that neurotransmitter receptors may perform in these embryonic zones. In addition, this review shows that a remarkable diversity of neurotransmitter receptors develops concurrently in disparate areas of the primate cerebral cortex and discusses the implications of this finding on our understanding of the general principles underlying development of the cerebral cortical circuitry. Finally, it speculates on factors that may be involved in regulation of neurotransmitter receptor development in the primate cerebral cortex.     

Cytoskeletal-associated protein kinase and phosphatase activities from cerebral cortex of young rats

We describe the phosphorylation system associated with the Triton-insoluble cytoskeletal fraction that phosphorylates in vitro the 150 kDa neurofilament subunit (NF-M) and alpha and beta tubulin from cerebral cortex of rats. The protein kinase activities were determined in the presence of 20 microM cyclic AMP (cAMP), 1 mM calcium and 1 microM calmodulin (Ca2+/calmodulin) or 1 mM calcium, 0.2 mM phosphatidylserine and 0.5 microM phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (Ca2+/PS/PDBu). Phosphorylation of these cytoskeletal proteins increased approximately 35% and 65% in the presence of cAMP and Ca2+/calmodulin, respectively, but was unaffected in the presence of Ca2+/PS/PDBu. Basal phosphorylation of these proteins studied increased approximately 35% and 72% in the presence of 0.5 microM okadaic acid and 0.01 microM microcystin-LR, respectively, suggesting the presence of phosphatase type 1. Results suggest that at least two protein kinases and one protein phosphatase are associated with the Triton-insoluble cytoskeletal fraction from cerebral cortex of rats.     

Psychiatric profile of patients with neurodermatitis

Fifty patients of neurodermatitis attending the dermatology clinic of a general hospital were screened for psychiatric morbidity. Fifty patients suffering from tinea from the same clinic were taken as a control group (age, sex and socio-economic class matched). A majority of neurodermatitis patients were between 21-30 years of age-group (52%), males (84%), married (90%), literate up to primary (42%) and belonged to socio-economic class V (44%). The common sites of neurodermatitis were legs (28%), arms (16%), scrotum (12%) or multiple sites (36%). The duration of symptoms ranged from 1 month to 2 years (average duration was 6 months). The study group also showed significantly higher occupational and psychosexual problems (p < 0.001). The neurodermatitis patients scored significantly higher on N-2 scale and Hamilton rating scale for depression.