Treatment of l(2)mbn Drosophila tumorous blood cells with the steroid hormone ecdysone amplifies the inducibility of antimicrobial peptide gene expression

Insects rely on both humoral and cellular mechanisms to defend themselves against microbial infections. The humoral response involves synthesis of a battery of potent antimicrobial peptides by the fat body and, to a lesser extent, by blood cells. The cellular response on the other hand consists of phagocytosis of small microorganisms and melanization and encapsulation of larger parasites. The l(2)mbn cell line, established from tumorous larval hemocytes, represents a system of choice to dissect the molecular events controlling cellular immunity. We report here that l(2)mbn cells can be efficiently induced to differentiate in adherent, macrophage-like cells by treatment with 20-hydroxyecdysone. Ecdysone treatment increases both the phagocytic capacity of l(2)mbn cells and their competence to express antimicrobial genes in response to immune challenge. We also report that expression of several regulatory molecules thought to be involved in the immune response is up-regulated by ecdysone in l(2)mbn cells.     

Torsades de pointes with terfenadine ingestion

Torsades de pointes (TDP) is a ventricular tachycardia that can deteriorate into ventricular fibrillation. TDP has been associated with terfenadine use in cases of liver disease, electrolyte abnormalities, concomitant administration of drugs that inhibit cytochrome P-450, or deliberate overdose. This report describes the first case of TDP in a healthy patient taking the recommended therapeutic dosage of terfenadine.     

Gallstone prevalence in relation to smoking, alcohol, coffee consumption, and nutrition. The Ulm Gallstone Study

BACKGROUND: Besides considering well-known risk factors for the development of gallbladder stones, such as age, sex, fecundity, and hereditary predisposition, efforts at prevention have focused increasingly on other factors, such as nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine consumption, as well as general nutrition, which may be modified. METHODS: A total of 1116 blood donors were examined between April 1994 and February 1995 in the central blood bank of the German Red Cross in Ulm, Germany. Each subject received a questionnaire and underwent to an upper abdominal ultrasound examination. RESULTS: Gallbladder stone disease (current cholecystolithiasis and history of cholecystectomy) was detailed in 5.8% of the men and 6.3% of the women. Neither regularity nor number of daily meals correlated with the frequency of gallstone disease. Vegetarians (n = 48), as a group, were not found to have gallstones. In relation to the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine higher prevalence of cholecystolithiasis was found only in heavy drinkers of coffee (P = 0.051; odds ratio (OR), 1.083; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.999, 1.174). CONCLUSION: Results of the present study do not show a definite relationship between nutritional factors and the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine and an increased prevalence of gallbladder stone disease.