[The 484th case:asthma, limb numbness, diplopia, headache].

A 47-year-old female who had a history of asthma and sinusitis in the past was admitted to hospital with limbs numbness and pain for ten days. The symptoms were aggravated for eight hours. On admission, significant peripheral eosinophilia was noted. Paranasal sinusitis and transient bronchiolitis were found by CT scan.Electromyogram demonstrated multiple mononeuropathy. Eosinophilia was indicated by bone marrow biopsy. The diagnosis of eosinophilic granulomatous polyangiitis(EGPA) was determined. The patient got better after applying glucocorticoid and cyclophosphamide.Later she developed abdominal pain and partial oculomotor nerve palsy, while her condition improved after continued immunosuppression and anticoagulant therapy. She was hospitalized for the third time because of headache. Subarachnoid hemorrhage was diagnosed after lumber puncture and cranial MRI+MRA+MRV and other examinations. She was relieved after conservative treatment. Subarachnoid hemorrhage with EGPA is rare. This case may improve physicians' understanding of EGPA complicated with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

[The distribution of peripheral anterior synechiae in patients with primary angle-closure glaucoma].

Objective: To describe the distribution and characteristics of peripheral anterior synechiae (PAS) in patients with primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG). Methods: Retrospective case study. A total of 285 PACG patients (406 eyes) diagnosed in the Eye Hospital, School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University from January 2017 to August 2019 were included. They were 102 males and 183 females, with a median age of 67 years old (range, 21 to 95 years old). The PAS range was detected by gonioscopy examination, and the frequency distribution of PAS at 12 clock points was counted by clockwise. The PAS distribution at the middle point of PAS with continuous distribution and ≤6 clock points was assessed. Results: In all cases, PAS of the right eye was concentrated at 11:00 to 4:00 regions [range, 62.0% (129/208) to 78.8% (164/208)]. PAS of the left eye was concentrated at 7:00 to 1:00 regions [range, 50.0% (99/198) to 75.8% (150/198)]. When the PAS range of the atrial angle was ≤6 clock regions, it was mainly at 12:00 to 3:00 [range, 58.3% (74/127) to 67.7% (86/127)] in the right eye and at 10:00 to 12:00 [range, 54.8% (68/124) to 66.1% (82/124)] in the left eye. Among 121 cases (242 eyes) with both eyes involved, the PAS region was at 11:00 to 5:00 [range, 52.1% (63/121) to 79.3% (96/121)] in the right eye and at 8:00 to 1:00 [range, 50.4% (61/121) to 76.9% (93/121)] in the left eye. When the PAS range of the atrial angle was ≤6 clock regions, it was mainly at 12:00 to 4:00 [range, 53.2% (41/77) to 71.4% (55/77)] in the right eye and at 10:00 to 12:00 [range, 50.6% (39/77) to 64.9% (50/77)] in the left eye. In all cases, there were 171 cases of right eyes and 175 cases of left eyes with continuous angle PAS. The central PAS clock position of the right eye was mainly at 11:00 to 3:00 [range, 15.2% (26/171) to 24.0% (41/171)], and that of the left eye was mainly at 8:00 to 12:00 [range, 15.4% (27/175) to 20.6% (36/175)]. Among cases with both eyes involved, there were 98 cases of right eyes and 104 cases of left eyes with continuous angle PAS. The clock distribution of the middle position of the right eye angle PAS was concentrated at 11:00 to 3:00 [range, 17.3% (17/98) to 26.5% (26/98)], and that of the left eye was concentrated at 8:00 to 12:00 [range, 13.5% (14/104) to 20.2% (21/104)]. Conclusions: The PAS of PACG patients is mainly located in the upper and nasal sides, and the closer to the temporal side, the smaller the PAS frequency, showing a gradual downward trend. The PAS distribution of binocular angles is of obvious mirror symmetry. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 666-671).

[shRNA-Mediated Suppression of γ-Synuclein Leading to Downregulation of p38/ERK/JNK Phosphorylation and Cell Cycle Arrest in Endometrial Cancer Cells].

In this study, we explored the effects of treating human endometrial cancer cells with γ-synuclein-specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and elucidated the associated mechanisms in vitro and in vivo through the p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways. Cell proliferation and migration were assessed using CCK8, Transwell, and scratch wound healing assays. Flow cytometry and laser scanning confocal microscopy were used to detect cell cycle changes. Relative levels of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated (p) p38, ERK1/2 and JNK1/2/3 were determined in vitro and in vivo using simple western blotting assays. Cell proliferation in the experimental group decreased significantly and cells transfected with shRNA showed reduced migration rates (P < 0.05). p-p38, p-ERK1/2, and p-JNK1/2/3 levels were downregulated in the experimental group in vitro and in vivo. Tumor volumes and weights in the experimental group were significantly lower (P < 0.05). Tumor formation time in the negative control group was significantly shorter (P < 0.05). Flow cytometry showed that the number of cells in the G1 and mitotic phases increased and that in the S phase decreased after SNCG silencing (P < 0.05). Confocal microscopy showed that the percentage of cells in the mitotic phase increased after SNCG gene silencing (P < 0.05). We conclude that shRNA-mediated suppression of γ-synuclein decreased the proliferation, migration, and tumorigenicity of endometrial cancer cells via downregulation of p38, ERK, and JNK phosphorylation. High SNCG expression is closely related to the growth cycle of endometrial cancer cells.

Early improvement in PANSS-30, PANSS-8, and PANSS-6 scores predicts ultimate response and remission during acute treatment of schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: PANSS-8 and PANSS-6 are derived from the 30-item Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS-30). We investigate whether PANSS-8 or PANSS-6 is a reliable, valid, sensitive to change measure, and scalable, and whether early improvement using them can predict response/remission. METHOD: Data were from 3 trials for 270 schizophrenia inpatients receiving antipsychotics. Internal consistency, validity, sensitivity to change, and scalability using PANSS-30, PANSS-8, and PANSS-6 at each assessment were examined. Early improvement was defined as at least 20% reduction of PANSS-30, PANSS-8, or PANSS-6 scores at week 2. Response was defined as at least 40% reduction of PANSS-30 and remission as a score of PANSS-8 ≤ 3 on each item at endpoint. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to determine which rating scale had better discriminative capacity. RESULTS: PANSS-8 and PANSS-6 showed acceptable internal consistency, were highly correlated with PANSS-30, and had sensitivity to change. PANSS-8 and PANSS-6 were scalable at each assessment, except for PANSS-6 at baseline. Early improvement using PANSS-8 or PANSS-6 had comparable predictive values with that of PANSS-30 for response/remission. CONCLUSION: PANSS-8 and PANSS-6 are clinically useful measures. Early improvement, regardless of whether PANSS-30, PANSS-8, or PANSS-6 is used, is a statistically significant predictor of response/remission.

[A multicenter, large-sample, randomized clinical trial on improving the median survival time of advanced non-small cell lung cancer by combination of Ginseng Rg3 and chemotherapy].

Objective: To observe the efficacy of the combination of chemotherapy and Ginseng Rg3 on advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC). Methods: In the multi-center, large-sample, randomized, double blind trial, 414 patients with Ⅲ-Ⅳ NSCLC were enrolled.199 were in the experimental group and 215 the control group. The patients in the experimental group were treated with the standard first-line chemotherapy combined with Ginseng Rg3. The patients in the control group were treated with the same chemotherapy combined with placebo. Median overall survival (OS), Karnofsky performance scale (KPS), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) symptoms score and side effects of two groups were observed as main indexes. Results: The median OS were 12.03 months in the experimental group, which was significantly better than that in the control group (8.46 months, P<0.05). Hemoglobin and white blood cells were decreased after the first and second cycle of treatment in both groups. Both adverse events were significantly milder in the treatment group (P<0.05). In addition, after two courses of treatment, the KPS of patients was 78.95±9.14 in the experimental group and 76.77±9.15 in the control group, while the TCM symptoms score was 2.45±1.73 in the experimental group and 2.92±2.06 in the control group, with significant difference (P<0.05). Conclusions: Combination of TCM with Western medicine such as chemotherapy could prolong the survival of patients with advanced NSCLC. The combined therapy improved patients' symptoms and reduced chemotherapy induced myelosuppression.

Association of TLR2 and TLR4 non-missense single nucleotide polymorphisms with type 2 diabetes risk in a southern Chinese population: a case-control study.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs), the triggers of the innate and adaptive immune responses, are involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Several studies have investigated the effects of genetic polymorphisms in TLR4 and TLR2, but they have yielded limited results. We investigated whether non-missense genetic polymorphisms in the regulatory regions of TLR4 and TLR2 were related to T2DM in a southern Chinese population. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TLR4 (rs1927911, rs11536889, rs1927907, rs1927906, rs1927914, rs7873784, and rs2149356) and TLR2 (rs1898830, rs3804099, rs4696480, and rs3804100) were genotyped in 552 T2DM and 552 unrelated age- and gender-matched controls by SNaPShot Multiplex assay. Genotypes GG (OR = 0.09, 95%CI = 0.01- 0.83, P = 0.03) and CG (OR = 0.08, 95%CI = 0.01-0.74, P = 0.03) of the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) SNP rs7873784 in TLR4, and genotype AG (OR = 0.67, 95%CI = 0.46-0.97, P = 0.04) and allele G (OR = 0.88, 95%CI = 0.79-0.97, P = 0.01) of the intron SNP rs1898830 in TLR2 were identified as protective against the development of T2DM in southern Chinese people. In contrast, a meta-analysis of rs1927911 and rs1927914 showed no association. Haplotypes AGTT (OR = 0.34, 95%CI = 0.15-0.77, P = 0.01) and AATT (OR = 1.20, 95%CI = 1.01- 1.44, P = 0.05) in TLR2 were significantly associated with susceptibility to T2DM. Our results suggest that the effects of non-missense polymorphisms located in the regulatory regions of TLR4 and TLR2 should not be neglected in T2DM association analysis.

Co-morbidities in psoriasis: a hospital-based case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Recent researches show that psoriasis is frequently associated with systemic co-morbidities. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify possible associated co-morbidities in psoriatic patients stratified by age and sex. METHODS: In this retrospective hospital-based case-control study, patients diagnosed as psoriasis at the Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan between January 2008 and December 2009 were enrolled as cases and classified into severe and mild based on their use of systemic therapy. The controls were the patients without psoriasis matched the cases in 1 : 1 ratio with same birth year, sex and calendar date. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from the conditional logistic regression method were used to assess the risk of co-morbidities between psoriatic and non-psoriatic patients. RESULTS: A total of 447 cases and 447 matched controls, with mean age of 51.3 ± 18.3 years and male-to-female ratio of 2.17 : 1 were enrolled. The ratio of mild-to-severe was 3.5 : 1. Compared with non-psoriatic patients, psoriatic patients had significantly higher OR of hypertension (1.85), diabetes mellitus (2.88) and obesity (1.66). Among those aged ≥51 years old, there was significant risk in male psoriatic patients with ischaemic and hypertensive heart disease (IHHD) (OR = 2.167) after eliminating female IHHD psoriatic patients (OR = 0.125). Psoriasis was significantly negatively associated with cancers (OR = 0.267). Psoriasis patients often had the usual drinking habit (OR = 2.23) and seldom had an occasional drinking habit (OR = 0.25). CONCLUSIONS: Psoriasis is strongly associated with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity. The association between psoriasis and IHHD, stroke, cancers, smoking and alcohol habits warrant more investigation.

Secretion of plasminogen activator by bone marrow-derived mononuclear phagocytes and its enhancement by colony-stimulating factor.

We have studied the production of plasminogen activator (PA) by mononuclear phagocytes derived from mouse bone marrow precursor cells (CFU-C) in culture. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) obtained after 6-8-d cultivation in a liquid medium containing L-cell-conditioned medium (LCM), a source of colony stimulating factor (CSF), showed a high level of fibrinolytic activity comparable to that of thioglycollate medium-induced peritoneal macrophages (TPM) and at least 20-fold higher than that of resident peritoneal macrophages (RPM). Fibrinolysis was a result of active secretion of PA into the culture medium and plaques of caseinolysis could be detected by an overlay assay over all macrophage colonies formed after cloning of bone marrow cells in culture. When the fibrinolytic activity of BMDM harvested at different times was investigated, it was found that the level of PA activity of a given BMDM population correlated well with the incidence of cells (5-15 percent) able to proliferate and form colonies in agar after 7-14 d, somewhat more slowly than CFU-C. This correlation between the level of PA secretion and the incidence of agar colony-forming cells was also found with other mononuclear phagocyte populations. Active fibrinolysis and slow growing colony-forming cells were observed at the same time as adherent macrophages appeared, 2-3 d after the start of bone marrow culture, they persisted for 10 d before declining. Some of the factors which influenced PA production by BMDM were examined. Fibrinolysis could be enhanced two- to fourfold by exposing the cells for 4 h to concanavalin A (Con A), to medium conditioned by Con A-stimulated spleen cells and to LCM, but not by phagocytosis of latex particles. The substance in LCM that stimulated PA production appeared to be identical to CSF. Mononuclear phagocyte targets differed in their response to LCM, which stimulated fibrinolysis readily in BMDM, to a lesser extent in TPM and not at all in RPM. We conclude that CSF stimulates both proliferation and fibrinolytic activity in BMDM and that the level of macrophage activation, as defined by PA production, can be further enhanced by lymphokines. Induction of PA in BMDM provides a rapid and sensitive assay for measuring the activity of CSF and defining its role in macrophage activation.

Clonal growth of hamster free alveolar cells in soft agar.

Free alveolar cells obtained from healthy unstimulated hamsters were tested for their ability to form colonies in soft agar. Every bronchial washing so far tested contained colon-forming cells. The average plating efficiency was 8.1% (2.4-18.3%). Alveolar colony-forming cells were characterized by having a long initial lag period (4-8 days) and only mononuclear phagocytes were found in the colony. Medium conditioned by baby hamster kidney cells or other cells was required for the initiation and maintenance of their growth. Alveolar cells from normal mice and rats also formed colonies under appropriate culture conditions.

Proliferation and colony-forming ability of peritoneal exudate cells in liquid culture.

Peritoneal exudate cells, obtained from mice injected with thioglycollate medium and cultured in medium containing L-cell-conditioned medium, will proliferate in an exponential fashion for 18 days with a doubling time of 68 h. After a 2 h pulse of tritiated thymidine, labeled adherent cells increased to a maximum of 22-34% during the 1st and 2nd wk of culture. Increasing the cell concentration from 2 times 10-3 to 2 times 10-5 cells/culture reduced exponential growth to 10 days and the doubling time was increased to 81.6 h. Under these culture conditions, peritoneal exudate cells were shown to form colonies on the surface of culture dishes when plated at low density. The cells within the colony were shown to be macrophages using yeast and antibody-coated sheep erythrocytes as a test for phagocytic function. The plating efficiolonies arose from a single precursor cell. The adherent cell population contains the colony-forming precursors. These precursors can be stimulated to form colonies for at least 2 wk by the addition of conditioned medium to cultures at various times after plating. While very few colony-forming cells could be demonstrated in the unstimulated peritoneal lavage, their numbers begin to increase in the exudate 4 h after injection of thioglycollate medium and reach a maximum by day 3 and then decrease. Isolated colonies may be useful in studying the function of macrophages.

Elastase secretion by peritoneal exudative and alveolar macrophages.

Mouse alveolar macrophages (AM) cultured in the absence of serum secrete an elastolytic enzyme. The elastase from AM resembles the previously described elastase from peritoneal macrophages (PM) in pH optimum and inhibition profile. The macrophage enzymes do not appear to be stored, and with periodic changes in the culture medium, accumulate extracellularly for up to 10 days. Resident PM produce barely detectable levels of extracellular elastase unless given a phagocytic load. Thioglycollate-stimulated peritoneal exudative macrophages (PEM), however, secret easily detectable levels of elastase, which can be further increased with a phagocytic load. Without any additional stimulation, AM secret an elastolytic activity comparable to that of the PEM receiving a phagocytic load, but unlike PM they do not increase elastase secretion after phagocytosis.

Conversion of monocytes to cells capable of anchorage-independent growth in vitro.

We investigated the time-course involved in the conversion of mouse blood monocytes in vitro in cells capable of anchorage-independent growth. Two criteria were used to define when monocytes were fully converted to cells similar to mononuclear phagocytes present in inflammatory exudate, such as thioglycollate medium (TM)-elicited peritoneal exudate. They were the production of high levels of plasminogen activators and an ability to undergo anchorage-independent growth. Resident peritoneal macrophages were used as controls and for comparison. Our studies indicated that monocytes, but not resident peritoneal macrophages, could be converted to cells similar to TM-elicited mononuclear phagocytes after 2 d in culture.

Solubilization of vorinostat by cyclodextrins.

BACKGROUND: Vorinostat (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid) is the first histone deacetylase inhibitor approved by US FDA for use in oncology. However, as a hydrophobic acid, its limited aqueous solubility poses a problem for parenteral delivery. Such limited solubility may also affect its oral bioavailability. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether cyclodextrins (CDs), common excipients used in pharmaceutical industry, could increase the aqueous solubility of vorinostat. METHODS: The actual aqueous solubility of vorinostat was investigated by phase-solubility method. Molecular simulation was employed to predict the interaction energy and preferred orientation of vorinostat in CD cavities. RESULTS: Phase-solubility studies indicated that the solubility of vorinostat (7·24×10(-1) mm) was substantially increased when complexed with various CDs, in the following order: randomly methylated-ß-cyclodextrin (RM-ß-CD)>hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HP-ß-CD)>α-cyclodextrin>hydroxypropyl-α-cyclodextrin>Hydroxypropyl-γ-cyclodextrin>γ-cyclodextrin. RM-ß-CD 300 mm increased vorinostat solubility to 70·8 mm, almost two orders of magnitude higher than the baseline solubility. Such findings were in good agreement with the results obtained from molecular simulation. CONCLUSION: CDs, particularly RM-ß-CD and HP-ß-CD, increased vorinostat's solubility. Future studies could be focused on the application of HP-ß-CD in parenteral delivery of vorinostat or using RM-ß-CD as an oral absorption enhancer. Molecular simulation appeared to be a useful tool for the selection of appropriate CD as excipient for drug delivery.

A peculiar configuration of agranular reticulum (canaliculate lamellar body) in the rat pinealocyte.

A cytoplasmic structure exhibiting a peculiar configuration of agranular reticulum has been found in the rat pinealocyte, and has been designated a canaliculate lamellar body. It consists of a number of fenestrated, flat cisternae which are closely spaced. They bear some distant resemblance to the annulate lamellae previously reported in a variety of cell types. Profiles of stacks of lamellae in a plane of section always display two distinct aspects, the surface and the cross-sectional views of flat cisternae. A surface view shows the hexagonal arrangement of pores or fenestrations. The pores in successive lamellae are aligned precisely, one behind the other, so that clear, cylindrical channels are seen running perpendicular to the lamellae as indicated by transverse sections of the lamellar stacks. Large canaliculate lamellar bodies are composed of many extended series of lamellar stacks which pursue a tortuous course and cross one another. Occasionally the canaliculate lamellar body is located deep in a nuclear invagination, which reminds one of the so-called nuclear pellets (Kernkugeln) reported by light microscopy. The functional significance of the body is unknown.

Serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism is associated with body mass index and obesity in non-elderly stroke patients.

BACKGROUND: The serotonergic system is involved in the complex behavioral and physiological process in maintaining energy balance. Genetic factors regulating serotonergic function may have links with the development of obesity. AIM: To investigate whether the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism of the serotonin transporter gene is associated with body mass index (BMI) and obesity in stroke patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study included 376 patients (65.3+/-11.3 yr; male, 61.7%) with stroke. Associations between the 5-HTTLPR and BMI and obesity (BMI > or = 25 kg/m2) were examined in all subjects. In order to test age-dependent effects of the genetic variant, the association was also examined in the non-elderly subgroup (<65 yr) and the elderly subgroup (> or =65 yr) respectively. RESULTS: For non-elderly subjects, the SS genotype was independently associated with increased BMI level (beta=1.84, p=0.037) and obesity (odds ratio 4.17, 95% CI 1.25-14.0, p=0.021) when the LL genotype was used as the reference. The association was not found for all patients or in the elderly subgroup. The LS genotype was not different from the LL genotype in BMI level or risk of obesity, either for all subjects or with regard to the non-elderly and elderly subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: The SS genotype of 5-HTTLPR is an independent determinant of increased BMI level and obesity in non-elderly stroke patients but not in elderly patients. An age-dependent modification for the effect of the 5-HTTLPR on development of obesity is considered.

Anti-rheumatic activities of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors in vivo in collagen-induced arthritis in rodents.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), a new class of anti-cancer agents, have recently been reported to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory activities. A proof of concept study was carried out with suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) and MS-275, two HDACi currently undergoing clinical investigations for various oncological indications. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The anti-rheumatic effects of SAHA and MS-275 were assessed in both mouse and rat collagen induced arthritis (CIA) models. KEY RESULTS: SAHA exhibited moderate prophylactic efficacy. It attenuated paw swelling due to inflammation, decreased bone erosion in both mice and rats and reduced slightly the RA-induced bone resorption in rats. However, SAHA could not inhibit the onset of arthritis. In contrast, MS-275 displayed dramatic anti-rheumatic activities. In prophylactic intervention, high doses of MS-275 prevented bone erosion and markedly delayed the onset of arthritis; at low doses, MS-275 strongly attenuated paw swelling, bone erosion, and bone resorption associated with RA. Furthermore, the therapeutic efficacy of MS-275 was also documented. After the onset of arthritis, it could stop the disease progression and joint destruction. An anti inflammatory effect of MS-275 was also confirmed through its capacity to decrease serum IL-6 and IL-1beta levels in the CIA induced mouse model. The anti-rheumatic activity of MS-275 was also confirmed through histological observation. No synovial hyperplasia, pannus formation, cartilage or bone destruction were observed in the high dose prophylactic intervention in mice. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION: This study strongly supported HDACi as an innovative therapeutic strategy for RA.

Baseline Vulnerability and Inpatient Frailty Status in Relation to Adverse Outcomes in a Surgical Cohort.

This study aimed to derive measures of baseline vulnerability and inpatient frailty in elderly surgical patients and to study their association with adverse post-operative outcomes. Data from comprehensive geriatric assessment of 208 general surgical and orthopaedic patients aged 70 and over admitted to four acute hospitals in Queensland, Australia, were analysed to derive a baseline and inpatient Frailty Index (FI). The association of these indices with adverse outcomes was examined in logistic regression. The mean (SD) baseline FI was 0.19 (0.09) compared to 0.26 (0.12) on admission, with a predominant increase in domains related to functional status. Both baseline and inpatient FI were significant predictors of one year mortality, inpatient delirium, and a composite adverse outcome, after adjusting for age, sex and acuity of surgery. In summary, detecting baseline frailty pre-hospitalisation may be useful to trigger the implementation of supportive and preventative measures in hospital.

Binding, internalization and degradation of colony-stimulating factor by peritoneal exudate macrophages.

Iodinated colony-stimulating factor produced by L-cells (125I-CSF-1) binds specifically to murine peritoneal exudate macrophages. At 37 degrees C, the cell-bound 125I-CSF-1 was internalized and degraded very rapidly, with the appearance of radioactive iodotyrosine in the medium. At 0 degree C, the cell-bound 125I-CSF-1 was not internalized and degraded, nor did it dissociate from the membrane. The internalization and degradation at 37 degrees C could be blocked or reduced by the presence of phenylglyoxal, methylamine and NH4Cl. The chemical nature of the CSF-1 binding site is polypeptide as judged by its sensitivity to trypsin treatment. After the binding and degradation of unlabeled CSF-1, the exudate cells were no longer able to rebind freshly added 125I-CSF-1, indicating the removal of CSF-1 binding site. The binding capacity of these cells, however, could be restored by prolonged incubation at 37 degrees C but not at 0 degrees C in culture medium containing fetal calf serum.

Role of parents and peers in influencing the smoking status of high school students in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVES: To assess parental influence on smoking behaviour by high school students in an Asian culture and to compare the relative importance of parental and peer influence. METHODS: A 5% nationally representative sample, including 44 976 high school students in 10th to 12th grade (aged 15-18 years) in Taiwan, were surveyed in 1995. Each completed a long self administered questionnaire. Parental influence was measured by examining both parental behaviour (smoking status) and attitudes (perceived "tender loving care" (TLC) by adolescents). Changes in smoking status were used to determine peer influence, defined as the increase in the likelihood of smoking from grade 10 to 12 in a steady state environment. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for parental and peer influence, using logistic regression. RESULTS: Adolescents of smoking parents with low TLC had the highest smoking rates and those of non-smoking parents with high TLC had the lowest. The difference was more than twofold in boys and more than fourfold in girls. When either parental smoking status or TLC alone was considered, parental influence was similar to peer influence in boys, but larger than peer influence in girls. However, when smoking status and TLC were considered jointly, it became larger than peer influence for both groups (OR 2.8 v 1.8 for boys and OR 3.9 v 1.3 for girls). CONCLUSION: When parental influence is taken as parental behaviour and attitude together, it plays a more important role than peer influence in smoking among high school students in Taiwan. This study, characterising such relationships among Asian populations for the first time, implies that future prevention programmes should direct more efforts toward the parental smoking and parent-child relationships, and not aim exclusively at adolescents in schools.

Self-renewal of pulmonary alveolar macrophages: evidence from radiation chimera studies.

Radiation-induced chimeric mice were used to study the origin of pulmonary alveolar macrophages. Unlike in other studies, these radiation chimeras were prepared by using a special fractionated irradiation regimen to minimize the killing of alveolar macrophage colony-forming cells, putative local stem cells. For this study CBA mice with or without T6 chromosome marker were used. Under this experimental condition, the majority of alveolar macrophages in mitosis are of host origin even after 45 weeks. These data suggest that alveolar macrophages are a self-renewing population under normal steady-state conditions.