Impact of treatment efficacy and professional affiliation on ratings of treatment acceptability.

Vignette methodology was used to assess factors associated with decisions regarding the acceptability of behavior modification programs. Members (N = 198) of the American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) reviewed two vignettes describing proposed treatment plans for individuals who were either aggressive or self-injurious. Nine descriptor variables were nested within each vignette; no two vignettes were exactly the same. The strongest predictor of treatment acceptability was the respondents' own estimates of probable treatment success. Secondary predictors included the restrictiveness of the proposed procedure and whether other procedures had been previously tried. Members of the AAMR Psychology Division tended to be slightly more accepting of behavioral treatments than were members of other divisions.

CFTR regulation of intracellular calcium in normal and cystic fibrosis human airway epithelia.

In cystic fibrosis airway epithelia, mutation of the CFTR protein causes a reduced response of Cl(-) secretion to secretagogues acting via cAMP. Using a Ca(2+) imaging system, the hypothesis that CFTR activation may permit ATP release and regulate [Ca(2+)](i) via a receptor-mediated mechanism, is tested in this study. Application of external nucleotides produced a significant increase in [Ca(2+)](i) in normal (16HBE14o(-) cell line and primary lung culture) and in cystic fibrosis (CFTE29o(-) cell line) human airway epithelia. The potency order of nucleotides on [Ca(2+)](i) variation was UTP >> ATP > UDP > ADP > AMP > adenosine in both cell types. The nucleotide [Ca(2+)](i) response could be mimicked by activation of CFTR with forskolin (20 microm) in a temperature-dependent manner. In 16HBE14o(-) cells, the forskolin-induced [Ca(2+)](i) response increased with increasing temperature. In CFTE29o(-) cells, forskolin had no effect on [Ca(2+)](i) at body temperature-forskolin-induced [Ca(2+)](i) response in CF cells could only be observed at low experimental temperature (14 degrees C) or when cells were cultured at 26 degrees C instead of 37 degrees C. Pretreatment with CFTR channel blockers glibenclamide (100 microm) and DPC (100 microm), with hexokinase (0.5 U/mg), and with the purinoceptor antagonist suramin (100 microm), inhibited the forskolin [Ca(2+)](i) response. Together, these results demonstrate that once activated, CFTR regulates [Ca(2+)](i) by mediating nucleotide release and activating cell surface purinoceptors in normal and CF human airway epithelia.

Subjective response to lysine in the therapy of herpes simplex.

To test the effect of lysine supplementation on herpes infection, 1543 subjects were surveyed by questionnaire after a six-month trial period. The study included subjects with cold sores, canker sores, and genital herpes. Of these, 54% had been diagnosed and treated by a physician. The results showed that the average dosage used was 936 mg of lysine daily. Eighty-four per cent of those surveyed said that lysine supplementation prevented recurrence or decreased the frequency of herpes infection. Whereas 79% described their symptoms as severe or intolerable without lysine, only 8% used these terms when taking lysine. Without lysine, 90% indicated that healing took six to 15 days, but with lysine 83% stated that lesions healed in five days or less. Overall, 88% considered supplemental lysine an effective form of treatment for herpes infection.

Effect of glucomannan on obese patients: a clinical study.

An eight-week double-blind trial was conducted to test purified glucomannan fiber as a food supplement in 20 obese subjects. Glucomannan fiber (from konjac root) or placebo was given in 1-g doses (two 500 mg capsules) with 8 oz water, 1 h prior to each of three meals per d. Subjects were instructed not to change their eating or exercise patterns. Results showed a significant mean weight loss (5.5 lbs) using glucomannan over an eight-week period. Serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly reduced (21.7 and 15.0 mg/dl respectively) in the glucomannan treated group. No adverse reactions to glucomannan were reported.

Rapid non-genomic inhibition of ATP-induced Cl- secretion by dexamethasone in human bronchial epithelium.

A non-genomic antisecretory role for dexamethasone at low concentrations (0.1 nM to1 microM) is described in monolayers of human bronchial epithelial cells in primary culture and in a continuous cell line (16HBE14o- cells). Dexamethasone produced a rapid decrease of [Ca(2+)](i) (measured with fura-2 spectrofluorescence) to a new steady-state concentration. After 15 min exposure to dexamethasone (1 nM), [Ca(2+)](i) was reduced by 32 +/- 11 nM (n = 7, P < 0.0001) from a basal value of 213 +/- 36 nM (n = 7). We have shown previously that aldosterone (1 nM) also produces a rapid fall in [Ca(2+)](i); however, after the decrease in [Ca(2+)](i) induced by dexamethasone, subsequent addition of aldosterone did not produced any further lowering of [Ca(2+)](i). The rapid response to dexamethasone was insensitive to pretreatment with cycloheximide and unaffected by the glucocorticoid type II and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists RU486 and spironolactone, respectively. The rapid [Ca(2+)](i) decrease induced by dexamethasone was inhibited by the Ca(2+)-ATPase pump inhibitor thapsigargin (1 microM), the adenylate cyclase inhibitor MDL hydrochloride (500 microM) and the protein kinase A inhibitor Rp-adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate (200 microM), but was not affected by the protein kinase C inhibitor, chelerythrine chloride (0.1 microM). Treatment of 16HBE14o- cell monolayers with dexamethasone (1 nM) inhibited the large and transient [Ca(2+)](i) increase induced by apical exposure to ATP (10(-4) M). Dexamethasone (1 nM) also reduced by 30 % the Ca(2+)-dependant Cl(-) secretion induced by apical exposure to ATP (measured as the Cl(-)-sensitive short-circuit current across monolayers mounted in Ussing chambers). Our results demonstrate, for the first time, that dexamethasone at low concentrations inhibits Cl(-) secretion in human bronchial epithelial cells. The rapid inhibition of Cl(-) secretion induced by the synthetic glucocorticoid is associated with a rapid decrease in [Ca(2+)](i) via a non-genomic mechanism that does not involve the classical glucocorticoid or mineralocorticoid receptor. Rather, it is a result of rapid non-genomic stimulation of thapsigargin-sensitive Ca(2+)-ATPase, via adenylate cyclase and protein kinase A signalling.

Success of L-lysine therapy in frequently recurrent herpes simplex infection. Treatment and prophylaxis.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial of oral L-lysine monohydrochloride for the prevention and treatment of recurrent herpes simplex (HSV) infection was conducted. The treatment group was given L-Lysine monohydrochloride tablets (1,000 mg L-lysine per dose) 3 times a day for 6 months. A total of 27 (6 male and 21 female) subjects on L-lysine and 25 (6 male and 19 female) subjects on placebo completed the trial. The L-lysine treatment group had an average of 2.4 (p less than 0.05) less HSV infections, symptoms were significantly (p less than 0.05) diminished in severity and healing time was significantly reduced (p less than 0.05). L-Lysine appears to be an effective agent for reduction of occurrence, severity and healing time for recurrent HSV infection.

Interleukin-8 up-regulation by neutrophil elastase is mediated by MyD88/IRAK/TRAF-6 in human bronchial epithelium.

Cystic fibrosis is characterized in the lungs by neutrophil-dominated inflammation mediated significantly by neutrophil elastase (NE). Previous work has shown that NE induces interleukin-8 (IL-8) gene expression and protein secretion in bronchial epithelial cells. We sought to determine the intracellular mechanisms by which NE up-regulates IL-8 in bronchial epithelial cells. The data show that stimulation of 16HBE14o(-) cells with NE induced IL-8 protein production and gene expression. Both responses were abrogated by actinomycin D, indicating that regulation is at the transcriptional level. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) was activated in 16HBE14o(-) cells stimulated with NE. Western blot analysis demonstrated that activation of NFkappaB by NE was preceded by phosphorylation and degradation of IkappaB proteins, principally IkappaBbeta. In addition, we observed that interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) was degraded in 16HBE14o(-) cells stimulated with NE. Quantification of IL-8 reporter gene activity by luminometry demonstrated that dominant negative MyD88 (MyD88Delta) or TRAF-6 (TRAF-6Delta) inhibited IL-8 reporter gene expression in response to NE. Furthermore, MyD88Delta inhibited NE-induced IRAK degradation. These results show that NE induces IL-8 gene up-regulation in bronchial epithelial cells through an IRAK signaling pathway involving both MyD88 and TRAF-6, resulting in degradation of IkappaBbeta and nuclear translocation of NFkappaB. These findings may have implications for therapeutic treatments in the cystic fibrosis condition.