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Repeat Exposures (repeat + exposure)
Selected AbstractsRepeated stress alters the ability of nicotine to activate the hypothalamic,pituitary,adrenal axisJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2006Kabirullah Lutfy Abstract Acute nicotine administration has been shown to activate the hypothalamic,pituitary,adrenal (HPA) axis and stimulate secretion of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), corticosterone/cortisol and ,-endorphin (beta-END) in both rodents and humans, raising the possibility that activation of the HPA axis by nicotine may mediate some of the effects of nicotine. Since stress can increase the risk of drug use and abuse, we hypothesized that repeated stress would increase the ability of nicotine to stimulate the secretion of HPA hormones. To test our hypothesis, mice were exposed to repeated stress (swimming in 15°C water for 3 min/day for 5 days) and killed 15 min after injection of saline or nicotine (0.1 mg/kg, s.c.). Repeated exposure to stress increased the ability of nicotine to stimulate plasma ACTH (p < 0.05) and beta-END (p < 0.05), but not corticosterone secretion. In contrast, repeated exposure to stress increased the post-saline injection levels of corticosterone (p < 0.05), but not ACTH and beta-END. The present results suggest that chronic stress leads to an enhanced sensitivity of some components of the HPA axis to a subsequent nicotine challenge. [source] Effects of the Glucocorticoid Antagonist, Mifepristone, on the Consequences of Withdrawal From Long Term Alcohol ConsumptionALCOHOLISM, Issue 12 2008Catherine Jacquot Background:, Studies were carried out to test the hypothesis that administration of a glucocorticoid Type II receptor antagonist, mifepristone (RU38486), just prior to withdrawal from chronic alcohol treatment, would prevent the consequences of the alcohol consumption and withdrawal in mice. Materials and Methods:, The effects of administration of a single intraperitoneal dose of mifepristone were examined on alcohol withdrawal hyperexcitability. Memory deficits during the abstinence phase were measured using repeat exposure to the elevated plus maze, the object recognition test, and the odor habituation/discrimination test. Neurotoxicity in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex was examined using NeuN staining. Results:, Mifepristone reduced, though did not prevent, the behavioral hyperexcitability seen in TO strain mice during the acute phase of alcohol withdrawal (4 hours to 8 hours after cessation of alcohol consumption) following chronic alcohol treatment via liquid diet. There were no alterations in anxiety-related behavior in these mice at 1 week into withdrawal, as measured using the elevated plus maze. However, changes in behavior during a second exposure to the elevated plus maze 1 week later were significantly reduced by the administration of mifepristone prior to withdrawal, indicating a reduction in the memory deficits caused by the chronic alcohol treatment and withdrawal. The object recognition test and the odor habituation and discrimination test were then used to measure memory deficits in more detail, at between 1 and 2 weeks after alcohol withdrawal in C57/BL10 strain mice given alcohol chronically via the drinking fluid. A single dose of mifepristone given at the time of alcohol withdrawal significantly reduced the memory deficits in both tests. NeuN staining showed no evidence of neuronal loss in either prefrontal cortex or hippocampus after withdrawal from chronic alcohol treatment. Conclusions:, The results suggest mifepristone may be of value in the treatment of alcoholics to reduce their cognitive deficits. [source] Intermittent exposure to low-concentration paraphenylenediamine can be equivalent to single, higher-dose exposureCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 5 2007Jonathan M. L. White Hair dye allergy is an important and increasingly common cause of allergic contact dermatitis. The role of repeated exposure in elicitation of allergy has not previously been extensively studied. We have therefore compared elicitation between single and intermittent exposure to paraphenylenediamine (PPD). 23 subjects known to be allergic to PPD from positive patch tests were exposed to 0.3% and 0.03% PPD, both in petrolatum and water, for 5 min at the same site every day for up to 8 D. In the same subjects, single exposures were also performed at different sites, from 5 to 40 min. Other experiments exposed rat skin to radiolabelled PPD as one-off application or multiple exposures. There were 8 reactions in the cumulative exposure site using 0.3% PPD in aqueous solution. In 7 of these, there was an exact correlation with reaction to the cumulative time needed for repeat exposures to elicit a reaction and the time needed for a reaction to the single exposure. There were no reactions to 0.03% PPD in water or pet under either type of exposure condition. There was also a positive correlation between grade of original reaction in clinic (+++, ++, +) and appearance/intensity of elicitation reactions. In the animal study, cumulative time and single exposure time sites correlated with regards to retention of radiolabelled substance within the skin. This study therefore demonstrates for the first time that, over the time period tested, the allergenic component of PPD accumulates in the skin. Hence, intermittent exposure to lower concentrations of PPD may be equivalent to higher concentration, one-off exposure. [source] Serological and clinical characteristics of children with peanut sensitization in an Asian communityPEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 2p2 2010Wen Chin Chiang Chiang WC, Pons L, Kidon MI, Liew WK, Goh A, Wesley Burks A. Serological and clinical characteristics of children with peanut sensitization in an Asian community. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2010: 21: e429,e438. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S In the past two decades, peanut allergy prevalence has increased in the West but has been perceived as having remained low in Asia. To review the clinical presentation of Asian children with peanut hypersensitivity and measure their IgE responses to major peanut allergens. We enrolled 31 children presenting with various allergies and a positive skin prick test to peanut from the Children's hospital outpatient allergy clinic in Singapore. A detailed questionnaire was completed by parents. The children's serum IgE specific to native Ara h 1, native Ara h 2, and recombinant Ara h 3 were detected using ELISA. Of the 31 patients, 19 had previously documented reactions to peanuts, while 12 had no previous clinical reaction. Most, 89.5% (17/19) of first reactions featured skin changes (urticaria, erythema, angioedema), but only 36.8% (7/19) involved skin symptoms alone. Respiratory symptoms and GI symptoms occurred in 42.1% and 26.3% of patients respectively and did not occur as the sole manifestation of reaction. The most common GI manifestation was emesis, present in 26.3% (5/19) of subjects. Two children experienced impaired consciousness with systemic, anaphylactic events. Although most sought treatment for their first peanut reaction only one patient received epinephrine. Half of our patients reported a subsequent accidental ingestion after the diagnosis of peanut allergy, with a median time from diagnosis to first accidental ingestion of 4 months and a reported increased severity of reaction in approximately half of the repeat exposures. Eighty-seven percent of children had specific IgE directed against at least one of the major peanut allergens. Among all patients, 87.1% had IgE specific to both Ara h 1 and Ara h 2 and 54.8% to rAra h 3. Asian children with peanut sensitization have clinically similar presentations and respond to the same major allergenic proteins as their Western counterparts. The perceived differences between the populations in this context do not stem from divergent clinical or immunological responses. [source] |