The effects of hematopoietic growth factors on human monocyte superoxide (O2-) release were investigated by using purified human monocytes in suspension. Among growth factors studied, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), macrophage-CSF (M-CSF), and interleukin-3 (IL-3) primed human monocytes and enhanced O2- release stimulated by the receptor-mediated agonists, N-formyl-me...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) are well-known hematopoietic growth factors. Although recent studies revealed that CSFs are involved in many inflammatory conditions, the local production of CSFs and its regulation in the kidney is not well elucidated. Therefore, using cultured human proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC), we examined the effect of thrombin on CSFs production...

Inflammation is pivotal in atherosclerosis. M-CSF regulates macrophage growth and differentiation and plays a role in atherogenesis. C-reactive protein (CRP), a cardiovascular risk marker, may promote atherogenesis. However, the effects of CRP on M-CSF release and subsequent macrophage proliferation have not been examined previously. Human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) were incubated with boi...

For the pharmacokinetic analysis of isoniazid transfer into CSF, steady-state isoniazid concentrations of plasma and CSF were measured in eleven tuberculous meningitis patients confirmed with findings of CSF and neuroimazing. Peak plasma levels (4.17-21.5 micrograms/mL) were achieved at 0.25 to 3 hours after multiple isoniazid dose (600 mg/day). Terminal half-life, total clearance (CI/F) and vo...

acute meningitis in children is predominantly aseptic and does not require specific treatment. however, meningitis has a bacterial origin in about 5% of patients and carries a risk of fatal outcome or severe neurological sequelae, especially when diagnosis and antibiotic administration are delayed. the objective of the present study was to evaluate the value of determining procalcitonin levels ...

Alzheimer’s disease International (ADI) estimates that there are currently 30 million people with dementia in the world. The main objective was to perform meta-analysis of studies of CSF tau and Amyloid β42 (Aβ42) levels in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients and controls. In the present study MEDLINE was reviewed from 1995 to 2009, supplemented by citation analysis from retrieved articles to sel...

It was shown in children that serum procalcitonin was the best marker to use to differentiate bacterial from viral meningitis. To evaluate procalcitonin in the diagnosis of acute bacterial and viral meningitis, we conducted a prospective study including adult patients who were suspected of having meningitis and who were admitted to an emergency department. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum le...