Methods Patients of cockroach allergy and healthy controls were selected following American Thoracic Society guidelines. DCs were differentiated from peripheral blood monocytes of patient and control subjects and stimulated with Per a 10. Cells were evaluated for surface markers by flow cytometry and cytokines detected in culture supernatants by ELISA. Autologous DC-T cell cocultures were done ...

Blood and extracts of gut of the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana, powerfully stimulate contractions of the isolated rat uterus. The contractions are characterized by long latency and a prolonged relaxation phase having superimposed rhythmic contractions. Evidence indicates that the stimulating factor is not acetylcholine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, histamine, or substance P. The active fact...

Quassin and 8 congeners, 1-9, were identified as active principles in Picrasma quassioides for the paralytic/acute insecticidal activity upon subcutaneous injection in the American cockroach. The activity was prolonged by applying the metabolic inhibitors for oxidation and esterification before injecting the quassinoids. The nature of the insecticidal activity seems to differ from that of other...

BACKGROUND Cockroaches are of vital importance medically and hygienically as they can disperse human pathogenic agents and are especially responsible for food contamination and spreading of food borne pathogens. In this study, part of mtDNA-COI gene of five common pest cockroaches was tested for diagnostic and phylogenetic purposes. METHODS We have described barcode region of mtDNA-COI gene o...

The aim of this study was to determine the aeroallergen sensitivity of allergic rhinitis patients. A total of 100 cases (female: 59, male: 41, aged between 10-59 years, mean age 27.9 years) who were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis by history and clinical presentation, underwent a prick skin test with 30 aeroallergens, and the important sensitizing allergens were assessed. Skin test reactivity ...