Platelet-activating factor (PAF), proposed as an important inflammatory mediator in asthma, reproduces several of the features of asthma, such as microvascular leakage, mucus secretion, bronchoconstriction, and possibly increased airway responsiveness. Modipafant (UK-80,067) is the (+)-enantiomer of UK-74,505, a potent and specific PAF antagonist. We have assessed the effect of modipafant over 28 d in adult subjects with moderately severe asthma in a placebo-controlled parallel group study. A total of 218 patients with asthma were enrolled into the single-blind run-in, of whom 120 (93 males and 27 females, mean age 41.0 yr) entered the double-blind treatment phase after demonstrating symptomatic asthma in the final week of the single-blind run-in phase. Patients could take up to 1600 micrograms inhaled corticosteroid and an inhaled beta 2 agonist as rescue medication. A total of 59 patients with asthma took modipafant (one 50 mg capsule twice daily), and 61 took matched placebo. There was no significant difference between placebo and modipafant in diurnal variation in PEF, morning and evening PEF, clinic FEV1, rescue bronchodilator usage, symptom score, or airway responsiveness. We previously showed that the racemate UK-74,505 had no effect on antigen challenge, and this study shows that the active (+)-enantiomer modipafant has no effect in chronic asthma. This suggests that PAF is not an important mediator in asthma.
Fifty-one fish meal factory workers in four Polish harbour cities were investigated. They had been employed in the fish meal factory for 1--33 years and 10.7 years on average. All but seven of these were smokers. The investigation consisted of respiratory symptoms questionnaire, chest X-ray, physical examination, respiratory function assessment, intradermal skin tests to ten fish genera, total serum IgE and serum precipitins to fish antigen assessment. Chronic bronchitis was diagnosed in 29 investigated patients. In 12 (23%) of the patients, according to their case history or to skin tests, allergy to fish was suspected, but was confirmed by elevated serum IgE levels in only two of these. In no cases were serum precipitins against fish antigen found. In six patients, either obstructive or restrictive changes were diagnosed according to conventional spirometry, but by MEF50% VC in 17 subjects (33%) slight airways obstruction was diagnosed and can be regarded as the result of the habit of smoking. According to the performed investigation, only two workers presented a full clinical and immunological picture of allergy to fish. From the practical point of view, this type of professional activity is less dangerous than might be theoretically expected.
Developmental dyslexia is as a common disorder characterised by difficulties with reading despite adequate intelligence and education. The aim of the study was to test and develop a new diagnostic tool called ‘dot-to-dot’ task (DtD). This simple, computer-based task relied on a combination of visual-spatial and motor skills; the skills that are often compromised in people with dyslexia. Thus far, a total of 127 children (69 males) aged between 4 and 10 took part in the study. The results suggested that children who were found to be at very high risk of dyslexia were significantly worse in connecting the first two dots of the DtD task than children with low risk. The preliminary findings from this study suggest that a novel visual-spatial-motor task may be able to predict reading success. A large-scale, cross-sectional sampling approach is being adopted in order to capture a representative sample of children. Preliminary findings suggested that the DtD may identify individuals with dyslexia earlier and faster than existing tests.
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