The authors are among those who have made significant contributio

The authors are among those who have made significant contributions to this scholarship, and they draw very effectively on a wide range of information in telling the story of the Santa Cruz. The book starts with a description of the physical setting of the drainage basin, including geologic history, Holocene arroyo formation, climate and hydroclimatology, riparian ecosystems, and prehistory. This description is followed by

a chapter discussing the potential causes of historic arroyo downcutting and filling during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The bulk of the book is devoted to a detailed description Volasertib of historic changes occurring on the Santa Cruz River during the period from Spanish settlement to river restoration measures in 2012, when wastewater effluent created perennial flow in some portions of the river and sustained a riparian ecosystem. The authors use historical and, to a lesser extent, geological and paleoecological data, to reconstruct the physical and cultural conditions in the region during the past three centuries, a period that includes a time Crenolanib of substantial arroyo downcutting. This channel downcutting is the primary historical change emphasized in the book, but physical channel changes are presented in the context of biotic and human communities along the river.

The authors carefully describe the riverine characteristics before arroyo downcutting, how and when the arroyos formed,

and the continuing effects of the arroyos on contemporary floodplain management. The book also focuses on the historical existence of the Great Mesquite Forest. This riparian forest included such large, old cottonwood and mesquite trees that numerous historical sources comment on its characteristics. The forest, which covered at least 2000 ha, began to decline during the 1930s and 1940s as a result of water table declines associated with groundwater withdrawal, and crossed a threshold of irreversible Teicoplanin loss by the early 1970s. The main text concludes with a summary of past riverine changes and a discussion of some possible river futures. A series of appendices following the main text includes lists of historical and contemporary species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and plants along the river, as well as threatened and endangered species, and ornithologists who have studied bird communities along the river. The appendices are followed by extensive end notes and references. This book tells a complicated story. As the authors explain, the historical Santa Cruz River was mostly dry between floods except for relatively short spring-fed reaches. This condition contrasts with the romanticized view that has become popular, of a perennial historical river that created ‘a land of milk and honey’ in the midst of the Sonoran Desert. This is one simplistic view of past river environments.

, 1994) and immunohistological studies have revealed moderate to

, 1994) and immunohistological studies have revealed moderate to high densities of P2X receptors p38 MAPK activation in MR (Kanjhan et al., 1999, Yao et al., 2000 and Yao et al., 2003), but the subtypes, within the rostral MR, responsible for the ATP-mediated modulation of hypercapnic chemoreflex, have yet to be elucidated.

A prominent role for P2X2 receptors in central chemosensitivity has been suggested. Studies in vitro have shown that acidification of extracellular solution enhanced the ATP sensitivity of P2X2 receptor ( King et al., 1996), while decreased the effect of ATP in cells expressing P2X1, P2X3 and P2X4 receptors ( Stoop et al., 1997). Our data provide support for the notion that ATP acting on P2X purinoceptors within the rostral MR plays a key role in modulation of CCR activation, but the source of ATP is still unclear. The literature has recently discussed the involvement of astrocytes in the control of pH-sensitive neurons (Gourine et al., 2010). Indeed, astrocytes have a favourable anatomic position, intimately associated with blood vessels supplying the lower brainstem (Gourine et al., 2010), which allows the close monitoring of the arterial blood composition entering the brain. Studies have demonstrated that glia have the ability to sense physiological changes in PCO2/[H+]

and convey this information to the respiratory neuronal network to change lung ventilation accordingly. Therefore it is reasonable to suggest that hypercapnia may elicit ATP release from astrocytes. The mechanisms involved in this release of ATP are PF-01367338 mw still unknown. In the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN), it has been demonstrated that astrocytes release ATP in response to CO2, and two mechanisms have been proposed. First, CO2/pH elicits depolarization

which causes an increase in the intracellular levels of Ca2+ and subsequent ATP release by Ca2+-dependent exocytosis (Gourine et al., 2010). The second mechanism consists MycoClean Mycoplasma Removal Kit of opening of Cx26 hemichannels that cause vesicle-independent ATP release (Huckstepp et al., 2010a, Huckstepp et al., 2010b and Wenker et al., 2010). At present it is unknown whether the mechanism underlying ATP release from astrocytes is shared between the MR and RTN. In the present study, electroencephalographic or electromyographic data were not collected, so we cannot exclude the possibility that differences in arousal state between groups affected the results herein. However, we observed that the majority of our rats slept throughout most of the experimental period, with the exception of the beginning of the hypercapnic challenge when they were awake. Because this pattern was consistently observed in all groups, this should not affect the interpretation of the present data. Based on this methodological limitation, we also could not determine if the P2X receptors within the rostral MR have a differential role in hypercapnic chemoreflex according to arousal states.

HCV NS3 and NS5B proteins were detected using rabbit NS3 (R212) p

HCV NS3 and NS5B proteins were detected using rabbit NS3 (R212) polyclonal antibody or anti-NS5B (5B14) monoclonal antibody. Beta-actin was detected using an actin monoclonal antibody (Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA). Quantification of HCV RNA was performed using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) based on TaqMan chemistry using the forward 5-Fluoracil supplier primer R6-130-S17

(nucleotides 130–146), 5′-CGGGAGAGCCATAGTGG-3′; the reverse primer R6-290-R19 (nucleotides 290–272), 5′-AGTACCACAAGGCCTTTCG-3′; and the Taq-Man probe R6-148-S21FT (nucleotides 148–168), 5′-FAM-CTGCGGAACCGGTGAGTACAC-TAMRA3′, as described previously (Takeuchi et al., 1999). HCV RNA was extracted from PYC-treated, persistently-infected JFH-1/K4 HCV cells, using the ISOGEN RNA extraction kit (Nippon Gene, Japan). We produced chimeric mice by transplanting human primary hepatocytes into severe combined immunodeficient mice carrying a urokinase plasminogen activator transgene controlled by the albumin promoter (Mercer et al., 2001 and Tateno et al., 2004). All animals received humane care according to National Institute of Health criteria

outlined in the Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The hepatocytes were infected with HCV-G9 (genotype 1a) (Inoue et al., 2007). HCV 1a RNA levels reached 2.9–18.0 × 106 copies/mL in mice sera after 1–2 months of infection. PYC (40 mg/kg) was administered JNK inhibitor intraperitoneally once daily. PEG-IFN (30 μg/kg) was administered subcutaneously at 0, 3, 7, and 10 days either alone or in combination with PYC. Each treated group contained at least 3 chimeric mice. HCV RNA was purified from 2 μL chimeric mouse serum using SepaGene RV-R (Sanko Junyaku Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). HCV

RNA levels were quantified using qRT-PCR as reported previously (Takeuchi et al., 1999). Formation of ROS in the HuH-7 cell-based HCV-replicon-harbouring cell line (R6FLR-N), and in R6FLR-N cured of HCV by interferon treatment (Blight et al., 2002) was measured using the OxiSelect ROS assay kit (Cell Biolabs, San Diego, CA, USA) according to the manufacturer’s Orotic acid instructions. Duplicate samples at 1 × 107 cells/mL from each culture were then incubated with dichlorodihydrofluorescein DiOxyQ (DCFH-DiOxyQ). Under these conditions, ROS species rapidly oxidise DCFH into the highly fluorescent 2′, 7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCF). Fluorescence intensity, which is proportional to the total ROS levels in the sample, was measured with a fluorescence spectrophotometer reader at 480-nm excitation and 530-nm emission. Data are presented as means ± standard error of triplicate experiments. Data were analysed using Kruskal–Wallis test and Mann–Whitney U tests. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Since the higher BMDMC pulmonary engraftment observed with intrat

Since the higher BMDMC pulmonary engraftment observed with intratracheal instillation compared to intravenous injection did not potentiate the beneficial effects of BMDMC therapy, these beneficial changes may be attributed to the ability of BMDMCs to modulate IL-4, IL-13, TGF-β and VEGF levels in lung tissue from a distant site. In the present study, we used a model of allergic inflammation previously described by our group in BALB/c

mice (Xisto et al., 2005, Burburan et al., 2007 and Antunes et al., 2009). Nevertheless, C57BL/6 mice were used, because they serve as a background LDN 193189 strain for GFP mice (Abreu et al., 2011a) and exhibit inflammatory (eosinophilia and Th2 pro-inflammatory cytokine increase) and ultrastructural changes in the airway and lung parenchyma which closely mirror human disease compared to other strains, even in the absence of alum adjuvant (Yu et al., 2006, Antunes et al., 2009 and Allen et al., 2012). A recent study demonstrated that NLRP3 inflammasome activation is essential in alum-free models of allergic asthma as it leads to IL-1 production,

a critical factor for the induction of Th2 inflammatory allergic response (Besnard et al., 2011). Crenolanib order Even though the use of alum adjuvant during the immunization phase of the OVA model has been demonstrated to enhance the cardinal

features of allergic airway disease, this practice has been called into question, since it is an artificial method of asthma induction with major differences in relation to the pathogenesis of allergic disease in humans. Several recent studies have investigated the intravenous administration of mesenchymal stem cells in experimental models of asthma, focusing on the beneficial effects of these cells on lung remodelling and inflammation (Bonfield et al., 2010, Firinci et al., 2011 and Goodwin et al., 2011). However, MSC pose a selleck chemicals series of disadvantages, such as culture conditions detrimental to cell transplantation and risk of contamination and immunologic reactions. In light of these limitations, our group evaluated the effects of intravenous BMDMC administration in a model of allergic asthma (Abreu et al., 2011a). BMDMCs can be administered easily and safely on the day of harvesting. They also express several genes involved in inflammatory response and chemotaxis (Ohnishi et al., 2007), and are less costly than MSCs. Additionally, further studies should investigate whether the nature of BMDMCs as an heterogeneous mix of progenitor and immune cells could induce beneficial effects, with each cellular type playing a specific role.

It was long occupied, and seasonally important for a variety of c

It was long occupied, and seasonally important for a variety of communities of the surrounding area (Shin et al., 2012). Evidence of millet cultivation was confirmed for the Middle Chulmun at Tongsamdong, dating as early as 5500–5300 cal BP (Crawford and Lee, 2003). Foxtail and broomcorn

millets became incorporated into the Middle Chulmun diet along with harvested nuts and fruits, hunted game and marine resources. A dry farming field recently discovered at Munamri on the east coast is an excellent example of active environmental engineering by Middle Neolithic MK-8776 cell line times around 5000 cal BP (National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, 2012) and may support the concept of even earlier farming during the Early Chulmun, which is also suggested by observed seed impressions on pottery at Tongsamdong (Ha et al., 2011). The learned behavior of cultivation also inspired Chulmun people to experiment with local wild plants such as azuki bean (Vigna angularis) and soybean, possibly leading to their local domestication (

Lee, 2011 and Lee, 2013). Indeed all these studies have confirmed that the cultivation of domesticated plants was early initiated and long continued by Korea’s Neolithic people as part of a highly productive forest and waterside economy that also involved a broad range of hunting/fishing/collecting activities. Some communities were quite large, and many contained, in addition to household dwellings, larger structures that clearly served collective

community ZD1839 cell line functions related to fishing and other productive activities. North of the Korean Peninsula, http://www.selleckchem.com/products/i-bet151-gsk1210151a.html around Peter the Great Bay in Russian Primorye, the Boisman culture (7200–5750 cal BP) flourished in a highly productive bayshore and estuarine environment that supported substantial and long-occupied pit house villages, at least one with a major cemetery. The hunting and collecting of diverse and abundant terrestrial and marine species in this setting supported a substantial human population that employed a rich material culture of fishing and hunting gear and made pottery vessels in quantity for storage, food preparation, and dining (Zhushchikhovskaya, 2006). The Zaisanovka culture (6550–3300 cal BP) overlapped with the Boisman hunting-fishing-collecting tradition around Peter the Great Bay and ultimately replaced it there. Centered in interior Primorye, Zaisanovka is known from a considerable number of excavated sites, where houses were semi-subterranean and generally rectangular, with floor areas ranging from about 10 up to 45 m2. Grinding stones, stone hoes, and graters suggest the tending and processing of various plant foods, and in the Krounovka I site, deposits dated to about 5200–4700 cal BP yielded grains of both foxtail and broomcorn millets as components of the established broad-spectrum dietary pattern.

As different data sources were combined for Pangor, the resolutio

As different data sources were combined for Pangor, the resolution of the source data might affect the landslide detection. Therefore, we defined the minimum detectable landslide for each data source: 25 m2

for aerial photographs and 16 m2 for satellite image. The smallest landslide that was detected on aerial photographs has a surface area of 48 m2, which is close to the size of the smallest landslide detected on the very high-resolution satellite image (32 m2). Only 6 landslides smaller than 48 m2 were detected on the very high-resolution satellite image of the Pangor catchment, suggesting that the landslide inventory based on the aerial photographs does not underrepresented small landslides. The landslide frequency–area distributions of the two different data types were then statistically compared (Wilcoxon rank sum test and Kolmogorov–Smirnov test) to detect any possible bias due to the combination of different remote sensing data. Landslide selleck chemicals llc inventories provide evidence that the abundance of large landslides in a given area decreases with the increase of the size of the triggered landslide. Landslide frequency–area buy Natural Product Library distributions allow quantitative comparisons of landslide distributions between landslide-prone regions and/or different time periods. Probability distributions model the number

of landslides occurring in different landslide area (Schlögel et al., 2011). Two landslide distributions were proposed in literature: the Double Pareto distribution (Stark and Hovius, 2001), characterised by a positive and a negative power scaling, and the Inverse Gamma distribution (Malamud et al., 2004), characterised by a power-law decay for medium and large landslides Glycogen branching enzyme and an exponential rollover for small landslides. To facilitate comparison of our results with the majority of

literature available, we decided to use the maximum-likelihood fit of the Inverse Gamma distribution (Eq. (1) – Malamud et al., 2004). equation(1) p(AL;ρ,a,s)=1aΓ(ρ)aAL−sρ+1exp−aAL−swhere AL is the area of landslide, and the parameters ρ, a and s control respectively the power-law decay for medium and large values, the location of maximum probability, and the exponential rollover for small values. Γ(ρ) is the gamma function of ρ. To analyse the potential impact of human disturbances on landslide distributions, the landslide inventory was split into two groups. The first group only contains landslides that are located in (semi-)natural environments, while the second group contains landslides located in anthropogenically disturbed environments. The landslide frequency–area distribution was fitted for each group, and the empirical functions were compared statistically using Wilcoxon and Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests. The webtool developed by Rossi et al. (2012) was used here to estimate the Inverse Gamma distribution of the landslide areas directly from the landslide inventory maps.

, 2001 and Pohl et al , 2007) and occurs simultaneously with the

, 2001 and Pohl et al., 2007) and occurs simultaneously with the appearance of cultivated maize pollen and phytoliths at 5100 BC. Forest clearance is indicated by an increase in charcoal and disturbance plant taxa from the family Poaceae. By 5000 BC, larger maize pollen grains, more consistent with domesticated varieties, appear in the record and land clearance associated with slash-and-burn farming was well under way by 4800

BC. Manioc selleck inhibitor pollen appears by 4600 BC when forest burning and clearing peaked. Other domesticated plants appear in the record after 2600 BC (Sunflower [Helianthus annuus] and Cotton [Gossypium]). Deforestation is also evident in the eastern Maya lowlands (northern Belize) by 2500 BC, approximately 900 years after the initial influx of maize and manioc pollen into these

sediments (3360 and 3400 BC respectively; Pohl et al., 1996). Slash-and-burn maize cultivation expanded after 2500 BC. At this time Moraceae pollen (mostly from trees) declined, charcoal flux increased and disturbance vegetation became more common (e.g., Poaceae, Asteraceas). Paleoecological data from Cobweb swamp is consistent Caspase inhibition with expanding slash-and-burn farming between 2500 and 2000 BC ( Jones, 1994) and the number of aceramic (Late Archaic) archeological sites increased in the area ( Hester and Shafer, 1984, Iceland, 1997, Rosenswig and Masson, 2001 and Rosenswig et al., 2014). Tropical forest covered much of the Maya lowlands and its spatial and temporal extent is controlled mostly by climate, specifically the position of the ITCZ and subtropical high (Mueller et al., 2009), and soil, fire, and the management by human populations. Tropical forest provided a wide range of ecosystem services (animal and plant foods, building material, medicine, fuel; Puleston, 1978, Ford, 2008 and Fedick, 2010) that were reduced

by agricultural expansion associated with growing human populations and the aggregation of people into cities. Deforested lands were more susceptible to erosion (Anselmetti et al., 2007; Beach et al., 2008; see below), and reductions in soil moisture content favoring grasses and other disturbance taxa reduced native species important for ecosystem Histamine H2 receptor sustainability (e.g., leguminous species that help fix nitrogen in soils; Flores and Carvajal, 1994 and Dunning et al., 2012). Nutrient levels in soils are also compromised by deforestation because the canopy serves to recycle nutrients and capture airborne particulates that enrich the soil (e.g., ash; Tankersley et al., 2011). Extensive forest clearance and the establishment of cityscapes can also serve as an amplifier of drought (Shaw, 2003, Oglesby et al., 2010 and Cook et al., 2012) due to surface albedo increasing reflection of solar radiation (Cook et al., 2012).

3±3 3) and kidney (3 4±1 0) was observed, while the amount in hea

3±3.3) and kidney (3.4±1.0) was observed, while the amount in heart and lung remained much lower. When considering the distribution of radioactivity in the measured samples only, around 20% of the radiolabel found in the samples was present in the tumor tissue ( Fig. 5, right part). In order to confirm that plasmid DNA was distributed see more similarly, DNA was extracted from tissue samples and subjected to semi-quantitative PCR analysis. Fig. 6 shows the result from analyzing two representative mice injected with SPLPs containing either pEGFP-N1 (A) or pCMV-LUC (B) plasmid.

Upper panels show that plasmid is detectable in all tissue samples and that the amount of PCR product is in good alignment with the distribution of radioactive lipid in Crenolanib in vitro the different organs as shown in Fig. 5. Lower panels show control amplification of a chromosomal DNA fragment from beta-Actin. We examined the reporter gene expression in xenograft tumors of mice by immunohistochemical

staining. One day after intravenous injection of SPLPs containing pEGFP-N1, mice were euthanized and tumor tissue analyzed. Fig. 7 shows tumor sections stained with an antibody recognizing EGFP, hence no signal is observed in the left panel (A), where the mouse did not receive a liposome dose. A strong signal in discrete cells is observed in the right panel (C), where the mouse received an intratumoral injection of recombinant adenovirus expressing EGFP [13]. However as shown in the middle panel (B) very low to undetectable levels of EGFP were observed in tumors from mice injected with SPLPs containing the pEGFP-N1 plasmid. We found that the blood circulation time and biodistribution was independent of the cargo plasmid used and hence we performed an initial study of intravenously delivered suicide gene therapy as we recently reported to be useful for SCLC [13]. The SPLPs containing pINSM1-SCD-FLAG, a plasmid expressing a FLAG-tagged variant of “super cytosine deaminase” from a SCLC-specific INSM1 promoter, was intravenously injected and followed by an intraperitoneal injection of the non-toxic prodrug 5-fluoro-cytosine.

Only in cells expressing the delivered plasmid this compound is converted to the toxic 5-fluoro-uracil. Using caliper-measurements, we monitored the tumor growth in mice that received the prodrug and compared to mice that did not (Fig. 8); however, we did Hydroxychloroquine concentration not observe a difference in growth between the two groups after two days. Using immunohistochemical staining we analyzed tumor tissue sections from injected animals for FLAG-tag positive cells [13] indicating expression of suicide gene and applied a TUNEL assay to visualize cell death. We were unable to detect the expression of suicide gene product presumably due to limited transgene expression in accordance with luciferase experiments. No significant increase in the fairly high apoptotic index in the tumor tissue could be observed as a result of 5-fluoro-cytosine treatment (data not shown).

These

results were consistent with our previous data [19]

These

results were consistent with our previous data [19]. The BCR signaling, which is mimicked by PMA/ionomycin, is regulated through novel PKCs (mainly PKC-δ) and atypical PKC-ζ, but not conventional PKCs in DT40 [19] and [34]. As shown in Fig. 2, gene expressions of four PKCs (PKC-δ, PKC-ε, PKC-η and PKC-ζ) were remarkably increased in Helios−/−. Therefore, we examined effects of the PMA/ionomycin treatment on viability of Helios−/− and DT40 ( Fig. 3A). As expected, the viability of Helios−/−, as well as DT40, remained unchanged in the absence of the two drugs. On the other hand, in the presence of PMA/ionomycin, the viability of Helios−/− (to ∼75% by 24 h) was remarkably higher www.selleckchem.com/products/bmn-673.html than that of DT40, which was dramatically reduced (to ∼45% by 24 h). Next, we examined influences Enzalutamide in vivo of the PMA/ionomycin treatment on DNA fragmentation, one of typical apoptosis indices ( Fig. 3B). DNA fragmentation was less severe for Helios−/− than for DT40 in the presence of the two drugs at 24 h. These results revealed that the Helios-deficiency suppressed apoptosis of the DT40 cell line induced by PMA/ionomycin. It

is known that Go6976 preferentially inhibits conventional PKCs, whereas Rottlerin selectively inhibits novel PKCs (especially PKC-δ) and atypical PKC-ζ. To know participation of Helios for the BCR-mediated apoptosis signaling, we treated Helios−/− with each of these two inhibitors in the presence of PMA/ionomycin for 24 h. Cell death and DNA fragmentation of PMA/ionomycin-treated Helios−/− were significantly accerelated by Rottlerin as compared to Go6976, while these two inhibitors showed insignificant effects on both the viability and DNA fragmentation in the absence of PMA/ionomycin ( Fig. 4). DNA Damage inhibitor We showed that DT40 generates O2− upon stimulation in a similar manner to mammalian B lymphocytes [36]. It is well known that several PKCs

are involved in activation of the O2−-generating system in leukocytes [39]. Especially, PKC-δ is required for both full assembly of the O2−-generating system and activation of the respiratory burst [39], [40], [41] and [42]. Therefore, we examined effects of the Helios-deficiency on the O2−-generating activity. As expected, the O2−-generating activity in Helios−/− increased more than 4-fold compared to DT40 ( Fig. 5A). Next, to know the participation of PKC-δ on the increased O2−-generating activity, we treated Helios−/− and DT40 with PMA in the absence or presence of Rottlerin. The drastic inhibition by Rottlerin of the O2−-generating activity in DT40 revealed that the O2−-generating activity was preferentially regulated by PKC-δ ( Fig. 5B). Similarly, the increased O2−-generating activity in Helios−/− was significantly reduced by Rottlerin.

1) Of the tumour cohort one oropharynx and 6 samples of unknown

1). Of the tumour cohort one oropharynx and 6 samples of unknown primary site had an undefined T stage. The remaining 94 samples were grouped into early (n=48) or late (n=46) stage tumours and IL13 and TNFα

had both significantly higher levels selleck compound and were more detectable in both pre- and post-treatment serum from the early stage tumour group compared with the late stage group, with the difference being most apparent for TNFα ( Table 3). The higher levels observed for IL2 and IL5 in both pre- and post-treatment serum samples from patients with early stage tumours compared with the late stage samples also approached significance and IL5 was significantly more detectable in early stage tumours but only in the pre-treatment samples ( Table 3). Analysing laryngopharynx samples on their own maintained the significance for IL13 and TNFα and the difference for IL2 level with T stage became significant (data not shown). The results of the cytokine levels relating to T stage were mirrored to a certain extent when they were considered in relation to the nodal status of the patient, in that levels of both IL13 and TNFα in serum from patients both pre- and post-treatment were higher in node negative compared with node positive patients (Table 4; 2 patients were of unknown nodal status).

However, although the difference in levels for the IL13 pre-treatment samples and the TNFα post-treatment samples approached significance only the Neratinib mw IL13 levels in the post-treatment samples were significantly higher in node negative patients. Levels of IL2 were also significantly higher in the pre-treatment serum from node negative patients compared with those in serum from node positive patients whereas the converse was true for IL4 in pre-treatment serum. The results for the levels of the cytokines in relation to nodal status of the tumour were also reflected in the detectability of these cytokines (Table 4). When the laryngopharynx group was considered separately the parameters mentioned above,

which approached significance in relation to nodal status, became significant, as did the higher level of IL5 in both the pre- and post-treatment serum samples of the node negative group compared Aspartate with the node positive group (p=0.04 and 0.03; data not shown). Significantly more patients presenting HNSCC were male (n=86) compared with female (n=13; unknown n=2), however the only differences observed in the levels of cytokines with respect to the sex of the patient were that IL2, IL5 and IL13 were all detected at significantly higher levels in females compared with males (p=0.03, 0.01 and 0.01, respectively) but there was no significant difference in the numbers of samples having detectable levels of cytokines in relation to gender (data not shown).