Schistosoma haematobium,S. intercalatum,S. japonicum,S. mansoni,and S. rodhaini in mice: relationship between patterns of lung migration by schistosomula and perfusion recovery of adult worms

The development of five schistosome species was compared in mice by the recovery of schistosomula from chopped lung tissue and of adult worms by portal perfusion. Three developmental patterns appeared. (1) Schistosoma japonicum was unique in showing an early establishment of schistosomula in and a rapid departure from the lungs together with the highest worm recovery; (2) S. haematobium contrasted by establishing later and persisting in the lungs for at least 2 weeks while yielding the lowest adult worm recovery; and (3) S. intercalatum, S. mansoni, and S. rodhaini had an intermediate pattern – they resided in the lungs for several days, then disappeared and produced intermediate numbers of adults. Lung petechiae, known to accompany the migration of S. japonicum, were never detected after infection with the other species. We speculate that the three migration patterns of schistosomes are related to the size of the relative spectra of naturally infected definitive hosts. Received: 31 August 1997 / Accepted: 15 October 1997     

Nonimmune-mediated phagocytosis by "premedullary" lung macrophages: effects of concanavalin A, tuftsin, and macrophage-inhibitory peptide

Free cells arising in organ-cultured embryonic rat and hamster lungs share ultrastructural, lysosomal enzyme, and cell membrane properties with typical alveolar macrophages, expressing the developmental potential of the earliest-macrophage precursors resident in the lungs. In the lung culture environment cell proliferation is supported and macrophage attributes are developed despite absence of lymphocytes from the system. We have shown previously that among these attributes, the cells respond with increased phagocytosis of erythrocytes if these are opsonized with immunoglobulin G. Attention has now been turned to the question of nonimmune-mediated phagocytosis by the same population. Living macrophages that emerged from lung cultures bound rhodamine-coupled soybean and wheat germ agglutinins to a greater degree than concanavalin A (Con A), which nevertheless promoted lateral translocation of occupied receptors in the cell membrane. Emerged cells also phagocytosed living bacteria and native yeast cells (Y). The percentage of macrophages ingesting 3 or more yeast cells increased 400 (hamsters) to 500% (rats) when yeast was preincubated with Con A (200 micrograms/ml). Pretreatment of macrophages with Tuftsin (100 microM) enhanced uptake of Y by 100 (hamster) to 200% (rat). Pretreatment of macrophages with macrophage-inhibitory peptide (500 microM) appeared to inhibit phagocytosis of Y by 60% in hamsters but had no significant effect on cells from rat lung cultures.     

Genetic relationships between clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus oralis, and Streptococcus mitis: characterization of "Atypical" pneumococci and organisms allied to S. mitis harboring S. pneumoniae virulence factor-encoding genes

The oral streptococcal group (mitis phylogenetic group) currently consists of nine recognized species, although the group has been traditionally difficult to classify, with frequent changes in nomenclature over the years. The pneumococcus (Streptococcus pneumoniae), an important human pathogen, is traditionally distinguished from the most closely related oral streptococcal species Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus oralis on the basis of three differentiating characteristics: optochin susceptibility, bile solubility, and agglutination with antipneumococcal polysaccharide capsule antibodies. However, there are many reports in the literature of pneumococci lacking one or more of these defining characteristics. Sometimes called "atypical" pneumococci, these isolates can be the source of considerable confusion in the clinical laboratory. Little is known to date about the genetic relationships of such organisms with classical S. pneumoniae isolates. Here we describe these relationships based on sequence analysis of housekeeping genes in comparison with previously characterized isolates of S. pneumoniae, S. mitis, and S. oralis. While most pneumococci were found to represent a closely related group these studies identified a subgroup of atypical pneumococcal isolates (bile insoluble and/or "acapsular") distinct from, though most closely related to, the "typical" pneumococcal isolates. However, a large proportion of isolates, found to be atypical on the basis of capsule reaction alone, did group with typical pneumococci, suggesting that they have either lost capsule production or represent as-yet-unrecognized capsular types. In contrast to typical S. pneumoniae, isolates phenotypically identified as S. mitis and S. oralis, which included isolates previously characterized in taxonomic studies, were genetically diverse. While most of the S. oralis isolates did fall into a well-separated group, S. mitis isolates did not cluster into a well-separated group. During the course of these studies we also identified a number of potentially important pathogenic isolates, which were frequently associated with respiratory disease, that phenotypically and genetically are most closely related to S. mitis but which harbor genes encoding the virulence determinants pneumolysin and autolysin classically associated with S. pneumoniae.     

Contributions to the study of Salmonella: II. Protein determinants shared by S. typhi, S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium

The antigenic relationship between S. typhi and S. enteritidis, that at present are known to share only the polysaccharide factors 9 and 12, has been investigated with a view to confirming the existence of common protein O specificity.

A serum to S. enteritidis absorbed with the polysaccharide of S. typhi O-901 and a serum to S. enteritidis in which the polysaccharide antibodies were present in extremely small amounts (undetectable in agar diffusion tests) precipitated with extracts containing proteins of S. typhi.

Additional evidence of the existence of common protein O factors was obtained by precipitin tests in agar in which sera to proteins from S. typhi reacted with proteins of S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium (whose H determinants differ from one another); the precipitations of heterologous proteins in agar-gel varied in intensity according to the antibody content of the antiprotein sera tested and to the proportion of O determinants of the respective protein. Heterologous precipitin reactions of the sera to S. enteritidis with antigens from S. typhi were stronger than those with the homologous antigen, whereas the antigens from S. enteritidis were but weakly precipitated by the sera to S. typhi.

This appears to indicate an intrinsically higher antigenic potency of S. typhi, compared with S. enteritidis.

     

Schistosoma japonicum,S. mansoni,S. haematobium,S. intercalatum,and S. rodhaini: cysteine-class cathepsin activities in the vomitus of adult worms

 Vomitus from adults of five Schistosoma species was screened for biochemical homologues of the mammalian cysteine proteinases cathepsins B, H, and L. Bovine cathepsin B and rat cathepsin L served as references. Using the substrate Arg-NMec, a schistosome cathepsin H-like activity was never detected. All species degraded the cathepsin B substrate Z-Arg-Arg-NMec, but distinct species differences were observed with respect to pH optima and buffer preferences. The cathepsin B and L substrate Z-Phe-Arg-NMec was similarly degraded by all species, and activity was abolished by the cysteine proteinase inhibitor E-64. Preferences by vomitus proteinase activities for Z-Phe-Arg-NMec over Z-Arg-Arg-NMec were similar to or higher than those found for bovine cathepsin B but well below those observed for rat cathepsin L; also, the preferential cathepsin L inhibitor Z-Phe-PheCHN₂ only partially inhibited proteinolytic activity. The results suggest the possible presence in vomitus of a minor cathepsin L-like activity and demonstrate a major cathepsin B-like activity that is biochemically variable between schistosome species. Received: 1 April 1996 / Accepted: 19 June 1996     

Intravascular "mulberry-like" bodies: morphological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural observations of an incidental finding caused by autolysis?

Intravascular "mulberry-like" bodies in a stillborn female infant with moderate maceration are reported. The histogenesis of these structures is discussed based on light-microscopic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings. No demonstrable causal relation between the intravascular lesions and fetal death was found, the cause of death being attributed to intrauterine asphyxia. It is concluded, that intravascular "mulberry-bodies" most likely represent artifacts due to red blood cell autolysis.     

"Sleights of mind": delusions, defences, and self-deception

Two different modes of theorising about delusions are explored. On the one hand is the motivational approach, which regards delusions as serving a defensive, palliative, even potentially adaptive function. On the other, is the cognitive deficit approach, which conceptualises delusions as explicitly pathological, involving abnormalities in ordinary cognitive processes. The former approach, prominently exemplified by the psychoanalytic tradition, was predominant historically, but has been challenged in recent years by the latter. Some grievances against psychoanalytic theory are briefly discussed, and it is argued that although the reasons for psychoanalysis falling into scientific disrepute are partly justified, the psychodynamic notion that motivation has access to the mechanisms of belief formation is of potentially crucial theoretical utility. A variety of possible syntheses of the two theoretical modes are therefore explored, in the belief that the most comprehensive account of delusions will involve a theoretical unification of both styles of explanation. Along the way, an attempt is made to locate the notions delusion, defence, and self-deception in a shared theoretical space.     

A critique of the WHO TobReg's "Advisory Note" report entitled: "Waterpipe tobacco smoking: health effects, research needs and recommended actions by regulators"

Background and aim  

The World Health Organisation Study Group on Tobacco Product Regulation (TobReg) has issued in 2005 an "Advisory Note" entitled: "Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking: Health Effects, Research Needs and Recommended Actions by Regulators". "Waterpipe" smoking is now considered a global public health threat and the corresponding artefact is actually known in the world under three main terms: hookah, narghile and shisha. This important report, the first ever prepared by WHO on the subject, poses two major problems. On one hand, its bibliographical references dismiss world chief relevant studies. On the other, it contains a certain number of errors of many orders: biomedical, sociological, anthropological and historical. The purpose of the present study is to highlight, one by one, where these weaknesses and errors lie and show how this official report can be considerably improved.     

Introduction: The (overlooked) virtues of "unvirtuous" attitudes and behavior: reconsidering negativity,complaining, pessimism,and "false" hope

The attitudes and behaviors examined in this special section-namely, negativity, complaining, pessimism, and "false" hope-have not typically been viewed as virtuous either in popular culture or in professional psychology. In reconsidering these attitudes and behaviors, each of the authors demonstrates how there may actually be virtue, or at least something positive, in what has typically been cast in a negative light.