Production of phenylacetic acid by strains of Bacteroides asaccharolyticus and Bacteroides gingivalis (sp. nov.).

Strains of Bacteroides asaccharolyticus and Bacteroides melaninogenicus subspecies isolated from human and animal sources were examined for the production of phenylacetic acid. B. asaccharolyticus strains isolated from sites in humans and monkeys always produced phenylacetic acid. B. asaccharolyticus strains isolated from human nonoral sites consistently failed to produce this product. This metabolic difference correlates with the genetic dichotomy recently found to exist between oral and nonoral B. asaccharolyticus strains.     

Collateral lymphatic circulation after thoracic duct ligature in dogs

The authors studied the development of collateral circulation between the thoracic duct and the azygous vein system, in 30 adult dogs, after thoracic duct ligature. They verified the existence of lymphatico-venous communications in 18 events (60%); in 10 of these cases and in the rest (40%) alterations related to the duct's morphology were found; these alterations are not usually evident or inexist in animals not submitted to duct ligature.     

Organized lymphatic tissue (BALT) in lungs of rhesus monkeys after air pollutant exposure

The presence of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) and its size in humans largely depends upon age. It is detected in 35% of children less than 2 years of age, but absent in the healthy adult lung. Environmental gases or allergens may have an effect on the number of BALT. Lungs of rhesus macaque monkeys were screened by histology for the presence, size, and location of BALT after exposure to filtered air for 2, 6, 12, or 36 months or 12 and 36 months to ozone or 2, 12, or 36 months of house dust mite or a combination of ozone and house dust mite for 12 months. In the lungs of monkeys housed in filtered air for 2 months, no BALT was identified. After 6, 12, or 36 months, the number of BALT showed a significantly increased correlation with age in monkeys housed in filtered air. After 2 months of episodic house dust mite (HDM) exposure, no BALT was found. Monkeys exposed to HDM or HDM + ozone did not show a significant increase in BALT compared to monkeys housed in filtered air. However, monkeys exposed to ozone alone did show significant increases in BALT compared to all other groups. In particular, there were frequent accumulations of lymphocytes in the periarterial space of ozone exposed animals. In conclusion, BALT in rhesus monkeys housed under filtered air conditions is age-dependent. BALT significantly increased in monkeys exposed to ozone in comparison with monkeys exposed to HDM.     

Localized muscle pain causes prolonged recovery after fatiguing isometric contractions

The purpose of this study was to investigate the force and electromyographic (EMG) signal recorded from the muscles immediately after a sustained fatiguing contraction with or without muscle pain. Ten subjects performed sustained dorsi- and plantarflexions at two contraction levels (50 and 80% of maximum voluntary contraction) until exhaustion with or without muscle pain induced by injection of 6% hypertonic saline in one of the torque producing muscles. The muscle pain intensity was scored on a visual analogue scale (VAS, 0–10 cm). The root mean square (RMS) of the surface EMG signal from plantarflexors and dorsiflexors were estimated during maximum voluntary contractions (MVC) and ramp contractions before and after the fatiguing task at 0, 5, 10 and 15 min during the recovery phase. VAS scores immediately after the contractions with hypertonic saline (on average 3.2 ± 1.1 cm) progressively decreased during recovery and no pain was experienced 15 min after the contraction. After the painful contraction the RMS-EMG during MVC was on average decreased (23.4 ± 7.4%) compared to the non-painful condition both in muscles where pain was previously induced and in non-painful synergists. During recovery, the slope of the torque–EMG curve during ramp contraction was significantly decreased (28.4 ± 8.1%) after the painful contraction compared to the control contraction both for the muscle previously exposed to pain and also the other active synergists. The decreased EMG during recovery after painful contractions compared with control was not accompanied by significant reductions in force during MVC indicating a change in the strategy for motor unit recruitment. This study shows that localized muscle pain inhibits muscle activation and increases the effects of fatigue on EMG recovery curves both for painful and non-painful synergists probably by a central effect. These effects can modify the normal patterns of synergistic activation and can also generate overload problems in muscle pain patients if compensatory motor control strategies are applied.     

Minimal residual disease detection after myeloablative chemotherapy in chronic lymphatic leukemia

Detection of clonal tumor cells in leukemias and lymphomas by PCR in minimal residual disease (MRD) has been shown to be a valuable parameter for identifying patients who may require further treatment. Here we introduce the studies underway in our own and other institutions addressing the value of PCR technology in detecting residual CLL cells either in the autologous stem cell product or after induction of MRD in patients after autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplant. The PCR technology used for these questions and the results are discussed. Received: 2 February 1999 / Accepted: 9 July 1998     

肾移植淋巴回路重建的实验研究

在33只家犬上,对涉及肾移植淋巴回路重建的有关结构肾蒂淋巴管、血管及其彼此之间关系、肾局部淋巴结、髂血管及髂淋巴结等进行了观测,为肾移植淋巴回路重建的实验研究提供了解剖学基础。     

Immune disorders after severe injury

Septic complications are still the major cause of death in patients with severe injuries, whether due to polytrauma, large burns, or difficult surgical operations. The very high incidence of such infectious episodes in spite of the continuous development of new broad spectrum antibiotics and appropriate intensive care managements, may suggest that any kind of severe injury leads to a state of acquired immunologic deficiencies. Thus an intensive relation has been demonstrated between the extend of body burned surfaces and the neutrophil chemotaxis whose dramatic decline could originate either from an intraleukocytic defect, or from inhibitory factors released by the damaged tissues. Furthermore, any important tissular destruction has been shown to stimulate the clonal proliferation of T suppressor lymphocytes which could be considered as a physiological protective mechanism against the development of an autoimmunization towards self-structures released by the wound in the blood stream. Factors able to activate T suppressor lymphocytes after injury are multiple and among them most important are: HLA-bearing cell wall components, histamine released by tissue mast cells, soluble factors produced at the level of the wound, bacterial endotoxins, arachidonic acid metabolites, etc. Finally, it has been mentioned that this state of immune deficiency after injury may still be exacerbated by iatrogenic measured like catheters, antibiotherapy, corticotherapy, and mainly by malnutrition.     

Decreased Density in Membrane Localized Macromolecules in Cells Enlarged after X-Irradiation or Polyploidization

Cytophotometric measurements of DNA, dry mass (total proteins) and surface localized IgM and la were performed on individual cells of a Burkitt lymphoma derived cell line after Xirradiation and after polyploidization. Blockage of cell division was achieved with 250 r, and an arrest in G2 was found 48 hr after irradiation. The cells unable to divide increased in volume and total protein content. Cell enlargement was also achieved by polyploidization. The amount of surface localized IgM and la did not keep up pace with the increase in total proteins, thus their density decreased. This was reflected in decreased sensitivity of the enlarged cells to the cytotoxic effect of specific antisera.     

HLA-antigens in idiopathic haemochromatosis (i.h.). preliminary report

Striking differences could be observed when the HLA-antigens of 11 unrelated idiopathic haemochromatosis (i.h.) patients were compared with healthy controls. Besides the increase of the antigens A3, A11 and B7 and the decrease of A2, the large number of homozygous antigens at the A or/and at the B locus was found to be the most interesting result. Taking the latter finding into account, the possible existence of a recessive "disease-susceptibility gene" closely linked to the major histocompatibility system, playing a basic role in the etiology of i.h. was assumed.     

Experimental candidiasis after thermal injury.

The ability of Candida albicans to infect thermally injured mice was studied. Female mice were either left unburned or given a 20% total body surface area 2-s or 7-s scald burn. The wound or skin surface was then inoculated with a human burn wound isolate of C. albicans. At 4 h postburn, approximately 10(2) to 10(3) CFU/g of tissue could be recovered from the skin of burned and unburned animals. Unburned mice cleared the organisms from the skin by 72 h, whereas in 7-s-burned animals, the candida increased in numbers to approximately 10(7) CFU/g of tissue. The ability of the organisms to invade systemically after wound surface inoculation was examined in mice given either a 2-s or a 7-s scald burn. Each injury was histologically confirmed as a full-thickness (third degree) burn, with slightly deeper tissue damage observed with the 7-s burn. At each time period examined (1, 4, 7, and 10 days), there were significantly fewer organisms in the wounds of mice given the 2-s injury than in wounds of mice burned for 7 s (P less than 0.05). In 3 of 33 mice given a 7-s injury, organisms were recovered from the kidneys at the time of sacrifice, whereas no evidence of invasion into the kidneys was noted in mice given a 2-s thermal injury. This study demonstrated that thermal injury enhances the ability of C. albicans to infect mice and that the depth of burn appears to be an important factor in determining whether the organisms can invade the burn wound to cause systemic infection. This animal model should be valuable in elucidating the virulence factors of C. albicans that play a role in the pathogenesis of candidiasis after thermal injury.     

Disorders of the lymphatic homing and MIF production by the lymphocytes of thymus, spleen and lymph nodes after liver injury caused by portocaval shunt in rats

This paper presents the quantitative changes and disorders in migratory inhibition factor (MIF) production by thymus, lymph node and spleen cells after liver injury provoked by the porto-caval shunt (PCS) in rats. The great depopulation of the lymphatic organs, particularly the thymus, was demonstrated. The reduction of MIF generation after PCS was also noticed. The severe liver injury reflected by high activity of GOT and GPT was observed on the second day after surgical procedure. Our investigations bring into light the multifold interrelationships between the functionally efficient liver and lymphatic organs in rat.     

Anti-idiotypic antibodies of IgM-type produced in carp (Cyprinus carpio L.).

Carp synthesize highly specific anti-idiotypic antibodies of the IgM class. Ant-idiotypic antibodies could be elicited in these animals by a human IgM myeloma protein and were detected in a passive hemagglutination assay. The agglutination was completely inhibited by approximately 0.15 microgram homologous antigen, whereas a 100 000-fold excess of a heterologous IgM myeloma protein of the same L chain type did not produce any inhibition. A possible subgroup specificity of carp anti-idiotypic antisera can be excluded.     

Gyrodactylus malalai sp. nov. (Monogenea, Gyrodactylidae) from Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) and Redbelly tilapia, Tilapia zillii (Gervais) (Teleostei, Cichlidae) in the Lake Turkana, Kenya

Gyrodactylus malalai sp. nov. is described from the fin surface of cichlid fishes Oreochromis niloticus (L.) and Tilapia zillii (Gervais) caught in Lake Turkana (Kenya). The new species morphologically resembles Gyrodactylus nyanzae Paperna, 1973, but can be readily distinguished by the shape of the marginal hook sickles and the size of its hamuli. The sequence data of rDNA spanning partial 18S, internal transcribe spacer 1 and 2 and the 5.8S gene is unique within GenBank. Genetically, as most similar Gyrodactylus ergensi P?ikrylová, Matějusová, Musilová et Gelnar, 2009 was found (97.5%). Moreover, a specimen of G. cichlidarum from O. niloticus, and a specimen G. ergensi from Sarotherodon galilaeus (L.) were collected during sampling in Kenya. Likewise, additional sampling of O. niloticus from the Blue Nile in Sudan revealed the presence of the newly described species. These findings represent the first records of gyrodactylids in both African countries.     

Suicidality after traumatic brain injury: demographic,injury and clinical correlates

BACKGROUND: In spite of the high frequency of emotional distress after traumatic brain injury (TBI), few investigations have examined the extreme of such distress, namely, suicidality, and no large scale surveys have been conducted. The current study examined both the prevalence and demographic, injury, and clinical correlates of hopelessness, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts after TBI. METHODS: Out-patients (N = 172) with TBI were screened for suicidal ideation and hopelessness using the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. Data were also collected on demographic, injury, pre-morbid and post-injury psychosocial variables and included known risk factors for suicide. RESULTS: A substantial proportion of participants had clinically significant levels of hopelessness (35%) and suicide ideation (23%), and 18% had made a suicide attempt post-injury. There was a high degree of co-morbidity between suicide attempts and emotional/psychiatric disturbance. Results from regression analyses indicated that a high level of hopelessness was the most significant association of suicide ideation and a high level of suicide ideation, along with occurrence of post-injury emotional/psychiatric disturbance, were the most significant associations of post-injury suicide attempts. Neither injury severity nor the presence of pre-morbid suicide risk factors contributed to elevated levels of suicidality post-injury. CONCLUSIONS: Suicidality is a common psychological reaction to TBI among out-patient populations. Management should involve careful history taking of previous post-injury suicidal behaviour, assessment of post-injury adjustment to TBI with particular focus on the degree of emotional/psychiatric disturbance, and close monitoring of those individuals with high levels of hopelessness and suicide ideation.