Comparison of different extraction methods of Alternaria allergens

Spore and mycelial allergens of two species of Alternaria (A. brassicicola and A. alternata) extracted under two different conditions were analyzed by radiorocket immunoelectrophoresis, crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis, and Western blotting with a pool of sera from Alternaria-allergic patients. More allergens were extracted after disruption of the cells if protease inhibitors and a phenol-binding component were included in the homogenization buffer. However, the 31 kDa major allergen was extracted in about the same amount, either by incubation or by cell breakage of the cells. This 31 kDa allergen was present in higher concentration in the mycelium than in the spore. The difference between the two species studied is less than between spore and mycelium from the same species.     

Metal content of neutrophil granules is altered in chronic inflammation

The mass fraction of certain elements was measured in isolated granulocytes and isolated granulocyte granule fractions from patients with active inflammatory arthritides (N=6) and healthy controls (N=6). The patients had significantly increased amounts of Ca in the granulocytes, in the specific and light azurophil granules, but normal Ca amounts in the dense azurophil granules. Sr was below the detection limit in the granulocytes and granule fraction from controls, but it appeared in high concentrations in the granulocytes and all granule fractions from the patients. The patients had considerably increased granulocyte amounts of Mn but only slightly increased Mn concentrations in the specific granules. Mn was not detectable in azurophil granules from patients and controls. A prominent accumulation of Fe was seen in the granulocytes from the patients, together with an Fe accumulation in the specific granules. Fe was below the detection limit in azurophil granules from patients and controls. The patients had reduced granulocyte Zn and reduced amounts of Zn in the dense and light azurophil granules but normal Zn amounts in the specific granules. The results obtained indicate that (1) the granulocyte accumulation of Ca, Sr, and Fe observed during chronic inflammation is associated with corresponding granule accumulation of these metals; (2) the considerable Mn accumulation in granulocytes during inflammation is not localized in their granules; and (3) the granule subpopulations differ in their capacity to store certain metals.     

Oxatomide protectsTrichinella spiralis infected mice from lethal anaphylaxis

Infection withTrichinella spiralis in mice was accompanied by allergic sensitization as evidenced by anaphylactic death after intravenous injection of the antigen. Pre-treatment of the animals with oxatomide, a new orally active antiallergic drug, resulted in significant protection of the animals; the lowest effective dose of the compound was 1.25 mg/kg orally. In contrast to cyproheptadine, oxatomide offered little protection against serotonin toxicity in mice.The present data suggest that, in this model of systemic hypersensitivity, the anti-anaphylactic effect of oxatomide can be attributed mainly to inhibition of release of allergic mediators.     

Foxl2 disruption causes mouse ovarian failure by pervasive blockage of follicle development

FOXL2 mutations cause gonadal dysgenesis or premature ovarian failure (POF) in women, as well as eyelid/forehead dysmorphology in both sexes (the 'blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome', BPES). Here we report that mice lacking Foxl2 recapitulate relevant features of human BPES: males and females are small and show distinctive craniofacial morphology with upper eyelids absent. Furthermore, in mice as in humans, sterility is confined to females. Features of Foxl2 null animals point toward a new mechanism of POF, with all major somatic cell lineages failing to develop around growing oocytes from the time of primordial follicle formation. Foxl2 disruption thus provides a model for histogenesis and reproductive competence of the ovary.     

Principle and practice of in vitro fertilization. Role in the treatment of female sterility

In vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) appear to constitute a revolution in the reproductive sciences rather than merely a new technique in the treatment of sterility. Principle of IVF: IVF accomplishes in vitro the process than normally occurs in the oviduct between the ovulation of oocyte II and embryo implantation in the endometrium. This 4 day period (under normal conditions in the woman) involves 4 steps: recovery, fertilization, segmentation and transport. Performance of IVF: Recovery of the oocytes: The oocytes are recovered under celioscopic or echographic observation when they have completed cytoplasmic maturation and their first meiosis. A precise monitoring of ovulation (spontaneous or induced) should be performed using estrogen and LH assays. IVF provides an opportunity for evaluating the methods of ovulation induction and monitoring, as a function of the maturation of the oocytes recovered. Fertilization: When the oocyte has achieved maturing after several hours of incubation, fertilization is obtained 15 h contact with washed and capacitated spermatozoa (100 000/ml). This step is highly dependent on gametocyte quality: oocyte maturity and fecundity of spermatozoa, which can be estimated from the percentage of survival in the insemination medium. Segmentation occurs in culture at pH 7.28 in the presence of 5 per cent CO2 at 37 degrees C (pronucleus 15th, 2 blastomeres 26 h, 4-8 blastomeres 52 h). Embryo transfer is carried out when an embryo is present at 52 h. Only 1/10 of the embryo transfers result in successful implantation, which depends on the quality of the embryo; the quality can only be indirect criteria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of hepatic papillary cystadenocarcinoma in Caroli's disease.

A case of papillary adenocarcinoma arising in Caroli's disease (CD) in a 25-yr-old woman is reported. The diagnosis of malignancy was made by ultrasound-guided, fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). As there were no metastasis, a liver transplant was performed and the diagnosis was histologically confirmed. Only 22 cases of malignant transformation of CD have been reported to date, all among middle-aged subjects (mean age: 52 yr) of both sexes. Most of these reported cases (83%) were found to be bile duct adenocarcinomas with occasional reports of hepatocellular and undifferentiated carcinomas. Our case is the youngest reported to date and the first to be diagnosed cytologically.     

Small noncleaved cell lymphoma: an immunophenotypic study of 18 cases and comparison with large cell lymphoma

Eighteen cases of small noncleaved cell lymphoma (SNCL) were studied with a large panel of monoclonal antibodies applied to tissue frozen sections and compared with 18 cases of immunoglobulin-expressing diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL). Immunoglobulin expression was seen in all cases of SNCL, with a predominance of cases showing lambda light chain restriction. Expression of mu and delta heavy chains was common, but gamma and alpha chain expression was uncommon. In the cases of SNCL T015, B1, B2, 41H, BA-1, BA-2, Ia, CALLA, and OKT10 were generally expressed, and a large percentage of cells expressed Ki-67. Only rare expression of T05, Leu-8, and Leu-9 was seen, and in no case was reactivity with anti-Tac antibodies observed. In contrast, the immunoglobulin-expressing DLCLs showed the typical predominance of cases of kappa light chain restriction, a lower proportion of cases with mu or delta expression, and a higher proportion of cases with gamma expression. A lower incidence of Leu-8, T05, and Tac expression and a higher incidence of BA-1, CALLA, Ki-67 and OKT10 were seen in the SNCLs as compared with the DLCLs. It is concluded that immunologic studies may be of considerable aid in the differential diagnosis of SNCL and DLCL.