Identification and characterization of major allergens in excretory/secretory products of the worm Paragonimus ohirai

Allergens present in the excretory/secretory (ES) products of adult Paragonimus ohirai were biochemically identified. Immunoblot analysis using sera from P. ohirai-infected rats revealed only two allergens to be major proteins in the ES products, with apparent molecular masses (M(r)) of 27 and 29 kD. As the ES products contained a high proportion of acidic and neutral cysteine proteinases, we examined whether or not the allergens and the cysteine proteinases were identical. The acidic and neutral cysteine proteinases were biochemically purified from the ES products and showed M(r) of 27 and 29 kD, respectively. The two cysteine proteinases had almost identical N-terminal amino acid sequences and were reactive with specific IgE in sera from the infected rats. The allergenicity of the cysteine proteinases was confirmed by 48-hour homologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. Immunoblot and immunocapture assays using anti-human IgE monoclonal antibody showed that the proteinase allergens were reactive with specific IgE of patients with paragonimiasis westermani. Also, the cysteine proteinases were reactive with specific IgG of both the infected rats and the patients. Therefore the acidic and neutral cysteine proteinases prepared from the ES products of P. ohirai will be useful allergens and antigens for the immunodiagnosis of paragonimiasis.     

Arteries to the great and second toes based on three-dimensional analysis of 100 cadaveric feet

Summary Three-dimensional arteriography was used to analyse the arterial supply of the great and second toes of 100 cadaveric feet down to the microsurgical level. This information will aid in successful composite tissue transfers of these toes to the hand. The arterial blood supply of the great toe came principally from the first dorsal metatarsal a. (78%) and the first plantar metatarsal a. (22%), and secondarily from the medial tarsal aa. and the three terminal branches of the medial plantar a. For the second toe, the first dorsal metatarsal a. (78%) and the first plantar metatarsal a. (22%) supplied blood from the medial side, and the second dorsal metatarsal a. (78%) and the second plantar metatarsal a. (22%) supplied blood from the lateral side. Seven arterial patterns were found in the interdigital web space. The socalled general pattern was seen in the first web space in 65% of the feet examined. In the second web space it was found in 85%. The first intermetatarsal space sometimes contained a large artery arising directly from the dorsalis pedis or first proximal perforating a. as well as the first dorsal and first plantar metatarsal arteries. In this space, arterial patterns were classified into 4 types and 9 subtypes based on the origins and proximal courses of these arteries. The so-called standard pattern was found in only 19% of the feet, while an arterial pattern with a common proximal trunk on the plantar side for the first dorsal and first plantar metatarsal aa. was found most frequently (46%). In the second intermetatarsal space the second dorsal metatarsal a. was usually located on the dorsum.

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Les artères de l'hallux et du deuxième orteil. Analyse tridimensionnelle de cent pieds de cadavres

Résumé L'artériographie en trois dimensions a été utilisée pour analyser la vascularisation artérielle de l'hallux et du deuxième orteil de cent pieds de cadavres jusqu'au niveau microchirurgical. Ces renseignements aideront au succès des transferts de tissus composites de ces orteils vers la main. La vascularisation artérielle de l'hallux vient principalement de la première artère métatarsienne dorsale (78 %) et de la première artère métatarsienne plantaire (22 %) et secondairement des artères tarsiennes médiales et des trois branches terminales de l'artère plantaire médiale. Pour le deuxième orteil, la première artère métatarsienne dorsale (78 %) et la première artère métatarsienne plantaire (22 %) vascularisent le versant médial, la deuxième artère métatarsienne dorsale (78 %) et la deuxième artère métatarsienne plantaire (22 %) vascularisent le versant latéral. Sept dispositions artérielles ont été trouvées dans la commissure interdigitale. Une disposition dénommée commune a été vue dans la premiere commissure sur 65 % des pieds examinés, dans la deuxième commissure dans 85 % des cas. Le premier espace intermétatarsien contient parfois une volumineuse artère, naissant directement de l'artère dorsale du pied ou de la première artère perforante proximale, mais aussi des premières artères métatarsiennes dorsale ou plantaire. Dans cet espace, les dispositions artérielles sont classées en 4 types et 9 sous-types, basés sur l'origine et le trajet proximal de ces artères. La disposition standard a été trouvée seulement sur 19 % des pieds, alors qu'une disposition comprenant un tronc proximal commun situé sur le versant plantaire, fournissant les premières artères métatarsiennes dorsale et plantaire, a été trouvée plus fréquemment (46 %). Dans le deuxième espace intermétatarsien, la deuxième artère métatarsienne dorsale était habituellement située sur le versant dorsal.

     

Subcutaneous cryptococcosis due to Cryptococcus diffluens in a patient with sporotrichoid lesions case report, features of the case isolate and in vitro antifungal susceptibilities.

Environmental fungi, in particular primary pathogens and Cryptococcus spp. can be responsible for skin lesions mimicking sporotrichosis. In this paper, we report a case of subcutaneous cryptococcosis in an apparently healthy, young male patient due to a non-C. neoformans Cryptococcus species, C. diffluens. The isolate showed in vitro phenotypic switching that may affect virulence and host inflammatory and immune responses, and in vitro resistance to amphotericin B and 5-flucytosin. This species shares several phenotypic traits with C. neoformans, and, therefore, decisive diagnosis should be based on biopsy and culturing results followed by molecular identification.     

Genome types of adenovirus types 19 and 37 isolated from patients with conjunctivitis in Hiroshima City

A total of 74 strains out of 33 strains of adenovirus type 19 (Ad19) plus 103 strains of type 37 (Ad37) isolated from patients with conjunctivitis at two ophthalmology clinics in Hiroshima City during the period March 1983 to December 1986 were analyzed by eight DNA restriction endonucleases in comparison with their prototype strains. All 27 Ad19 isolates examined displayed identical DNA cleavage patterns with all enzymes used (HindIII, KpnI, PstI, XhoI, BamHI, SacI, EcoRI, and SmaI), but their cleavage patterns were different from those of the prototype except with HindIII. The genome type of these isolates was tentatively named Ad19a. Forty-seven Ad37 isolates examined were divided into three genome types. They were tentatively named Ad37p, Ad37a, and Ad37b: 16 isolates (Ad37p) displayed DNA cleavage patterns identical with those of the prototype with all eight enzymes described above. Thirty isolates (Ad37a) showed the same patterns as the prototype except with EcoRI. One isolate (Ad37b) showed the same patterns as the prototype except with SmaI. The most frequently isolated genome type during the period studied was Ad37a, but the change of the predominant genome type in yearly incidences was observed.     

Effect of solvent evaporation rate on microphase-separated structure of segmented poly(urethane-urea) prepared by solution casting

A useful instrument for polymer film preparation by solution casting was employed in this study. It enabled us to control the solvent evaporation rate of the polymer solution. By using this instrument, the aggregation of hard segments in segmented poly(urethane-urea) (SPUU) was investigated. SPUU was prepared from poly(tetramethy1ene oxide), 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and ethylenediamine. The effect of solvent evaporation rate on the microphase-separated structure of SPUU was elucidated by dynamic mechanical analysis, tensile test, differential scanning calorimetry analysis, small-angle X-ray scattering measurement, IR and IR dichroism analyses. The aggregation of hard segments in SPUU was observed to be affected considerably by the solvent evaporation rate of the cast film during the preparation. It was found that the slower the solvent evaporation rate, the higher the aggregation of hard segments to form rigid hard segment domains in SPUU. Nine months after casting, this casting effect still remained on the aggregation state of hard segments of SPUU films, although the interdomain spacing was not influenced by its rate.     

Ascending and descending internuclear connections of the trigeminal sensory nuclei in the cat. A study with the retrograde and anterograde horseradish peroxidase technique

The distribution of cells of origin of ascending and descending internuclear connections in the trigeminal sensory nuclei was studied by the retrograde horseradish peroxidase technique in the cat. The termination of collaterals of these ascending axons was also studied by the anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase. Following injections of horseradish peroxidase into the ventral part of the principal sensory nucleus and the adjacent reticular formation many small neurons were labeled ipsilaterally in the whole area of the caudal portion of the nucleus interpolaris and in laminae III and IV of the nucleus caudalis. Labeled neurons were also found in laminae I and V. Injections limited to either nucleus oralis, the ventral part of the principal sensory nucleus and the medial parabrachial nucleus labeled similar types of neurons in the above regions with a topographic relationship; neurons in the dorsal part of the nuclei caudalis and interpolaris project, dorsally, to rostral portions of the trigeminal sensory nuclei while those in the ventral part of the nuclei caudalis and interpolaris project ventrally. Anterograde labeling of axons arising from the nucleus caudalis demonstrates that the axons ascend in the intranuclear bundles and the adjacent reticular formation, and give off collaterals to the nuclei interpolaris and oralis, and the ventral part of the principal sensory nucleus. Injections limited to the nucleus caudalis labeled small neurons in the rostral portion of the nucleus oralis and the caudal portion of the nucleus interpolaris. The present study suggests that these ascending and descending internuclear connections of the trigeminal sensory nuclei may modulate transmission of afferent inputs to various projection sites, such as thalamus, superior colliculus, cerebellum and spinal cord.     

Virulence of Streptococcus mutans: comparison of the effects of a coupling sugar and sucrose on certain metabolic activities and cariogenicity.

A coupling sugar preparation (sucrose-free [CSSF]), which contains a mixture of sugars, oligosaccharides, and oligosaccharides terminated at the reducing end by sucrose, served as a substrate for growth and acid production by Streptococcus mutans 6715. However, CSSF was a poor substrate for cellular aggregation, glucosyltransferase activity, plaque formation, and adherence of cells to glass surfaces. In the presence of sucrose, CSSF inhibited glucosyltransfer activity and adherence of cells. The substitution of CSSF for sucrose in a rat diet significantly reduced caries score. Furthermore, rats fed diets containing sucrose and CSSF had significantly fewer carious lesions than did rats fed a sucrose diet.     

Cats are protected against feline immunodeficiency virus infection following vaccination with a homologous AP-1 binding site-deleted mutant

Summary.  Following establishment, via the vaginal route, of infection with an AP-1 binding-site deleted mutant (ΔAP-1) of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), cats were challenged with a homologous intact strain (TM2) of FIV. The cats were observed for 23 weeks to evaluate the efficacy of the ΔAP-1 against the homologous TM2 strain challenge. These two viruses were differentiated by Southern blotting after amplification of proviral DNA by semi-nested polymerase chain reaction in DNAs of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and tissues. A TM2-specific band was detected in one cat exposed to but not infected with ΔAP-1, but not in two ΔAP-1-infected. These results indicate that ΔAP-1 could protect against subsequent challenge with homologous FIV TM2 strain. Received December 23, 1998 Accepted March 31, 1998