Entomophthoromycosis in South Bengal (Eastern India): a 9 years study

Subcutaneous mycoses caused by the family Entomophthoraceae is very rare type of disease and is being reported sporadically from various Tropical countries including India. Here we report 8 cases of rhinoentomophthoromycosis caused by Conidiobolous coronatus and 7 cases of chronic subcutaneous phycomycosis caused by Basidiobolus ranarum. Cases were detected during a span of 9 years between 1991 to 1999, from 9 districts in and around Kolkata (Eastern India). Former type of lesions were detected among 20 to 65 age group of healthy individuals, predominantly males (7:1). In the latter type, male-female ratio was 2:5, and except for one all cases belonged to below 20 years age group of healthy individuals. Several cases were detected only after examination of repeat biopsy samples. With high degree of clinical suspicion, right approach is needed for laboratory confirmation of diagnosis.     

Development and Evaluation of a Tetraplex Flow Cytometric Assay for Quantitation of Serum Antibodies to Neisseria meningitidis Serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135

A rapid and simple method for the simultaneous quantitation of serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies specific for Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135 was developed and evaluated. Four bead sets were generated, each conjugated with one of the meningococcal capsular polysaccharides (A, C, Y, or W-135) and serologically assessed by the use of antimeningococcal international reference sera. Cross-reactivity studies demonstrated no inhibition between monoplex and multiplex assays, and the assay was linear over a 24-fold serum dilution range. Inhibition studies demonstrated that the assay is specific, with <25% heterologous inhibition occurring. The assay was also found to have low intra- and interassay variations and limits of detection ≤650 pg/ml. A comparison of the meningococcal bead assay with the standardized meningococcal enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed a good correlation between the IgG concentrations obtained by each assay. The tetraplex assay has the potential to be an important addition to the serologic evaluation of meningococcal capsular polysaccharide conjugate vaccines.     

Influence of lamella features of UHMWPE on its physical and uniaxial tensile properties. I. Effect of sterilization method in uncrosslinked and unaged materials

The changes in the tensile toughness (U), degree of crystallinity (%C), melting temperature (Tm), lamella thickness, and lamella alignment of uncrosslinked and unaged GUR 1150HP ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene specimens, following different sterilization treatments (none, gamma-irradiation in air, gamma-irradiation in a nitrogen-rich atmosphere, ethylene oxide gas, and gas plasma) were determined. For each of the properties - U, %C, and Tm - the only significant difference in the mean value was found between the set of specimens gamma-irradiated in air, on the one hand, and each of the other sets, on the other hand. It was found that lamella thickness showed little change between the groups of specimens but there was a significant difference in the lamella orientation between the set of specimens that had been gamma-irradiated in air, on the one hand, and each of the other sets, on the other. It thus appears that the changes seen in the physical and mechanical properties determined may be a reflection of the change in the polymer's lamella alignment.     

Analysis of the immune response to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in experimentally infected calves

Johne's disease of cattle is widespread and causes significant economic loss to producers. Control has been hindered by limited understanding of the immune response to the causative agent, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, and lack of an effective vaccine and sensitive specific diagnostic assays. The present study was conducted to gain insight into factors affecting the immune response to M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. A persistent proliferative response to M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis purified protein derivative and soluble M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis antigens was detected in orally infected neonatal calves 6 months postinfection (p.i.) by flow cytometry (FC). CD4(+) T cells with a memory phenotype (CD45R0(+)) expressing CD25 and CD26 were the predominant cell type responding to antigens. Few CD8(+) T cells proliferated in response to antigens until 18 months p.i. gammadelta T cells did not appear to respond to antigen until 18 months p.i. The majority of WC1(+) CD2(-) and a few WC1(-) CD2(+) gammadelta T cells expressed CD25 at time zero. By 18 months, however, subsets of gammadelta T cells from both control and infected animals showed an increase in expression of CD25, ACT2, and CD26 in the presence of the antigens. Two populations of CD3(-) non-T non-B null cells, CD2(+) and CD2(-), proliferated in cell cultures from some control and infected animals during the study, with and without antigen. The studies clearly show multicolor FC offers a consistent reliable way to monitor the evolution and changes in the immune response to M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis that occur during disease progression.     

Personality and psychopathology profiles of veterans' wives: measuring distress using the MMPI-2.

The present study compared personality and psychopathology profiles of veterans' wives against married women in the MMPI-2 restandardization sample. Differences in levels of distress and pathology were analyzed using the validity, clinical, and content scales of the MMPI-2. As expected, veterans' wives, when compared to restandardization wives, reported higher levels of psychopathology and distress, with symptoms such as depression, social maladjustment, and other negative, internal symptomatic behaviors. Findings are discussed in terms of the need for additional research examining this "at-risk" population.     

Human multiple myeloma cells express peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and undergo apoptosis upon exposure to PPARgamma ligands

Multiple myeloma is essentially an incurable malignancy and it is therefore of great interest to develop new therapeutic approaches. We previously reported that human B cell-lymphomas express the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and are killed by PPARgamma ligands. Herein, we investigate the therapeutic potential of PPARgamma ligands for multiple myeloma. The human multiple myeloma cell lines ANBL6 and 8226 express PPARgamma mRNA and protein. The PPARgamma ligands, 15-deoxy-Delta12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) and ciglitazone, induced multiple myeloma cell apoptosis as determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and caspase activation. Importantly, the ability of PPARgamma ligands to kill both multiple myeloma cell lines was not abrogated by Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a multiple myeloma growth survival factor. Finally, the RXR ligand 9-cis retinoic acid (9-cis RA) in combination with PPARgamma ligands greatly enhanced multiple myeloma cell killing. These new findings support that PPARgamma ligands may represent a novel therapy for multiple myeloma.     

Recurrent Bacteremia Caused by a “Flexispira”-Like Organism in a Patient with X-Linked (Bruton’s) Agammaglobulinemia

Helicobacter spp., except for Helicobacter cinaedi, have only rarely been reported in cases of septicemia. A patient with X-linked (Bruton's) agammaglobulinemia was found to have persistent sepsis with a Helicobacter-like organism despite multiple courses of antibiotics. His periods of sepsis were associated with leg swelling thought to be consistent with cellulitis. The organism was fastidious and required a microaerophilic environment containing H(2) for growth. Optimal growth was observed at 35 to 37 degrees C on sheep blood, CDC anaerobe, and Bordet-Gengou agars. Serial subcultures every 4 to 5 days were required to maintain viability. The organism was strongly urease positive and showed highest relatedness to Helicobacter-like organisms with the vernacular name "Flexispira rappini" by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Genomic DNA hybridization studies, however, found 24 to 37% relatedness to "F. rappini" and even less to other Helicobacter spp. Although the organism phenotypically resembles "Flexispira" and Helicobacter, it is thought to represent a new taxon. The patient's infection was eventually cleared with a prolonged (5-month) course of intravenous imipenem and gentamicin.     

The screening of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients for submicroscopic deletions.

We have probed the DNA of 156 Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients, representing 140 kindreds, with cloned DNA sequences derived from Xp21 and known to show deletions in some DMD patients. Sixteen cases showed a deletion, as defined by lack of hybridisation to one or more of the four probes used. However, two of these cases were brothers, so 15 independent deletions (10.7%) are represented. The deletion map is compatible with the suggested order for the sites of the probes used in the study, that is, telomere----pERT87.15----pERT87.8----pERT87.1----pX J1.1----754----centromere. Further mapping of these deletions and characterisation of the deletion breakpoints should facilitate more accurate molecular localisation of the gene or genes which, when mutated, are responsible for causing DMD.