Allergenicity of the osmophilic fungus Aspergillus restrictus evaluated by skin prick test and radioallergosorbent test

Recently large amounts of Aspergillus restrictus, a species of osmophilic fungi, have been detected in house dust using culture media with low water activity. But little attention has been paid to this fungus as an allergen. In the present study, the authors examined the allergenic activity of A. restrictus by skin prick tests and radioallergosorbent tests (RAST) on 94 asthmatic patients (mean age 12.0, range 3-18). Aspergillus fumigatus, Alternaria alternata and house dust were used for comparison. In the skin prick tests, A. restrictus, A. fumigatus, A. alternata and house dust elicited positive reactions in 8 (8.5%), 8 (8.5%), 15 (16.0%) and 69 (73.4%) patients, respectively. RAST showed positive reactions in 27 (28.7%) subjects for A. restrictus, 22 (23.4%) for A. fumigatus, 35 (37.2%) for A. alternata, and 75 (79.8%) for house dust. These results indicated that some asthmatic individuals showed immediate-type hypersensitivity to A. restrictus, and the prevalence of hypersensitivity of A. restrictus determined by skin prick tests and RAST was comparable with that of A. fumigatus but lower than that of A. alternata or house dust. This indicates that this fungal species may be of importance as a causative agent in atopic diseases.     

A mouse monoclonal antibody, S2n8, detects a 140 kDa protein on the surface of human endometrial stromal cells and decidual cells

We developed a mouse monoclonal antibody, S2n8, by immunizingmice i.p. with human decidual cells collected in the first trimesterof pregnancy. By indirect immunofluorescence staining of frozensections, S2n8 was found to react with decidual cells and endometrialstromal cells throughout the menstrual cycle, but not with endometrialglandular cells or with the endometrial surface epithelium.Judging from the fluorescence intensity, the antigen expressionon stromal cells was weak in the proliferative phase, and becamestronger in the secretory phase. Decidual cells in the firsttrimester of pregnancy and decidual cells at term showed strongexpression of this antigen. Indirect immunofluorescence stainingof enzymatically dispersed decidual tissue revealed that theS2n8 antigen was expressed on the decidual cell surface. Flowcytometric analysis of 12 freshly prepared stromal cell-enrichedcell suspensions showed that 74.8–94.2% (mean ±SD 86.1 ± 6.6%) of the cells carried the antigen. Theexpression of S2n8 antigen on cultured stromal cells was enhancedby the addition of oestradiol and/or progesterone. The antigenicmolecule was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography fromdecidua collected in the first trimester of pregnancy, and themolecular weight was estimated to be 140 kDa. These findingsindicate that the S2n8 antigen is a useful cell surface markerfor stromal cells/decidual cells and is associated with theirdifferentiation. cell surface antigen/decidual cells/endometrial differentiation/endometrial stromal cells/monoclonal antibody     

Ophthalmomyiasis caused by Sarcophaga crassipalpis (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) in a hospital patient

Nine sarcophagid larvae were found on the right eyelid, cornea, and bulbar conjunctiva of a debilitated patient in a hospital in Osaka, Japan. Inflammation of the right eyelid and conjunctival congestion, probably initiated or aggravated by the larvae, were found. The larvae were removed and reared for accurate identification, and, on the basis of the characteristics of the 3rd instar and adult flies, the species was identified as Sarcophaga crassipalpis Macquart. This is a report of ophthalmomyiasis caused by this facultative parasite in a human. Patients with diminished consciousness in hospitals need protection from flies.     

The role of calcium in parotid amylase secretion evoked by excitation of cholinergic, α- andβ-adrenergic receptors

Pflügers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology -     

Synthesis of polyaminoquinones by vinylogous nucleophilic substitution polymerization of 2,5-disubstituted p-benzoquinones with diamines

Vinylogous nucleophilic substitution polymerization of 2,5-dihydroxy-p-benzoquinone and 2,5-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone with various diamines in m-cresol afforded polyaminoquinones with inherent viscosities as high as 0,5 dl.g^?1 in quantitative yields. The polyaminoquinones, except for the polymer derived from 1,3-bis(aminomethyl)benzene, were partially soluble or practically insoluble in organic solvents, but were solubilized by alkaline hydrosulfite reduction. Thermal analyses showed an initial weight loss at around 200°C in both air and nitrogen atmospheres, followed by gradual decomposition.     

Inclusion body hepatitis due to adenovirus in pigeons

Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) occurred on a pigeon farm of Japan. Basophilic and/or eosinophilic inclusion bodies were found in nuclei of many hepatocytes of all the four pigeons examined pathologically. The same inclusions were seen in epithelial cells of the uriniferous tubules and enterocytes of the small intestine. Ultrastructurally, the hepatic inclusions had viral particles morphologically identical to adenoviruses. The inoculum prepared from the affected liver produced neither cytopathic effects in chick embryo fibroblasts nor pock lesions on chorioallantoic membranes of developing chick embryos.     

Juvenile hyaline fibromatosis: A report of two unrelated adult sibling cases and a literature review

Two unrelated adult sibling cases (36- and 32-year-old females) of Juvenile hyaline fibromatosis are presented. The parents of one of these patients were non-consanguineous but natives of a small Island, and one elder sister among four siblings was affected with the same disease. The parents of the other patient were consanguineous, and one other sibling suffered from the identical disease. Both patients presented with multiple subcutaneous nodules, which they had had since infancy, and had undergone numerous surgical excisions. Light microscopy examination of skin lesions from both patients showed identical histology; an abundance of a homogenous, amorphous, eosinophlllc extracellular matrix in which spindle-shaped cells were embedded. Electron microscopically, the spindle-shaped cells had hypertrophic Golgi apparatus and dilated, rough endoplasmlc reticulum. Fine flbrillar and granular material-filled structures, the contents of which were occasionally released into the extracellular matrix, were also seen, immunohistochemically, the spindle-shaped cells were vlmentin-positive but negative for α-smooth muscle actln and S-100 protein, and the hyaline ground substance was positive for type I and type III collagen but negative for type II and type IV collagen and tenascin. Matrix metalloprotelnase-1, -2, and -9, and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TlMP)-2 was positive but TIMP-1 was negative. A review of 39 cases of juvenile hyaline fibromatosis In the literature is also presented. In summary, skin lesions may be the most outstanding symptoms of juvenile hyaline fibromatosis, but joint contracture and gingival hypertrophy precede the skin manifestation.