Distribution of genotypes and antibiotic resistance genes among invasive Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus) isolates from Australasian patients belonging to different age groups.

Serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance (AR) among group B streptococci (GBS) affect GBS disease prevention strategies, but vary among patient groups. A multiplex PCR-based reverse line blot (mPCR/RLB) hybridisation assay was used to compare the distributions of GBS serotypes, serotype III subtypes and AR-associated genes among 666 invasive isolates from 663 patients, divided into five age groups: infants, early-onset (EO; 0-6 days) and late-onset (LO; 7-90 days); children (aged 3 months to 14 years); women of childbearing age (WCBA; aged 15-45 years); and other adults (males aged >15 years; females aged >45 years). Serotypes Ia and V and serosubtype III-1 accounted for 60% of infections. Serosubtype III-2, which corresponds to a virulent clone belonging to sequence type (ST)17, was relatively uncommon overall (7%), but was associated strongly with LO infant infections, in which it was significantly more common than in adult infections (25/104 (24%) vs. 9/392 (2%), p <0.0001) or in EO infections (25/104 (24%) vs. 14/155 (9%), p <0.005). Erythromycin resistance genes were found in 8% of all isolates (ermB 3%, ermA 2.5% and mefA/E 2%), in 11-15% of isolates of serotypes II and V and subtype III-1, but in none of the isolates of serosubtype III-2 (III-2, 0/49 vs. all others, 54/618 (9%), p <0.04). In summary, the virulent serosubtype III-2 was associated strongly with LO infant GBS infection, but was less likely than other serotypes or serosubtype III-1 to carry AR genes.     

No association between schizophrenia and homozygosity at the D3 dopamine receptor gene

The D₃ dopamine receptor gene is an important candidate gene for schizophrenia, since (because of its almost exclusive expression in the limbic system) it combines the dopamine receptor hypothesis with the limbic system hypothesis of schizophrenia. A BalI restriction fragment length polymorphism of the D₃ dopamine receptor gene has been typed in 107 schizophrenic patients and 98 normal controls from Sichuan (China). With regard to alleles or genotypes, no significant differences were obtained between controls from Europe and China, between patients and controls, and between patient subgroups and controls. These results indicate a lack of association between schizophrenia and the D₃ dopamine receptor gene in our sample. Our findings are at variance with reports of a significant excess of homozygosity at the D₃ dopamine receptor gene in schizophrenic patients from Wales (United Kingdom) and Alsace (France). In conclusion, further studies will be needed with larger samples of patients from Wales and Alsace as well as with samples of different racial groups to prove or disprove the initial positive association between schizophrenia and genotypes of the D₃ dopamine receptor gene. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Translocation of Enterococcus faecalis strains across a monolayer of polarized human enterocyte-like T84 cells

We used a two-chamber system to study transcytosis of Enterococcus faecalis across monolayers of human colon carcinoma-derived T84 cells, which show structural resemblance to the native intestine. Among 16 E. faecalis isolates from different sources, the well-characterized strain OG1RF and 8 other isolates (2 endocarditis isolates, 1 urine isolate, and all 5 fecal isolates) showed translocation in this assay, while 6 clinical isolates (3 endocarditis and 3 urine isolates), the recipient strain JH2-2, and the control, Escherichia coli DH5alpha, had no detectable translocation. Of two OG1RF mutants involving the previously studied epa (enterococcal polysaccharide antigen) gene cluster, known to be needed for virulence and resistance to killing by polymorphonuclear leukocytes, one epa mutant (TX5179) was unable to translocate, while TX5180, with an epa disruption farther downstream, showed a moderate decrease in translocation relative to that of the wild-type strain OG1RF (P < 0.01), indicating that the epa gene cluster is important for translocation across a T84 monolayer. This observation was confirmed by complementation of the epa mutant (TX5179) with epa genes and restoration of its translocation ability. In conclusion, we have demonstrated translocation of at least some strains of E. faecalis across T84 monolayers, although strains differ considerably in this ability, and we have demonstrated that epa mutations can cause marked changes in successful translocation. These results suggest that this model may be a useful in vitro system for studying the process of translocation from the intestinal tract.     

转化生长因子α,β1对大鼠肺泡Ⅱ型细胞生长的影响

目的 探讨转化生长因子α和β１对肺泡Ⅱ型细胞增生的影响及其作用机制。方法 采用原代培养的成年大鼠肺泡Ⅱ型细胞,加入ＴＧＦα、ＴＧＦβ１作用４８小时,测定肺泡Ⅱ型细＾３Ｈ－ＴｄＲ掺入量和细胞数量,并用斑点杂交、原位杂交和免疫组化方法检测细胞内细胞周期蛋白Ｄ１、细胞周期依赖性激酶４ ｍＲＮＡ和蛋白的表达。结果 随ＴＧＦα浓度递增,肺泡Ⅱ型细胞＾３Ｈ－ＴｄＲ掺入量和细胞数量均逐渐增加,呈量效正相关;ＴＧ     

Intratracheal administration of liposomal clodronate accelerates alveolar macrophage reconstitution following fetal liver transplantation

To facilitate study of alveolar macrophages in vivo, we developed a method to rapidly and efficiently replace resident alveolar macrophages with macrophages of a different (donor) genotype. Chimeric mice were generated by lethal irradiation followed by fetal liver transplantation (FLT) using green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic reporter mice as donors. Kinetics of peripheral blood monocyte (PBM) and alveolar macrophage reconstitution was determined 4 and 10 weeks post-FLT by quantifying the percentage of GFP+ cells. To enhance the recruitment of donor monocytes into the lung after FLT, mice were treated with intratracheal administration of liposomal clodronate to deplete host alveolar macrophages at 6 weeks post-FLT. PBM reconstitution occurred by 4 weeks after FLT (85.7+/-1.6% of CD11b+/Gr-1+ monocytes were GFP+), and minimal alveolar macrophage repopulation was observed (9.5% GFP+). By 10 weeks following FLT, 48% of alveolar macrophages were GFP+ by immunostaining of macrophages on lung tissue sections, and 55.1 +/- 1.6% of lung lavage macrophages were GFP+ by fluorescein-activated cell sorter analysis. Clodronate treatment resulted in a significant increase in GFP+ alveolar macrophages 10 weeks after FLT. By immunostaining, 90% of macrophages were GFP+ on lung tissue sections and 87.5 +/- 1.1% GFP+ in lung lavage (compared with GFP-transgenic controls). The ability of newly recruited alveolar macrophages to clear Pseudomonas aeruginosa and activate nuclear factor-kappaB in response to Eschericia coli lipopolysaccharide demonstrated normal macrophage function. Optimizing this methodology provides an important tool for the study of specific genes and their contribution to alveolar macrophage function in vivo.     

Analytical fan-beam and cone-beam reconstruction algorithms with uniform attenuation correction for SPECT

In this paper, we developed an analytical fan-beam reconstruction algorithm that compensates for uniform attenuation in SPECT. The new fan-beam algorithm is in the form of backprojection first, then filtering, and is mathematically exact. The algorithm is based on three components. The first one is the established generalized central-slice theorem, which relates the 1D Fourier transform of a set of arbitrary data and the 2D Fourier transform of the backprojected image. The second one is the fact that the backprojection of the fan-beam measurements is identical to the backprojection of the parallel measurements of the same object with the same attenuator. The third one is the stable analytical reconstruction algorithm for uniformly attenuated Radon data, developed by Metz and Pan. The fan-beam algorithm is then extended into a cone-beam reconstruction algorithm, where the orbit of the focal point of the cone-beam imaging geometry is a circle. This orbit geometry does not satisfy Tuy's condition and the obtained cone-beam algorithm is an approximation. In the cone-beam algorithm, the cone-beam data are first backprojected into the 3D image volume; then a slice-by-slice filtering is performed. This slice-by-slice filtering procedure is identical to that of the fan-beam algorithm. Both the fan-beam and cone-beam algorithms are efficient, and computer simulations are presented. The new cone-beam algorithm is compared with Bronnikov's cone-beam algorithm, and it is shown to have better performance with noisy projections.     

Toward a durable impeller pump with mechanical bearings

Our former work demonstrated that our impeller pump could support the circulation of experimental animals for several months without harm to blood elements or organ function. The termination of the experiments was mostly related to wear of the mechanical bearing and thrombosis along the bearing. To solve the bearing problem, we investigated a magnetic bearing in our lab, which resulted in some new problems, such as complicated design and control, considerable energy consumption, and lesser reliability. Progress in developing an impeller pump for long-term application has recently been achieved. Instead of using a sliding bearing system, we devised a rolling bearing system. Its service life is more than 10 years because of a wearproof roller made of ultra high molecular weight polythene. To avoid thrombus formation, we introduced a special purge system to the bearing, allowing the saline with heparin to be infused through the bearing into the pump. The bearing, therefore, keeps working in the saline, and no thrombus will be formed. Animal experiments demonstrated that a 30 ml fluid infusion per hour is enough to prevent thrombus formation. With these improvements, the impeller pump has continuously run for 8 months, and no bearing wear can be measured. The device, weighing 150 g, is fully implantable, consumes approximately 9.6 watts, and delivers a 9L/min blood flow against a 120 mm Hg mean pressure and reaches a highest total efficiency of 24.7% for the motor (including the controller) and pump. The system can produce both pulsatile and nonpulsatile flow according to requirements.     

Waardenburg syndrome, Hirschsprung megacolon, and Marcus Gunn ptosis

A patient with Waardenburg syndrome type II associated with Hirschsprung megacolon and Marcus Gunn ptosis is presented. It is suggested that these different anomalies are manifestations of the same neurocrestopathy.