Viral contamination of a subline of Toxoplasma gondii RH.

A subline of Toxoplasma gondii RH was determined to be contaminated with a viral agent, apparently lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus.     

Comparison between children treated at home and those requiring hospital admission for rotavirus and other enteric pathogens associated with acute diarrhea in Melbourne, Australia.

The etiology of acute diarrhea in children less than 42 months of age attending one pediatric hospital in Melbourne, Australia, was studied during a 7-month period encompassing the winter of 1984. Pathogens identified in 157 children treated as outpatients with mild disease were compared with those in 232 children hospitalized with severe disease. The pathogens (and frequencies among outpatients and inpatients, respectively) detected were rotaviruses (32.5 and 50.9%), enteric adenoviruses (8.9 and 7.4%), Campylobacter jejuni (7.2 and 1.3%), and Salmonella sp. (4.0 and 1.7%). Electropherotypes of rotavirus strains from outpatients and inpatients were compared. Two strains predominated during the 7 months of this study and were observed with equal frequency from outpatients and inpatients. Rotaviruses of the same electropherotype caused a wide spectrum of disease, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe, life-threatening diarrhea. The similarity of etiological agents identified from children with mild and severe forms of acute diarrhea suggests that the etiology of community enteric illness can be reasonably inferred from the etiology of inpatient disease in children in the same geographic area. During the winter epidemic period, the severity of symptoms associated with rotavirus infection in young children is likely to be determined by the inherent susceptibility of the host rather than by genetic differences in the strains of infecting rotaviruses.     

Cardiac herniation and volvulus: radiographic findings

Cardiac herniation with volvulus is a catastrophic complication of right intrapericardial pneumonectomy. This case illustrates diagnostic radiographic findings that may be essential for early diagnosis and survival, since the clinical signs are nonspecific.     

Verrucous carcinoma arising in ulcerative lichen planus of the soles

Verrucous carcinoma is a low-grade squamous cell carcinoma. Chronic inflammation is an important factor in its pathogenesis. This is the first case of plantar verrucous carcinoma arising in a lesion of ulcerative lichen planus. This paper also lends further support to the successful use of Mohs micrographic surgical technique as the treatment of choice for verrucous carcinoma.     

Comparison of Renal Hemodynamic Effect of Ramiprilat to Captopril: Possible Role of Kinins

Sincetheintroductionofthefirstlineofangiotensinconvertingenzyme(ACE)inhibitors,ofwhichcaptoprilistheprototype,morepotentlonger-lastingagentshavebecomeavailable[l].AmongtheseisramipriIat,anonsL1lfhydrylACEinhibitorsimilarchemicallytoenalaprilatbutcontaininginadditionapentanering.Benderetal[2Jdemonstratedinvitrothatramiprilatisatleast23timesmorelipophilicthanenalaprilatwithanaffinityforACE47timesgreatc'rthanthatofcaptopril.ItwaspostulatedthatthemorelipophiIicanACEinhibitor,thebetteraccessi…     

Impact of the Epithelial Lining Fluid Milieu on Amikacin Pharmacodynamics Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

BackgroundEven though nebulised administration of amikacin can achieve high epithelial lining fluid concentrations, this has not translated into improved patient outcomes in clinical trials. One possible reason is that the cellular and chemical composition of the epithelial lining fluid may inhibit amikacin-mediated bacterial killing.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to identify whether the epithelial lining fluid components inhibit amikacin-mediated bacterial killing.MethodsTwo amikacin-susceptible (minimum inhibitory concentrations of 2 and 8 mg/L) Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were exposed in vitro to amikacin concentrations up to 976 mg/L in the presence of an acidic pH, mucin and/or surfactant as a means of simulating the epithelial lining fluid, the site of bacterial infection in pneumonia. Pharmacodynamic modelling was used to describe associations between amikacin concentrations, bacterial killing and emergence of resistance.ResultsIn the presence of broth alone, there was rapid and extensive (> 6 − log₁₀) bacterial killing, with emergence of resistance identified in amikacin concentrations < 976 mg/L. In contrast, the rate and extent of bacterial killing was reduced (≤ 5 − log₁₀) when exposed to an acidic pH and mucin. Surfactant did not appreciably impact the bacterial killing or resistance emergence when compared with broth alone for either isolate. The combination of mucin and an acidic pH further reduced the rate of bacterial killing, with the maximal bacterial killing occurring 24 h following initial exposure compared with approximately 4–8 h for either mucin or an acidic pH alone.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that simulating the epithelial lining fluid antagonises amikacin-mediated killing of P. aeruginosa, even at the high concentrations achieved following nebulised administration.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40268-021-00344-5.     

The beta-globin gene on the Chinese delta beta-thalassemia chromosome carries a promoter mutation

A new type of delta beta-thalassemia characterized by decreased expression of the beta-globin gene and increased expression of both G gamma and A gamma globin gene in the absence of a detectable deletion has recently been described in the Chinese population. In this study we characterize the mutant beta-globin gene from this delta beta- thalassemia chromosome. An A to G transversion is identified in the "ATA" sequence of the promoter region that leads to decreased expression of the beta-globin gene in vivo and in vitro. We also demonstrate the presence of this mutation in every individual with a high fetal hemoglobin phenotype in this family and its absence in every individual with a normal hemoglobin phenotype. This same promoter mutation has recently been detected in Chinese beta-thalassemia genes where it is present on chromosomes of the same haplotype as that of the delta beta-thalassemia chromosome we are studying. These data support the hypothesis that an as yet unidentified mutation occurred on the ancestral chromosome carrying the promoter mutation and subsequently gave rise to the delta beta-thalassemia phenotype.