Idiopathic neonatal pleural effusion

We present two cases of neonatal pleural effusion, a relatively rare condition, most commonly due to chylothorax. One had bilateral hypoplastic lungs and the other suffered birth asphyxia. Both died before any treatment could be initiated.     

Myoblast fusion in Drosophila melanogaster is mediated through a fusion-restricted myogenic-adhesive structure (FuRMAS).

During myogenesis in Drosophila embryos, a prominent adhesive structure is formed between precursor cells and fusion-competent myoblasts (fcms). Here, we show that Duf/Kirre and its interaction partners Rols7 (found in founder myoblasts and growing myotubes) and Sns (found in fcms) are organized in a ring-structure at the contact points of fcms with precursor cells, while cytoskeletal components like F-actin and Titin are centered in this ring in both cell types. The cytoplasmic protein Blow colocalizes with the actin plugs in fcms after cell adhesion. Furthermore, the requirement of additional as yet unidentified components was demonstrated by using mammalian C2C12 myoblasts. In this study, we propose that the fusion-restricted myogenic-adhesive structure (FuRMAS) is pivotal in linking cell adhesion as well as local F-actin assembly and dynamics to downstream events that ultimately lead to plasma membrane fusion. Moreover, we suggest that the FuRMAS may restrict the area of membrane breakdown.     

Sluggish glucose tolerance in tuberculosis patients.

OBJECTIVE: To examine glucose tolerance in sputum-positive non-treated pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients as part of a general metabolic profile. Subjects. Sixty-three sputum-positive non-treated patients (male and female) attending the pulmonary clinic at Mthatha General Hospital in the Eastern Cape and 89 apparently healthy sex and age-matched volunteers. METHODS: Sixty-three untreated TB patients who came to the Mthatha General Hospital's pulmonary clinic with classic symptoms of TB, confirmed by sputum analysis, were recruited for the study. Eighty-nine apparently healthy sex and age-matched volunteers served as the control group. Anthropometric measurements were taken using an electronic scale. Standard oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) were performed in both groups in the morning after an overnight fast. Anticoagulant-treated blood was analysed for glucose and insulin using Peridochrome Glucose (Boehringer Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany) and radioimmunoassay (RIA) (Diagnostic Products Corporation, Los Angeles, USA) respectively. RESULTS: There was sluggish response to glucose and insulin in the TB patient group compared with the control group. Glucose and insulin levels were significantly higher in patients at 0, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes. Analysis of variance gave the following p-values, viz. p = 0.0000, 0.0004, 0.0000, 0.0000 and 0.0000 for glucose, and p = 0.0317, 0.0071, 0.0000, 0.0005 and 0.0000 for insulin respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest an altered glucose/insulin metabolism in TB patients. This might play an important role in the clinical course of the disease.     

Digital image acquisition using a consumer-type digital camera in the anatomic pathology setting

Imaging is central to anatomic pathology. The captured images are used for documentation, archiving, teaching, and publication. The advent of low-cost, consumer-type, high-end digital cameras has provided a convenient, easy-to-use alternative for routine image acquisition. The various applications for digital image acquisition in anatomic pathology include, among others, digitizing conventional photographs, digital gross photography and digital macrophotography, digitizing radiographic images, and digital photomicrography. This article reviews digital image acquisition in the anatomic pathology setting using a consumer-type digital camera. The camera type chosen as an example for the discussion was selected for its popularity and wide use among pathologists and for its potential to function as a sole image input device in all applications combined. Techniques and accessories to further increase the functionality of the camera and help overcome some of the commonly encountered problems in some applications are described.     

Central tolerance matters

In this issue of Immunity, Anderson et al. provide another clue to the riddle that is Aire--why do human beings and mice lacking Aire develop diffuse and pathogenic autoimmunity? They find that Aire influences central tolerance not only by promoting the expression of peripheral self-proteins in thymic medullary epithelial cells (MECs) but also by furnishing these cells with the apparatus for effective antigen presentation ().     

Collaborative study of antibiotic medium 3 and flow cytometry for identification of amphotericin B-resistant Candida isolates

Center 1 used the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards M27-A2 method and antibiotic medium 3 (AM3) test to determine amphotericin B resistance in 5 of 30 Candida isolates. These isolates were tested at center 2 by AM3 test and flow cytometry (FC). The agreements (C1-C2) were 90% for AM3 test and FC and 73% for the AM3 tests.     

Dystrophin gene deletions in South Indian Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients

66 unrelated patients from Southern India with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) were studied for intragenic deletion in 18 exons and Pm region of the DMD gene using multiplex PCR. Of these 41 (62.1%) showed intragenic deletions. 78% of the deletions were located at the distal hotspot region (44-55 exons) and 22% of the deletions were located at the proximal region (exon 2-19). Exon 50 is most frequently deleted. Deletions in isolated cases were significantly more compared to familial cases. The lower incidence reported from South India compared to North India, is suggestive of variations in the Southern and Northern population.     

Precision Tracing of Household Dengue Spread Using Inter- and Intra-Host Viral Variation Data,Kamphaeng Phet,Thailand

Dengue control approaches are best informed by granular spatial epidemiology of these viruses, yet reconstruction of inter- and intra-household transmissions is limited when analyzing case count, serologic, or genomic consensus sequence data. To determine viral spread on a finer spatial scale, we extended phylogenomic discrete trait analyses to reconstructions of house-to-house transmissions within a prospective cluster study in Kamphaeng Phet, Thailand. For additional resolution and transmission confirmation, we mapped dengue intra-host single nucleotide variants on the taxa of these time-scaled phylogenies. This approach confirmed 19 household transmissions and revealed that dengue disperses an average of 70 m per day between households in these communities. We describe an evolutionary biology framework for the resolution of dengue transmissions that cannot be differentiated based on epidemiologic and consensus genome data alone. This framework can be used as a public health tool to inform control approaches and enable precise tracing of dengue transmissions.     

Human leukocyte response to an endurance race

Summary The response of circulating leukocytes (WBC's) with regard to changes in number, proportion of neutrophils versus lymphocytes and changes in lymphocyte function as well as proportions of T and B cells was studied in eleven men who ran a 20-mile race. A marked leukocytosis was noted 10–15 min after the race with the predominant increase being polymorphonuclear leukocytes (P<0.001). A significant rise in mean serum cortisol levels was also noted (P<0.001) which correlated with both the increase in total WBC's (P< 0.001) and granulocytes (P<0.001), but not lymphocytes. The increase in serum cortisol was inversely correlated with miles of prior training (P<0.001). An increase in lymphocytes from 1767±112/mm³ to 2431±202/mm³ was less than that previously described in short-term exercise. As with short-term exercise the most significant increase in lymphocytes was in B lymphocytes bearing surface immunoglobulin (P<0.0025). However, in contrast to short-term exercise lymphocytes maintained good in vitro response to the mitogen phytohemagglutinin.This study demonstrates that endurance racing produces a more marked granulocytosis and less lymphocytosis than short bouts of exercise. It is suggested that the degree of leukocytosis is stress dependent in that it was positively correlated with serum cortisol and inversely correlated with prior training.Supported in part by a joint fellowship from the National and Wisconsin Kidney Foundations