Cat-301 immunoreactivity in the lateral geniculate nucleus and visual cortex of the strabismic amblyopic cat

Purpose: It was investigated whether alterations in neuronal structure and function occasioned by strabismic amblyopia also may be reflected in alterations in the expression on Y type neurons of a Cat-301 antibody sensitive antigen in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and cortex of our cat model of strabismic amblyopia. Methods/Results: The percentage of positively labelled cells was reduced in LGN laminae that received input from the deviated eye in strabismic amblyopic cats compared with normal cats. In the strabismic cortex, the density of immunopositive neurons was significantly reduced compared with normal, the effect being most pronounced in layer IV Conclusions: Despite previous physiological recordings indicating a decrease in X-cell associated acuity in strabismic amblyopia, the present findings imply that the changes in the early visual experience occasioned by strabismus also produce specific molecular changes in theY neuronal class.     

Evacuation of hematomas using liposuction technology: Technique and literature review

Established nonexpanding hematomas can be successfully treated with minimal morbidity using standard liposucstion techniques at the bedside or in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia. The authors presents a series of eight patients and discuss current concepts of dealing with this common and distressing surgical complication.     

Zur Zulässigkeit des Verzichts auf Zuzahlungen durch eine Krankenkasse im Rahmen integrierter Versorgung

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Purification and characterisation of elastase from Staphylococcus epidermidis.

An elastase of Staphylococcus epidermidis was purified by ion exchange chromatography on CM-Sepharose and characterised. Its M(r) is c. 21 kDa, its optimal temperature for activity is 42 degrees C and the pH optimum is 6.8. The enzyme is activated by cysteine and other SH-donators and inhibited by L-trans-epoxy-succinylleucylamido-(4-guanidino)butane (E64), an inhibitor of cysteine proteases, but not by 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin (3,4-DCI), an inhibitor of serine proteases. This finding suggests that the elastase of S. epidermidis is a cysteine protease. Because S. epidermidis elastase degrades human sIgA, IgM, serum albumin, fibrinogen, and fibronectin, this enzyme may be regarded as a virulence factor.     

Identification and characterization of a surface-associated protein (Ssp) of Staphylococcus saprophyticus.

A 95-kDa protein was isolated from Staphylococcus saprophyticus 7108 grown on dialysis membranes placed on the surface of brain heart infusion agar. Strain CCM883 did not produce this protein. Ultrathin sections revealed the presence of very thin, tuftlike, 50- to 75-nm-long structures on the surface of strain 7108, whereas strain CCM883 was comparably smooth. The surface material could be removed by digestion with proteinase K, suggesting that the surface structures contain protein. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy showed a thick layer of surface material on strain 7108, whereas strain CCM883 appeared smooth. The 95-kDa protein was purified by Sephacryl S-300 chromatography, and an antiserum was raised in rabbits. This antiserum was used in immunogold labeling experiments, which showed that the protein is associated with the surface structures. Our experiments thus demonstrate the presence of a fibrillar protein on the surface of S. saprophyticus (Ssp for S. saprophyticus surface-associated protein).     

Beeinflußt Heparin den Verlauf einer chronischen abszedierenden Peritonitis im Tiermodell?

After laparotomy and inoculation of aBacteroides fragilis suspension (2 ml with 10⁸ CFU/ml), we induced chronic abscess-forming peritonitis in rats (n=19, untreated). Fifteen animals were treated with heparin 30 IU, administered s.c. from day 1 after inoculation of the bacteria onwards. The main groups were divided into three subgroups (n=8/5/6 andn=5/5/5), which were observed for 3/7/14 days, respectively. On days 3 and 7, abdominal swabs were not onlyB. fragilis positive, but also showed severe polyvalent mixed infection after translocation of intestinal bacteria into the abdominal cavity. In the heparin group,B. fragilis positive swabs were reduced and translocation was inhibited (P<0.05 for days 3 and 7). In the untreated group, blood cultures wereB. fragilis positive on days 3/7/14 in 3/2/1 animals versus 0/1/1 in the heparin group. Adhesions were found in the untreated group in 1/4/5 animals, whereas in the heparin group there were no adhesions (P<0.05 for days 7 and 14). However, intra-abdominal abscesses were also diminished in the heparin group (0/2/1) compared with the untreated animals (2/4/6,P<0.05 for day 14). Therefore, heparin was shown to have a favourable influence on chronic abscess-forming peritonitis in an animal model.     

Zur Chromosomen-Replikation in Zellen der chronischen myeloischen Leukämie

Zusammenfassung Späte Replikation an Chromosomen von Blut- oder Knochenmarkszellen mit Philadelphia-Chromosom von Kranken mit CML wurde in 6 Fällen autoradiographisch untersucht und mit Befunden an normalen kultivierten Lymphocyten verglichen.1. Mitosen von Leukämiezellen fanden sich erst nach relativ langer Anwesenheit von³H-Thymidin markiert, woraus sich für Zellen der CML eine längere G₂-Phase als für kultivierte Lymphocyten ergab.2. Das Philadelphia-Chromosom wich in den meisten Zellen nicht wesentlich von den übrigen Chromosomen Nr. 21 und 22 ab und war autoradiographisch nicht sicher einem der beiden Paare zuzuordnen, in dem es zum Teil stärker mit dem spätreplizierenden und ebenso häufig mit dem früher replizierenden G-Chromosomenpaar übereinstimmte.3. Wie in der Lymphocytenkultur waren charakteristische Regionen der Autosomen Nr. 3–5 und 13–15 spät replizierend, wobei die Homologen weitgehend übereinstimmten.4. Feine Unterschiede in der Lokalisation der spätreplizierenden Zonen bzw. der maximalen Markierung gegenüber kultivierten Lymphocyten zeigten die Chromosomen Nr. 1 und 2. Diese Eigentümlichkeit wird im Hinblick auf die Auflösungsfähigkeit der Methode, die Spezifität hämatopoetischer Zellen des Knochenmarks und leukämisch entarteter Zellen im einzelnen besprochen.

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Chromosome replication in chronic myelocytic leukemia cells

Summary Late replication in chromosomes from blood or bone marrow cells with the Philadelphia chromosome from patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) was studied autoradiographically in 6 cases. These observations were compared with the findings in normal cultivated lymphocytes. (1) Mitoses of leukemia cells were only found to be labelled after relatively long presence of³H-thymidine. Consequently, the G₂ phase was longer for CML cells than for cultured lymphocytes. (2) In most instances the Philadelphia chromosome did not differ from the other chromosomes number 21 and 22. Autoradiographically it could not be classified as one of the two pairs. In the same number of cells this chromosome had a similar replication pattern compared to the later or the earlier replicating pair. (3) As in lymphocyte cultures, the characteristic regions of the autosomes number 3 to 5 and 13 to 15 were late replicating; in these instances the homologous autosomes were quite similar. (4) The chromosomes number 1 and 2 showed slight differences in the localization of late replicating areas or the highest labelling as compared to cultivated lymphocytes. These properties are discussed in detail as to the sensitivity of the method used, the specificity of haemopoietic cells of bone marrow and leukemia cells.

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Mit Unterstützung der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Aboriginal status is a prognostic factor for mortality among antiretroviral naïve HIV-positive individuals first initiating HAART

Background  

Although the impact of Aboriginal status on HIV incidence, HIV disease progression, and access to treatment has been investigated previously, little is known about the relationship between Aboriginal ethnicity and outcomes associated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). We undertook the present analysis to determine if Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal persons respond differently to HAART by measuring HIV plasma viral load response, CD4 cell response and time to all-cause mortality.     

The surface-associated protein of Staphylococcus saprophyticus is a lipase

Staphylococcus saprophyticus surface-associated protein (Ssp) was the first surface protein described for this organism. Ssp-positive strains display a fuzzy layer of surface-associated material in electron micrographs, whereas Ssp-negative strains appear to be smooth. The physiologic function of Ssp, however, has remained elusive. To clone the associated gene, we determined the N-terminal sequence, as well as an internal amino acid sequence, of the purified protein. We derived two degenerate primers from these peptide sequences, which we used to identify the ssp gene from genomic DNA of S. saprophyticus 7108. The gene was cloned by PCR techniques and was found to be homologous to genes encoding staphylococcal lipases. In keeping with this finding, strains 7108 and 9325, which are Ssp positive, showed lipase activity on tributyrylglycerol agar plates, whereas the Ssp-negative strain CCM883 did not. Association of enzyme activity with the cloned DNA was proven by introducing the gene into Staphylococcus carnosus TM300. When wild-type strain 7108 and an isogenic mutant were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy, strain 7108 exhibited the fuzzy surface layer, whereas the mutant appeared to be smooth. Lipase activity and the surface appendages could be restored by reintroduction of the cloned gene into the mutant. Experiments using immobilized collagen type I did not provide evidence for the involvement of Ssp in adherence to this matrix protein. Our experiments thus provided evidence that Ssp is a surface-associated lipase of S. saprophyticus.     

Hemagglutination by Staphylococcus aureus strains responsible for human bacteremia or bovine mastitis

Although hemagglutination by Staphylococcus aureus has been associated with the pathogenesis of bovine mastitis, this trait has not been characterized with regard to human disease. In this study, the prevalence of hemagglutination in 100 strains of S. aureus responsible for bovine mastitis or human bacteremia, was characterized. Under optimum conditions hemagglutination was noted in 23% of the bovine strains, but only 13% of human strains, leading us to conclude that this trait is not a significant virulence determinant in human systemic infection. Additional studies indicate the hemagglutinin of S. aureus strains responsible for human bacteremia is proteinaceous in character.