Incidence of actinomycetes infection in women using intrauterine contraceptive devices

Pancervicovaginal smears taken from 350 women using an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) were screened for the presence of actinomycetes organisms. Of the 12 cases in which actinomycetes-like organisms were seen in Papanicolaou-stained smears, the presence of actinomycetes organisms was confirmed by immunofluorescence in 10 cases. The prevalence of actinomycetes infection was thus 2.8% (10 of 350 cases) in the IUD users. Eight (4.3%) of 173 symptomatic subjects had actinomycetes infections. Two of the positive cases were asymptomatic. Eight of the ten patients with confirmed actinomycetes infection were using the Cu T device while two were wearing the Lippes Loop IUD. Seven of the ten patients had been using an IUD for more than two years. The time of insertion of the IUD (postpuerperal, postmenstrual or after medical termination of pregnancy) did not show any correlation with the presence of actinomycetes infection. Actinomyces israelii was responsible for the infection in eight cases while Arachnia propionica was seen in two cases. The organisms could not be grown in culture.     

Complexes prepared from protein A and human serum,IgG, or Fcγ fragments: characterization by immunochemical analysis of ultracentrifugation fractions and studies on their interconversion

Summary Protein A of Staphylococcus aureus is an Fc receptor for IgG that has been used as a therapeutic reagent to treat cancer in humans and experimental animals. We used ultracentrifugation combined with analysis of isolated fractions by radioimmunoprecipitation and competitive radioimmunoassay with chicken antibodies that bind free protein A or protein A in complexes but do bind free immunoglobulin reagents to localize and characterize the types of complexes formed with different molar ratios of ¹²⁵I-protein A and human ¹³¹I-IgG alone or in serum, and ¹³¹1-Fc fragments. This approach offers a distinct advantage over direct counting of radioactivity in the fractions because resolution of complexes and free reagents is much improved. With excess ¹³¹I-IgG or ¹³¹1-Fc, all the ¹²⁵I-protein A is present only in complexes that contained 4 molecules of immunoglobulin reagent and 2 molecules of protein A (4:2 complexes), whereas with excess ¹²⁵I-protein A the stoichiometry of the complexes was 1:1. We have also shown the preformed 4:2 and 1:1 complexes will interconvert in the presence of added excess protein A or IgG, respectively, and that fresh IgG will exchange with IgG or Fc in preformed complexes. Because protein A has been found to elute from an immobilized reagent used in serotherapy of human cancer and is present in a large excess of IgG, the 4:2 complexes may play an active role in the tumoricidal or toxic reactions observed.Abbreviations SpA protein A of Staphyloccus aureus - VBS EDTA gel, 0.0055 M veronal buffered saline containing 0.01 M EDTA and 0.1% gelatin, pH 7.4 - PBS 0.01 M phosphate buffered saline, pH 7.4     

Distribution of calcium during interphase and mitosis as observed by ion microscopy

The ion microscope, based on secondary ion mass spectrometry, has been used to demonstrate the distribution of calcium in the root tip cells of two plant species, Allium cepa and Vicia faba. Interphase nuclei showed higher intensities of calcium than cytoplasm, while nucleoli exhibited higher calcium intensities than the rest of the nucleoplasm. The chromosomes showed high intensities of calcium at all stages of mitosis. Calcium was also detected in the cell plate and phragmoplast region of dividing cells. It appears that during prophase calcium concentrates in the condensing chromosomes, and during telophase it is transferred to nucleoli. These observations suggest that chromosomes may serve as a reservoir of calcium during mitosis.     

Sequence homology between human alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, alpha 1-antitrypsin, and antithrombin III

alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin mRNA was isolated by specific polysome immunoprecipitation from turpentine-treated baboon liver. The highly enriched mRNA was used for synthesis and cloning of the corresponding cDNA. Baboon alpha 1-antichymotrypsin cDNA clones were identified by hybrid-selected translation, and the insert DNA fragment from one of the putative clones was used as a probe to screen a human liver cDNA library comprised of 40 000 independent transformants. One of the human cDNA clones was unambiguously identified to contain alpha 1-antichymotrypsin DNA sequences by comparison of its 5'-terminal nucleotide sequence with the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the protein. This cDNA clone, designated phACT235, contains 1524 base pairs of human DNA, which was sequenced in its entirety. The inserted DNA codes for a 25 amino acid signal peptide sequence and the entire mature alpha 1-antichymotrypsin of 408 amino acid residues. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin with that of the human alpha 1-antitrypsin has revealed a homology level similar to that between chymotrypsin and trypsin.     

A study of diabetes in relation to blood groups and cholesterol levels

Summary Four hundred and sixteen patients suffering from diabetes were studied for AB0 Rhesus blood groups, to find out whether there is any association between blood group and diabetes. Though the relative incidence was found to be higher in blood group 0 and B, the difference was not statistically significant. This study confirms the earlier findings of high cholesterol levels in diabetes, particularly in patients with blood groups A and AB, and the overall mean cholesterol level as 253 mg/100 ml. This study also shows that diabetes with a cholesterol level of more than 300 mg/100 ml is a coronary risk factor.

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Zusammenfassung 416 Patienten mit Diabetes wurden nach AB0 und Rh untersucht, um Assoziationen zwischen Blutgruppe und Diabetes zu finden. Es fand sich ein leichtes, nicht signifikantes Überwiegen von 0 und B. Ein besonders hoher Serum-Cholesteral-Spiegel fand sich beim Diabetes insbesondere bei Patienten der Gruppen A und AB. Die Studie zeigt auch, daß ein Cholesteral-Spiegel von mehr als 300 mg% ein Risikofaktor für Coronarerkrankungen ist.