Superficial mycoses in Italy

A total of 1244 cases suspected of superficial mycoses were analysed in a period of 12 months in Italy. Dermatophytoses were found in 62.4%; the other common disease was Pityriasis versicolor (44.1%). The predominant speciesEpidermophyton floccosum (34,2%) was strickingly high in relation to other statistics; this species was commonest in tinea cruris. Among the other dermatophytesM. canis was predominant (31.3%) commonest in tinea corporis, followed byT. mentagrophytes (17,8%) andT. rubrum (10,3%). A high rate of yeasts was found in tinea manum (81.6%) and tinea pedis (47.7%).     

Experiences from the accident of Seveso

Provisional data on selected sanitary events which took place at Seveso after July 10 1976 are reported. 187 cases of chloracne, mostly in children, were detected, 50 just after the accident, the others within a year. Most polluted area (zone A) provided almost all "early" and most severe cases, but the territorial distribution of chloracne prevalence rates showed some inconsistencies with the soil TCDD pollution map; interpretations for such findings are discussed. Thirty-eight birth defects were detected in 1977 (none in zones A and B), more than in previous years, but still less than expected in a well controlled "normal" population: no clustering around a given type was observed. Spontaneous abortions, evaluated both as abortion rates and as pregnancy loss rates, showed scattered and statistically non-significant variations, inconsistent with the pollution map. No differences in birth and death rates compared to surrounding areas were observed. Data on ad hoc cytogenetic, neurological and immunological surveys are commented. Limitations of the presently available data are discussed and further research lines are anticipated.     

Analysis and classification of vegetation based on family composition

Plant Ecology - The distributions of 54 plant families in 105 samples were studied to determine their indicator value in the vegetation of the Pacific Northwest. Families may be characteristic of...     

The differential effects of PGE on the immune response in normal and immunosuppressed mice

The effect of 16,16-dimethyl-PGE₂-methyl ester (di-M-PGE₂) on humoral and cellular immunoresponsiveness has been compared in normal mice and in mice immunosuppressed by splenectomy and thymectomy plus antithymocyte serum (ATS). Splenectomy resulted in immunosuppression manifested by augmentation of B-16 melanoma growth; this stimulatory effect was reversed by di-M-PGE₂. In animals immunosuppressed by thymectomy plus ATS, di-M-PGE₂ augmented the humoral and cellular immune responses; this was manifested by slowing of the growth of B-16 melanoma and by stimulating the number of plaque-forming cells, hemagglutinin titers, and delayed-hypersensitivity reactions to sheep erythrocytes. In contrast, in normal (nonthymectomized) mice, di-M-PGE₂ was mildly immunosuppressive. Finally, adriamycin-immunosuppressed normal mice and this suppression were reversed by the addition of di-M-PGE₂ to the treatment regimen.     

Interaction of glutathione transferase from horse erythrocytes with 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole

7-Chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole reacts with two thiol groups of the dimeric horse erythrocyte glutathione transferase at pH 5.0, with strong inactivation reversible on dithiothreitol treatment. The inactivation kinetic follows a biphasic pattern, similar to that caused by other thiol reagents as recently reported. Both S-methylglutathione and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene protect the enzyme from inactivation. Analysis of the reactive SH group-containing peptide gives the sequence Ala-Ser-Cys-Leu-Tyr, identical with that of the peptide that contains the reactive cysteine 47 of the human placental transferase. In the presence of glutathione, the enzyme is not inactivated by this reagent, but it catalyzes its conjugation to glutathione. At higher pH values, 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole reacts with 2 tyrosines/dimer and lysines, as well as with cysteines. Reaction with lysine seems essentially without effect on activity; whether the reactive tyrosines are important for activity could not be determined using this reagent only. However, 2 tyrosines among the 4 that are nitrated by tetranitro-methane are important for activity.     

Redox forms of human placenta glutathione transferase

Human placenta glutathione transferase (EC 2.5.1.18) pi undergoes an oxidative inactivation which leads to the formation of an inactive enzymatic form which is homogeneous in several chromatographic and electrophoretic conditions. This process is pH dependent, and it occurs at appreciable rate in alkaline conditions and in the presence of metal ions. Dithiothreitol treatment completely restores the active form. -SH titration data and electrophoretic studies performed both on the oxidized and reduced forms indicate that one intrachain disulfide is formed, probably between the two faster reacting cysteinyl groups of each subunit. By the use of a specific fluorescent thiol reagent the disulfide forming cysteines have been identified as the 47th and 101th residues. The disulfide formation causes changes in the tertiary structure of this transferase as appears by CD, UV, and fluorometric analyses; evidences are provided that one or both tryptophanyl residues of each subunit together with a number of tyrosyl residues are exposed to a more hydrophilic environment in the oxidized form. Moreover, electrophoretic data indicate that the subunit of the oxidized enzyme has an apparent molecular mass lower than that of the reduced transferase, thereby confirming structural differences between these forms.     

Lectin binding to gp60 decreases specific albumin binding and transport in pulmonary artery endothelial monolayers.

The effect of albumin binding to cultured bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cell (BPAEC) monolayers on the transendothelial flux of 125I-labelled bovine serum albumin (BSA) was examined to determine its possible role on albumin transcytosis. The transport of 125I-BSA tracer across BPAEC grown on gelatin- and fibronectin-coated filters (0.8 microns pore diam.) was affected by the presence of unlabelled BSA in the medium in that transendothelial 125I-BSA permeability decreased, reaching a 40% reduction at BSA concentrations equal to or greater than 5 mg/ml. BSA binding to BPAEC monolayers was saturated at concentration of 10 mg/ml with an apparent binding affinity of 6 x 10(-7) M. In contrast, gelatin added to the medium altered neither 125I-BSA binding nor transport. Several lectins were tested for their ability to inhibit 125I-BSA binding and transport. One lectin, Ricinus communis (RCA), reduced 125I-BSA binding by 70% and transport by 40%. Other lectins, Ulex europaeus, Triticum vulgare, and Glycine max decreased neither 125I-BSA binding nor transport. The reduction of 125I-BSA transport by RCA was not observed in the presence of saturating levels of BSA, indicating that RCA influenced only the albumin-dependent component of transport. RCA, but not other lectins, precipitated a 60 kDa plasmalemmal glycoprotein from cell lysates of surface radioiodinated BPAEC monolayers. This 60 kDa glycoprotein appears to be the equivalent of gp60 identified previously as an albumin binding glycoprotein in rat microvascular endothelium. In summary, approximately 40% of albumin transport across BPAEC monolayers is dependent on albumin binding. This component of albumin transport is inhibited by 80% by the binding of RCA to gp60. These results suggest that binding of albumin to gp60 on pulmonary artery endothelial cell membrane is a critical determinant of transendothelial albumin flux involving mechanisms such as plasmalemmal vesicular transcytosis.     

Determination of diclofenac in human plasma by selected ion monitoring

A simple and rapid gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method to determine plasma diclofenac was developed, which employs formation of the methyl ester with diazomethane. Methoxydiclofenac was used as the internal standard. Under the conditions used, the previously described partial cyclization of diclofenac to the indolone derivative was avoided. The limit of detection of plasma levels of diclofenac is 2 ng ml-1, which renders the method useful for clinical studies on oral, intravenous and rectal administration of the drug. The analysis is carried out by electron impact gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and can therefore be performed on the more common mass spectrometers. Linearity and reproducibility of the method were demonstrated by the high correlation coefficient of the calibration lines (r greater than 0.999) and from the low variation of their slopes (coefficient of variation 3%) determined on different days, respectively. Pharmacokinetic parameters (area under curve = 1.8 +/- 0.26 microgram h ml-1, tmax = 1.5 +/- 0.5 h, Cmax = 734 +/- 82 ng ml-1 and terminal half-life = 0.88 +/- 0.52 h) determined from the plasma decay of diclofenac in three healthy subjects given a single oral dose of diclofenac were in good agreement with those reported in the literature.