Changes in the levels of pituitary and steroid hormones in ovine and human ovarian follicular fluid

Changes in the protein and steroid hormones of follicular fluid, aspirated from different follicles of sheep and human ovaries, have been measured and correlated with the size of the follicles. As the fluid contains a number of proteins, steroids have been measured directly and after ether extraction. The follicular fluid concentrations of progesterone and 17 beta-oestradiol measured directly in the fluid increased with the size of the follicles. The levels of free testosterone remained constant in all sizes of follicles, while those of bound hormone showed a 10- to 15-fold increase over the free testosterone concentrations in both the sheep and human follicular fluid. A decrease in the levels of bound testosterone in the fluid of large follicles (LFFL) coincided with the increase in bound 17 beta-oestradiol, suggesting the possible conversion of bound testosterone to oestrogen as the follicle attained maturity. The ratio of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to luteinizing hormone (LH) varied in the fluid obtained from different size follicles, being 1:7 in small (SFFL), 1.3.5 in medium (MFFL) and 1:2.3 in large (LFFL) follicles of sheep ovaries. The LH content of follicular fluid of different size follicles appeared to be the same, with LFFL showing a minor increase over SFFL. In the human, the fluid from medium follicles contained very little LH compared to LFFL. These differences in the pattern of LH levels present in the fluid from different size follicles between human and sheep ovaries presumably reflect species variations in the entry of LH into the follicles.     

Burn Injury Reduces Neutrophil Directional Migration Speed in Microfluidic Devices

Thermal injury triggers a fulminant inflammatory cascade that heralds shock, end-organ failure, and ultimately sepsis and death. Emerging evidence points to a critical role for the innate immune system, and several studies had documented concurrent impairment in neutrophil chemotaxis with these post-burn inflammatory changes. While a few studies suggest that a link between neutrophil motility and patient mortality might exist, so far, cumbersome assays have prohibited exploration of the prognostic and diagnostic significance of chemotaxis after burn injury. To address this need, we developed a microfluidic device that is simple to operate and allows for precise and robust measurements of chemotaxis speed and persistence characteristics at single-cell resolution. Using this assay, we established a reference set of migration speed values for neutrophils from healthy subjects. Comparisons with samples from burn patients revealed impaired directional migration speed starting as early as 24 hours after burn injury, reaching a minimum at 72–120 hours, correlated to the size of the burn injury and potentially serving as an early indicator for concurrent infections. Further characterization of neutrophil chemotaxis using this new assay may have important diagnostic implications not only for burn patients but also for patients afflicted by other diseases that compromise neutrophil functions.     

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.     

Sublocalization of an Ataxia-Telangiectasia Gene Distal to D11S384 by Ancestral Haplotyping In Costa Rican Families

In an effort to localize a gene for ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), we have genotyped 27 affected Costa Rican families, with 13 markers, in the chromosome 11q22-23 region. Significant linkage disequilibrium was detected for 9/13 markers between D11S1816 and D11S1391. Recombination events observed in these pedigrees places A-T between D11S1819 and D11S1960. One ancestral haplotype is common to 24/54 affected chromosomes and roughly two-thirds of the families. Inferred (ancestral) recombination events involving this common haplotype in earlier generations suggest that A-T is distal to D11S384 and proximal to D11S1960. Several other common haplotypes were identified, consistent with multiple mutations in a single gene. When considered together with all other evidence, this study further sublocalizes the major A-T locus to ≈200 kb, between markers S384 and S535.     

The Natural Occurrence of Chickpea Chlorotic Dwarf Geminivirus in Chickpea and Faba Bean in the Sudan

A survey of faba bean and chickpea for virus infection, conducted during February 1994 in the Sudan, showed that bean yellow mosaic potyvirus and broad bean mottle bromovirus occurred commonly in both crops. Chickpea chlorotic dwarf geminivirus (CCDV) was detected for the first time in naturally infected chickpeas and faba beans. This is the first report of natural CCDV infection of chickpeas outside India and the first record of chickpea and faba bean infection in West Asia and North Africa (WANA).     

Critical analysis of factors influencing sphaeroplast generation from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Efficient synthesis of large numbers of viable sphaeroplast from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been found to be influenced by a number of factors. In this case, Trichoderma harzianum, NCIM 1185, culture filtrate has been used to prepare sphaeroplast from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, NCIM 3288. A method has been devised to isolate large number of viable sphaeroplast from the cell. Detailed analysis of various factors affecting the formation of sphaeroplasts from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has not yet been reported. This study showed critical analysis of various factors which influenced sphaeroplast formation. Most suitable conditions were: Age of the organism in slant — 1 d, cell age in liquid medium — 24 h, time of incubation of cell with 0.3% -mercaptoethanol — 30 min, level of lytic ezyme concentration — 79.2 ml, concentration of cell (dry wt. equivalent) — 0.1262 g, time of contact with lytic enzyme — 25 min, temperature of sphaeroplast formation — 30 °C, phosphate buffer — 25 mM of pH 6.5 and KCl as osmotic stabilizer — 0.7 M.