Heavy Hymenolepis nana Infection Possibly Through Organic Foods: Report of a Case

We encountered a patient with heavy Hymenolepis nana infection. The patient was a 44-year-old Korean man who had suffered from chronic hepatitis (type B) for 15 years. A large number of H. nana adult worms were found during colonoscopy that was performed as a part of routine health screening. The parasites were scattered throughout the colon, as well as in the terminal ileum, although the patient was immunocompetent. Based on this study, colonoscopy may be helpful for diagnosis of asymptomatic H. nana infections.     

NEW RECORD OF PIONOPSIS,TIPHYINAE, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SPECIES IN CHINESE WATER MITE FAUNA (ACARI: HYGROBATOIDEA: PIONIDAE)*

Abstract Two new species of water mites, Pionopsis (s.s.)longicosta sp. nov. and Pionopsis (s.s.) zhaoi sp. nov. are described in the present paper. This is the first record of the genus of the subfamily Tiphyinae in the family Pionidae from China.     

Dephosphorylation of Barrier-to-autointegration Factor by Protein Phosphatase 4 and Its Role in Cell Mitosis

Barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF or BANF1) is highly conserved in multicellular eukaryotes and was first identified for its role in retroviral DNA integration. Homozygous BAF mutants are lethal and depletion of BAF results in defects in chromatin segregation during mitosis and subsequent nuclear envelope assembly. BAF exists both in phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms with phosphorylation sites Thr-2, Thr-3, and Ser-4, near the N terminus. Vaccinia-related kinase 1 is the major kinase responsible for phosphorylation of BAF. We have identified the major phosphatase responsible for dephosphorylation of Ser-4 to be protein phosphatase 4 catalytic subunit. By examining the cellular distribution of phosphorylated BAF (pBAF) and total BAF (tBAF) through the cell cycle, we found that pBAF is associated with the core region of telophase chromosomes. Depletion of BAF or perturbing its phosphorylation state results not only in nuclear envelope defects, including mislocalization of LEM domain proteins and extensive invaginations into the nuclear interior, but also impaired cell cycle progression. This phenotype is strikingly similar to that seen in cells from patients with progeroid syndrome resulting from a point mutation in BAF.     

Pulmonary Toxocariasis Mimicking Invasive Aspergillosis in a Patient with Ulcerative Colitis

A 45-year-old-male who had underlying ulcerative colitis and presented with fever and dry cough. Initially, the patient was considered to have invasive aspergillosis due to a positive galactomannan assay. He was treated with amphotericin B followed by voriconazole. Nevertheless, the patient deteriorated clinically and radiographically. The lung biopsy revealed eosinophilic pneumonia, and ELISA for Toxocara antigen was positive, leading to a diagnosis of pulmonary toxocariasis. After a 10-day treatment course with albendazole and adjunctive steroids, the patient recovered completely without any sequelae. Pulmonary toxocariasis may be considered in patients with subacute or chronic pneumonia unresponsive to antibiotic agents, particularly in cases with eosinophilia.