Hyperthermic treatment of chromomycosis with disposable chemical pocket warmers

A case of chromomycosis in which hyperthermia proved effective is reported. The patient was a 56-year-old male bean curd maker who, without any previous history of minor trauma, developed on the extensor side of the left upper arm an eczematous lesion that underwent gradual radial expansion. The lesion showed a well-defined, 7×10 cm infiltrated erythematous plaque with the central area healed and, at the upper and lower borders, adherent scales and crusts on the surface. Histological examination revealed granulomatous changes in the dermis, as well as sclerotic cells within giant cells and microabscesses. On culturing,Fonsecaea pedrosoi was isolated. The patient was treated with disposable chemical pocket warmers, which were secured over the lesion with a rather tight elastic bandage, so that they kept the affected area warm for 24 hours a day. After a month of such hyperthermic treatment, the erythema and infiltration had decreased considerably, and microscopic examination and culture of the crusts both yielded negative results. Examination of biopsy specimens of the lesion after the third month showed that it had cicatrized. The treatment was stopped after 4 months, and no relapse occurred. We also summarize the published results of local hyperthermic treatment of chromomycosis in Japan.     

Agricultural Activities of a Meadow Eliminated Plant Litter from the Periphery of a Farmland in Inner Mongolia,China

The purpose of our investigation was to clarify the effects of agriculture on the process of loss of litter at the periphery of a farmland. This study revealed the generation process of an ecologically unusual phenomenon that is observed around cropland in semi-arid regions. We hypothesized that the vegetation around a farmland cannot supply plant litter to the ground surface because the ecological structure has been changed by agricultural activities. The study was conducted at Xilingol steppe, Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. Four study lines were established from the edge of an arable field to the surrounding meadow and parallel to the wind direction during the strong wind season. Key measurement for each line was set at the border between the farmland and steppe. Four study sites were set at intervals along each line. Plant litter, soil particle size distribution, plant species composition, plant volume, and species diversity were investigated. Despite using the same mowing method at the meadows of all study sites, the litter at the only periphery of the farmland completely disappeared. Soil particle size distribution in steppe, which was adjacent to the farmland, was similar to that of the farmland. Plant community structure at the periphery of the farmland was different from that of the far side from the farmland. This implies that soil scattered from the farmland affected the species composition of the steppe. Consequently, the change in plant community structure induced litter loss because of mowing. We concluded that plant litter was lost near the farmland because of the combined effects of farming and mowing. The results support our hypothesis that the vegetation around a farmland cannot supply plant litter because the ecological structure has been changed by agricultural activities.     

Precise identification of gene products in hearts after in vivo gene transfection, using Sendai virus-coated proteoliposomes.

Both efficient gene transfer and the exact identification of gene product are required for gene therapy. Gene transfection of green fluorescence protein (GFP) might be useful for the reporter. After in vivo cotransfection of GFP and beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal) genes in Sendai virus-coated proteoliposomes to rat hearts, we compared the sensitivity and specificity of three methods: GFP detection, histochemical staining (HC) of beta-Gal activity, and immunostaining (IS) of the beta-Gal protein. Fluorescence microscopy and double staining of HC and IS revealed that both GFP and IS were equally sensitive and fourfold superior to HC at the peak of gene expression. However, different from skeletal muscle, the GFP of transfected cardiomyocytes showed two demerits: the fluorescence quenching due to the intense staining of beta-Gal activity, and nonspecific autofluorescence from myocardium. Thus, specific IS would be so far the most reliable to identify the gene product in heart.     

Effects of Exogenous Amino Acids on Iron Uptake in Relation to their Effects on Photoperiodic Flowering in Lemna paucicostata 6746

The flowering of Lemna paucicostata 6746 grown on 14-h photoperiodwas enhanced by the addition of high concentrations of ironto the medium, which also increased the endogenous iron concentration.The addition of asparagine, aspartate, glutamate, -alanine,glycine or serine to the medium also increased the endogenousiron level, resulting in the promotion of flowering. In contrast,the addition of cysteine, cystine, glutamine, arginine, threonineor phenylalanine lowered the endogenous iron level, resultingin the inhibition of flowering. Glycine and asparagine added to the medium during an inductive96-h dark period did not promote iron uptake and had no effecton flowering, but when added during the subsequent 120-h lightperiod, they promoted both iron uptake and flowering response.The increase in the endogenous iron level seems to favor floraldevelopment rather than induction of photoperiodic floweringof Lemna paucicostata 6746. (Received September 8, 1986; Accepted March 31, 1987)     

Assignment of the apolipoprotein A-I gene to 11q23 based on RFLP in a case with a partial deletion of chromosome 11, del(11)(q23.3→qter)

Summary The XmnI genotype at the apolipoprotein A-I locus was heterozygous in a boy with partial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 11, del(11)(q23.3qter). The apolipoprotein A-I gene, previously assigned to chromosome region 11q23q24, has been more specifically localized to 11q23 by excluding the region 11q24qter.     

Changes in mouse brain monoamine oxidase activity in the first, second and fourth generations after manganese administration

The present study was conducted to explore whether or not manganese effect on brain monoamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.4) is subject to hereditary genetic amplification. Mice of both sexes were given manganese through four generations, and the enzyme activity was measured in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, hypothalamus and hippocampus of each of the generations except for the third, whose activity we were not in a position to measure. Intrinsic enzyme activity was highest in the cerebellum, and was followed by those in the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus. The activity in the hippocampus was the lowest. Manganese administration greatly stimulated the activity in the cerebellum. However, as generation succeeded, the level of susceptibility to manganese gradually declined. Manganese concentration in pooled suborgan fractions proved to be, in every case, higher in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum and hippocampus and lower in the hypothalamus. No indication was found that the manganese effect is genetically inherited.     

Improved maintenance of adult rat alveolar type II cell differentiation in vitro: effect of hydrocortisone and cyclic AMP

We have examined the effect of hydrocortisone and cyclic AMP on the maintenance of lipid synthesis in primary cultures of adult rat alveolar type II cells. These hormones were tested in the presence of either 1% or 5% charcoal-stripped rat serum (CS-rat serum). The effect of substratum on responsiveness to these hormones was evaluated by comparing cells cultured for 4 days on tissue culture plastic, on floating type I collagen gels, on rat lung fibroblast feeder layers on floating collagen gels (floating feeder layers), and on Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm (EHS) tumor basement membrane gels. Type II cells cultured on floating feeder layers in medium containing 1% CS-rat serum and 10(-5) M hydrocortisone plus 0.5 mM dibutyryl cyclic AMP exhibited significantly increased incorporation of [14C]acetate into total lipids (238% of control). The hormone combination also increased the relative percentage of acetate incorporated into phosphatidylglycerol (PG; 7.3% versus 1.9%) and saturated phosphatidylcholine (PC; 43.6% versus 37.6%). The percentage of acetate incorporated into neutral lipids was significantly decreased by the addition of hormones (28.6% versus 70.0%). The addition of hydrocortisone and cyclic AMP to medium containing 5% CS-rat serum resulted in an increase in the relative incorporation of acetate into saturated PC (51.2% versus 46.4%), but had no effect on the relative incorporation of acetate into PG or on the incorporation of acetate into total lipids. Type II cells cultured on EHS gels in medium containing 1% CS-rat serum plus hydrocortisone and cyclic AMP showed increased acetate incorporation into total lipids (204% of control) and a relative decrease in the percentage of acetate incorporated into neutral lipids (16.9% versus 47.0%). The hormone combination also increased the relative incorporation of acetate into PG (4.4% versus 2.5%) and saturated PC (49.9% versus 42.1%). Hydrocortisone and cyclic AMP added to medium containing 5% CS-rat serum concentration increased the relative incorporation of acetate into saturated PC by type II cells on EHS gels, but these additions had no effect on acetate incorporation into PG. No responses to these soluble factors were seen when type II cells were cultured on floating type I collagen gels without feeder layers or on tissue culture plastic. These data indicate that there are positive interactions between substratum, soluble factors and serum in the maintenance of differentiated function of adult rat alveolar type II cells in vitro.     

Reduction in brain immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in spontaneously hypertensive rats

The brain CRF concentration of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) was examined by rat CRF radioimmunoassay. Anti-CRF serum was developed by immunizing rabbits with synthetic rat CRF. Synthetic rat CRF was also used as tracer and standard. The displacement of 125I-rat CRF by serially diluted extracts of male Wistar rats hypothalamus, thalamus, midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata, cerebral cortex, cerebellum and neurointermediate lobe was parallel to the displacement of synthetic rat CRF. In both WKY and SHR the highest levels of CRF immunoreactivity were shown by the hypothalamus and neuro-intermediate lobe, and considerable CRF immunoreactivity was also detected in other brain regions. The CRF immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus, neurointermediate lobe, midbrain, medulla oblongata and cerebral cortex was significantly reduced in SHR and it may suggest that CRF abnormality may be implicated in the reported abnormalities in the pituitary-adrenal axis, autonomic response and behavior of SHR.     

Ontogenesis of gastrin cells in the pyloric antrum and duodenum of the mouse

Summary Ontogenesis of gastrin cells was studied in the pyloroduodenal mucosa of the mouse using anti-human G17 serum, R-1301, and anti-human G34(1–15) serum, R-2703. R-1301-immunostained cells first appeared in the pyloric mucosa of 14-day-old fetuses. Cells stained with both R-1301 and R-2703 appeared immediately after birth, and gradually increased in number to the adult level. Most R-1301-reactive cells were also reactive to R-2703, whereas some cells that reacted with R-1301 exhibited very weak or no reaction with R-2703. The discrepancy between these two immunoreactivities is discussed.In the duodenum, a considerable number of R-1301-reactive cells were present from the perinatal stage and through out adult development. A few R-2703-reactive cells were seen in the duodenum of young mice but not of the adult.     

Culture of intramural cardiac ganglia of the newborn guinea-pig

Summary The present study describes the ultrastructure of non-neuronal cells and their interrelationships with intracardiac neurones present in cultures dissociated atria and interatrial septum from newborn guinea-pig. When compared with the in situ preparation, most of these features in culture were similar to those observed in situ, but some differences were also apparent. Both mature and immature Schwann cells were observed in culture, and as in situ, the latter were closely associated with intracardiac neurones, whilst the former were more widely separated. The ultrastructure of satellite cells was more variable in culture than in situ: three general types were distinguished on the basis of their 10-nm filament content. This variation could be due to conditions of culture. Interstitial cells were present in culture and closely resembled those described in situ, although there was less space between cultured interstitial cells and their associated cells. Many fibroblasts, some myoblasts and a few mast cells were also found in the culture preparations.