Zymomonas mobilis ATCC 10988 plasmid pZMO3 expresses mobilisation functions in Escherichia coli JM83 and RR1

Zymomonas mobilis plasmid pZMO3, equivalent to pZM2 the complete nucleotide sequence of which has been published (Misawa and Nakamura, 1989), expressed mobilisation functions in Escherichia coli JM83 and RR1 when fused to the HindIII site of pUC19. Experimental evidence based on filter mating and DNA sequence analysis supports that an ORF of pZMO3 coding for a 66 kd protein should be responsible for self-mobilisation ability.     

Traditional microbiological diagnosis for invasive candidiasis in critical non-neutropenic patients

Invasive candidiasis is the most prevalent fungal infection in the critical non neutropenic patient (80%) and is associated with high morbidity-mortality. Microbiological diagnosis is difficult and the positivity of traditional tests appears late in the course of infection. We herein discuss the utility of direct examination and cultures from different sites and the value of surveillance cultures for establishing the likelihood of invasive candidiasis.     

Platelet-activating factor modulates gastric mucosal inflammatory responses to Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a phospholipid messenger implicated in mediation of inflammatory events associated with the resolution of inflammation. We applied the animal model of Helicobacter pylori LPS-induced gastritis in conjunction with prophylactic and therapeutic administration of a specific PAF antagonist, BN52020, to investigate the role of PAF in gastric mucosal responses to H. pylori infection. Prophylactic BN52020 administration produced up to 73.6% reduction in the severity of the LPS-induced inflammatory changes, whereas up to 38.4% increase in the severity of mucosal involvement occurred with BN52020 administered therapeutically. The prophylactic effects of BN52020 were accompanied by a drop in apoptosis and the expression of TNF-alpha and NOS-2, while BN52020 administered therapeutically caused a marked upregulation in apoptosis, TNF-alpha, and NOS-2. The untoward therapeutic effects of BN52020, moreover, were potentiated further in the presence of COX-2 inhibitor, whereas NOS-2 inhibitor caused a reduction in the extent of inflammatory changes. Our findings point to PAF as a key mediator of gastric mucosal inflammatory responses to H. pylori and suggest its modulatory role in the expression of COX-2 derived anti-inflammatory prostaglandins that are involved in controlling the extent of NOS-2 induction.     

Detection of estrogen receptors ER-alpha and ER-beta in human ejaculated immature spermatozoa with excess residual cytoplasm

Background  

A key role of estrogens in human sperm biology has been recently suggested by aromatase and estrogen receptor detection in human testicular germ cells and ejaculated spermatozoa. However, the involvement of these hormones in the sperm maturation process is still not defined. The aim of this work was to investigate the expression of estrogen receptors, ER-alpha and ER-beta, in human ejaculated immature spermatozoa with excess residual cytoplasm.