Nodular fasciitis initially diagnosed by aspiration cytology

A case of nodular fasciitis diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology is described. The cytologic findings included fusiform cells, mitoses, macrophages, multinucleated giant cells and mesenchymal elements in a characteristic granular background substance. The cytopathologic diagnosis was subsequently confirmed by the histopathologic study of the tumor and by electron microscopy.     

Cationic amino acid transport by two renal epithelial cell lines: LLC-PK1 and MDCK cells

LLC-PK1 and MDCK cells take up cationic amino acids (lysine and arginine) by a specific sodium independent transport system. Uptake is inhibited by ornithine in LLC-PK1 and MDCK cells either in the presence or absence of sodium and by glutamine or homoserine in MDCK cells in the presence of sodium. Trans-stimulation of uptake occurs in the presence of intracellular cationic amino acids. Experiments with valinomycin or with different extracellular potassium concentrations suggest that uptake is dependent on the membrane potential of these cells. These transport features are similar to those previously ascribed to a transport system denominated y+ in other cells. Further experiments suggested that this carrier system is localised to the basolateral membrane in each cell type.     

The isolation and genetic analysis of aCaenorhabditis elegants translocation (szT1) strain bearing an X-chromosome balancer

A single X-chromosome balancer-bearingCelegans ♂+, as a founder of a strain (AF1), was isolated directly from Fl progeny of irradiated+dpy-8unc-3/lon-2++ hermaphrodites on the basis of the absence of recombinant F2 categories. The balancer chromosome (Bal-X-1) suppresses recombination over a two-thirds section of the X chromosome (between genesdpy-8 andlet-2) and is associated with a reciprocal translocation between linkage groups (LG) X and I. Animals homozygous for the translocation (szT1(X:1)) are nonviable. Hermaphrodites heterozygous for the translocation segregate male selfprogeny at a frequency of 0.08-0.12.Bal-X-l carries the marker mutationlon-2(e678) and can be detected cytologically. This balancer chromosome proved useful for rnaimaininga number of X-linked lethal mutations and deficiencies inC. elegans.     

ESCHERICHIA COLI Rho Factor Is Involved in Lysis of Bacteriophage T4-Infected Cells

A Rid (Rho interaction deficient) phenotype of bacteriophage T4 mutants was defined by cold-sensitive restriction (lack of plaque formation) on rho+ hosts carrying additional polar mutations in unrelated genes, coupled to suppression (plaque formation) in otherwise isogenic strains carrying either a polarity-suppressing rho or a multicopy plasmid expressing the rho+ allele. This suggests that the restriction may be due to lower levels of Rho than what is available to T4 in the suppressing strains.--Rid394 X 4 was isolated upon hydroxylamine mutagenesis and mapped in the t gene; other t mutants (and mot, as well as dda dexA double mutants) also showed a Rid phenotype. In liquid culture in strains that restricted plaque formation Rid394 X 4 showed strong lysis inhibition (a known t- phenotype) but no prolonged phage production (another well-known t- phenotype). This implies that when Rho is limiting the t mutant shuts off phage production at the normal time. Lysis inhibition was partially relieved, and phage production prolonged to varying extents depending on growth conditions in strains that allowed plaque formation. No significant effect on early gene expression were found. Apparently, both mutant (polarity-suppressing) and wild-type Rho can function in prolonging phage production and partially relieving lysis inhibition of Rid394 X 4 when present at a sufficiently high level, and Rho may play other role(s) in T4 development than in early gene regulation.     

Chemotherapy of Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis: An experimental study

An experimental Keratitis study of Aspergillus fumigatus was performed in 130 rabbits divided into 12 groups of ten animals each. Three antifungal drugs (myconazole, amphotericin B and pimaricin) were tested using two procedures (topical drops and subconjunctival injections) and two different concentrations (500 and 10 000 times the MIC). In each case, the drugs were applied every 3 h starting 14 h after inoculation. Miconazole was useful at 10 mg/ ml concentration by topical drops and subconjunctival injections, but was less useful at 5 mg/ ml. Amphotericin B was useful at 5 mg/ ml concentration by topical drops and less useful at 2 mg/ ml.No differences were found between the two concentrations by subconjunctival administration. Pimaricin was useful by topical drops at 50 mg/ ml concentration and less useful at 10 mg/ ml as well as by subconjunctival injections.     

All out anaerobic capacity tests on cycle ergometers. A comparative study on men and women

We have studied the effects of the braking force on the results of an anaerobic capacity test derived from the Wingate test (an all out 45 s exercise on a Monark 864 cycle ergometer against a given force at the fastest velocity from the beginning to the end of the test). Seven men and seven women participated in the study and performed a total of 63 all-out tests against different braking forces. The same subjects performed a force-velocity test on the same cycle ergometer. Since the relationship between force and velocity is approximately linear for peak velocities between 100 and 200 rev X min-1 (Pérès et al. 1981a, b; Nadeau et al. 1983; Vandewalle et al. 1983) we characterized each subject by three parameters: P0 (the intercept of the force-velocity regression line with the force axis), V0 (the intercept of the regression line with the velocity axis) and Wmax (maximal power). The relationship between force and mean power was parabolic for the all-out anaerobic capacity test. In the present study the optimal force (the force giving the maximal value of mean power during an all out test) was higher for the men (approximately 1 N X kg BW-1) than the force proposed by others (0.853 N X kg BW-1 for Dotan and Bar-Or 1983). However, because of the parabolic relationship between force and mean power, the mean power which corresponds to the optimal force was approximately the same in both studies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The finding of Enterobius vermicularis eggs in pre-Columbian human coprolites

Enterobius vermicularis eggs were found in human coprolites collected in the archaeological site of Caserones, Tarapaca Valley, Chile, dating from 400 BC to 800 AD. The human pinworm had already been found in other pre-historic archaeological sites in America, and its introduction in this continent is discussed.     

Gibberella fujikuroi mutants obtained with UV radiation and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine

N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (nitrosoguanidine) and to a lesser extent UV radiation are very mutagenic for Gibberella microconidia. The recommended nitrosoguanidine doses lead to much higher frequencies of mutants than are found in other microorganisms. The frequency of mutants among the survivors increases linearly with the nitrosoguanidine dose (molar concentration X time); the absolute number of viable mutants in a given population reaches a maximum for a dose of ca. 0.7 M X s. The microconidia are uninucleate. The onset of germination brings about increased lethality of nitrosoguanidine, but it does not modify the action of UV radiation. Mycelia are more resistant than spores to both agents. Visible illumination effectively prevents lethality when given immediately after UV radiation. Auxotrophs and color mutants are very easily obtained. Pink adenine auxotrophs and several classes of color mutants are affected in the biosynthesis of the carotenoid pigment, neurosporaxanthin.     

Evidence for the participation of disulfide and sulfhydril groups in the specific binding of [3H]prazosin in cerebral cortex

The tritiated ₁ antagonist prazosin [³H]PRZ binds specifically and with high affinity to postsynaptic adrenoceptors in membrane preparations from cerebral cortex. Since adrenoceptors are of protein nature, it was of interest of investigate the possible role of disulfide (—SS—) and sulfhydril (—SH) groups in the binding of [³H]PRZ. Pretreatment of the membranes with the disulfide and sulfhydryl reactivesdl0Dithiothreitol,l-Dithiothreitol, Dithioerythritol or 5,5-Dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB), alone or in combination with the alkylating agent N-Methylmaleimide (NMM), decreased specific [³HPRZ binding, with minor changes in the non-specific counts. Saturation experiments revealed that all these reagents reduced the affinity of the binding site for [³H]PRZ, as judged by theK _d 25°C, but only the alkylating agent NMM and the oxydizing reagent DTNB produced in addition to the increase inK _d, a decrease of the maximum binding capacity (B _max). The present results provide evidence for a participation of—SS—and/or—SH groups in the recognition site of the ₁-adrenoceptor of cerebral cortex.