Effect of intraperitoneal administration of granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor in rats on omental milky-spot composition and tumoricidal activity in vivo and in vitro

 Milky spots in the greater omentum are small accumulations of leucocytes that consist mainly of macrophages and have recently shown to be a selective dissemination site of intraperitoneal (i. p.) inoculated tumour cells. However, milky-spot macrophages show tumoricidal activity and may, therefore, be an excellent source of effector cells suited for local immunotherapy. In the present study we first examined whether granulocyte/macrophage- colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) treatment of isolated milky-spot macrophages affects the cytotoxicity against syngeneic colon carcinoma cells (CC531) in vitro. Secondly, we studied the influence of intraperitoneal GM-CSF administration on the number and antitumour activity of milky-spot and peritoneal macrophages. All studies were performed in Wag/Rij rats in which a syngeneic colon carcinoma cell line (CC531) is available. The results of the in vitro study showed that GM-CSF treatment of the omental macrophages led to an increased cytotoxicity against the tumour cell line. Intraperitoneal administration of 1000 U GM-CSF daily for 7 consecutive days demonstrated both an enhanced antitumour activity of the milky-spot macrophages and an increase in the milky-spot macrophage population. An increase in the proliferative capacity, according to bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, was shown in the milky-spot macrophages. Taking into account both the enhanced macrophage number and their enhanced activity upon i. p. GM-CSF treatment, the milky-spot macrophages may provide a rationale for local intraperitoneal immunotherapy in the prevention of intra-abdominal tumour growth. Received: 11 April 1996 / Accepted: 21 May 1996     

Variable thermal stress tolerance of the reef-associated symbiont-bearing foraminifera Amphistegina linked to differences in symbiont type

Coral Reefs - Adaptation, acclimatization and symbiont diversity are known to regulate thermal tolerance in corals, but the role of these mechanisms remains poorly constrained in other...     

Why female crested tits copulate repeatedly with the same partner: evidence for the mate assessment hypothesis

That repeated copulation with the same partner within a singlefertile period is beneficial to the male is generally accepted,but why it should be adaptive to the female is controversialand clear evidence supporting any hypothesis is lacking. Hunteret al. (1993) presented seven hypotheses explaining repeatedmating from the female perspective. Four of them are consistentwith the occurrence of male refusal to copulate: females mighttrade copulations for (1) immediate and or (2) future materialbenefits, or use mating as a mechanism for (3) mate-guardingand or (4) mate-assessment. To test these hypotheses in a populationof crested tits Parus cristatus, we collected data on variationin female solicitation rate, proportion of male refusal, andextra-pair paternity. We found that (1) female solicitationrate was independent of male condition, (2) the proportion ofmale refusal was higher in poor-condition males and (3) femalespaired to poor-condition males sought extra pair paternity.These findings agree with predictions stemming from the mateassessment hypothesis. Therefore, it is suggested that, in crestedtits, male response to female copulation solicitation reflectsmale condition and is used by females to assess male quality     

Lack of Evidence for the Role of Human Adenovirus‐36 in Obesity in a European Cohort

Adenovirus infection has been shown to increase adiposity in chickens, mice, and nonhuman primates. Adenovirus type 36 (Ad‐36) DNA was detected in adipose tissues in these animal trials. In the United States, Ad‐36 significantly correlates with obesity as illustrated by an Ad‐36 seroprevalence of 30% in obese individuals and 11% in nonobese individuals. We investigated the possibility of a similar correlation of Ad‐36 in Dutch and Belgian persons. In total, 509 serum samples were analyzed for Ad‐36 antibodies using a serum neutralization assay. In addition, PCR was used to detect adenoviral DNA in visceral adipose tissue of 31 severely obese surgical patients. Our results indicated an overall Ad‐36 seroprevalence of 5.5% increasing with age. BMI of Ad‐36 seropositive humans was not significantly different from seronegative humans. No adenoviral DNA could be found using PCR on visceral adipose tissue. In conclusion, this first Ad‐36 study in the Netherlands and in Belgium indicates that Ad‐36 does not play a role as a direct cause of BMI increase and obesity in humans in Western Europe.     

Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging and High-Resolution MRI Demonstrate Structural Aberrations of Caudate Putamen and Amygdala after Chronic Mild Stress

The pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) and other stress related disorders has been associated with aberrations in the hippocampus and the frontal brain areas. More recently, other brain regions, such as the caudate nucleus, the putamen and the amygdala have also been suggested to play a role in the development of mood disorders. By exposing rats to a variety of stressors over a period of eight weeks, different phenotypes, i.e. stress susceptible (anhedonic-like) and stress resilient animals, can be discriminated based on the sucrose consumption test. The anhedonic-like animals are a well validated model for MDD. Previously, we reported that in vivo diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) of the hippocampus shows altered diffusion properties in chronically stressed rats independent of the hedonic state and that the shape of the right hippocampus is differing among the three groups, including unchallenged controls. In this study we evaluated diffusion properties in the prefrontal cortex, caudate putamen (CPu) and amygdala of anhedonic-like and resilient phenotypes and found that mean kurtosis in the CPu was significantly different between the anhedonic-like and resilient animals. In addition, axial diffusion and radial diffusion were increased in the stressed animal groups in the CPu and the amygdala, respectively. Furthermore, we found that the CPu/brain volume ratio was increased significantly in anhedonic-like animals as compared with control animals. Concurrently, our results indicate that the effects of chronic stress on the brain are not lateralized in these regions. These findings confirm the involvement of the CPu and the amygdala in stress related disorders and MDD. Additionally, we also show that DKI is a potentially important tool to promote the objective assessment of psychiatric disorders.     

Control of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Latin America—A Systematic Review

Background

While three countries in South Asia decided to eliminate anthroponotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL) by 2015, its control in other regions seems fraught with difficulties. Is there a scope for more effective VL control in the Americas where transmission is zoonotic? We reviewed the evidence on VL control strategies in Latin America—diagnosis, treatment, veterinary interventions, vector control—with respect to entomological and clinical outcomes.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We searched the electronic databases of MEDLINE, LILACS, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, from 1960 to November 2008 and references of selected articles. Intervention trials as well as observational studies that evaluated control strategies of VL in the Americas were included. While the use of rapid diagnostic tests for VL diagnosis seems well established, there is a striking lack of evidence from clinical trials for drug therapy and few well designed intervention studies for control of vectors or canine reservoirs.

Conclusion

Elimination of zoonotic VL in the Americas does not seem a realistic goal at this point given the lack of political commitment, gaps in scientific knowledge, and the weakness of case management and surveillance systems. Research priorities and current strategies should be reviewed with the aim of achieving better VL control.     

Visceral Leishmaniasis and HIV Coinfection in East Africa

Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is an important protozoan opportunistic disease in HIV patients in endemic areas. East Africa is second to the Indian subcontinent in the global VL caseload and first in VL-HIV coinfection rate. Because of the alteration in the disease course, the diagnostic challenges, and the poor treatment responses, VL with HIV coinfection has become a very serious challenge in East Africa today. Field experience with the use of liposomal amphotericin B in combination with miltefosine, followed by secondary prophylaxis and antiretroviral drugs, looks promising. However, this needs to be confirmed through clinical trials. Better diagnostic and follow-up methods for relapse and prediction of relapse should also be looked for. Basic research to understand the immunological interaction of the two infections may ultimately help to improve the management of the coinfection.     

Quantitative determination by real-time PCR of four vaginalLactobacillus species,Gardnerella vaginalisandAtopobium vaginaeindicates an inverse relationship betweenL. gasseriandL. iners

Background  

Most studies of the vaginal microflora have been based on culture or on qualitative molecular techniques. Here we applied existing real-time PCR formats forLactobacillus crispatus,L. gasseriandGardnerella vaginalisand developed new formats forAtopobium vaginae,L. inersandL. jenseniito obtain a quantitative non culture-based determination of these species in 71 vaginal samples from 32 pregnant and 28 non-pregnant women aged between 18 and 45 years.     

The impact of mitochondrial genome analyses on the understanding of deuterostome phylogeny

Deuterostomia, one of the three major lineages of Bilateria, comprises many well-known animals such as vertebrates, sea squirts, sea stars and sea urchins. Whereas monophyly of Deuterostomia and several subtaxa is well supported, the relationships of these to each other and, hence, deuterostome relationships are still uncertain. To address these issues in deuterostome phylogeny we analyzed datasets comprising more than 300 complete deuterostome mitochondrial genomes. Based on sequence information, the results revealed support for several relationships such as a basal position of Xenoturbella within Deuterostomia or for taxa like Craniota or Ambulacraria, but yielded also problems in some taxa, e.g. Tunicata, Pterobranchia and Ophiuroidea, due to long-branch artifacts. However, within tunicates the relationships are well supported. Variation in the genetic code was also informative and, e.g., supported the taxon Ambulacraria including Pterobranchia.