A New Saurian Malarial Parasite Plasmodium balli from Panama

SYNOPSIS. Plasmodium balli sp. nov. is described from Anolis lionotus and A. poecilopus of central Panama.
Large, elongate gametocytes and segmenters containing up to 100 merozoites are produced by P. balli. Proerythrocytes and normoblasts are more commonly parasitized than erythrocytes. Pigment is uncommon, but when present consists of a minute dot. Hypertrophy, distortion and lysis of host cell nuclei may result from parasitization of immature blood cells by gametocytes, while enucleated host cells are common.     

The Control of Color in Mammals

SYNOPSIS. Recent advances in the biology of mammalian pigmentationare reviewed.Particular attention is given to emerging informationon the integration of pigmentary events occurring at differentlevels of biological organization within mammalian skin andhair. The structural and functional significance of keratinocytesand melanocytes as components of mammalian epidermal melaninunits is viewed from this perspective. New evidence on the natureof genetic, developmental, endocrine, and radiation influenceson performance of melanocytes and the establishment of pigmentarypatterns is summarized.     

Secretory IgA in Urinary Tract Infections

Secretory IgA, measured by radial immunodiffusion, was compared in the urine of children with chronic and recurrent non-obstructive urinary tract infections with that in normal children. IgA, IgG, and IgM were also measured. Absent and low levels of IgA(s) were found in both groups; however, the mean levels of IgA(s) were significantly higher in the infected group compared with normals—3·3 to 0·78 mg./24 hours, respectively. Secretory IgA was found to be locally produced in the bladder. It is suggested that IgA(s) levels reflect an antibody response to infection.     

Differentiating Type i and Type ii Alveolar Cells in Rat Lung by OsO4NaI Staining

The fixing-staining mixture consisted of 1 part of 2% aqueous OsO₄ and 3 parts of 3% Nal in distilled water. Fresh lungs were cut into 2 mm slices and immersed in this solution for 24 hr at room temperature. Controls were fixed in buffered OsO₄ alone. Selective staining of type II alveolar cells was shown by the OsO_t-NaI mixture but was absent in the controls. No additional staining of the sections was required, and the selectivity was readily observable in either paraffin or Araldite sections by light microscopy and in Araldite sections by electron microscopy     

Saurian Malarial Parasites in Eastern Panama

SYNOPSIS Plasmodium gonatodi sp. nov. is described from Gonatodes albogularis fuscus of eastern Panama. It is characterized by elongate gametocytes and polymorphic schizonts containing 12-46 nuclei when apparently mature. Both proerythrocytes and erythrocytes are commonly parasitized, host cells are hypertrophied and distorted, and their nuclei are displaced. Prematuration sexual stages may be irregularly shaped and larger than mature gametocytes.
Plasmodium diploglossi Aragão and Neiva , 1909 is reported from Mabuya mabouya in eastern Panama, and Plasmodium morulum sp. nov. is described from this host. P. morulum usually parasitizes immature erythrocytes, and is characterized by lenticular or oval to round gametocytes, and schizonts with 14-40 nuclei usually arranged in a globular mass. Host cells are slightly hypertrophied and distorted, and their nuclei are usually displaced. Inoculation of infected blood into clean hosts produces numerous schizonts in white cells as well as in the erythrocyte series.
Pigment in both P. gonatodi and P. morulum , if present, consists of a few minute dark dots which do not meet the polarized light test for hemozoin.     

Interdependence of inoculum size and trace element supply in growth of Aspergillus oryzae

Summary Further to earlier reports indicating that the effects of inoculum size on growth of Aspergillus oryzae in synthetic media are abolished by certain trace element compositions, it has now been shown that those effects can be made more pronounced, but can also be reversed, by varying the balance of available trace elements.Addition of Ca to substrate A ₁ increases the usual effects of inoculum size whereas Cu abolishes them with a tendency for reversal.Supplementation of substrate A ₁ with suitable amounts of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid results in a stronger inhibition of small-inoculum cultures than large ones, thus increasing the usual effects of inoculum size. These effects are reversed if the sugar of substrate A ₁ is purified by Al(OH)₃ co-precipitation method, but only if the treatment is carried out at neutral or alkaline reaction. This reversal of the phenomena is due to an almost complete absence of Zn after purification and presence of Fe in substrate A ₁.The Al(OH)₃ treatment of the sugar results in substrates so poor in Zn that addition of as little as 5 g ZnSO₄ · 7 H₂O/l has an effect. This influence, however, results in an inhibition of the growth rate, and higher concentrations of Zn are required in order to obtain stimulation with both large and small-inoculum cultures.The above-mentioned reversal of the phenomena was abolished in a substrate with slightly caramelized glucose.

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Zusammenfassung Diese Arbeit ist eine Erweiterung vorhergehender Berichte über den Einfluß der Größe der Impfmenge auf das Wachstum von Aspergillus oryzae, wo u. a. festgestellt wurde, daß die beobachteten Effekte durch bestimmte Spurenelement-Zusammensetzungen aufgehoben werden.Es wurde nun festgestellt, daß Zugabe von Ca zu Substrat A ₁ die gewohnten Effekte erhöht, während Cu diese verringert mit einer Tendenz zur Umkehrung.Werden geeignete Mengen Äthylendiamintetraessigsäure zu Substrat A ₁ zugegeben, so werden Kulturen, die aus kleiner Impfmenge erwachsen sind, stärker in ihrer Wachstumsgeschwindigkeit und maximaler Ausbeute an Mycel gehemmt als Kulturen von großer Impfdichte, was einer Verstärkung der gewohnten Effekte gleich kommt. Diese Effekte werden umgekehrt, wenn die Glucose des Substrates A ₁ durch Al(OH)₃-Fällung gereinigt wird, jedoch nur wenn diese Behandlung bei neutraler oder alkalischer Reaktion erfolgt. Diese Umkehrung ist auf nahezu vollständige Entfernung von Zn und gleichzeitige Anwesenheit von Fe in Substrat A ₁ zurückzuführen.Schon Zugabe sehr kleiner Mengen Zn (5 g ZnSO₄ · 7 H₂O/l) zum gereinigten Substrat übt eine Wirkung aus, welche aber in einer Hemmung der Wachstumsgeschwindigkeit besteht. Höhere Zn-Konzentrationen sind nötig, um das Wachstum der Kulturen von großen und kleinen Impfmengen zu fördern.Die vorerwähnte Umkehrung der Phänomene wurde aufgehoben, wenn ein Substrat mit leichter Caramelisierung der Glucose angewendet wurde.

     

Atypical Manifestations of Hyperthyroidism

Patients with hyperthyroidism usually present with symptoms of hypermetabolism with or without goitre and/or eye signs. Occasionally, however, the chief complaints are not immediately suggestive of hyperthyroidism. Patients with hyperthyroidism are described who presented with such atypical manifestations as periodic muscular paralysis, myasthenia, myopathy, encephalopathy, psychosis, angina pectoris, atrial fibrillation, heart failure without underlying heart disease, skeletal demineralization, pretibial myxedema, unilateral eye signs, and pitting edema of the ankles.