Evaluation of the efficacy of albendazole against the larvae of Taenia solium in experimentally infected pigs, and kinetics of the immune response

Cysticercosis, a disease of economic and public health importance, is caused by Cysticercus cellulosae, the metacestode stage of Taenia solium. Experimental induction of cysticercosis was achieved in young pigs by feeding an optimum dose of 20,000 T. solium (Indian strain) eggs after immunosuppression, to assess the effect of albendazole and development of the immune response to cysticercus antigens before and after treatment.

Histopathological studies revealed the presence of cysticerci in liver, lungs and muscles. Treatment with albendazole at 15 mg kg⁻¹ body weight daily for 30 days starting from day 0 or 15 days post-infection resulted in 100% cure rates. Increases in antibody titre to crude soluble extract and a Sephadex G-200 purified antigenic fraction of Cysticercus cellulosae were found on days 25, 40 and 55 post-infection in untreated pigs and those in which treatment started on day 15 post-infection, whereas no increase in antibody response was observed in pigs in which treatment started on day 0.     

Studies on the lipozyme-catalyzed synthesis of butyl laurate

The effects of temperature, speed of agitation, enzyme concentration, etc., on butyl laurate synthessis using Mucor miehei lipase (Lipozymetrade mark) have been studied. Although the soluble enzyme was quite thermcstable in aqeous solution, it deactivated rapidly at and above 40 degrees C in the presence of butanol. This enzyme immobilized on an anion-exchange resin (Lipozymetrade mark) showed enhanced stability (as compared to the soluble form) to denaturation by butanol under the same conditions. The denaturation of M. miehei lipase was found to be a function of the butanol concentration in the aqueous phase, and rapid denaturation takes place at the concentration corresponding to its saturation at that temperature. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Antifreeze polypeptides from the Newfoundland ocean pout,Macrozoarces americanus: presence of multiple and compositionally diverse components

Summary Eight major antifreeze polypeptides (AFP) were purified from the sera of Newfoundland ocean pout. Except for their approximately identical size (6,000 Dalton), these components were shown to be separate entities by their behaviour on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, ion exchange chromatography, gel permeation and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. They could also be divided into two cross-reactive, yet distinct, immunological groups. Amino acid analysis demonstrated that ocean pout AFP are different from all of the other antifreezes studied to date. The ocean pout AFP do not contain the abundance of alanine (60 mol%) found in winter flounder and shorthorn sculpin AFP nor the high half-cystine residues (8 mol%) observed in sea raven AFP. It is suggested that ocean pout AFP represent a new type of macromolecular antifreeze.Abbreviations AFGP antifreeze glycoprotein(s) - AFP antifreeze polypeptide(s) - HPLC high performance liquid chromatography - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis     

Assay for the terminal enzyme of the stearoyl coenzyme A desaturase system using chick embryo liver microsomes.

The NADH-dependent stearoyl CoA desaturase of hepatic microsomes (EC 1.14.99.5) is an enzyme system consisting of cytochrome b5 reductase (EC 1.6.2.2), cytochrome b5, and the terminal desaturase. We have developed a simple method for routine assay of the terminal enzyme based on complementation of the enzyme with chick embryo liver microsomes lacking desaturase activity. Desaturation of [1-14C]stearoyl CoA by the enzyme-microsome mixture is then assayed by thin-layer chromatography of the reaction products and determination of the amount of oleate formed. Microsomes from the livers of starved-refed rats were used as the source of the stearoyl CoA desaturase. The enzyme alone, solubilized and free from cytocrome b5 reductase and cytochrome b5, was unable to catalyze the desaturation of stearoyl CoA. However, after preincubation with chick embryo liver microsomes in the presence of 1% Triton X-100, the enzyme was active. The enzyme activity was linear with time and desaturase protein under the conditions described and depended on the concentrations of Triton X-100 present in the preincubation and the assay. The optimum concentrations of Triton X-100 were 1% for the preincubation and 0.1-0.15% in the assay. The desaturation activity was dependent on NADH and O2, and was inhibited 95% by 1 mM KCN. The use of chick embryo liver microsomes in this method eliminates the need to use purified cytochrome b5 reductase, cytochrome b5, and liposomes for routine assays and greatly reduces the complexities of timing and order of addition encountered in the existing assays.     

An isoflavone glycoside from the heartwood of Pterocarpus marsupium

A new isoflavone, 5,4′-dimethoxy-8-methylisoflavone, has been identified from the heartwood of Pterocarpus marsupium.     

Transference numbers, polyion mobilities, and charge fractions in aqueous solutions of lithium, sodium, and potassium dextransulfate

Results of Hittorf type transference number measurements are reported for aqueous solutions of lithium, sodium, and potassium dextransulfate (DS) in the concentration range 0.008-0.09 moles of sulfate groups per liter. The results for the polyion transference number are combined with equivalent conductance measurements reported earlier to calculate the polyion equivalent conductance, and the polyion charge fraction based on Wall's method. Our results show that the transference number of this high charge density polyion is larger than unity over the entire concentration range studied, and decreases monotonously with increasing concentration. The calculated charge fraction f of the polyion increases with increasing concentration, and at any concentration/decreases in the order LiDS > NaDS > KDS. A comparison between the conclusions derived from these transport experiments and from both mean and single ion activity measurements in dextransulfate solutions shows the considerable uncertainties involved in either of these methods, and emphasizes the need for the application of a variety of techniques, including spectroscopic techniques, to determine differential ion binding by polyions.     

Nature of leukemia-associated antigenicity of dinitrophenylated human lymphocytes and lymphoblasts

Using dinitrophenylated human lymphocytes and phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated human lymphoblasts as antigens, antibodies were produced in rabbits. The immunological reactivities of the antisera so produced were tested against various types of leukemic cells after absorbing the sera with pooled normal leukocytes. Both the sera showed reactivity with all types of leukemic cells and no specific affinity for lymphoid leukemic cells was seen. This may suggest the presence of some common antigens on all types of leukemic cells or that dinitrophenylation brings about similar changes on all types of normal leukocytes.     

The binding of divalent metal ions to polyelectrolytes in mixed counterion systems. I. The dye spectrophotometric method

The dye spectrophotometric method for the measurement of the activity of divalent metal ions in polyelectrolyte solutions containing added electrolytes is discussed.The method is applied to mixtures containing the dextransulfate polyanion, NaCl, and MgCl2 or Ca2. A two wavelength ratio method as applied to polyelectrolyte solutions is compared to the standard method which makes use of the previous determination of the dye-metal ion formation constant. The ratio method is found to be a convenient and reliable method which is not influenced by decomposition of the dye or by statistical errors in the extrapolation procedure. The activity coefficients as determined by the two wavelength dye spectrophotometric method are compared to results of Donnan exclusion measurements, and of EMF measurements using a calcium ion selective electrode. The results of the spectrophotometric method are equal to those of the two other methods within the limits of error in the latter. The spectrophotometric measurements can extend to much lower ion activaties than the other two methods, and can be done in the presence of a large excess of added electrolyte, yielding results of considerably improved precision when compared to Donnan and EMF methods.     

The binding of divalent metal ions to polyelectrolytes in mixed counterion systems. II. Dextransulfate-Mg2+ and dextransulfate-Ca2+ in solutions containing added NaCl or KCl

Measurements of magnesium and calcium ion activities in solutions of the polyelectrolyte dextransulfate, with added sodium chloride or potassium chloride are presented. A two wavelength dye spectrophotometric method is used. Dextransulfate concentrations Cp (expressed as moles sulfate ion/litre) vary between 0.001 and 0.007, total ionic strengths between 0.005 and 0.08 mole/XXX. Divalent metal ion concentrations are varied between 0 and 1.2 Cp. The results for the metal ion activities are expressed in the form of parameters theta2 = C2/Cp (C(2bp) = bound divalent metal ion concentration) and K2 = theta2/(C2-C2b). For each divalent/univalent counterion pair the values obtained for theta2 and K2 as a function of C2,Cp, and ionic strength are compared to predictions of the "two variable theory" developed for these mixed counterion systems by Manning. This comparison shows that the observed decrease in theta2 with increasing ionic strength at fixed C2 and Cp is generally well predicted by the two variable theory. The extent of divalent ion binding at a given C2, Cp, and ionic strength is largest for the Ca/Na counterion combination, and lowest for the Mg/K combination.     

The formation of germtubes by candida albicans,when grown with Staphylococcus pyogene,Escherichia coli,Klebsiella pneumoniae,Lactobacilius acidophilus and Proteus vulgaris

The formation of germtubes by twelve clinical isolates of C. albicans was studied in human serum containing per millilitre 10³ to 10⁹ organisms as: Staphylococcus pyegene, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Proteus vulgaris. All the five bacteria inhibited formation of germtubes by C. albicans at all concentrations and the percent germtube formed diminished with increasing concentration of the bacteria. Lactobacillus acidophilus inhibited the formation of germtubes maximally followed by Staphylococcus pyogene, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Proteus vulgaris in the concentrations of 10³ to 10⁷ bacteria per millilitre produced only insignificant inhibition of formation of germtubes by C. albicans. Since germtubes of C. albicans are invasive, it is suggested that inhibition of blastospo-regermtube transformation may be significantly responsible for prevention of infection by C. albicans by coexisting bacterial flora.