Immunologic and clinical improvement of progressive coccidioidomycosis following administration of transfer factor

Three patients with progressive coccidioidomycosis were given preparations of transfer factor (TF). Adverse reactions to TF were minimal. Following TF administration two of these patients had prolonged clinical remissions in their coccidioidal disease. Cellular immune responses were sequentially evaluated by coccidioidininduced delayed-type skin tests, lymphocyte blast transformation and macrophage inhibition factor production (MIF). These three patients each exhibited different cellular immune patterns before and after TF administration. Two patients converted their coccidioidin skin tests, and one converted lymphocyte transformation response to coccidioidin. Also, TF apparently favorably affected the MIF response in all three patients.     

湖北竹溪植被的基本特征

竹溪县现有种子植物１２７科４８３属８６３种。地理成分复杂,联系广泛,以温带成分占主导地位,占非世界分布属的６４．８３％,热带分布属则占２９．３９％,木本植物占种子植物总数的４２．５９％,主要植补类型计７个植补型组,１０个植被型,４９个联系。地处竹溪中南部的云雾溪是目前亚热带区域保存较为完整,具有多方面保护价值的综合区,建议辟为自然保护区。     

重症急性胰腺炎合并腹腔感染患者病原菌分布、药物敏感性分析及其院内死亡的危险因素探讨

摘要 目的：观察重症急性胰腺炎（SAP）合并腹腔感染（IAI）患者病原菌分布,分析药物敏感性,同时探讨其院内死亡的危险因素。方法：本研究纳入2017年1月~2022年1月期间来解放军联勤保障部队第九二二医院接受治疗并确诊的SAP合并IAI患者100例,采集患者腹水标本,观察其病原菌分布,分析药物敏感性。入院后收集患者人口学特征、实验室检查等资料,探讨患者院内死亡的危险因素。结果：100例SAP合并IAI患者腹水标本中,分离出186株病原菌,其中革兰阴性菌有108株,占比58.06%。革兰阳性菌51株,占比27.42%。真菌27株,占比14.52%。鲍曼不动杆菌对不同抗菌药物的敏感性均较低,大肠埃希菌对厄他培南、亚胺培南、哌拉西林／他唑巴坦、庆大霉素、美罗培南的敏感性较高,肺炎克雷伯菌对亚胺培南、美罗培南的敏感性较高,葡萄球菌属对替加环素、万古霉素、利奈唑胺的敏感性较高,屎肠球菌对替加环素、利奈唑胺的敏感性较高,粪肠球菌对氨苄西林、万古霉素、环丙沙星、替加环素的敏感性较高。单因素分析显示,SAP合并IAI患者院内死亡与器官障碍数目、膀胱压、入院时急性生理学与慢性健康状况评分（APACHE II）评分、白细胞计数（WBC）、血钙、红细胞压积（HCT）、总胆固醇（TC）、甘油三醋（TG）、降钙素原（PCT）、C反应蛋白（CRP）、动脉二氧化碳分压（PaCO₂）、动脉氧分压（PaO2）有关（P<0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示：器官障碍数目偏多、血钙偏低、CRP偏高、APACHE II评分偏高、膀胱压偏高、PaO₂偏低、WBC偏高是导致SAP合并IAI患者院内死亡的危险因素（P<0.05）。结论：SAP合并IAI患者病原菌分布以革兰阴性菌为主,主要的革兰阴性菌、革兰阳性菌耐药率高。此外,器官障碍数目偏多、血钙偏低、CRP偏高、APACHE II评分偏高、膀胱压偏高、PaO₂偏低、WBC偏高是影响SAP合并IAI患者院内死亡的危险因素。     

贵州沿河土地坳下奥陶统牙形石

本文报道了采自贵州沿河土地坳下奥陶统的牙形石,计有２５属３９种,根据牙形石组合特片分析,认为其与黔北其它地区下奥陶统牙形石组合面貌基本一致,属北大西洋牙形石动物地理区。     

Junction formation in aggregated embryonal carcinoma cells

Under the action of supplemental calcium, H6 mouse embryonal carcinoma cell aggregates undergo compaction, a morphological phenomenon similar to mouse embryonic compaction. Formation of various types of cell junctions, especially gap junctions, is associated with compaction of the embryo and we sought to analyze the pattern of junction formation during aggregation and compaction of H6 cells. At 24 hr of aggregation, gap junctions were abundant in both uncompacted and compacted aggregates but quantitative analysis of freeze fracture replicas of these junctions showed a 20-fold increase in the size of the largest gap junctions in compacted aggregates. Such a difference in size could even be detected at 12 hr of aggregation. Tight junctions were not normally formed in 12 hr aggregates but initial stages of tight junction formation could be noticed in 12 hr compacted aggregates. More definitive tight junctions and desmosomes were evident only after 48 hr of aggregation. Thus we have observed that both uncompacted and compacted aggregates can form gap junctions at similar frequencies, suggesting that cell flattening, which contributes to the compacted morphology, is not a requisite for gap junctions. Likewise, generation of the compacted morphology seems to be independent of gap junction formation. This supports the idea that compaction in embryonal carcinoma cells results from calcium-induced cell flattening, probably through the mobilization of cytoskeletal elements. Calcium-dependent features of H6 cell aggregation and compaction enables the independent analysis of separate steps in compaction.     

Biosynthesis of prostaglandins and thromboxane B2 by fetal lung homogenates

The conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins (PG's) and thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂) was investigated in homogenates from fetal and adult bovine and rabbit lungs. Adult bovine lungs were very active in converting arachidonic acid (100 μg/g tissue) to both PGE₂ (10.7 μg/g tissue) and TXB₂ (6.2 μ/g tissue). Smaller amounts of PGF_2α (0.9 μ/g) and 6-oxoPGF_1α were formed. Homogenates from fetal calf lungs during the third trimester of pregnancy were quite active in converting arachidonic acid to PGE₂, but formed very little TXB₂, PGF_2α or 6-oxoPGF_1α. Homogenates from rabbit lungs converted arachidonic acid (100 μg/g) mainly to PGE₂, both before and after birth. The amount of PGE₂ formed increased during gestation to a maximum of about 6 μg/g tissue at 28 days of gestation. It then decreased to a minimum (1.5 μg/g) which was observed 8 days after birth, followed by an increase to about 4 μg/g in older rabbits.     

Patterns of cell polarity in the developing mouse limb

Most cells have a morphological polarity with the centrioles and Golgi apparatus occupying one pole of the cell and the nucleus the other. This structural polarity often correlates with functional polarity as in secretory epithelia where the Golgi apparatus moves to the pole of the cell from which secretory materials are exreted. In limb development an interaction of unknown mechanism occurs between the epithelium and mesenchyme. We have evaluated the pattern of cell polarity using silver impregnation of the Golgi apparatus in limb epithelium and mesenchyme of mouse embryos from day 9.5, when limbs are first visible, to day 15, when cartilage formation is complete. Cells in the epithelium almost always have the Golgi apparatus in the apex of the cell, i.e., oriented away from the basement membrane. The layer of mesenchyme cells just beneath the basement membrane initially has only 16 to 25% of the cells oriented toward the basement membrane. A marked shift in orientation occurs between days 12 and 13 so that from days 13 to 15 up to 53% of the mesenchyme cells are oriented toward the basement membrane. This shift in orientation occurs more slowly in the mesenchyme at a depth of four cells below the basement membrane. This changing pattern of mesenchymal cell polarity occurs at a time when there is an apparent increase in the amount of extracellular matrix, especially in the region just below the basement membrane.     

Antimicrobial defense mechanisms in the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus: preliminary observations with heat-derived extracts of Limulus amoebocyte lysate.

Heat-derived (60°C) extracts of Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) were found to contain potent “broad-spectrum” antimicrobial activity. Additional heating of the LAL extracts to 100°C for 30 min completely inactivated the antimicrobial activity and served as a control. Antimicrobial activity was observed over a temperature range of 0° to 37°C (higher temperatures not tested) with greatest activity at 37°C. Antimicrobial activity of LAL extracts was variable when tested against Gram-negative bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. A twofold concentration of the extracts resulted in a significant decrease in antimicrobial effectiveness. Dialysis of single- and double-strength LAL extracts against deionized water produced a marked and significant enhancement of antimicrobial activity against both resistant and sensitive species, confirming the presence of a dialyzable inhibitor(s). Dialyzed LAL extracts were active against 13 of 14 species of Enterobacteriaceae tested. Two strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were susceptible as were two of three Gram-positive cocci tested. Highly sensitive bacterial species were rapidly killed with a greater than 90% reduction in viable counts occurring within the first 30 min of reaction time. Dialyzed LAL extracts also possessed considerable antifungal activity. The role of the Limulus polyphemus amoebocyte in defense against microbial invasion and dissemination is discussed.     

The treatment of the hepatorenal syndrome with intra-renal administration of prostaglandin E1

Three patients with the hepatorenal syndrome were treated with prostaglandin E₁ administered through a selective renal arterial catheter. Prostaglandin E₁ was given in progressively increasing doses (2 to 100 ng/kg/min) over a 60-minute period. Control plasma prostaglandin E levels were elevated in all three patients, 0.98, 0.91, and 0.83 ng/ml, respectively. At the end of the infusion, plasma prostaglandin E levels had risen to 10.4, 2.63, and 10.3 ng/ml in the three patients respectively. Plasma renin activity increased during the course of the infusion in two of the patients. The plasma aldosterone concentration did not change during the prostaglandin E₁ infusion. Intrarenal prostaglandin E₁ failed to increase urine volume or urinary sodium concentration in three patients with the hepatorenal syndrome.