Hyperthermic treatment of chromomycosis with disposable chemical pocket warmers

A case of chromomycosis in which hyperthermia proved effective is reported. The patient was a 56-year-old male bean curd maker who, without any previous history of minor trauma, developed on the extensor side of the left upper arm an eczematous lesion that underwent gradual radial expansion. The lesion showed a well-defined, 7×10 cm infiltrated erythematous plaque with the central area healed and, at the upper and lower borders, adherent scales and crusts on the surface. Histological examination revealed granulomatous changes in the dermis, as well as sclerotic cells within giant cells and microabscesses. On culturing,Fonsecaea pedrosoi was isolated. The patient was treated with disposable chemical pocket warmers, which were secured over the lesion with a rather tight elastic bandage, so that they kept the affected area warm for 24 hours a day. After a month of such hyperthermic treatment, the erythema and infiltration had decreased considerably, and microscopic examination and culture of the crusts both yielded negative results. Examination of biopsy specimens of the lesion after the third month showed that it had cicatrized. The treatment was stopped after 4 months, and no relapse occurred. We also summarize the published results of local hyperthermic treatment of chromomycosis in Japan.     

Urine selenium level in healthy adult population

The level of urine selenium in healthy adult population, 230 persons, was examined. Persons were selected regarding sex, ages, and smoking habits. No differences versus these observations have been found. For a total, group values are 16.96 Se nmol/creatinine mmol, SD=5.44. It is possible from a single-void specimen to express daily excretion of selenium.     

Progress since the first international symposium: ‘Genetic aspects of plant mineral nutrition’, Beograd, 1982, and perspectives of future research

Summary The paper discusses the problems of genetic aspects of plant mineral nutrition in the light of the results presented at the First and Second Symposia on ‘Genetic Aspects of Plant Mineral Nutrition’ organized in Beograd in 1982 and Madison in 1985, respectively. On the basis of the results, future directions of research are discussed. The papers deal with the concentration and content of mineral nutrients in different genotypes, physiological and biochemical aspects of the genetic specificity of plant mineral nutrition, relations between plant genotypes and nitrogen fixing micro-organism strains, as well as with some related problems which have been investigated to a lesser extent. Particular attention is paid to papers and problems referring to genetic and breeding research work linked with genetic aspects of plant mineral nutrition as well as the possibilities of developing new cultivars requiring certain soil and mineral nutrition conditions for their cultivation.     

The temporal region and the supramastoid ridge in mesolithic skulls from Padina in the Iron Gate Gorge of the Danube

Studies of the morphological features of the temporal region of mesolithic skulls from Padina in the Iron Gate Gorge of the Danube revealed a very prominent and large supramastoid ridge which is the most striking feature in skulls of both sexes. Mastoid processes were larger in male skulls, but in 25% of the cases there was an overlap between the size of the processes in male and female specimens. The mastoid ridge was prominent in both sexes. The digastric fossa was always well defined in both sexes and in the two thirds of the skull specimens it was deep. The posterior root of the zygoma was prominent in all the skulls, but it was better developed in the male specimens. The parietotemporal suture in both sexes rises above the level of the pterion. There were no morphological or anthropometrical differences between the left and the right side of individual skulls outside the limits of natural asymmetry. All these morphological characteristics of the temporal region may help in racial and sexual diagnosis of the Mesolithic skulls from the Iron Gate Gorge.     

Pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis in immunized mice

Paracoccidioidomycosis was induced in immunized (IM) and non-immunized (NI) mice. The histopathology, the number of fungi in the lungs, the cellular (footpad test — FPT and macrophage inhibition factor assay — MIF) and humoral (immunodiffusion test) immune response were investigated serially postinfection. In the IM mice, at days 1 and 3, there was intense and predominant macrophagic-lymphocytic alveolitis with loose granulomatous reaction; at day 30, inflammation was mild. In the NI group, up to day 3, the lesions were focal; later there was formation of extensive epithelioid granuloma. The number of fungi in IM mice were always smaller than those of NI group. Immunization alone induced positive FPT and MIF indices with low titer of antibody. After infection, there was a significant decrease of the FPT indices in the IM group, which we interpreted as desensitization due to trapping of sensitized lymphocytes in the lungs. In conclusion, (1) The lesional pattern of pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis in IM mice was similar to that of a hypersensitivity pneumonitis. This reaction was probably effective in reducing the extension of the infection and decrease the number of fungi. (2) In this model, pulmonary resistance against P. brasiliensis seems to be related to local and systemic delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction.     

Comparative effects of a recombinant and a mutein type of granulocyte colony stimulating factor on the growth of Meth-A fibrosarcoma with 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of a recombinant human G-CSF (rhG-CSF) and a mutein G-CSF(KW-2228) on leucopenia and tumor growth in mice treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). In normal mice, the number of leucocytes (white blood cell, WBC) reached the peak 12 hours after a single injection of either type of G-CSF and decreased to the normal level after 24 hours. Daily administration induced a continuous increase in the WBC count, however, administrations at intervals did not. Meth-A fibrosarcoma was subcutaneously inoculated into the backs of syngeneic BALB/c mice. The mice were treated with 5-FU alone or with G-CSFs. Chemotherapy with 5-FU alone resulted in leucopenia and an insignificant inhibition of tumor growth. The conjunctive administration of G-CSFs with 5-FU resulted in a significantly augmented inhibition of tumor growth, and leukopenia was not seen. This augmenting effect was more prominent with KW-2228.These results suggest that in 5-FU chemotherapy G-CSFs may be beneficial in restoring the number of leucocytes from leucopenic state and in augmenting the tumor inhibitory effect. Furthermore, KW-2228 may be more beneficial than the natural type rhG-CSF.     

Radiation chemistry of a multicomponent aqueous system relevant to chemistry of cometary nuclei

Summary We have examined a water-dominated multicomponent system after irradiation in the multimegarad dose range with gamma rays from a⁶⁰Co source at both 77 and 310 K. The constituents were simple organic compounds in the proportions in which they appear in a dense interstellar cloud: HCN/CH₃OH/CH₃CN/C₂H₅CN/HCOOH=10.60.20.10.05. The total amounts were adjusted to correspond to a carbon to nitrogen ratio of 1.8 and a water content of about 50% in a cometary nucleus where the dust to volatiles ratio is 1; the total amount of CN-bearing compounds was taken to correspond to 0.4% of the cometary mass. In experiments at 310 K about 40 radiolytic products are identified, among them aldehydes and amino and carboxylic acids. Abundant polymeric material (M_w up to 80,000 daltons) is formed. The basic aspects of radiolysis of the liquid system are present also at 77 K, although at radiation-chemical yields that are lower by one to two orders of magnitude. We have considered the relevance of the present findings to the chemistry of a liquid-water core and the icy layers of a cometary nucleus.