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.     

Analysis of the nuclear envelope polypeptides by isoelectric focusing and electrophoresis

The more insoluble polypeptides of the avian erythrocyte nuclear envelope have been characterized by a two-dimensional electrophoretic procedure. Most of the polypeptides occur in two classes with isoelectric points of approximately 6.4 and 5.7 respectively. The more acidic class contains two polypeptides, P71 and one which contributes to an electrophoretic band previously identified as P55. The more basic class includes P75, P68, P61 and two or more polypeptides from the P55 band. There are four to six isoelectric point variants of each polypeptide in the more basic class, and the relative stain intensities for the variants are similar for the different polypeptides. These similarities in ionic properties suggest a chemical relationship between the polypeptides. These results are discussed in relation to the in vitro conversion of P75 to polypeptides of the same molecular weight as P68, P61 and P55.     

Identification of HLA-B44 subtypes associated with extended MHC haplotypes

The HLA class I antigen B44 is found in each of two different extended major histocompatibility haplotypes (allele combinations of HLA-B, HLA-DR, and complement genes BF, C2, C4A, and C4B in linkage disequilibrium). Using isoelectric focusing, two variants of HLA-B44 were identified. The basic variant was found in all cell lines with the extended haplotype HLA-B44, DR7, FC31, and the acidic variant in all cell lines with the extended haplotype HLA-B44, DR4, SC30. The occurrence of each antigen variant with a unique extended haplotype explains previous observations concerning the nonrandom association of B44 variants with DR antigens.     

Osmotic and cryoprotective effects of glycerol-sucrose solutions on day-3 mouse embryos

The relative volume of Day-3 mouse embryos changed as a linear function of the reciprocal of osmolality [corrected] of non-permeating solutes after 10 min exposure to sucrose and glycerol-sucrose solutions at 20 degrees C. The slope of the linear regression line was less in glycerol-sucrose than in sucrose solutions because glycerol permeation caused re-expansion. Before freezing by direct transfer to -180 degrees C the embryos were placed into glycerol-sucrose in 1-step (1-step equilibration) or first into glycerol and then into glycerol-sucrose (2-step equilibration). Using 2-step equilibration the post-thaw survival rate was substantially higher at 3.0 and 4.0 M-glycerol levels and less dependent on changes in the sucrose concentration within the range of 0.125 to 1.0 M than with 1-step equilibration. Under optimal conditions 90-95% of rapidly frozen embryos developed to blastocysts in vitro and 30% into live young in vivo. It is suggested that the cryoprotective role of glycerol is due to its ability to reduce osmotic pressure differences between the extra and intracellular spaces during rapid freezing of embryos.     

Osmotic characteristics of sheep and cattle embryos

Ten minutes of exposure to increasing concentrations of sucrose caused a proportional decrease in the volume of sheep late morulae, their relative volume changed as a linear function of the reciprocal of the osmolality of the medium. Day 6 sheep and Day 7 cattle embryos responded to the addition of permeating cryoprotectants by an initial shrinkage which was followed by gradual reexpansion. After 1.25 min exposure the relative volumes of sheep and cattle embryos respectively were 20 and 25% smaller in glycerol than in ethylene glycol. The volumes of cattle and sheep embryos remained smaller in glycerol than in ethylene glycol up to the final observation at 30 min. The osmotic response of sheep late morulae to 2.0 M propylene glycol was intermediate between their response to 2.0 M glycerol and to 2.0 M ethylene glycol. These results indicate that Day 6 sheep and Day 7 cattle embryos are more permeable to ethylene glycol than to glycerol.     

Value of a control decision rule for leek moth infestations in leek

Fourteen commercial leek fields with first and second generation Leek moth, Acrolepiopsis assectella Z., (LM) injury were sampled during 1986 in The Netherlands. For both generations, plant injury was more prevalent in the perimeter of the field than in interior portions. A sequential sampling program for use in making treatment decisions for LM was developed. An economic analysis of the value of sampling information derived from the sequential sampling program was performed. The parameters used for the analysis were crop yield and value, expected level of LM infestation, potential loss of value due to LM infestation, effectiveness of insecticide application, and cost of sampling. Due mainly to the high value of the crop and low cost of treatment, analysis indicates that there is little difference between a sampling-based management plan and prophylactic application of insecticides in terms of pest control costs. Additionally, such a sampling-based management plan is relatively insensitive to changes in the parameters used in the model. Thus, development of a threshold linked to a sampling procedure will not reduce pest control costs. Use of the sampling-based management plan will also not significantly increase pest control costs and will likely result in reduced insecticide use compared with a prophylactic treatment program.

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Zusammenfassung In den Niederlanden wurde 1986 der durch den Befall der ersten und zweiten Generation der Lauchmotte (Acrolepiosis assectella Z.) verursachte Schaden auf 14 kommerziell genutzten Porreefeldern ermittelt. Für beide Generationen wurde an den Feldrändern ein deutlich höherer Befall als in dem inneren Bereich eines Feldes festgestellt. Zur Bekämpfung der Lauchmotte wurde als Entscheidungsmodell ein sequentielles Probenahmeverfahren entwickelt. Der Informationsgehalt der sequentiellen Befallserhebung wurde einer ökonomischen Bewertung unterzogen. Hierbei wurden folgende Parameter zugrunde gelegt: Erntemenge und Ertrag, erwarteter Befallsgrad sowie hierdurch verursachter möglicher Ertragsverlust, Wirkungsgrad einer Insektizidbehandlung und Kosten der Stichprobennahme. Die Analyse der einzelnen Parameter ergab nur eine geringe Kostendifferenz zwischen einer gezielten Bekämpfung nach sequentieller Probenahme und prophylaktischen Insektizidspritzungen, bedingt durch den hohen Wert der Kultur und die niedrigen Kosten einer Bekämpfung. Darüber hinaus its das Verfahren einer gezielten Lauchmottenbekämpfung gegeüber Veränderungen der obengenannten Parameter relativ unempfindlich. Deshalb wird die Entwicklung eines Schwellenwertes der mit Probenahmeverfahren verbunden ist die Bekämpfungskosten nicht reduzieren. Die anwendung der Probenahmeplans würde Bekämpfungskosten auch nicht erhöhen und würde wahrscheinlich Insecktizidverbrauch reduzieren im Vergleich zu einen prophylaktischen Behandlungsprogramm.

     

Soluble derivatives of the beta amyloid protein precursor of Alzheimer's disease are labeled by antisera to the beta amyloid protein

The amyloid deposited in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is composed primarily of a 39-42 residue polypeptide (beta AP) that is derived from a larger beta amyloid protein precursor (beta APP). In previous studies, we and others identified full-length, membrane-associated forms of the beta APP and showed that these forms are processed into soluble derivatives that lack the carboxyl-terminus of the full-length forms. In this report, we demonstrate that the soluble approximately 125 and approximately 105 kDa forms of the beta APP found in human cerebrospinal fluid are specifically labeled by several different antisera to the beta AP. This finding indicates that both soluble derivatives contain all or part of the beta AP sequence, and it suggests that one or both of these forms may be the immediate precursor of the amyloid deposited in AD.     

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.