In situ hybridization for the detection and localization of swine Chlamydia trachomatis

Gnotobiotic piglets were inoculated intralaryngeally with swine Chlamydia trachomatis strain R33 or orally with swine C. trachmatis strain R27. Archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from piglets euthanatized 4-7 days postinoculation were examined by in situ hybridization for C. trachomatis nucleic acid using a nonradioactive digoxigenin-labeled DNA probes that targeted specific ribosomal RNA or omp1 mRNA molecules of the swine C. trachomatis strains. Positive hybridization signals were detected in bronchial epithelial cells, bronchiolar epithelial cells, pneumocytes, alveolar and interstitial macrophages, and jejunal and ileal enterocytes. Chlamydia-infected cells had a strong signal that was confined to the intracytoplasmic inclusions. Positive hybridization signals were not detected in tissue sections from an uninfected control piglet or in C. psittaci-infected sheep placenta. The morphology of host cells was preserved despite the relatively high temperature required in parts of the incubation procedure. The data indicate that in situ hybridization can be used to detect swine C. trachomatis in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue specimens.

Prevalence of genotypes for fimbriae and enterotoxins and of O serogroups in Escherichia coli isolated from diarrheic piglets in Korea

Polymerase chain reaction for 4 fimbriae (F4, F5, F6, F41), 2 heat-stable enterotoxins (STa, STb), and 1 heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) were performed on 400 Escherichia coli isolates to determine their genotype prevalence among enterotoxigenic E. coli isolates from preweaned pigs with diarrhea in the Republic of Korea. A total of 200 of the 400 E. coli isolates were also selected for characterization of the O serogroup. Of these 200 isolates, serogroup could be determined in 139 (69.5%) but not in 61 isolates (30.5%). Isolates of serogroup O101 were the most common, followed in descending order by 08, 020, 0162, 0141, and 0149. Ninety-seven (24.3%) of the 400 E. coli isolates carried genes for at least 1 of the entertoxins or fimbrial adhesins. Of these 97 isolates, 27 carried genes for at least 1 of the fimbrial adhesins and entertoxins. Sixty-six percent of the isolates that carried fimbrial adhesin genes carried genes for at least 1 of the enterotoxins, and 71% of the isolates that carried enterotoxin genes carried genes for at least 1 of the fimbrial adhesins. Genes for the F6 fimbriae were detected in 6% of the E. coli isolates, and F4+, F41+, and F5+ genes were detected in 4.3%, 3.3%, and 2% of the isolates, respectively. Genes for STa, STb, and LT were detected in 10%, 8.5%, and 4.3% of the isolates, respectively. The 6 major genotypes observed in this study (in decreasing order) were F6+, STb+, F41+, STa+STb+, F6+STa+, and STa+.

Successful treatment with ganciclovir for cytomegalovirus duodenitis following allogenic bone marrow transplantation

Cytomegalovirus(CMV) disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. CMV enteritis should be considered when nausea and vomiting continue 3 to 4 weeks after bone marrow transplantation(BMT). The treatment of CMV enteritis is not well established. We report a CMV duodenitis patient following allogenic bone marrow transplantation. The patient had prolonged nausea and vomiting for 5 weeks after bone marrow transplantation and CMV duodenitis was diagnosed by the gastroduodenoscopic mucosal biopsy which showed cytomegalic cells. Ganciclovir treatment for 3 weeks resulted in the resolution of symptoms and promoted healing of the lesion. The patient was free of CMV infection until 288 days after allogenic BMT without maintenance ganciclovir treatment.

Diarrhoea in nursing piglets associated with coccidiosis: prevalence, microscopic lesions and coexisting microorganisms

A retrospective study was made of natural infections with Isospora suis in nursing piglets, recorded from April 1994 to May 1997, to determine the prevalence, microscopical lesions and other microorganisms associated with coccidiosis. One hundred and five (17.3 per cent) of the 605 nursing piglets submitted from 304 pig farms were diagnosed positive for coccidiosis. The affected piglets were from seven to 20 days old, with a mean age of 11.1 days. Coccidiosis occurred in each year but the incidence peaked in July (15 cases, 14.3 per cent), September (15 cases, 14.3 per cent), October (16 cases, 15.2 per cent) and November (18 cases, 17.1 per cent) and was lowest in May (no cases), August (two cases, 1.9 per cent) and June (four cases, 3.8 per cent). Histopathologically, villous atrophy resulting from the necrosis and sloughing of epithelial cells was a prominent feature of infection with I suis. In 49.5 per cent of the nursing piglets, other enteropathogens were identified, Escherichia coli (47.6 per cent) and transmissible gastroenteritis virus (3.8 per cent) being the most commonly diagnosed. Forty-five of 50 E coli isolates associated with coccidiosis tested negative by polymerase chain reaction for enterotoxigenic virulence factors, such as fimbriae and enterotoxins.

Fine needle aspiration diagnosis of malignant mixed tumor (carcinosarcoma) arising in pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary gland. A case report

BACKGROUND

True malignant mixed tumor (carcinosarcoma), composed of carcinoma and sarcoma components, is rare in salivary gland neoplasms. Even rarer is a true malignant mixed tumor arising in the pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary gland.

CASE

A 64-year-old male was admitted with left pharyngeal pain. Head and neck magnetic resonance imaging revealed a left parapharyngeal mass; fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology through the oral cavity was performed.

CONCLUSION

The aspirate presented a mixture of large, pleomorphic, vacuolated, single or multinucleated cells in a mucoid matrix and clusters of adenocarcinoma cells. Additionally, occasional benign glandular cells were noted. A cytologic diagnosis of malignant mixed tumor arising in the pleomorphic adenoma of the deep lobe of the parotid gland was made and confirmed by the surgically resected specimen.

Loneliness: a predictor of health perceptions among older Korean immigrants

This study examined whether loneliness predicts health perceptions, i.e., emotional and physical health, in a sample of 174 older Korean immigrants living in a metropolitan area. Scores on the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale predicted scores on the Life Satisfaction Index-Z and perceived physical health in the older Koreans, but not scores on the Symptom Pattern Scale.

Effect of sodium hyaluronate ophthalmic solution on peripheral staining of rigid contact lens wearers

We evaluated the efficacy of sodium hyaluronate ophthalmic solutions on 3 and 9 o'clock staining with rigid contact lens wearers in a double masked multicenter study involving four institutions and 43 patients. Both sodium hyaluronate (0.1%) and control ophthalmic solutions (artificial tears) without preservative were used. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. The test group received sodium hyaluronate ophthalmic solution, and the control group received artificial tears as a control ophthalmic solution. The agents were instilled six times per day for 2 weeks while patients wore contact lenses. Although subjective symptoms improved similarly in the two groups, slit lamp observation, corneal staining, and anterior segment photography demonstrated improved results in eyes having received sodium hyaluronate ophthalmic solutions. We conclude that sodium hyaluronate ophthalmic solution is effective and safe for treating 3 and 9 o'clock staining in rigid contact lens wearers.

Purification and partial characterization of a trypsin inhibitor from chick skeletal muscle

A protein capable of inhibiting trypsin and a number of other serine proteases was purified from chicken skeletal muscle. It has an apparent molecular weight of 64,000 as determined by gel filtration. The inhibitor molecule binds trypsin at a molar ratio of 1:1 to form a stable complex, in which trypsin can be completely inhibited. In this complex, the inhibitor is extensively digested by trypsin but retains its inhibitory activity and tertiary structure by intramolecular disulfide bonds. In addition, its activity was found to markedly increase during development of embryonic muscle. The physiological role of this inhibitor, however, remains unknown.

Expression of the amylase gene in the rat exocrine pancreas during postnatal development: effect of dexamethasone

Pancreatic amylase enzyme activity starts to increase rapidly around weaning (17-21 days) and reaches the adult level during postnatal development in the rat. To see whether the maturation of amylase involves changes in amylase gene expression, total pancreatic RNA was prepared from rats of various ages (term-fetus, 5, 10, 15, 20, 28 days and adult). Northern blots of these RNAs were probed with amylase cDNA. Levels of amylase mRNA peaked around 10 days i.e., about 1 week prior to peak amylase enzyme activity. The role of glucocorticoid in pancreatic amylase development was studied by giving rat pups at ages 5, 10 and 30 days a single injection (i.p.) of dexamethasone (DX). They and their littermates (controls) were killed 24 and 48 h after the injection. Increases in amylase mRNA levels were seen in the DX treated 5- and 10-day-old groups with corresponding increases in amylase enzyme activities. A slight decrease in amylase mRNA level was, however, observed in the DX treated 30-day-old pups which also had a slight decrease in amylase enzyme activity suggesting an age dependent differential responsiveness to DX. A time sequence study with 10-day-old pups killed after a single injection of DX at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h showed a rapid increase in mRNA levels which peaked around 12 h. Amylase enzyme activity, however, did not peak until 24 h after DX injection. These results suggest that pancreatic amylase is regulated at the level of gene expression in both normal- and DX-induced maturation. Regulation appears to occur at the transcription level as both increases to amylase activity and mRNA were blocked by actinomycin D.

Digestibility of native and modified starches: in vitro studies with human and rabbit pancreatic amylases and in vivo studies in rabbits

The effects of cooking and chemical modification of purified starches on the relative rates and extent of their hydrolysis were studied in vitro by using purified human and rabbit pancreatic amylases. Comparison was made with an in vivo study of postprandial glucose and insulin response in adult rabbits. Uncooked starches showed negligible hydrolysis in vitro, whereas cooking (10 min, 100 degrees C) increased both the rate and extent of hydrolysis of all starches. Soluble potato starch was the most and potato amylose the least hydrolyzed. Unmodified tapioca and waxy corn starch were hydrolyzed at the same rate and to the same extent as soluble potato starches. In most cases chemical modification did not change the rate and extent of hydrolysis of the starches. Minor differences between human and rabbit pancreatic amylase exist, but there is a general resemblance between the two amylases in their starch-hydrolyzing properties (correlation coefficient = 0.90; P less than 0.001). The in vivo study showed that uncooked starches elicited no detectable glucose and insulin responses, whereas all the cooked starches except amylose caused glucose and insulin responses comparable to the response seen when feeding glucose. Chemically modified starches (especially waxy corn acetylated distarch adipate) seemed to promote a faster rate of absorption, but the total glucose response (i.e., for the entire 180-min duration) was similar for modified starches and their unmodified counter-parts. The in vivo results showed an overall qualitative similarity to the in vitro results but presented a quantitative difference in the magnitude of the responses for various starch preparations. A good correlation exists between the in vitro and in vivo results (correlation coefficient = 0.84; P less than 0.01). This indicates that the action of pancreatic amylases is an important determinant in the digestion and absorption of these carbohydrates.

Immunoglobulin concentrations in duodenal fluid of infants and children

The immunoglobulin content of duodenal fluid in children at different ages has not as yet been determined, while that of serum, feces, and saliva has been well established. In 92 normal infants, children, and young adults on whom duodenal intubation was performed, duodenal fluid IgA, IgM, and IgG levels were measured. From these data, a developmental profile of immunoglobulins in duodenal fluid from 2 weeks of life to 19 years was obtained. Duodenal fluid IgA, IgM, and IgG appeared to maintain rather constant levels. The grand mean IgA level was lower than the mean IgG level (12.7 +/- 0.8 vs 29.1 +/- 2.5 mg/g of protein). Secretory component was detected in all duodenal fluids. IgG concentrations were greater than those of IgM (29.1 +/- 2.5 vs 13.2 +/- 1.4 mg/g of protein) over all age ranges. The developmental patterns of all immunoglobulins appeared to be different from those observed in serum or saliva with the exception of duodenal fluid IgA, which has a pattern similar to that of salivary IgA.

Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy after intracoronary injection of 99m Tc-labeled human albumin microspheres. Toxicity and efficacy for detecting myocardial infarction in dogs; preliminary results in man

Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy was performed in 30 intact anesthetized dogs following intracoronary injection of 99m Tc-labeled human albumin microspheres (HAM). The normal dog myocardial image pattern was established. This technic detected myocardial infarcts resulting from small vessel occlusions and flush coronary branch occlusions when the coronary angiogram appeared normal. Myocardial infarcts as small as 1½ cm were seen. Toxicologic studies in 47 dogs failed to demonstrate significant changes in blood pressure, heart rate, electrocardiogram, or serum CPK activity following intracoronary injections of HAM in doses up to 200 times that required for adequate myocardial scintigraphy. Gross and microscopic examination of hearts 1-6 weeks after HAM injection showed minor abnormalities also seen in matched controls receiving coronary arteriography alone. Preliminary results in 33 patients substantiate the safety of this technic. Human myocardial scintigrams reported here reveal anatomic detail not previously demonstrated by other external imaging methods.