Clinicopathological studies on thyroglossal duct remnant

The clinicopathological findings in 48 cases underwent complete surgical excision of epithelial tissue of the thyoglossal duct remnants were reviewed. Simple incision of the cyst does not seem to have any therapeutic value and would be followed frequently by recurrence. The widely used Sistrunk procedure 2,6 surgical excision of the central portion of the hyoid bone together with fibrous tract extending to the base of tongue, seems to be warranted in some cases so long as complete eradication of the epithelial tissue can be made.

Taxonomic study and fermentation of producing organism and antimicrobial activity of mildiomycin

A taxonomic study of strain B-98891, which produced an antibiotic effective against powdery mildew of barley, identified it as Streptoverticillium rimofaciens. On agar media the antibiotic, which was named mildiomycin, was only weakly active against most fungi and bacteria tested. However, it inhibited some Mycobacterium and Rhodotorula, and it showed excellent control of powdery mildew of barley plants in greenhouse tests at concentrations between 31.2 and 62.5 ppm. Rhodotorula rubra IFO 0907 was selected as the test organism for in vitro assay of mildiomycin.

Diagnostic skin test reactions with varicella virus antigen and clinical application of the test

Varicella virus antigen was prepared and used in skin testing of 75 children one to 17 years old. Results of skin tests were analyzed in relation to history of varicella, presence of absence of neutralizing antibody, and susceptibility to clinical varicella. All 22 children with no history of varicella and no neutralizing antibody were negative in the skin test when an erythematous change of greater than or equal to 5 mm in diameter was taken as a positive result. Of the 53 children with neutralizing antibody, only three were negative in the skin test. The skin test was applied clinically in an institution for mentally retarded children immediately after varicella infection occurred in a patient. A total of 65 patients were examined by the skin test, and 24 children with negative results were given live varicella virus vaccine. As a result, no spread of varicella was observed except for three cases, which developed two weeks after onset of illness in the index case. Thus the skin test seems clinically useful in the determination of susceptibility of individuals to clinical varicella.

Isomeric composition of retinal chromophore in dark-adapted bacteriorhodopsin

1. Retinal isomers extracted from the acid-hydrolysate of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-treated dark-adapted bacteriorhodopsin (bRD) were analyzed in a high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) system. The extract from bRD contains almost equal molar amounts of both 13-cis retinal and all-trans retinal isomers. The extent of isomerization and the yield of both isomers during the isolation process were investigated by the application of the same extraction procedure to artificial bacteriorhodopsin reconstituted with 13-cis retinal isomer (13-cis bacteriorhodopsin) and also to light-adapted bacteriorhodopsin (bRL) which has been shown to contain only the all-trans isomer (all-trans bacteriorhodopsin). 2. A reconstituted bacteriorhodopsin, which had been prepared from apo-bacteriorhodopsin and an equimolar mixture of both 13-cis retinal and all-trans retinal isomers, showed an absorption spectrum having the same maximum wavelength as that of bRD even at the beginning of the reconstitution process. 3. Analysis of the photosteady states of bRD at -190 degrees C revealed that it was composed of two different species, one having 13-cis retinal and the other having all-trans retinal isomers in approximately equal molar amounts. These two also gave their respective photoproducts. 4. From these results it can be concluded that bRD contains both 13-cis retinal and all-trans retinal isomers in nearly equal molar amounts as its chromophore.

Application of a live varicella vaccine in children with acute leukemia or other malignant diseases

A live varicella vaccine was used in 11 susceptible children in remission from acute leukemia, ten of whom had been in remission for six months or less, and in 6 children with neuroblastoma and retinoblastoma. In the immunological checkup before vaccination, most of them showed a positive reaction in the skin tests with dinitrochlorobenzene, phytohemagglutinin, purified protein derivative, and viral antigens. Leukopenia (three cases, less than 3,000/cu mm) and decreased IgG level (two cases, 380 mg/dl and 445 mg/dl) were observed in the children with leukemia. Anticancer medication was suspended from one week before vaccination to one week after vaccination. The only clinical reaction was a minute rash that appeared three weeks after vaccination in two children with leukemia and that disappeared within three days. Serological responses by complement fixing and neutralizing (NT) tests were detected in all the vaccinated children four weeks after vaccination, and NT antibody was still detected 28 months after vaccination in the two patients tested. Three of the vaccines were exposed to natural varicella at home and in the classroom 2 to 18 months after vaccination, but they were free from any varicella symptoms.

Streptomyces novoguineensis sp. Nov., an amipurimycin producer, and antimicrobial activity of amipurimycin

A taxonomic study of Streptomyces strain T-36496, which produces an antibiotic effective against rice blast, revealed that it represented a new taxon and it was named Streptomyces novoguineensis sp. nov. The antibiotic, which was named amipurimycin, showed antifungal activity in vitro and considerable curative effect onleaf blast both in green house and field tests at concentrations ranging from 10 to 20 ppm. It was also effective against neck and panicle blast at the same concentration range.