Fomes pectinatis: an aeroallergen in India.

This work is focused on the aerobiology and allergenicity of Fomes pectinatis in India. The atmospheric concentration of Fomes basidiospores was recorded and the antigens were prepared from spore (FSE) and whole body (FWBE) materials. The intradermal (ID) and prick (PT) skin tests were conducted on 172 patients having respiratory allergy. The period from July to October has been recorded as having a higher concentration of Fomes spores. The maximum counts (67 spores/m3) were observed from the North Delhi site in the month of July, 1989, compared with 550 spores/m3 in the South Delhi site. Marked skin positivity (2+ and above) varied from 9.8% to FSE to 22% to FWBE. Nine out of twelve ID positive patients (2+ to 3+) to FSE also gave PT positive response. For FWBE, similar ID and PT response was obtained in 80% of cases. The soluble protein content of FSE was 0.37 mg/ml, whereas, for FWBE it was 0.70 mg/ml. It was observed through ELISA that almost all patients had significantly raised FP specific IgE levels in their sera. The current study, therefore, indicates that Fomes pectinatis may be a prevalent aeroallergen in India.

Rejuvenation of epididymal principal cells by prolactin under androgen deficiency.

Influence of prolactin on the ultrastructure of principal cells lining the epididymal epithelium was investigated in Wistar rats. Orchidectomy produced degenerative changes suggesting that structural integrity of principal cell is maintained by factors originating in the testis. The atrophic changes in the principal cell of ordhidectomised rats were significantly reversed when prolactin was administered to these animals. The number of cells that responded were found to increase with the dose of prolactin injected. On the otherhand, bromocryptine treatment did not appreciably change the ultrastructure of principal cells in orchidectomised rats. Results suggest that prolactin may have a rejuvenating epididymal principal cells in androgen deficient states.

Impact of prolactin on epididymal lipid profile in castrated rats.

Prolactin treatment to castrated rats led to accumulation of triacylglycerol and esterified cholesterol. There was no appreciable drift in epididymal cholesterol: phospholipid ratio between the prolactin treated and control animals. However, further analysis of phospholipids showed a build up of phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine but a drop in the levels of phosphatidyl serine and sphingomyelin in prolactin treated castrated rats as compared to those castrated animals injected with vehicle alone. Changes in phospholipids reported above were prominently seen in the group of castrated rats that received 100 micrograms oPRL/100 g body weight but not in those animals which received either lower or higher doses of the hormone. Interestingly, bromocryptine treatment in castrated rats produced a general depletion in the levels of all lipid classes studied in the epididymis. It is suggested that this may be due to impaired synthesis and/or increased breakdown of lipids in this organ.

Survey of airborne culturable and non-culturable fungi at different sites in Delhi metropolis.

A two year aerobiological survey for culturable and non-culturable fungi was conducted at human height at five different sites in Delhi metropolis. Burkard Personal Volumetric Sampler for petriplates and slide exposures were used for sampling the air. With simultaneous petriplate and slide exposure a total of 98 fungal forms were recorded. Cladosporium contributed for 25-40% of total airborne fungi followed by Ustilago (smuts) (24%) Aspergillus flavus (10-13%), Alternaria (11%) and A. niger (8%). Basidiomycetes contributed 7-13% at different sites. The frequency of occurrence of these types varied from 50-98%. In general fungal concentration was high from July to April with low counts in winter (January) and dry and hot summer (May-June). Quantitative variations in the spore counts were found to be statistically significant within the same urban locality.

Modulation in activity of some epididymal glycosidases by prolactin.

Activity of glycosidases in the epididymis was influenced by several factors originating in the testis. Activities of all the three glycosidases studied viz., beta-glucosidase, beta-galactosidase and alpha-mannosidase were found to be significantly lower in the epididymis of orchidectomized animals than in sham operated rats. However, an enhanced activity of epididymal beta-galactosidase and alpha-mannosidase was noticed in prolactin treated orchidectomized rats compared to orchidectomized rats given vehicle alone. On the other hand, activity of these two enzymes in bromocriptine treated orchidectomized rats was even lower than that found in orchidectomized rats given vehicle. Neither prolactin nor bromocriptine treatment had any significant influence on the epididymal beta-glucosidase. The results suggest a selective but definite action of prolactin on epididymal glycosidases.