ABSTRACT
AIMS: To develop a rapid and simple genus-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detecting and identifying isolates of the genus Azospirillum which is well-recognized as plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nine pairs of PCR primers were designed based on the Azospirillum 16S rRNA, ipdC, nifA and nifH genes to assess their genus specificity by testing against 12 Azospirillum (from seven species) and 15 non-Azospirillum reference strains, as compared with the fAZO/rAZO pair reported by Baudoin et al. (J Appl Microbiol, 108, 2010, 25). Among the primer pairs assessed, the Az16S-A pair designed on the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed the highest genus specificity: it successfully yielded a single amplicon of the expected size in all the 12 Azospirillum strains and for a close relative, Rhodocista centenaria. The PCR with the Az16S-A primers generated a detectable amount of the amplicon from ≥10³ CFU ml⻹ of Azospirillum cell suspensions even in the presence of contaminants and accurately discriminated Azospirillum and non-Azospirillum species in both 35 Azospirillum-like and 70 unknown isolates from plant roots and rhizosphere soils. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a rapid and simple PCR method for detecting and identifying Azospirillum isolates within populations of rhizosphere bacteria. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The method developed would serve as a useful tool for isolating a variety of indigenous Azospirillum bacteria from agricultural samples.
Subject(s)
Azospirillum/classification , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Rhizosphere , Soil Microbiology , Azospirillum/genetics , Azospirillum/isolation & purification , Base Sequence , DNA Primers/genetics , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , Genes, Bacterial , Limit of Detection , Plant Roots/microbiology , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Species SpecificityABSTRACT
A case of adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix that showed choriocarcinomatous and hepatoid differentiation was encountered in a 65-year-old woman. She presented with genital bleeding and had multiple metastatic nodules in the lungs. At operation, a large, hemorrhagic, and necrotic tumor was found in the uterine cervix. The major portion of the tumor consisted of typical choriocarcinoma admixed with minor areas of hepatoid carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma. Human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha-fetoprotein were detected in tumor cells in the choriocarcinomatous and hepatoid areas, respectively. The patient died of pulmonary metastasis 4 months after the operation. The coexistence of choriocarcinomatous and hepatoid carcinoma in an endocervical adenocarcinoma has not been reported previously. Both heterotopic components were probably derived from aberrant differentiation (or neometaplasia) of the somatic epithelial cells of the endocervical adenocarcinoma.
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/diagnosis , Choriocarcinoma/diagnosis , Choristoma/diagnosis , Liver , Neoplasms, Multiple Primary/diagnosis , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/diagnosis , Adenocarcinoma/pathology , Aged , Carcinoembryonic Antigen/blood , Choriocarcinoma/pathology , Chorionic Gonadotropin/blood , Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human/blood , Choristoma/pathology , Female , Humans , Lung Neoplasms/secondary , Neoplasms, Multiple Primary/pathology , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/pathology , Uterine Hemorrhage , alpha-Fetoproteins/analysisABSTRACT
The authors report six very low birth weight newborn infants who had RDS, IVH and cerebellar porencephalus and later suffered from West syndrome. Four of them have been followed up to the present time and have had MRI scans performed. Their present clinico-neurological features and MRI findings are described. The authors also raise the possibility of prevention of mental deterioration if anticipatory treatment is started early. Very low birth weight newborn infants with cerebellar porencephalus should be observed more carefully with clinical and EEG examinations to detect infantile spasms earlier and to protect them from further mental deterioration.
Subject(s)
Cerebellar Diseases/complications , Cysts/complications , Spasms, Infantile/etiology , Age of Onset , Carbamazepine/therapeutic use , Cerebellar Diseases/diagnosis , Child , Child, Preschool , Cysts/diagnosis , Electroencephalography , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Low Birth Weight , Infant, Newborn , Intellectual Disability/complications , Intellectual Disability/physiopathology , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Nitrazepam/therapeutic use , Spasms, Infantile/diagnosis , Spasms, Infantile/drug therapyABSTRACT
We report a patient with the Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome accompanied by congenital hydrocephalus, which was slowly progressive and an Ommaya's reservoir was set up. However, the hydrocephalus remained stable even when the shunt was removed due to infection. Generalized tonic clonic convulsions had appeared from six months after birth and were treated with valproic acid. The electroencephalogram showed hypsarrhythmia. He died at eight months of age. Autopsy revealed extensive micropolygyria of the bilateral cerebral hemispheres and hydrocephalus. To our knowledge, it is rare for the Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome to be accompanied by congenital hydrocephalus, and there has been no previous report of its occurrence with micropolygyria.
