Cyclosporine A increases the intensity of Toxocara canis infection in swiss mice.

Toxocariasis is a zoonotic disease of worldwide distribution. The connection between parasitic diseases and conditions that depress the immune system, such as the use of immunosuppressive drugs, has been studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Cyclosporine A (CsA) on the intensity of infection, humoral response and gene transcription of interleukins IL-4, IL-10 and IL-12 in mice experimentally infected with Toxocara canis. To this end, mice were divided into two groups treated with CsA (G1: 10 mg/Kg and G2: 50 mg/kg), the G3 and G4 group received PBS. After the last administration of the drug or PBS (orally every 48 hours for 15 days), groups G1, G2 and G3 were inoculated with 1200 eggs of T. canis. Was collected blood samples on days zero, 15 and 30 days post-inoculation (PI), for ELISA test and the mice were euthanized 30 days PI. The organs and striated muscle tissue were collected for the recovery of larvae. The splenocytes were analyzed by RT-PCR. The intensity of infection in the mice treated with 50 mg/kg of CsA was 65.5% higher than in the control group (p=0.001). An analysis of the kinetics of anti-Toxocara antibody revealed that the groups treated with CsA showed significantly higher mean levels of antibodies on day 15 PI. The transcription of the three tested interleukins showed no statistical difference between G2 and G3 (control). It was concluded that the immunosuppression triggered by CsA (50 mg/Kg) favored the establishment of a larger number of T. canis larvae without, however, altering immunoglobulin production and IL-4, IL-10 and IL-12 transcription on day 30 PI.

Making Primary Literature Come Alive in the Classroom.

By the time young scholars graduate college, they are expected to be prepared for their career. The knowledge that they have gained during their undergraduate education is assumed to prepare them for their future occupation. Understanding primary academic literature is absolutely imperative for scientists who are expected to be able to read, understand, explain, and incorporate literature into their work. Unfortunately, many new graduates are only exposed to traditional learning methods such as textbook readings, lectures, or slide shows about primary literature. It is important that while in college, students learn about the rich content of the literature that serves as the foundation for their respective fields. We review methods for integrating primary literature into the classroom and separate them into three components including (1) introduction to the literature, (2) enhancement of literacy and comprehension, (3) and humanizing the literature. These methods of teaching and learning are far more captivating than simply memorizing facts for a test. The brilliance of these methods is that they can be completed within one class time or throughout a semester. The goal is to help students become comfortable with literature, which does not have to be restricted by any time frame. It is our hope that this review of existing tools and ideas provided will help set students up for success in their field. They allow students to practice knowing and using primary literature while requiring students to be active participants in scientific discovery related to their future occupation.

Occurrence and distribution of sequence types among Legionella pneumophila strains isolated from patients in Germany: common features and differences to other regions of the world.

A total of 105 unrelated clinical isolates of Legionella pneumophila were randomly selected from the German National Legionella strain collection and typed by monoclonal antibody (MAb) subgrouping and a seven-gene locus sequence-based typing (SBT) scheme. According to the case definitions of the European Working Group for Legionella Infections, 19 of the isolates tested were travel-associated, 38 were community-acquired and 48 were of nosocomial origin. Eighty-four of these strains belonged to serogroup 1, 20 belonged to other serogroups, and one isolate could not be serogrouped. The majority of strains among the travel-associated and community-acquired cases were MAb3-1-positive. The most common sequence type (1, 4, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1) was found in 20 isolates in 11 cities; other allelic profiles also found in Europe (2, 3, 9, 10, 2, 1, 6), (1, 3, 9, 10, 2, 1, 6), (2, 6, 17, 14, 13, 11, 11) and (3, 4, 1, 1, 1, 9, 1) were detected among the German isolates but at a low frequency. In contrast, some SBT are unique to Germany, including (3, 4, 1, 3, 35, 9, 11), which was found among five isolates from patients in Berlin. In concordance with European data, a significant portion of the L. pneumophila strains isolated from patients in Germany belong to clones that occur throughout the world and which are responsible for the majority of clinical cases.

Purchasing oncology services. Kerr L. White Institute/American Cancer Society Task Force on Purchasing Oncology Services.

BACKGROUND: A multidisciplinary panel representing various stakeholders in the health care delivery and oncology services marketplace was convened to develop specific criteria for healthcare purchasers to consider when evaluating the structures and processes of health plans. These rank ordered criteria also can be used by oncologic service providers and health plan designers as a yardstick for the services they offer. METHODS: A multidisciplinary 31-member Task Force was assembled by the Kerr L. White Institute and the American Cancer Society in March 1997. Task Force members were selected for their ability to offer expert insight as purchasers, suppliers, policymakers, consumers, or stakeholders in the health care marketplace. A preference-weighted majority voting rule was used to identify the three most important recommendations of the 10 that were generated through a modified Delphi technique. To test the practicality of the top three recommendations, leaders of large managed care organizations (MCOs) were surveyed; the results of this survey then were compared with the results of the Task Force survey. RESULTS: The three most important recommendations from the Task Force were that health plans provide access to: 1) comprehensive cancer care, 2) preventive and screening services, and 3) second opinions and treatment options supported by scientific evidence. The difference between the responses of the Task Force and the MCOs was that MCOs placed the highest importance on evidence-based decision-making, with their next three rankings coinciding with those identified by the Task Force. CONCLUSIONS: The value of these summary recommendations will be realized through their use by both purchasers and suppliers to influence the structure and content of the delivery of oncologic services.

[Incidence of resistance and risk factors for resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A retrospective study of 1,055 patients of a specialty hospital 1984 to 1993]. / Resistenzhäufigkeit und Risikofaktoren für Resistenz bei Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Eine retrospektive Untersuchung von 1055 Patienten eines Fachkrankenhauses von 1984 bis 1993.

For the past decade, there have been no data on the time course of drug-resistant tuberculosis and on risk factors for drug resistance in former West Germany. We reviewed the medical records of all patients with positive cultures for Mycobacterium tuberculosis from 1984 until 1993 in a hospital near Hamburg. Drug-susceptibility testing was performed for isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, and streptomycin, using the modified proportion method. Of 1,055 patient, 9.6% had isolates resistant to one or more drugs. Of the isolates, 5.8% showed resistance to isoniazid or rifampicin and 1.8% to both isoniazid and rifampicin. There was no significant change of the resistance rate during the study period. Twenty six percent of 89 patients from South America, Africa or Asia had isolates resistant to one or more drugs, compared with 7.6% of 799 patients born in Germany (odds ratio (OR) 4.2; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.5-7.3). Among patients born in Germany, 32% of 101 patients with a history of prior antituberculosis drug therapy had resistant organisms, versus 4.2% of 698 patients without prior therapy (OR 10.7; 95% CI 6.1-18.7). Resistance orates for 35 patients, who had been treated within the last 5 yrs, and for 65 patients, who had been treated more than 5 yrs ago, were 57 and 17%, respectively (OR 6.6; 95% CI 2.9-16.6). Our results suggest that there is no increase in the proportion of drug-resistant tuberculosis in our hospital, and that patients with a recent history of antituberculosis drug therapy and patients from South America, Africa, or Asia are at high risk for drug resistance.

Drug-resistant tuberculosis in northern Germany: a retrospective hospital-based study of 1,055 patients from 1984 until 1993.

For the past decade, there have been no data on the time course of drug resistant tuberculosis and on risk factors for drug resistance in former West Germany. We reviewed the medical records of all patients with positive cultures for Mycobacterium tuberculosis from 1984 until 1993 in a hospital near Hamburg. Drug-susceptibility testing was performed for isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, and streptomycin, using the modified proportion method. Of 1,055 patients, 9.6% had isolates resistant to one or more drugs. Of the isolates, 5.8% showed resistance to isoniazid or rifampicin and 1.8% to both isoniazid and rifampicin. There was no significant change of the resistance rate during the study period. Twenty six percent of 89 patients from South America, Africa or Asia had isolates resistant to one or more drugs, compared with 7.6% of 799 patients born in Germany (odds ratio (OR) 4.2; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.5-7.3). Among patients born in Germany, 32% of 101 patients with a history of prior anti-tuberculosis drug therapy had resistant organisms, versus 4.2% of 698 patients without prior therapy (OR 10.7; 95% CI 6.1-18.7). Resistance rates for 35 patients, who had been treated within the last 5 yrs, and for 65 patients, who had been treated more than 5 yrs ago, were 57 and 17%, respectively (OR 6.6; 95% CI 2.9-16.6). Our results suggest that there is no increase in the proportion of drug-resistant tuberculosis in our hospital, and that patients with a recent history of antituberculosis drug therapy and patients from South America, Africa, or Asia are at high risk for drug resistance.

The ESEM used to image crystalline structures of polymers and to image ink on paper.

This article describes two cases in which the advantages of the ESEM have been exploited in unanticipated ways. First, we have found that etching occurs as the electron beam scans the surface of uncoated polymers in the ESEM. The surface topography caused by this etching, as seen in ESEM images, reflects the morphology of crystalline structures in the polymers. This technique has been valuable in the study of such textures in polymers. The second application is related to our use of the ESEM in support of research on the deinking of paper. In this effort we have learned that an unconventional contrast mechanism can be used during ESEM imaging to distinguish between inked and non-inked areas of newsprint. Under usual operating conditions, ESEM imaging does not distinguish between inked and non-inked areas. However, at relatively low sample chamber pressures the non-inked areas appear brighter than inked areas in ESEM images.