Reduced hematopoietic function and enhanced radiosensitivity of transforming growth factor-beta1 transgenic mice.

The cytokine transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) has been implicated in some tissue responses to radiation. Previous studies have demonstrated that exogenous TGF-beta1 increased the lethality of radiation in mice, but the effects of endogenous TGF-beta1 have not been investigated. To this end, we examined mice that are transgenic for active TGF-beta1 (Alb/TGF-beta1), over-expressed via an albumin promoter in the liver with resultant elevation of circulating levels of this cytokine. Alb/TGF-beta1 mice subjected to 8 Gy of total body irradiation at 3 or 5 weeks of age experienced significantly higher mortality than wild type age- and sex-matched controls by 1 to 2 weeks after irradiation. Alb/TGF-beta1 3 weeks of age also succumbed to 2 and 4 Gy of whole-body irradiation, while no mortality was observed in wild type mice. Four-week-old Alb/TGF-beta1 mice exhibited mild anemia and mild uremia. At one week after whole body irradiation with 2 Gy, 4-week-old Alb/TGF-beta1 mice had significantly reduced white blood cell counts, hematocrit, and platelet counts. Histopathologically, irradiated Alb/TGF-beta1 mice exhibited decreased bone marrow cellularity and decreased splenic extramedullary hematopoiesis. These results suggest that chronic over-expression of active TGF-beta1 is associated with increased radiosensitivity and that this effect may be mediated by increased sensitivity of bone marrow to the suppressive effects of radiation. Since TGF-beta1 levels can be greatly elevated in patients with certain tumors, these findings may be significant for radiotherapy. Int. J. Cancer (Radiat. Oncol. Invest.) 90, 13-21 (2000). Published 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Psychomotor and audiological assessment of infants born to mothers with subclinical thyroid dysfunction in early pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the frequency and the effects of various degrees of maternal thyroid dysfunction in the first trimester of pregnancy, before the onset of fetal thyroid function, on psychomotor and audiological outcome of the offspring. METHODS: In a cohort of 691 pregnant women, undergoing thyroid screening between the 8th and 10th gestational week, eight were found to have a subclinical form of hypothyroidism and one was frankly hypothyroid. Treatment with L-thyroxine was started soon after diagnosis was made. Their nine offspring had a psychomotor and audiological assessment at the age of nine months. Psychomotor development was evaluated with the Brunet-Lèzine test, while audiological function was assessed with auditory brainstem responses (ABR's). RESULTS: Psychomotor developmental quotients were not different in patients and controls (99 +/- 6 vs 101 +/- 4). Regarding ABR pattern, there were no significant differences between patients and controls. Moreover, no correlation was found between maternal fT4 and psychomotor as well as audiological outcome in the offspring. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are reassuring, since various degrees of maternal thyroid dysfunction in early pregnancy seem to have no adverse effects on the psychomotor and audiological outcome of the offspring up to nine months of age. A longer follow-up however is needed before definitive statements can be made.

Fungicidal activity of cecropin A.

Cecropin A (CA) fungicidal properties were explored. Nongerminated and germinated Aspergillus spp. and Fusarium spp. conidia were treated with CA. CA achieved complete lethality at < or = 25 microM (99 micrograms/ml) for germinating, but not nongerminating, conidia of Aspergillus spp. CA achieved total lethality for nongerminated and germinating conidia of Fusarium spp at 1.5 microM (6 micrograms/ml). MIC and minimal lethal concentration assays in buffered RPMI medium gave similar results.

[Prenatal diagnosis of the pentalogy of Cantrell combined with exencephaly and amniotic band syndrome]. / Pränatale Diagnose einer Cantrellschen Pentalogie kombiniert mit Exenzephalie und Amnionbridensyndrom.

A case of pentalogy of Cantrell associated with exencephaly and amniotic band syndrome, detected by ultrasound and then confirmed by pathological findings, is reported. Both conditions are very rare, usually occurring as a single anomaly; their association has not been reported in the literature. One should consider in differential diagnosis of pentalogy of Cantrell the omphalocele and the body stalk syndrome, and of exencephaly the osteogenesis imperfecta together with disorders of mineralisation. A viral infection could play a part in the aetiology of this condition.

252Cf plasma-desorption mass spectrometry of lipid A from Enterobacter agglomerans.

Endotoxins from gram-negative bacteria are believed to be causative agents of byssinosis, an occupational pulmonary disease associated with exposure to cotton dust in textile mills. Lipid A preparations from Enterobacter agglomerans, a gram-negative bacterium commonly found in cotton and cotton dust, have been analyzed using plasma-desorption mass spectrometry. Results indicate the existence of at least two lipid A types which differ only by the presence of an additional oxygen atom whose position has been localized to the acyloxyacyl ester-linked side-chain of the distal portion of the molecule. The lower molecular weight compound of the two structures has the same molecular weight and presumably the same empirical formula as a well-characterized lipid A from Salmonella minnesota. The mass spectra of lipid A compounds obtained from S. minnesota and E. agglomerans show strong similarities. Palmitoyl, hydroxymyristoyl, myristoyl, and lauroyl side-chains which are known to be present in the former are inferred from spectral evidence to be present in the latter.

[HELLP syndrome]. / La sindrome Hellp.

The Hellp syndrome is a rare complication of hypertension in pregnancy, characterized by haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and thrombocytopenia. Since the disease progresses very rapidly, it is important for successful treatment, to make an early diagnosis, evaluating the typical laboratory data changes, which are evident prior to clinical manifestations. Means of diagnosis and therapeutic approach are described, on the basis of personal experience.

[Transitory osteoporosis in pregnancy; diagnosis with MRI. Case report]. / Transitorische Osteoporose in der Schwangerschaft; Diagnose mittels MRI. Fallbericht.

A case of transitory osteoporosis of the hips in pregnancy is reported. Through knowledge of the typical course of the disease and exact diagnosis with MRI, expensive therapy can be avoided. Suspicion of a transitory osteoporosis in pregnancy is a clear indication for performing an MRI.

Biophysical alteration of lung surfactant by extracts of cotton dust.

Byssinosis, a lung disease that can affect cotton mill workers, may be caused in part by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Gram negative bacteria. In vitro, LPS complexes with sheep lung surfactant (SLS). To determine whether LPS in extracts of cotton dust alters the biophysical characteristics of lung surfactant, aqueous extracts (1.0% w:v) of sterile surgical cotton (SSC) and a bulk raw cotton dust (1182DB) were prepared. Aliquots of the soluble extracts were incubated with SLS and studied by sucrose gradient centrifugation, surface tension analysis, and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The chromatography was employed to analyse for 3-hydroxymyristate (3-HM), a fatty acid indicating LPS. Also, purified Enterobacter agglomerans LPS and 3-HM as controls and as mixtures with SLS, were studied by HPLC. Sucrose gradient centrifugation showed that SLS-SSC, SLS-1182DB, and the SLS control had similar densities that differed from the remaining controls. The SLS-1182DB exhibited a floccule absent in the other samples. Surface tension values of SLS-SSC and SLS-1182DB differed significantly from all controls but only slightly from one another. 3-Hydroxymyristate was detected by HPLC in the 3-HM control, EA-LPS, SLS-EA-LPS, and SLS-1182DB, but not in SLS-SSC or the remaining controls. Apparently, 3-HM was below the HPLC detection range in SSC. The data indicate that LPS in the 1182DB, SSC and EA-LPS samples complexed with SLS. Floccule development in SLS-1182DB but not in SLS-EA-LPS suggests a further component(s) present in the bulk raw cotton dust, as well as LPS, which complexes with SLS. The data suggest that biophysical alterations to lung surfactant may play a part in the pathogenesis of byssinosis.

[Detection of varicella virus with a DNA probe in fetal blood and amniotic fluid]. / Nachweis des Varizellenvirus mit der DNA-Sonde im fetalen Blut und im Fruchtwasser.

In our Centre for Prenatal Diagnosis, we undertook a punctuation of the umbilical cord on a pregnant woman infected with varicella, complicated by viral encephalitis, to diagnose a foetal viraemia. In cooperation with the Toma Laboratory and Clonit Ltd., who have long been working on the development of specific viral genome probes, we succeeded in proving, that the foetus had contracted varicella.

[Lahodny's operation: technique and procedure of the plastic repair of the m. levator ani]. / Operazione secondo Lahodny: tecnica di esecuzione della plastica ventrale dell'elevatore dell'ano.

The technical details are described for preparing and carrying out plasty of the ventral medial portion of the elevator ani. These are essential for a successful outcome of this stage of Lahodny's procedure for the surgical treatment of female urinary incontinence and descensus vaginae using an exclusively vaginal approach.

Factors influencing endotoxin concentrations on cotton grown in hot, humid environments: a two year study.

Cotton leaf, bract, fibre from opened bolls, and soil samples were collected weekly during two growing seasons (1984, 1985). Total and Gram negative bacterial populations were determined for each sample. Representative bacterial isolates were identified and endotoxin concentrations determined. For both years total and Gram negative bacterial populations on all sample types remained relatively stable until plant senescence. Afterwards, until plant death by frost, counts for all samples increased dramatically. Enterobacter agglomerans was the predominant species on leaf and bract, whereas the "all other" Gram negative bacterial species classification was the most common on fibre, with E agglomerans a close second. Senescence affected the occurrence of the species isolated. Statistical analysis partitioned by sample type showed strong correlations between endotoxin concentrations and certain bacteriological and environmental variables. The data suggest that in hot, humid environments the concentration of endotoxin on cotton leaf, bract, and fibre may be predicted by total and Gram negative bacterial counts, daily high temperature, and week after plant germination.

Enterobacter agglomerans lipopolysaccharide-induced changes in pulmonary surfactant as a factor in the pathogenesis of byssinosis.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Enterobacter agglomerans and pulmonary surfactant mixtures were centrifuged in discontinuous sucrose gradients to determine whether LPS bound to surfactant and examined in a Langmuir trough with a Wilhelmy balance to determine whether LPS altered the surface activity of surfactant. The LPS was found to bind to the surfactant and altered its surface tension properties. The binding of LPS to surfactant in the lung may change the physiological properties of surfactant and be a possible mechanism for the pathogenesis of byssinosis.

Seasonal variation in aerobic bacterial populations and endotoxin concentrations in grain dusts.

Settled and respirable grain dust samples were collected at intervals over a 16-month period at two grain terminals on the lower Mississippi River. Total and gram-negative aerobic bacterial (GNB) populations, as well as endotoxin concentrations, were studied. Plate counts indicated that no viable bacteria were found to be present in the respirable samples. Endotoxin concentrations ranged from 0.0 to 6.4 ng (0.0 to 7.9 ng/m3 air) per respirable sample, indicating that bacteria were once viable in dust of respirable size or contamination occurred from larger, non-respirable particles. Numbers of bacteria from settled dusts, both total and GNB, remained relatively stable; however, the genera of the GNB populations varied. Enterobacter agglomerans was the predominant species in warm months, but not in winter. Pseudomonas and Klebsiella species increased in winter and decreased in summer. Other genera found were Citrobacter and Serratia. Endotoxin concentrations in settled dust samples ranged from 1.7 to 5.6 ng/mg dust.