Trichoderma infection of limno-terrestrial tardigrades.

Interactions between fungi and tardigrades have scarcely been described. The few studies that address such relationships suggest a primarily parasitic nature for various fungal taxa, including the infectious chytridiomycetes. The aim of this study was to determine the identity of a fungus growing on a tardigrade of the genus Diaforobiotus and if it could infect other tardigrade genera.

Medical Education to Improve Rural Population Health: A Chain of Evidence From Alabama.

Purpose: To provide evidence that medical education is associated with population health in order to support adaptation of medical school programs to address populations with health disparities. We explored medical education efforts, local physician supply, and life expectancy in Alabama.

Methods: County-level public data of the number of students accepted to medical schools in 2008 and 2011, primary care physicians, life expectancy, and demographic/contextual variables were analyzed to develop a model for hypothesized associations.

Cell membrane glycoproteins of human mast cells: a biochemical comparison with basophils.

The relationship of mast cells (MCs) to other blood leucocytes, and to basophils in particular, is unclear. The relative distribution and abundance of cell surface glycoproteins of normal and neoplastic blood cells has been established as providing a "fingerprint" allowing assignment to a particular hemopoietic cell lineage. We have examined the major labeled glycoproteins of mast cells, basophils, HL-60 cells (granulocytic), and U937 cells (monocytic), after cell surface tritiation by the periodate-borohydride technique.

Human mast cells detected by monoclonal antibodies.

We report the establishment of seven mouse-mouse hybridoma cell lines secreting monoclonal antibodies with specificity for granule components of all human mast cells. Reactivity is directed against a molecule which is also found intracytoplasmically in human mature small intestinal enterocytes, liver parenchymal cells, and kidney proximal tubule epithelial cells. No reactivity of these antibodies was found with any other human or animal cell type examined.

Biochemically-defined differentiation markers on human early haemopoietic (K562) cells.

Both haemin, contrary to a previous report, and the tumor promoter TPA induce pronounced changes in surface protein patterns of human erythroleukaemic (K562) cells. Three major surface proteins are down-regulated by both inducers. These are not merely growth-related proteins and therefore represent candidate markers for an early stage of haemopoietic differentiation.